Issue 68 Year 2005
TheThe BasqueBasque archives,archives, aa sourcesource ofof identityidentity TABLE OF CONTENTS
GAURKO GAIAK / CURRENT EVENTS: The Basque archives, a source of identity
Issue 68 Year 3 • Josu Legarreta, Basque Director of Relations with Basque Communities. The BasqueThe archives,Basque 4 • An interview with Arantxa Arzamendi, a source of identity Director of the Basque Cultural Heritage Department 5 • The Basque archives can be consulted from any part of the planet 8 • Classification and digitalization of parish archives 9 • Gloria Totoricagüena: «Knowledge of a common historical past is essential to maintaining a people’s signs of identity» 12 • Urazandi, a project shining light on Basque emigration 14 • Basque periodicals published in Venezuela and Mexico Issue 68. Year 2005 ARTICLES
16 • The Basque "Y", a train on the move
18 • Nestor Basterretxea, sculptor. AUTHOR A return traveller Eusko Jaurlaritza-Kanpo Harremanetarako Idazkaritza 20 • Euskaditik: The Bishop of Bilbao, elected Nagusia President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference Basque Government-General 21 • Euskaditik: Election results Secretariat for Foreign Action 22 • Euskal gazteak munduan / Basque youth C/ Navarra, 2 around the world 01007 VITORIA-GASTEIZ Nestor Basterretxea Telephone: 945 01 7900 [email protected]
DIRECTOR EUSKAL ETXEAK / ETXEZ ETXE Josu Legarreta Bilbao
COORDINATION AND EDITORIAL 24 • Proliferation of programs in the USA OFFICE 26 • Argentina. An exhibition for the memory A. Zugasti (Kazeta5 Komunikazioa) 27 • Impressions of Argentina and Uruguay PHOTOGRAPHS • "Basque Presence", 15 years on the air Photographs from the Office of the 28 President and DEIA archives 29 • Two deeply felt deaths
EDITOR Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Argitalpen Zerbitzu Nagusia S@REAN / E-MAIL TXOKO Basque Government Central 30 • Letters to the editor Publication Service
LAYOUT AND DESIGN Oihana Pagola (Didart) CUISINE 31 • Hilario Arbelaitz [Restaurante Zuberoa] PRINTING Slow-cooked suckling pig in cummin Xxxxxxxxxxx ISSN: 1579-4210 THE BASQUE ARCHIVES, A SOURCE OF IDENTITY
Aurkezpena Opening letter
Director of Relations with JOSU LEGARRETA Basque Communities
oday’s globalizing specific information or sources to trends lead, almost by which they can take recourse. inertia, to considering Tthe assumption of The reader will find in this issue of concepts like change, Euskal Etxeak ample information evolution, transformation or on the most important archives in adaptation as necessary, if not Euskadi, with an extremely inborn, to human important document reality. As if fate itself database on Basque history, had predestined people its corresponding web to a futuristic approach pages, e-mails, services, to life with respect to On the need to manners of functioning, etc. politics and economics, We believe that this to philosophy, culture seek origins information can be of great and even religion. help to their potential queries, and even research. This said, not all aspects of human life are result of them, migratory However, on the other hand, given characterized by this futuristic movements, increasingly more the responsibility of this future sense. When pondering over our important in any part of the world, proving itself unattainable by the individual or collective identity, we cause social changes of tremendous day, we would be grateful to cannot completely rid ourselves of importance in several areas of readers for any help they may be our pasts. This past of successes social life. And as a spontaneous able to offer these archives or to and happy memories or of reaction, almost like an instinct of others for the donation or loan of disappointments and failures, which preservation, each new day sees an materials. At the end of the day have in some way contributed to rise in the number of people taking history is something that we all shaping the personality of a person an interest in their origins, in their make together. and even of a people. genealogical trees, in the meaning of their surname or in the boosting The Directorate for Relations with And it is this contrast, on occasions of the collectivity to which they Basque Communities makes the contradictory, between past and belong. most of this opportunity to future that kindles in human beings introduce the reader to the two the need to find a satisfactory Modern communication important document recovery answer to the questions technologies therefore make it programs currently underway: continuously raised by their possible to reduce the distance and publication of the Urazandi intimate desire to know who they time taken to obtain the desired collection and digitalization of the are as individual persons and as information and even facilitate Basque magazines published in collective beings. interrelation between peoples. America between 1876 and 1976.
This problem of identity will And we Basques are no exception. Convinced that any questions asked escalate in the future. It’s no Several thousands of people feel about the past are true exponents longer a question of observing the themselves to Basque, despite of the need and desire to deal with repercussions of technological lacking an in-depth knowledge of the challenges raised by our progress on personal and social today’s reality in Euskadi, and, as a concern for identity, we thank you issues. Together with these, or as a result of their sentiments, request in advance for your collaboration.
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ARANTXA ARZAMENDI, Basque Director of Cultural Heritage «Technology will permit Basque communities to access the Basque Digital Memory»
Arantxa Arzamendi, Eusko Jaurlaritzako Kultura Ondarearen zuzendari da eta berari dagokio Erkidegoko artxibategien antolaketa eta koordinazioa bultzatuko dituen politikak lantzea. Bide horretan Irargi erakundea aipatzen du ezinbesteko erreferentzi bezala eta hurrengo urteetako lanaren ardatzak iaz onartu zen Kulturaren Euskal Planean finkatuta daudela gogorarazi nahi du.
How would you assess the situation of Basque historical archives? The Basque historical archives, those constituted by documents of solely historical interest, were born as early as the 15th Century. Skimming over the history of Euskadi until today, the main reference appeared in the Hshape of the Basque Cultural Heritage Act, approved in 1990, and which readjusted the archivistic panorama. The result of this Act was the creation of Irargi, the Basque Government Documentary Archive and Heritage Center, responsible for designing and developing an archive policy in Euskadi. On the other hand, the three Regional Governments and the plans are currently underway to create a "Basque Government of Spain maintain ownership and authority digital memory" program, resulting from coordination in their respective areas, while the local and integration of the action taken by the different administrations are gradually setting up their own agents involved (archives, libraries, document centers, archive services. The panorama is rounded off by museums) dedicated to the preservation of cultural privately-owned archives, such as those belonging to the heritage and its digital diffusion. Catholic Church, archives belonging to entities of historical tradition such as the Royal Basque Society of What is the meaning of the role played by archives Friends of the Country, archives belonging to families as far as identity is concerned? and company archives. Today’s archives go beyond the traditional concept of serving as places in which to deposit documentary What Basque Government projects exist in this heritage and are turning into spaces dedicated to the respect? promotion of cultural and scientific participation by Culture-related Basque Government actions and linking the documents deposited in them to the undertakings are defined in the recently approved historical values of the different social groups. Basque Plan on Culture participated in by both public and private agents involved in the sector. The most What role do or can these archives play with important projects for the archive system are: respect to Basque communities around the world? definition and materialization of the Basque Historical The development of information and communication Archive, consolidation of the Euskadi Archive Network technologies will facilitate rapid access to archive and System, fostering content digitalization and its documents forming part of this Digital Memory thus incorporation to the web. Finally, as a proposal for offering a first-class identity reference to Basque future development in the area of heritage in general, communities throughout the world.
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The Basque archives, open to globalization
The Basque Documentary Heritage Center, located in Bergara, Gipuzkoa, and dependent on the Basque Government’s Department of Culture, is responsible for all Basque archives, except for those corresponding to the three regional governments, which each have their own systems. Borja Aginagalde is the Director of this Archive Service responsible for public, private and church archives.
Ever since its creation in 1986, the Documentary Heritage Center has been channeling efforts into three main areas: the creation of a National Archive, an archive digitalization project making information accessible online, and the creation of a stable archive network. "Although in recent years the different administrations have created their own archives and consolidated their services, there is no common public service as yet", explains Borja Aginagalde. "Our efforts are also aimed –he adds– at achieving the French mise en valeur, i.e., at convincing people that what they have is worthwhile and may be of interest to others given that the material consists of details, photographs and documents forming part of today’s history".
In order to organize this documentation, the decision has been taken to subsidize municipal and so-called Borja Aginagalde is Director of the Basque Documentary Heritage Center.
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non-public archives. "The fact that it is so difficult This Documentary Heritage Center is the basis of simply to convince people that all of this work is good what will become the National Archive within the means that we have to boost the process with next five or six years. "We do –in the words of Borja subsidies; once people have realized that it’s not only Aginagalde– what a governmental regional archive good but colossal, they’ll start creating permanent jobs service does. Even information relating to the Civil for the ongoing development of these archives". War found in Salamanca has been microfilmed and taken to Bergara. We do just about everything as For example, in 2004 subsidies were granted to three far as archives are concerned, even if we are families of archives: the Aranzadi Science Society, the perhaps lacking somewhat in perfection. Our ELA trade union, and the Jesuits in Loyola which, once obligation is to cover all fronts, or at least to try inventoried, will be added to what are known as "saved and cover as many subjects as possible, meaning archives". that we often have to work with the owners of archives who have kept documents over several "We currently have a strong ally in the shape of the generations and convince them of their public Internet. Not only that, but our inventories are entered interest. All of this creates the basis of a good on our web page with all of the other Basque archives archive. We have been working for almost twenty by the Badator service. The idea is that practically all years and I think it will take another ten to of them will have been entered in 15-20 years time. establish the headquarters of the National There are now around fifty diverse municipal, private or Historical Archive. By that time we will also have a company archives. The point is that our responsibility more appropriate place and service, similarly as Government Archive Service is to provide available on the Internet in a rich, varied and information about all of the archives in the country". pleasant website with all sorts of visual resources".
The advantage of having our website on the Internet As pointed out by the person in charge of this center, available for consultation from anywhere is enormously the Archive Service mustn’t be a place to which people important, particularly for the American market. go, but a place that goes to people. "We mustn’t design "Every day we receive e-mails from scores of a stale, 19th-Century style mausoleum only serving to Americans in the diaspora who have entered our site store documents. I would like to see a service offering and want to know their background and we do what we attractive functions interesting the general public and can to help them with the steps they have to take. Not not only historians or researchers studying specific only that, but each archive consulted has an e-mail subjects. Because I also believe that it is a way of address, hence people making queries will always find creating a kind of cultural conscience, of making someone who can reply to them". people a little more civilized".
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www.irargi.com
Inaugurated in 1998, although the website has a captive Sacramental institutions market in the shape of historians, there is another 80% of the population that we at the Documentary Heritage Since last February, the website has been offering Center would like to see using the system, meaning that, indexes for all of the sacramental archives corresponding having entered the website, they to Basque parishes from 1500 will have to find good and simple to 1900. Today’s 500,000 tools, based on an easy-to-use «Artxibategiak eta entries are expected to hit the access structure that won’t put 13.5 million mark by 2008 with them off. "It hasn’t yet dawned dokumentu-ondarea ditu the addition of christening, on most citizens that they can marriage and death use it and we have to encourage beregain Irargi erakundeak. sacraments, meaning that them to do so, because it fosters Bere web orria asko people will be able to trace their a kind of cultural awareness". genealogical trees from home. erabiltzen den tresna da; While Aginagalde admits that this subject involves "a certain gehienak historiagileak Cultural institutions amount of militancy", he adds: "We mustn’t forget that there izaten dira baina jende The Center has granted a are people out there to whom arruntaren bisitak bultzatu number of subsidies for making Bergara, Antzuola or Salinas inventories and organizing may mean nothing, which is why nahi dira» archives belonging to cultural we have to create mechanisms in institutions similarly accessible some way introducing them to via the website. This is the case these places and giving them an idea of what they are of the Basque Film Archive and the Sabino Arana like from America, just as it is useful to someone from Foundation’s "Eresbil" music archive. A number of Irún who has traveled to exotic countries and doesn’t agreements have been established to foster institutions know the neighborhood of Garin". also giving an insight to the country: the music archive, the image archive, the war and post-war collection. Other "Those belonging to the diaspora form a not particularly entities like the Aranzadi Science Society are also large, dispersed, yet very special group placing a great receiving subsidies, as is the Benedictine Archive in deal of meaning on things and I believe they deserve Lazkao, an extremely important collection covering the special treatment. There are those who fled from a war Franco era and years of the transition, principally in the in which they fought and lost. These are some of our shape of books, a variety of publications and magazines, most faithful and enthusiastic clients, and that makes us and a large poster collection. feel highly satisfied".
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Classification and digitalization of parish archives
Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Kultura Sailak erabilgarri direlarik. Historia, eta Bilbo, Donostia eta Vitoria- demografia, ekonomia, soziologia eta Gasteizko Gotzaindegiek, hiru familia-historiarako horrenbesteko lurraldeetako eliza artxiboak garrantzia duen egitasmo hau indexatu, digitalizatu eta erabilgarri aitzindaria da Europan, artxibo jartzeko lantzen ari diren egitasmoa fondo hauek babesteaz gain, azken txanpan sartu da, ikertzaile eta herritarren esku balore jendearentzako lehen emaitzak handiko tresna jarriko baitu.
he program serving to digitalize and enter on the Internet the sacramental registers corresponding to Tparish and diocesan archives in the three provinces, an action considered as strategic under the Basque Plan on Culture, is entering its final leg on offering its first records to the general public in the databases of the Basque Government Archive Center (IRARGI) and the Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz Dioceses
The Department of Culture, in collaboration with experts from the three Dioceses, started the classification process (indexation) towards the end of 2000, expecting to have completed the task and made the material completely accessible by 2008. The Basque Government (ISAD), thus permitting their computer administration. A will allot 3 million euro to funding the work program digital photograph is also made of the original entry, during this period. ãt following which the digital image will be stored in CD format and made available on the Internet. This project, born under the Basque Country in the Information Society Plan, has the mission of digitalizing The database thus created is available to researchers and the historical archives of Basque parishes as a first step citizens, similarly improving the material infrastructures of towards their protection while making them accessible to the diocesan archives. The archive can be found at the researchers and other interested parties. Badator database (www.irargi.org) of IRARGI, the Basque Documentary Heritage and Archive Center, and on the Ever since 2001, work has been underway to classify and websites of the different Diocesan Archives (Alava: digitalize the christening –birth–, death and marriage www.ahdv-geah.org; Bizkaia: www.aheb-beha.org and certificates belonging to parish archives from the 16th Gipuzkoa: www.elizagipuzkoa.org/artxiboa). Century until 1900. To give an idea of the magnitude of the information to be entered, according to existing data, Today, 590,000 records are available for consultation the parishes corresponding to the three dioceses have and the total amount will be ready by 2008. From this 13,691,640 records, of which 6,321,100 belong to the year on, around three million new documents will be Biscayan Ecclesiastical Historical Archive, 4,070,000 to added each year. It is currently possible to access the Donostia-San Sebastián Diocesan Historical Archive, catalogues, guides and records; images of the original and 3,300,540 to the Vitoria-Gasteiz Diocesan document and a copy of it are only available on request. Historical Archive. In other words, we have information related to a universe of some 3.5 million people who This program, so important from the historical research, lived in our country. demographic, economic, sociological and even micro- historical aspects, is a groundbreaking initiative in All entries in the sacramental registers are being made Europe offering important added value to researchers according to international cataloguing standards and citizens in general.
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GLORIA TOTORICAGÜENA, International Political Science and Basque Studies Lecturer
Atzerriko euskaldunen historia gertutik ezagutzen duen emakumea da Gloria Totoricagüena. Ospe handiko ikerlaria eta erakunde askotako kide, Totoricagüena baikor azaltzen da azken urte hauetan diasporaren inguruan egin diren ikerketek lortu duten maila zientifikoa ikusita eta Eusko Jarlaritzaren parte-hartzea garrantzizkotzat jotzen du proiektu berriei bultzada emateko orduan.
«Knowledge of a common historical past is essential to maintaining a people’s signs of identity» She is, without a doubt, one of the people with most Scholars and students of Basque migration and diaspora authority to talk about the Basque diaspora. Gloria identity studies are like migrants themselves preparing to Totoricagüena is a lecturer on International Political embark on fantastic research trajectories. In the last Science and Basque Studies, specializing in Basque decade, we have witnessed a significant proliferation in Basque migration and diaspora identity studies at the the number and scientific quality of quantitative and University of Nevada Center for Basque Studies in Reno. qualitative investigations, thanks to improved archival SShe is also President of the Committee of Experts for availability, facilitation of information sharing via the the Eusko Ikaskuntza/Society of Basque Studies’ Internet, and the challenge offered during the II World EuskoSare/Basque network project. This researcher, Congress of Basque Collectivities (1999) to each Basque author, lecturer and editor, similarly participates in a community to establish, safeguard, and disseminate the Cultural Education and Cultural Sustainability Project biography of their communities. The 15 volume as part of an international network created in Israel publication series Urazandi: Basques Across the Seas is consisting of experts in multicultural education. an extraordinary example of historical, sociological, anthropological and political science research regarding How would you describe the current developments our own Basque experiences in various countries. It is and situation of Basque diaspora studies? exemplary in the world of diaspora studies and I have
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often used it as an example in my international dealings In each Basque diaspora community there are generally with foreign government officials. I recently returned amateur historians who have worked to maintain from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and conferences and collections at the euskal etxea, and who know others who meetings with Israeli government officials. Of course, have private collections, those who have maintained their research accomplishments on Jewish identity and family genealogies, and family records, etc. Most of the transnational communities around the world encompasses organizations have kept minutes of meetings, records, significantly more than does ours on Basques, however, in and photographs. I maintain regular contact with these the same way that we can learn from their successes (as individuals and their institutions and I keep a dialogue well as the successes of Armenian, Irish, Mexican, Polish, going regarding the importance of having history Galician, Greek, etc. communities abroad), they have committees and preserving records. However, these learned from ours. I have initiated an international materials are often in boxes in a garage or in a closet network of academics and intellectuals who together stored away, or, are "lost". Someone dies and others -not collaborate in diaspora theory development. Specifically realizing the value of the papers- throw everything away. in Basque diaspora studies, EuskoSare (Basque Network) Even university libraries in South America are throwing of Eusko Ikaskuntza (Basque Studies Society) in away documents to make room for new publications. We Donostia has created an Internet platform for researchers are truly in an urgent phase of data collection. In to share information and request information from each addition, many from the Spanish Civil War emigrant other. Readers should check it. www.euskosare.org generation are now dying, and we are also losing their However, we are only beginning, and the basics of building testimonies of experiences. If we create a central point data bases and access to that information is an enormous to which families can donate their collections, we could task. amass a voluminous archive and save our own history.
What are the principle difficulties in which The government of the Basque Autonomous individuals find themselves when they enter this Community, and especially the Directorate of discipline for their investigations? Relations with Basque Collectivities, is carrying out The number one impediment to Basque diaspora various projects with these goals. How would you research is the lack of centralization and access to assess this initiative? materials. Unbelievably, there is no Basque diaspora I and other diaspora specialists welcome it archive where already gathered materials are physically wholeheartedly. The digitization of journals and or virtually together in one space. My own research newspapers published by Basques in all the Americas requires that I travel the globe from Belgium to between 1876 y 1976 will be completed for the IV World Argentina to Australia, which is not feasible for most, Congress in 2007. This is a tremendous undertaking. We nor is it desirable. The Center for Basque Studies here are also exploring several possibilities for training at the University of Nevada, Reno is the closest thing collaborative research teams for further fieldwork, we have to an archive. Our library has book volumes, always focusing on the highest academic standards and documents, photographs, audio recordings, posters, strict scientific methodology. The Basque Government’s journal serials and other materials that number well initiative and support are fundamental and have created over 100,000. However, there are millions (not an an environment conducive to innovative projects. exaggeration) of documents, oral history recordings, personal diaries, records and effects that are scattered In addition to the available documentary materials, throughout from Canada to the tip of Chile, from are the oral testimonies of emigrants. How would Tasmania to Scandinavia. Basque diaspora specialists you rate their importance and what would you are working to digitize and centralize information, as suggest for gathering the testimonies? well as improve accessibility for all those interested. Again, access to information is critical. It is a waste to Compatibility among search engines and database have an oral history collection that is not available to the exploration is also essential, instead of the situation public or to researchers. The definitions and strategies of now where a researcher has to learn numerous methods, researchers and of "library" changed with digitization and gain various permissions, speak several languages and the Internet. The New York Public Library, one of the travel extensively. A central repository could integrate most important in the world, is putting their entire and systematize materials for distribution and easier collection on the Internet. We have to think in this same access. way. Taping oral histories is but the first step, then we have to make them available on the Internet for families Because of the fact that many materials are and academics to listen or read and then researchers can dispersed in different countries and also are in the apply theories to analyze the information looking for hands of private and family collections, the discovery patterns, causal relationships, and so on. One mistake we of and access to these documents must be difficult. make is in thinking of oral histories as those experiences How are you able to gain knowledge of these we have to record from those who departed Euskal scattered materials and collections? Herria. This is only one aspect of how migration has
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does not include Basque migration in any subjects, nor is there a single university course available regarding Basque diaspora and migration studies. Individual university professors attempt to interest students in these areas for semester research projects and theses, but there is no coherent program. Basque society and Basques living abroad could all benefit by learning more about each other.
You currently live in the United States, a country forged by the presence of numerous ethnic groups and nationalities. Is there any one research experience in any of those groups that sticks out to you for their work towards compiling their history? Yes. Heritage projects of emigrants in Irish, Armenian, Korean, Haitian, and Indian communities in the USA are far more advanced, using methodology of the International Oral History Association and trained interviewers. The Polish in the Midwest have also worked diligently to create family heritage collections. A valuable oral testimony requires that the interviewer conduct background investigation about the subject and continue the interview in a way as to ascertain facts, emotion, affected Basque society. We also have to record the lives memories, anecdotes and personal perceptions regarding of those who stayed, and how their loved ones who events. It is not a process of one hour asking a person emigrated affected their experiences in the Basque questions. The preparation prior to meeting is essential - Country. Today we also have the phenomenon of the similarly to any research project- in order to know what "returnees", Venezuelan-, Mexican-, Uruguayan-, and how to ask for this person’s testimony of their Argentine-, Chilean-, Australian-, Russian-, and Belgian- Basque experience in another host society. Catalan and Basques who have returned to their homeland, and often Galician projects are just now beginning in California and suffered another migration experience. While in Australia in New York. they are dreaming of Euskal Herria, when in Euskal Herria they are dreaming of Australia. This is a How could the Basque communities abroad have a transnational existence of "belonging" in many and no more significant presence and leading role in daily spaces simultaneously. One significant aspect to a life in Euskadi? Basque diaspora archive would include these oral I suppose this is a typical economics question of supply testimonies, recorded and archived in a standardized and demand. If homeland Basques are supplied with manner. abundant information about the diaspora –in the media, in schooling, in the news- will their interest and demand Realizing that a community has a common for more information and understanding follow? Perhaps. historical past can serve as a very important factor Perhaps if they knew that tens of thousands of diaspora in maintaining the characteristics of identity. Are Basques vote in homeland elections; that tourism from people conscious of this? diaspora Basques brings in significant revenues; that Yes, a few are. Because the idea of a common easily more than half of the population in the seven historical past is essential to ethnic identity, preserving territories has a Basque relative or friend living abroad; that information and encouraging its dissemination and that Basques in twenty-two countries have formed becomes fundamental to constructing a collective organizations to preserve and promote their ethnicity ... memory. Today, each Basque diaspora community has there might be a higher demand for more information. I its own institutional and collective memory, and there think it is incumbent upon both the homeland and are a few people in each who always know the names, diaspora institutions to facilitate the encounters among dates and details of past events. However, this diaspora and homeland groups. The creation of a Basque knowledge for many of the youth is completely lacking. diaspora archive would serve as a web of networks There are no history clubs, classes, or seminars inside among all of the communities; rather than bilateral the euskal etxeak to teach and learn about themselves. relations between one diaspora community and the In Euskal Herria itself, there is almost a complete Basque Country, there would be exponential multilateral disconnect to what is happening in the approximately communications among individuals and institutions. That 175 Basque organizations around the world. is our goal; to promote knowledge and research Educational curriculum in primary or secondary school regarding Basques around the world.
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URAZANDIGITAL
Urazandi bildumak munduan zehar dauden euskal etxe nagusienen historia jasotzea du helburu, atzerriratutako euskaldunen bizipenetan oinarrituta. Bizipenen bilketa lanetan eta bestelako zereginetan herrialde bakoitzeko unibertsitate mailako irakasle taldeak aritu dira, Euskal Gizataldeekiko Harremanetarako Zuzendaritzaren koordinaziopean. Ikerketa bide honi jarraituz, euskal gaiekin zerikusia duten argitalpenen digitalizazioari ekin dio Eusko Jaurlaritzak, Ameriketan ekoiztutako argitalpenena hain zuzen ere. Egun lantzen ari den egitasmo honek URAZANDIGITAL du izena. Urazandi, a project shining light on Basque emigration
he Uranzadi (across the seas) project was born Information essential to researchers wishing to with the idea of publishing 15 volumes on the complete the history of the Basque Country. history of Basque Centers around the world. T The Uranzadi team found publications –odd issues Promoted by the Basque Government’s Secretariat for and even complete collections– scattered over the Foreign Action, this initiative, which emerged as a Basque Centers, public libraries, archives and private result of the conference held in Vitoria-Gasteiz in homes. It soon became obvious that the historical 2003, has already met its goal and is now endeavoring value of this material would multiply if centralized to beat it by digitalizing in a period of four years all of and catalogued, hence a database had to be created the Basque publications printed in America from 1876 and the 134 publications printed in America between to 1976. 1876 and 1976 digitalized to permit free access in Ever since the start of the project, those involved the future. realized the importance of the enormous amount of periodical information published abroad, mainly in In order to be able to meet these objectives, America, on the subject of Basque emigration. Uranzadi split the project into four stages. In 2004 it
12 CURRENT EVENTS Issue 68. Year 2005 THE BASQUE ARCHIVES, A SOURCE OF IDENTITY
URAZANDIGITAL
concentrated on Basque publications in Argentina, Cooperation in Development– located in Buenos Uruguay and Chile. This year it is working on those Aires, from where steps were taken to find new published in Venezuela and Mexico. Publications copies. The queries made were positive and Basque related to the USA and other American countries will Centers throughout the country contributed their be digitalized in 2006 and in 2007 the idea is to go valuable collections, in some cases completing series about the work as a documentary package for of periodical publications. The technicians went to presentation at the next World Congress of Basque Buenos Aires and, to overcome the problem of the Communities to take place in Vitoria-Gasteiz the enormous distances between cities, decided to same year. concentrate the material from all of the Basque Centers in La Plata. The digitalization team was able It hasn’t been an easy job. The first stage involved to continue its work in October. Today 35% of the developing a plan to search for and find publications, Basque periodical publications printed in Argentina, starting with a bibliographic search until being able Chile and Uruguay have been digitalized. Eight to draw up a list of publications. With this list, to publications have been completely digitalized and which the general details of each publication were another 10 have been largely entered, although a few added, the appropriate queries were made at the copies are still missing. This is the case of the main libraries, archives and document centers. Help historical publications of which hundreds of issues was also requested from people potentially owning were printed, such as "Tierra Vasca", "Euzko Deya" some kind of material in their private collections. (Argentina), "Tximistak", "Nación Vasca" or "Laurak Bat" (Buenos Aires).. During their stay of almost a month in the Basque Country, the digitalizing team consisting of Mexico and Venezuela for the second stage Uruguayan researchers Alberto Irigoyen and Adriana Patrón, photographed almost 18,700 pages of 49 Uranzadi is this year digitalizing the 73 cultural and Basque periodical publications printed in Argentina, political Basque publications printed in Venezuela and Uruguay and Chile, which will be compiled into Mexico, another two countries of vital importance to around a hundred CDs. To prevent damaging the the study of Basque exiles given the numerous refugees copies during transport, this work was carried out in who moved there after the Civil War in 1936. The the archives and libraries housing them: the Basque process is similar to that of the first stage, and on this Nationalism Archive at Artea, Euskaltzaindia’s occasion collaboration has once again been requested Azkue Archive, the Regional Library of Bizkaia, the from Basque Centers and individuals with copies of any Benedictine Library in Lazkao, the Koldo Mitxelena of these publications. The oldest is the one printed by Library belonging to the Regional Government of the Basque Center in Mexico, dating from 1907. Gipuzkoa and the Basque Museum Archive in Baiona. Having concluded this stage, next year will be dedicated to revising production by the USA and the While the digitalizing team was working in the other American countries. The Basque Studies Library Basque Country, contacts were being made to find at the University of Nevada in Reno, from which copies in Argentina. Communication was established collaboration has already been requested, will lend its with the Basque Delegation in that country collection to complete the Urazandi project shining –currently the Basque-Argentine Institute for light on an important part of Basque history.
Issue 68. Year 2005 GAURKO GAIAK 13 EUSKADIKO ARTXIBOAK, NORTASUN ITURRIAK
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Basque periodicals published in Venezuela
TITLE PLACE OF PUBLICATION DATE TYPE ABERRI Caracas 1958/1962 Cultural ACCIÓN NACIONALISTA VASCA Caracas 1965/1975 Political AMARREKO Caracas 1960 Political ARGIA Caracas/New York 1946/1948 Political AZKATUTA Caracas 1969/1970 Political BAI Venezuela 1969/? Political BERRIAK Caracas 1970/1973 Political BOLETÍN (CENTRO VASCO) Caracas 1973? CUADERNOS ZUTIK Caracas 1963 Political EGI INFORMA Caracas 1967 Political EL SIGLO DE LAS MISIONES N.S. EMAN Caracas 1967 Political ERRI Caracas 1949 Political ETXEKO JAUN’EN ALKARTASUNA Caracas 1969? EUZKADI Caracas 1968/1981 Political EUZKADI: BOLETÍN DE INFORMACIÓN Caracas 1948-1949 EUZKADI. CENTRO VASCO Caracas 1942/1950 Political EUZKADI AZKATUTA Caracas 1957-1965 Political EUZKADI´KO ERRIAK Caracas 1951 Political EUZKO ALDERDI JELTZALEA Caracas 1968 Political EUZKO GAZTEDI Caracas 1948/1956 regular Political irregular until 1976 EUZKO GAZTEDI INFORMA Caracas 1971 Political FRENTE NACIONAL VASCO EUZKO ABERRI ALKARTASUNA Venezuela 1960/1968 N.S. GOAZEN Caracas 1965 Political GRUPO PELOTA-ZALE Caracas 1972? Cultural G.V.-O.P.E. Caracas 1972/1978 Political GASTEAK Valencia (Venezuela) 1977?/1979? N.S. GUDARI Caracas 1961/1974? Political IRITZI Venezuela 1978/1984 Political IRRINTZI Caracas 1957/1961 Political ITZINGA´KO ARGIA Maracaibo 1961/? N.S. JEL Caracas 1940 Political LA PULGA Caracas 1969/1973 Political LAN DEYA Venezuela 1971/1973 Political LOS VASCOS EN VENEZUELA Venezuela 1957/? N.S. NOTICENTRO Caracas 1955/?, 1987- N.S. NOTIMES Caracas 1975/1977 N.S. PILOTA- ZALE Venezuela /1983 Sports SABINDARRA Venezuela 1970/1971 Political THE BOISE CAPITAL NEWS Boise 1938/1939 N.S. ZUTIK Venezuela 1960/1971 Political (different times at which publishing of the periodical was suspended)
14 CURRENT EVENTS Issue 68. Year 2005 THE BASQUE ARCHIVES, A SOURCE OF IDENTITY
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Basque periodicals published in Mexico
TITLE PLACE OF PUBBLICATION DATE TYPE ABERRI Mexico 1946/1948 Political ABERRI Mexico 1946-1947 ABERRI ALDEZ Mexico 1937 Political ALKARTU (EUZKADI ROJA as from 1947) Mexico 1942/? Political ARGIA- LUZ Mexico 1929/1934 N.S. AROIA Mexico 1935/? N.S. AULA VALLEJO Mexico 1961/? Cultural BOLETÍN DE EUZKADI ROJA Mexico 1947-1952? Political BOLETÍN DEL CONSEJO DE CONTRIBUCIÓN A LA RESISTENCIA VASCA Mexico 1964/1968 Political CANCHA Mexico 1945 Sports CENTRO VASCO DE Mexico Mexico 1907 - CUADERNOS AMERICANOS Mexico 1942/? Cultural CULTURA VASCA Mexico 1929/? N.S. EKIN Mexico 1950 Cultural ESPAÑA PEREGRINA Mexico 1940 Cultural ESTAMPAS DEL PAÍS VASCO Mexico 1946 Graphic EUSKAL ELKARGOA St. Jean de Luz, Mexico 1971/1975 N.S. EUZKADI Mexico 1966/? N.S. EUZKADI AZKATUTA Mexico 1956/1965 Political EUZKADI SOCIALISTA Mexico 1947/? Political EUZKADI’KO EGIAK Mexico 1970-1971 EUZKO DEYA Mexico 1943/1971 Political EUZKO IZKETA Mexico 1956 N.S. EUZKO LANGILLIEN ALKARTASUNA Mexico 1948 Union EUZKOTARRA Mexico, New Orleans 1907/1909 Political EXCELSIOR Mexico Cultural? GUDARI Mexico 1964/1965 Political JAI-ALAI Mexico 1936-1937? LA PATRIA, EL MUNDO Y NOSOTROS Mexico 1966 Political PATRIA VASCA Mexico, Bilbao 1928/1932 Political REVISTA DE REVISTAS Mexico Cultural? REVISTA DEL CENTRO VASCO Mexico N.S. ROMANCE Mexico 1940/1941 Cultural
Issue 68. Year 2005 GAURKO GAIAK 15 AURRERA DOAN HERRIA
194 Km of track link the Basque capitals to Europe The Basque "Y", a train on the move
Euskal “Y” izenez ezagutzen den Trenbide Sare he New Railway Line, known as the Basque "Y" Berriak Bilbo, Gasteiz eta Donostia Paris eta will link Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Donostia- Madril elkartzen dituen sare nagusiarekin San Sebastián to the main Paris-Madrid network lotuko ditu, 157 km, bide bikoitzean eta 37 Tby means of a "Y"-shaped system covering 157 km km bide bakarrean (trukagunean eta beste of double track and 37 km of single track (on the adar batzuetan) dituen “Y” itxurako exchanger and other branch lines). Although this route trazatuaren bitartez. Trazatu horretan ez dira doesn’t cover the entrances to the ports of Bilbao and Pasaia, it does include the new Gasteiz by-pass, different sartzen Bilboko eta Pasaiako portuetara projects at the technical development stage.This New joateko sarbideak, baina bai Gasteizko Network, the introduction of which has generated strong Saihesbide berria, hirurak ere garapen tekniko public debate in the Basque Country,offers an alternative mailan dauden proiektuak. to passenger and goods transport by providing a railway Sare Berri hori alternatiba erakargarria eta link between the three capitals.The Network also has an fidagarria da bidaiarien eta merkantzien essential mission:to place Euskadi on the Transeuropean garraiorako, bai hiriburuen Railway Network map. arteko loturatan, bai eta sarearen bokazio An essential infrastructure nagusia bete ahal The Basque "Y" high speed train is a izateko ere: Euskadi modern, groundbreaking transport Europako Trenbide system which, according to the Sareen barruan institution responsible for its sartzeko. promotion, the Basque Government, respects the environment while simplifying and increasing the free movement of passengers and freight inside Euskadi and towards other places. It makes local distances shorter,and will get us to Madrid and the rest of Europe much more quickly. Running at moderate speed, the system covers long distances in a far shorter time than conventional trains, while respecting the environment and offering a great deal more safety, reliability and comfort than other existing means of transport.At the end of the day,this is a system representing the 21st Century railroad.
This extremely important transport infrastructure will mean an investment of 3.3 billion euro (some 500 billion former pesetas), the
16 A COUNTRY ON THE MOVE Issue 68. Year 2005 A COUNTRY ON THE MOVE
most important ever to have been made in Euskadi and which will be financed by: • the U.E. 10 strong points of the Basque "Y" • the Central Government 1 The Basque "Y" will transport freight and passengers Not only that, but it will mean for all Basque alike. citizens daily savings of 413,500 euro/day on external environmental and safety costs. It will 2 It will clear our roads of over 22,500 vehicles per day, thus relieving congestion and contamination. moreover contribute to easing traffic congestion. 3 It will considerably increase energy savings with respect Although the Informative Study carried out by the to other currently existing means of transport, permitting Spanish Government’s Ministry of Development daily savings of approximately 133,700 litres fuel/day. envisaged four stations on its route (Bilbao- 4 It will permit a reduction of 630 Tn per day in the Abando, Gasteiz-Dato, Irún and Donostia-Norte, emission of greenhouse gases. the latter of which is to operate by shuttle from Astigarraga), another two are now being 5 It will reduce average road and air transport noise levels. considered: Ezkio Itxaso in the Goierri region of 6 Its tracks will occupy almost three times less physical Gipuzkoa and Euba in the Duranguesado area. space than today’s motorways. According to those responsible for the subject at the Basque Government, "Our challenge is to 7 It will mean daily savings in external accidentability, analyze the area around these two stations with a noise and contamination costs, etc. of 0.41 million euro/day. view to converting them into centers for logistic 8 It will provide a fast, safe link between Euskadi, Europe platforms based on intermodal transport and the rest of Spain. It will take us to Madrid and Bordeaux principally dealing with freight". in just over 2 hours and to Paris in less than six. 9 It will link the three Basque capitals in an average The maximum and minimum circulation speeds travelling time of 30 minutes, greatly reducing the length of will be 230 km/h and 90 km/h.This said, the most today’s local journeys. important factor is to adapt the speed to each route,i.e.,to establish a speed making it possible to 10 Over the next 20 years it is expected to create 13,000 cover the distance between two points in an direct and indirect jobs, of which 9,000 will be temporary amount of time considered as ideal according to and 4,100 permanent. demand.
Issue 68. Year 2005 AURRERA DOAN HERRIA Elkarrizketa Interview Zazpiak bat" (Seven-in- one) sculpture, symbol of NESTOR BASTERRETXEA Sculptor the Basque Government.
Bidaiari eta abenturero baten bizitzaren parekoa izan da Nestor Basterretxea artistaren ibilbidea. Gazte zela Ameriketara iritisi zen bere familiarekin Francoren diktaduratik iheska. Eskultura alorrean ezaguna, beste atal batzuetan ere goraipatutako lanak egin izan ditu: zinea, margolaritza...Bere memoriak bukatzen ari da egun hauetan baina duela aste batzuk tarte bat egin zuen Argentinara joateko, bere bigarren etxea den herria bisitatzeko.
"zazpiak bat" (seven-in-one), a bronze reproduction of the symbol of the Basque Parliament. During his whirlwind visit to present the sculpture he went to Buenos Aires, a city like a second home to him. "I used to and still do love Argentina, ever since 1942, the year I arrived in the city at the age of 18, but despite everything, I always knew that I didn’t come from there and that one day I would return to Euskadi. Proof of this is that, despite being a great dancer, I didn’t want to learn the tango, so that it wouldn’t become another factor tying me to the country".
The sculptor remembers those years as "a highly educational period", although he was unable to study A return traveller Architecture as he would liked to have done. He was prevented from doing so by two wars: first of all the Civil War, from which his father, a Sculptor Néstor Basterretxea Memoirs, this reencounter with the deputy with the Basque Nationalist recently donated one of his works to country permitted him to organize Party, had to flee to France with his the Museum of Contemporary Art in memories of those other two return whole family and, a short time later, the Argentinean city of Rosario, ship journeys made when he still had WWII, which also obliged them to Sprobable setting of a future his entire artistic career before him. flee from the Germans. anthological exhibition of his work. Together with his family, Néstor Basterretxea wanted this gift to bear The then youngster from Bermeo, Basterretxea spent 11 years as an the historical symbolism of the who always had his artist’s pad exile in Buenos Aires. Currently Basque people, hence his choice from under his arm, was caught up in a putting the final touches to his among his entire production of fabulous adventure shortly to come
18 Elkarrizketa Interview
fortune with tobacco plus a few He met Castelao, leader of the famous pelotaris from the Basque Galician nationalists, "an excellent Center". In Havana they boarded the sketcher" and people from the world “Buenos“ Airesen dago Argentine ship Río de Plata, which of theatre like Margarita Sirgú or nere bigarren etxea took them to Buenos Aires with Alberto Closas, poets and writers, stopovers at Santos (Brazil), striking up a friendship with León baina beti izan dut disembarkation point for all of the Felipe. "I was fairly young, I still had garbi ni ez nintzela Jews, and Montevideo. no training and, although I knew hangoa” them in tangentially, I couldn’t fully form a part of the intellectual Starting from zero atmosphere existing among the In Buenos Aires, Doctor José Vago, a exiles". I also met the Basque out in book form. "My parents, my Republican from San Sebastián who community. "They were numerous, three brothers and myself boarded in dished out help to everyone who hard-working, honest and well-liked, Marseille for Buenos Aires on a arrived, found a job for the young people who helped to raise a voyage that went on to last for 525 Néstor with the multinational country". days. In that 15-ton ship, the Alsina, company Nestlé as a designer of we were a penniless bunch searching advertisements. "The company was In 1952 he obtained a certificate as for the freedom then known as introducing powdered milk to Brazil something similar to surveyor, "for America: Jews from all over Europe, and other parts of the world me, endearing", entitled Third Class Spanish Republicans, Basques, suffering from the rampage of war. Constructor of the City of Buenos Belgians and even a Russian ballet Argentina was a neutral country and Aires. "I was never able to make any fleeing from Communism that spent business was booming. I stayed there projects in Argentina, because a few the whole time rehearsing to the for four years, until they gave me my days later I got married and boarded sound of its gramophone. The whole books for bad timekeeping.They said a ship with my wife Isabel for thing was like a photomontage. The that I was the employee with the Euskadi”. crew were really rowdy Corsican worst time-keeping record ever. At sailors who were only quiet when least they did it in style; they sent me Here he started yet again from they were listening to music". off with a banquet attended by the scratch. Everything still had to be director general of the company in done –including his artistic career– The Alsina made a port of call in Argentina, and with a speech and those early years weren’t easy. Dakar, where its passengers were stressing my human qualities and He had to go through with the detained for three months, "in the talent for drawing. My brain doesn’t conflictive project for the crypt of middle of a horrible naval battle, work at eight in the morning; I was a the Basílica of Aranzazu, which he with real shells flying to-and-fro, libertarian and didn’t even want to won as the result of a tender but was between the British and part of the hear of having to clock in. But paralyzed by the Franciscan monks French fleet belonging to the Vichy having kicked me out, they sent the themselves, which he describes as government that had taken refuge in work for me to do at home and I "the most serious assault on Senegal". From Dakar they were earned double the amount". intellectual property in this country". diverted to Casablanca, the point at He participated in the creation of which rumors started flying to the I spent my newly found free time Equipo 57 and in the group Gaur, effect that they were going to be sent learning how to paint. "In Buenos together with Oteiza, Chillida, back to Spain, but no. They were Aires there was an extremely Mendiburu, Ruiz Balerdi, Amable confined to abandoned Legion interesting intellectual group who Arias, José Antonio Sistiaga and barracks for a week. Another created a private and extremely José Luis Zumeta. He tried his hand Portuguese ship, the Cuança, expensive art school called Altamira. at pottery, carpet-making, permitted them to continue their They only gave one scholarship. At photography, etching, industrial voyage. the age of 22 I applied and was design and cinema. He passionately awarded it. I was told to choose a experienced the discovery of his The next stop was Mexico, teacher from between two excellent Basque cosmogonic series "when I destination of a large number of the Argentine artists differing greatly realized that there was not even a Spanish refugees. At the next port of from one another: Berni and trace of iconography in our popular call, Havana, they were put into Petorutti. I chose the latter of the inheritance". Hence he set off into quarantine, "delousing included, two for being more constructivist, the world of mythology, taking him because the Cubans had decreed that more abstract. But two or three on another voyage, "the imaginary all lice were foreigners. We were months later the school fell apart voyage from our modernity until there for another four months and due to arguments and rivality reaching the behavior of our met people who had made their between its members." forebears".
19 EUSKADITIK
The coldest winter for half a century Euskal Herria has suffered one of the harshest winters in the last fifty years. Five cold spells one after the other recorded from December to March left their negative effects on various crops, on road and air communications and on electricity consumption, which saw figures soar. Four days before the end of the year, the first storm brought snow down to sea level for several days, while inland temperatures dropped to as low as -15ºC. Two of these snow and hail storms took place in January. The first one hit the area on the 25th, followed four days later by another front blanketing the Basque Country with snow like the others. February was another cold month, with ten days of snow on the coast –it normally snows around once or twice at sea level– and eight consecutive days of freezing virtually throughout Euskal Herria. Finally, one of the worst snow storms of the winter fell in early March. The Basque Country recorded historic demand for The Bishop of Bilbao, elected electric energy, when consumption rose to 3,084 MWh between 10 and 11 o’clock on the 1st. President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference
Basque filmmakers The Bishop of Bilbao, Ricardo undertaking to continue working in "Basques and the Seventh Art" is the Blázquez, ousted by one single vote favor of peace from the Presidency title of Carlos Roldán Larreta’s his predecessor Antonio Rouco of the Episcopal Conference. excellent study of Basque Varela as President of the Spanish In these declarations, the new filmmakers brought out in Episcopal Conference, a position he leader of the Spanish bishops –who encyclopedic dictionary format. He will hold for three years in will have turned 63 on 13 April– had already approached the subject combination with the Bilbao undertook to persevere along the in "Cinema in the Basque Country: Diocese. The voting took place on road to dialogue with the from Amalur (1968) to Airbag 8th March last, and the result came government of Rodríguez Zapatero. (1997)", a detailed study of the as a surprise to Blázquez, whom in As far as teaching is concerned, films made during this period. In his his first, short public appearance, no great changes are expected. latest work, the author also analyzes spoke words of solidarity with the Blázquez was an assistant to Rouco movies by filmmakers including a victims of ETA and "with those of Varela in Santiago de Compostela number who tried their luck in other kinds of terrorism who have and the two have had a strong Hollywood and others who played an fallen as a result of fanaticism and friendship ever since they coincided as outstanding part in the monographic terror". This reference has lecturers at the Pontificia University issue dedicated to Basque cinema by awakened excellent perspectives in in Salamanca, hence he is expected to Euskal Etxeak. Euskadi, on his repeating his continue along similar lines.
20 NEWS Issue 68. Year 2004 NEWS
The 8th period of office The Aztec Empire is underway in Bilbao The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao The Basque parliament, a reduction has inaugurated one of its most Autonomous of four seats with ambitious exhibitions ever: The Community is respect to the 2001 Aztec Empire, open until 18th beginning its 8th elections. The second September this year. This period of office position went to the exhibition is organized in after the Basque PSE-EE with 272,429 collaboration with the Mexican Parliament votes (22.6% of voters National Council for Art and elections of 17 and 18 seats, Culture (CONACULTA) and the April last, as a compared to 13 in the National Institute of result of which last elections). The Anthropology and History the PNV-EA Popular Party was the (INAH). coalition was once third in importance While profound intellectual again the most with 208,795 votes changes were occurring in 15th- voted political (17.3%), meaning that Century European sciences and force, while for it lost four members of arts with the Renaissance, two the first time two parliament from the powerful Indian states were new political formations won seats: Basque chamber. EHAK breaks onto flourishing in ancient Mexico: the EHAK (Euskal Herrietako Alderdi the Parliament scene with 9 Aztecs and their neighboring Komunista/Partido Comunista de las representatives (150,188 votes, enemies, the Tarascans.The Aztec Tierras Vascas), the party which had 12.5%) and Aralar with one, thanks Empire recreates this period, committed itself to backing Batasuna to its 28,001 votes or 2.33% of the bringing together the largest following its illegalization, and Aralar. electorate. Thanks to the Equality Bill number of artistic objects to form The result of the elections once again recently passed by the Basque part of an international exhibition, placed the PNV-EA formation at the Parliament, the new chamber almost produced by the different forefront with 463,873 votes (around achieved parity with a female Mesoamerican peoples from the 38.6%) and 29 members of presence of 42%. 13th-16th Centuries of our era.
21st Century art at the 2nd DFOTO Fair
The Fundación Centro (London), ADN and Ordóñez-Falcón de Fotografía PROJECTSD (Barcelona), Silk (COFF) has just completed its Road (Iran),Marzana (Bilbao), second DFOTO International Springer & Winckler (Cologne), Contemporary Photography Flatland Gallery (Utrecht), Ad and Video Fair in Donostia-San Hoc (Corunna), Amés y Röpke Sebastián from 14-17 April. (Madrid-Cologne), Gilles This Fair,a huge success in Peyroulet & Cie (Paris) or its second year with over 12,000 Marvelli (New York) rounded visitors and specialized critics, off yet another DFOTO offered work from 40 galleries. attracting hordes of visitors. The interest and results of Among them were directors of last year’s event led almost all of museums, cultural institutions, the participating galleries to collectors, exhibition curators request their inclusion once and lovers of the two artistic again this year.Together with the expressions, photography and selection of new galleries invited video, representatives of 21st by the organization such as Century art. More information Magnum (Paris), Scout at www.coff.es/dfoto05
Issue 68. Year 2004 EUSKADITIK 21 EUSKAL GAZTEAK MUNDUAN
etorri da Montrealera. Irailean iritisi zen Itzulpengintza eta Interpretaritzako 3. maila burutzera. “Euskal Herriko Unibertsitateak, UPVk hemengo unibertsitatearekin duen hitzarmen bati esker iritsi naiz hona. Dirulaguntzei dagokienez,ez dugu Erasmus Beka jasotzen Europatik kanpo gaudelako. Kutxak emaniko diru apurra bakarra izan dugu, hegazkineko tiketak erosteko adina besterik ez.Bestalde,ez dugu dirulaguntzarik eta hori nahiko lotsagarria iruditzen zait”adierazten du zarauztarrak. Ikasturtea bukatu arte, apirilaren 29arte egongo da bertan eta,ondoren? “Ba, Urko, Ziortza, Mireia, Aitor and Kepa. ingurua ezagutzen geratuko naiz, eta ekainaren hasiera aldera Euskal Herrira itzuliko naiz”. Euskal Herrira itzulitakoan, itzulpengintzako 4. maila Gasteizen egin New spirit in Montreal beharko du Kepak. “Ondorioz, bueltatu beharra daukat. Hala ere, esperientzia A group of five Basque students Euskal Herrira” dio eta berriro bikaina izan da eta atzerrira ikastera berriz completing the final leg of their university Montrealera itzultzeko asmorik ba ote ere joango nintzateke!!!!”,dio dudarik gabe. studies in Canada have made the most of duen galdetzen zaionean, oraindik ideiak Zarautzetik ere abiatu zen Mireia their stay in the country to boost argitzeko dituela adierazten du “oraindik Orbegozo iazko abuztuaren bukaeran eta AMontreal’s Euskaldunak Association. ez dakit”. bera ere Itzulpengintza eta Interpretazioa Each one has contributed his or her grain Aitor Montoya iazko abuztutik dago ikasketak burutzea joan da Kanadara. of sand to making Euskadi known in the Kanadan, “hamen klaseak abuztuaren Bekak, edo hobe esanda, diru iturri falta country which decades ago welcomed bukaeran hasten baitira”. Génie gogoan ditu ere gazte honek “Inongo bekarik other Basques who arrived in search of a Industriel ikasketak egiten ari da, École ez dugu izan, "Erasmus" delakoa better life. Kepa, Mireia, Ziortza, Aitor Polytehcnique du Montréal-en eta Europarako bakarrik baita. Gipuzkoarra and Urko have blown a breath of fresh air bekarik gabe badago ere,ondotxo dakizki naizenez, Kutxak laguntzatxo bat eman into the Basque Center with their non dauden diru iturriak. “Nik ez det zidan, baina ezin beka deitu horri. Gurasoek seminars, conferences, Basque language inongo bekarik jaso. Mondragon ordaindu didate guztia”. Ondorioz, and dance classes.They have all contrived Unibertsitateko Goier programaren erakundeen erantzunkizuna aldarrikatzen to find a way of covering their costs. An bidez etorri naiz baina zoritxarrez, du egoera hauek konpontzeko. Azterketak endeavor doubtlessly well worth the gutxigatik ez nuen bekarik jaso; eta apirilaren bukaera aldera amaitzen zaizkio effort. Europako unibertsitate bat ez denez,ezin Mireiari baina egonaldia luzatu nahi luke. dugu Erasmus beka lortu. Gainera, “Zein den nere asmoa? Ekainerarte gelditu Bertako Euskal Etxea inndarberritzeko Arabako Diputazioak presupuestoak nahi nuke praktikak edo zerbait aurkituz gogoarekin ari da lanean euskaldun talde prorogautak dituenez aspaldi, alde gero behintzat”. gazte bat. Bostak Kanadara iritisi ziren hortatik be ezer ez, ta aitak BBK-n lan Ziortza Basaguren Uriarte abuztuan beren ikasketak osatzeko eta gehienak, egiten duenez,Caja Vital-ek beka txiki bat iritsi zen Kanadara baina Gabonetan etxera familiaren laguntzaz eta beka eskas lortzeko jartzen zituen baldintzak ez bueltatu zen pisukide biak han utzita (Mireia batzuekin ari dira asmo hau betetzen. zituen betetzen, beraz “gurasoen ta Kepa).Itzulpengintza eta Diruz eskas baina animoz beterik bekakin”nago hamen”. interpretaritzako 3. maila egiten ari da dabiltzala esan daiteke. Berak parte hartzen duen programa besteen antzera ete berak ere beka bila egin Urko Rodriguez 2003ko abuztuaren bi urtetarakoa denez, oraindik beste urte duen ibilbidea kontatu nahi du.“Bizkaitarra 13tik dago Kanadan,“hau da, laister bi bete geratzen zaio Ameriketan izaki,BBKren diru laguntzatxo bat jaso dut, urte egingo ditut” eta ingenieritza ikasketekin bukatzeko.“Orduan,2006ko baina, zoritxarrez, laguntza horri ezin zaio industriala ikasketak burutzen ari da ekainarte egongo naiz Montréalen nire "beka" deitu“. Klaseak apirilak 20a baino “Euskadiko Organizacion Industrialaren ikasketak burutzeko. Gero, nire asmoa lehen amaitzen dira eta maiatzak 20a arte antzeko zerbait. Hemen bi urte egin eta Euskal Herrira bueltatzea da, dudarik geratzea da bere asmoa. “...hasieran hemengo ingenieri titulua lortuko dut” gabe. Hau bizi esperientzi on bat bezala behintzat. Hala ere, orain egonaldia adierazten du, Arrasateko ikusten det,baina han familia,lagunak ta luzatzeko gogoa dugu hemen oso gustora Unibertsitateko Goier bekari esker bizimodua daukat, eta nire arloan lan baikaude.Nire asmoa praktikak aurkitu eta itsasoaren beste aldera joan den gazteak. egiteko aukera ainitz”. ekainaren erdi aldera-edo etxera bueltatzea “Printzipioz, abuztuan bueltatuko naiz Kepa Blázquez ikasturte bat egitera da,Mungiako jaietako behintzat!“.
22 BASQUE YOUTHS
LOREA BARTUREN MUGURUZA Student
Lorea Barturen Donostian bizi da azken aldi honetan, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitate eta Estatu Batuetako beste baten artean dagoen hitzarmen bati esker. Hemengo bizimodua ez zaio batere arrotza egiten, bera New Jersey-n bizi arren, txikitandik etorri izan baita Euskadira familia bixitatzera eta bertakoekin festak pasatzera. 21 urte ditu, Enpresaritza eta Soziologia karrera amaitzear dago eta Euskadin pasatzen ari den denboralditxo hau bere euskara hobetzeko aprobetxatu du. «I’ve always felt as if I was split between two different worlds»
L-o-r-e-a B-a-r-t-u-r-en, Lorea atmosphere in my house. I grew up on Basque or of having a Basque identity. Barturen. Lorea has had to spell out chic peas, lentils and all of those sorts As I have grown older, I have come to her name thousands of times, because of things. We’ve also continued to talk realize that this double identity has in the place she was born and in the in Spanish and Euskera and we always been enriching for me. The thing is Larea in which she lives with her family, came here for summer. That’s why I that I’ve never known an American of there are no Basque communities or feel so at home now". my own age who was Basque; when organized Basque groups or knowledge Lorea is 21, lives in New Jersey you’re a child you want to be like of the reality of Euskadi; in other and is in the last year of her Business everyone else and I had to spend my words, she has always felt herself to be Administration and Sociology studies whole time explaining where I came a bit of an exception, and sometimes at the University of Michigan. Her from". even odd-person-out in her "made in mother was born in Azkoitia and her Lorea feels really at home in USA" environment. "One of the father is a pelota player from Donostia "I love Euskadi, I love this advantages of coming to live in Placencia who grew up in Amorebieta kind of life" but I still can’t decide on Euskadi is that I don’t have to repeat and moved to the USA in the 70s on which side of the ocean I’d like to live my name over and over again, nor do I the trail of a sporting career. Although in the future. Right now she’s have to explain what it means. And the family and its two daughters completely caught up in the Michigan that’s great!". Lorea has been living in continues to live in the USA –her University atmosphere with friends she San Sebastián for a few months now father works for an import-export considers to be her family.There she is and her presence on the University of company and her mother for a also actively involved in a number of the Basque Country campus was made pharmaceutical firm– their sights are NGOs working for women’s rights and possible by the USAC program always set on coming back, feels that she belongs to the critical permitting student exchanges which, particularly in her father’s case. "I’ve mass condemning the Bush policy. although intended to further academic always felt as if I was split between Differences between Basque and knowledge, particularly offer these two different countries because part American youngsters? She finds it students the chance to experience of me feels that I’m from here, while difficult to be specific given that there other cultures first-hand. The thing is another part feels American. My are so many, but the main one is that for her, the Basque culture is so cousins from Eibar are my best related to autonomy. "In the States it’s familiar that she has a certain friends". This dichotomy, which Lorea normal to leave home early, to become advantage over her fellow North now carries off with great panache, independent, while here it’s normal to American students as far as her stay in was a problem as a child and teenager, take more time and live with your the capital of Gipuzkoa is concerned. "because none of my friends over there parents for longer.The lifestyle is very "We’ve always had a really Basque understand the meaning of being different”.
23 … IDAHOSANJUANROSARIOMEXICO MEXICO …ARGENTINACHILESANFRANCISCO IDNEY …BUENOSAIRESVILLAMARÍACARACAS ANCOUVER …CHILESIDNEYBUENOSAIRES 24 E U S
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America. of coast cities onthewest fromparticipants different ahundred almost more recentyears haveseen and different city eachyear, camp takes placein a The summer etc. rural sports, dancing, mus, pelota, kantak, euskal thetxistu, Euskara, including among itssubjects areas ofBasqueculture, new generations in different of theprogram istoeducate The aim its creation in 1973. activity atNABOsincestar for boysandgirls isstill the Udaleku orthesummer camp Udaleku communities in thecountry. active one ofthemost thatBasquesrepresent fact underlined the hours, seven meeting for lasted almost the duetowhich discussed, February in SaltLake City. convention held 12 last Organization (NABO)winter AmericanNorth Basque USA wasobvious atthe Basque culturein today’s The excellent situation of expensive travel dueto costs people arefacedwith given thatsome US$150, the participation feeof it wasdecided tomaintain meeting between delegates Ata June until 1July. city ofBakersfield from 19 take placein theCalifornian E The number ofsubjects This year Udalekuwill T X USA E A Proliferation ofprograms K separating them. the largedistances snwudra,andHabe is now underway, The newtool on theInternet. program for learning Basque administrating theBoga to bein chargeof to train are going who those in order Idaho, held in Boise, well seminar attended was JanuaryLast anextremely Euskara in theUSA Basque Centerrepresentatives attheNABO meeting. B A S Q EUSKAL ETXEAK U Basque Studies Department June 29/30andJuly 1at the willcourse take placeon This year’s Basque subjects. on acourse free ofcharge, continues tooffer, in Reno, of theUniversity ofNevada The BasqueStudies Center Ikasi passwords. users withauthorizations and toissuethefirst has started E
C E N Issue 68. Year2005 T E R S MEXICO … ARGENTINA … CHILE … SAN FRANCISCO … SIDNEY … BUENOS AIRES … VILLA MARÍA … CARACA … IDAHO … SAN JUAN … ROSARIO … MEXICO … EUSKAL ETXEAK BASQUE CENTERS VANCOUVER … CHILE … SIDNEY … BUENOS AIRES …
in Reno. The number of places is limited to 40. E Four-year plan and updating of the members’ details Another of the points on the order of the day included an explanation by the representative of the X Directorate for Relations with Basque Communities regarding the need for each club to reflect on its current situation and EuskoSare and explained the Boise gave an educational
plans for the near future. He potential of this new program, talk about the history of the T also explained the need for the website for which is group. clubs to participate in the expected to be launched during updating of databases taking May next. NABO Convention 2005 and place at world level. Jaialdi in Boise
The meeting was attended E New coordinator and by Aitor Sotes, Director of the Next July,two weeks apart from communicator SPRI office in Chicago, who one another, the NABO underlined his interest in NABO similarly decided to Convention (15-17 July) will keeping in touch with assign the functions of take place in Rock Springs, communities in the west. coordinator and communicator Wyoming, while Boise will for 2005 to John Ysursa, who celebrate its Jaialdi, held in the will be in charge as from June capital of Idaho since 1987 (and A new Center joins the NABO: of coordinating Euskara which takes place every five the Cenarrusa Center for programs and all of the years to coincide with the Saint
Basque Studies Z information generated by the Ignatius weekend).This year the The Cenarrusa Foundation Basque institutional Jaialdi program will start on 27 Center for Basque Studies framework. July and continue through the participated in the meeting for week until Sunday 31st. the first time as a result of For more information on Other programs having requested its these events you can visit their E participation in NABO once Other subjects were also respective websites: recognized by the Basque discussed, including the Kantari Government.The Director of the Eguna, to take place once again Convention: www.alkartasuna.us Foundation, John Bieter, this year at Gardnerville in mid- Jaialdi: www.jaialdi.com attended as its representative. August; the mus and Basque pelota championships; Coinciding with the 22nd X distribution of the recent dinner-festival, with service and Eusko Sare publication on Bertsolaris in the entertainment provided by the Gloria Totoricagüena, USA, "Shooting from the hip"; members of this Basque Center, representative of the Basque the website; the Bizi the Utah’ko Euskaldunak club
Studies Center at the University Emankorra Award, for which once again organized its open T of Nevada in Reno and the candidatures of Father day for the community held year President of the Expert Kaxiano and Mike Olano, from after year. In fact, only half of Committee on the Diaspora set Winnemucca, were chosen. the almost 400 diners who in motion by Eusko Ikaskuntza, Jill Aldape, leader of the attended the dinner were of presented information on Oinkari Basque Dancers in Basque origin. E
Issue 68. Year 2005 BASQUE CENTERS 25 VANCOUVER …CHILESIDNEYBUENOSAIRES … IDAHOSANJUANROSARIOMEXICO SIDNEY …BUENOSAIRESVILLAMARÍACARACAS MEXICO …ARGENTINACHILESANFRANCISCO 26 E U S
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Argentine EuskalEtxeak: was bysatellitebroadcast toten IñakiHernaiz, Unit, Head oftheSpecial Programs and Daniel Filmus, Education, Argentinean Minister of bythe attended exhibition, educational centers. Euskadi for atourofBasque will subsequently bebrought to This exhibition of April 2005. openuntil theend the memory", Educating andlearning from "THEBASQUE IMPRINT INARGENTINA, ikasi", hezieta Memoriaren bitartez AZTARNA ARGENTINAN. Exhibition "EUSKAL in BuenosAiresofthe at theRecoletaCultural Center one handwastheinauguration Onthe program ofactivities. Argentina awide topresent visited Anjeles Iztueta, byMinister headed Research, Universities and Education, of from theDepartment recognized bytheBasqueGovernmentinCanadaafterthatof Vancouver secondBasqueCenter "Euskaldunak" intheprovince ofQuebec, E province ofQuebec. Basque cultureknown in the ofmakingtheir objective the itprofferedopportunities to conscious oftheexcellent spirit infused byyoungsters activities thankstothenew currently recovering its Center this association, registered asaBasque Government recognized and theBasque JanuaryLast 11, T The inauguration ofthe adelegation March, Last X CANADA ARGENTINA E A K An exhibitionforthememory Rosario Municipality; International Relations of of Director Marcelo Romeu, in addition to sculptor himself, with participation ofthe "Laurak Bat"EuskalEtxea ataneventinMuseum the the Rosario Contemporary Art Basterretxea to waspresented sculpture byNestor San Laprida andArrecifes. Nicolás, Necoechea, Paraná, Mendoza, BahíaBlanca, Plata, La Mardel Plata, Rosario, association aretheweekly activities now offered bythe Ikaskuntza programs. Verret asalink totheEusko the participation of Jocelyne hasbeenbolsteredby Euskera, organizer in ofcourses Nadine Michel Usereau,Treasurer and and Secretary; Lachaussée, Lehendakari; comprising Jean Goyhenetche, iial uigti rp a Similarly during this trip, The Executive Committee, Among theprincipal Iztueta attheopening of theexhibition. Minister Ánjeles B A S Q EUSKAL ETXEAK U www.euskaldunakquebec.com E Eskibel Prizewinner Adolfo Pérez journalists andNobel meeting betweenBasque activities witha toaclose brought her program of Rosario EuskalEtxea. President ofthe Canut, Euskal Etxeak) andGuillermo (Federation ofArgentinean Carlos Sosa, President oftheFEVA Museum; the Rosario Contemporary Art of Director Fernando Farina, its poorcondition. despite pelotaspectacular court with a the Basquewhalers, dedicated to l’aventure basque, Miquelon andtheParc de such asthatofSaint Pierre de Basque communities in Canada, subject. talk onalinguistic orcultural bya preceded Basque classes
o oeifrain see: For moreinformation, Minister Anjeles Iztueta There areother important C . E N Issue 68. Year2005 T E R S MEXICO … ARGENTINA … CHILE … SAN FRANCISCO … SIDNEY … BUENOS AIRES … VILLA MARÍA … CARACA … IDAHO … SAN JUAN … ROSARIO … MEXICO … EUSKAL ETXEAK BASQUE CENTERS VANCOUVER … CHILE … SIDNEY … BUENOS AIRES …
ARGENTINA, URUGUAY Impressions of Argentina and Uruguay
Last March 10th, I set out for E Argentina and Uruguay in response to an invitation from FEVA and Euskal Herria, respectively, to explain our everyday reality to the large Basque community existing in X these two countries. I was surprised at the interest shown by members of the Basque community in these subjects
and often at their wide Mikel Antón, Director of European Affairs, with members of Basque Centers. T knowledge, not only of up-to- date news in Euskadi, but also removed in distance and time, us all despite the differences of events in the European particularly in the case of which can separate us and on Union: MERCOSUR, the South certain Basques whose origins occasions succeed in doing so. American version of a date back five or six I would therefore like to E community model, the meaning generations. I was also pleased sincerely thank them all for of the right of every people to to observe the effort and their warm welcome and for self-determination within commitment of some of these their efforts, often made in Europe, compatibility of the Basque men and women who less than ideal conditions. Proposed New Political Statute endeavor to know the language Agur bero bat". for the Basque Country with the of their elders, Euskara, thanks European Constitutional Treaty, to which I was able to talk to MIKEL ANTÓN the concept of co-sovereignty, them in this language, feeling a Basque Director of Foreign application of the principle of part of something belonging to Affairs subsidiarity and the institutional Z organizations of Euskadi, Spain and the European Union, or the Economic Agreement and its The Basque Government place in Europe, were some of explains its youth policies
the subjects discussed during E the various talks I had the The Basque Director for Youth Comodoro Rivadavia, Mendoza, opportunity to give, and at my and Community Action, Xabier Córdoba and La Plata, cities in several press, radio and Sánchez Robles, participated in which he also participated in television interviews. I even had the management training various conferences organized by the chance of an interview with courses organized in March by Basque Centers, explaining the
the Municipal Governor of the Federation of Argentinean- importance placed by the X Paraná, Julio Rodolfo F. Basque Entities in Buenos Aires, Basque Government on Solanas, who gave me a warm at which he gave a talk on the comprehensive youth policies. welcome and to whom I key points of the Basque Youth According to the Youth and explained my point of view of Policy. Community Action Directorate, During his stay in Chile, this highly interesting visit has
the current Basque situation T and the influential Basque Uruguay and Argentina, he met made it possible to establish a community in Paraná. various politicians and figures solid basis for knowledge But what surprised me most from the world of university exchange permitting the was the enormous feeling of management in Santiago de undertaking of bilateral youth- belonging to a community, the Chile, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, related programs and projects. Basque community, so far E
Issue 68. Year 2005 BASQUE CENTERS 27 … IDAHOSANJUANROSARIOMEXICO IDNEY …BUENOSAIRESVILLAMARÍACARACAS ANCOUVER …CHILESIDNEYBUENOSAIRES EXICO …ARGENTINACHILESANFRANCISCO 28 E U S E T X E Z E T X E K A Film Festival. the Mardel PlataInternational inlandrepresented Argentina at copy ofthis video that Universities a andResearch,with Basque Minister for Education, Ángelespresented Iztueta, Oscar Nelson Bulacio,in Chaco, "Kotoiaren Lurra" BasqueCenter Severiano Aiastui Errasti). priest: Errasti" (TheAiastui walking Severiano cura caminador: Chaco.The first ofthetwowas"El Basques ontheProvince of underline theimprint leftby institutions endeavoring to coproduction betweenthesaid ofaseriessecond in this in this province.This video isthe the other immigrants landed who through hardwork like manyof forging for adestiny himself living, a for farmer dairy of age.There thetradition hechose at avery young who arrived in Chaco Century, in thelate19th born in Gipuzkoa Echezarreta, of Juan Bautista narrates thelife thefilm Laurino, Horacio and writer Julio of videomaker March.The work tookplaceon10-20 which Plata International Film Festival forselected the20thMardel was Secretariat for Culture, the ChacoProvince Under- Center in Chaco(Argentina) and by the'Kotoiaren Lurra' Basque produced in 2004 Echezarreta", Juanpasos de Bautista The video documentary "Los Bautista Echezarreta, L Recently,the President ofthe
The lifeofJuan E T on video X E A K Federico Borrás Alcain, in abookonthecollection. Basques" series andincluded him personalities in its"world the program among the46 similarly listed thepresenter of The Deianewspaper in Bilbao "municipal interest" in 1997. the program asbeing of declared who its councilors, the Municipality ofParaná and by among others, recognized, aneffort andnews, history favor ofBasqueculture, uninterrupted radio program in These havebeen15years of his wife Joseba e Zurutuza de Echezarreta MugicaBautista and and talesref Argentine immigration policies another to the 19thCentury, particularly in halfof thesecond dedicated toBasqueemigration, and lawyer M.Gorojovsky. Néstor Podestá lawyer María M. Bosch, consisting Julia oflecturer Beatriz granted bydecision ofthejury This distinction was Award. II-NEA production 1996/1999 RegionAnthropological Sciences, Historicaland Geographical, Nation under theRegional for CultureofthePresidency ofthe special mention bytheSecretariat hasbeengranted a Martina"), Life ofAngeles Dios de Altunade ("Basques in Chaco,Tales ofthe Dios Martina" Altunade de Historias Vida Angeles de de The work "Vascos enel Chaco, The photograph shows This work contains achapter "Basque presence", Recognition ofBasque 15 yearsontheair erring to Juan to erring immigration B A S Q EUSKAL ETXEAK U "Basque Presence" atwork."Basque Presence" oftheradioDirector program Association in Paraná and President oftheUrrundik Basque them in. recognition ofthelandthattook theirlove and dishes theycooked, the games andsongs, language, of andtheiruse their children, from theirlandandtransmitted to theybrought thecustoms years, thedifficulties ofthose they did, thedifferent kind ofjobs Chaco, known astheNational Territory of integration wasthen towhat their reasons for theiremigration, form tell in story the certificates, marriage andbirth photographs, illustrated with the protagonists, Theimmigration. testimonies of during aperiod of late early ofthe20thCentury decades from in theBasqueCountry the arrived who in Chaco Grandes, María del Carmen Gil Muro de Iguerategui Gil de Muro de and María del Carmen Grandes Segundo EreñoIturrate, Igartúa, Florencio Uribarri Iraztorza, E
C E N Issue 68. Year2005 T E R S MEXICO … ARGENTINA … CHILE … SAN FRANCISCO … SIDNEY … BUENOS AIRES … VILLA MARÍA … CARACA … IDAHO … SAN JUAN … ROSARIO … MEXICO … EUSKAL ETXEAK BASQUE CENTERS VANCOUVER … CHILE … SIDNEY … BUENOS AIRES …
OBITUARIES Two deeply felt deaths E In 1949 the Iguain- Iparralde by Telesforo de the ethnological- Azurza family immigrated to Monzón. anthropological memory of Argentina with Niko. They Following a trip to the the Basques and their set up home in Azul and Far East, he completely descendents", defined by later in Buenos Aires. abandoned partisan political Niko Iguain as "a private, Inheritor of his father’s activity to launch himself not-for-profit, cultural, musical talent, he became a body and soul into the apolitical, federal, open and X consummated organ-player, spreading throughout indiscriminate institution". eventually taking over his Argentina of Basque culture. The Basque side of his progenitor’s position in the He was a member of the character was visible in all Parish Church of La Piedad. American Institute of of his different activities. He It was around that time Basque Studies and liked to have long talks, in T Nicomedes Iguain Azurza that he launched himself into collaborated on the Euskara or Spanish, with the ("Niko" to those who knew an outstanding career as institution gazette, for which variety of interlocutors who him) was born on 17th May music teacher at La Salle he wrote a substantial study would wander in and out of 1927 in Beasain (Gipuzkoa). School, marking the start of on José María Iparraguirre. his office: youngsters, the He was the eldest of an over thirty-year On 13 March 1977, he elderly, recent arrivals from revolution in the teaching of joined the Laurak Bat the Basque Country, eight children. His father, E Pedro José Iguain, a Music at secondary schools Center in Buenos Aires. In Argentineans with dreams of remarkable organ player and in Argentina, sowing in his 1983 he founded the Juan de creating a Basque Center, director of the Beasain students not only a love of Garay Basque-Argentine artists, priests, bohemians... Municipal Band, created the music, but of everything Institute, sitting for several His lean physique coated Loinaz choir in the same related to painting, years on its board of a Basque temper and town. sculpture, architecture, directors. character leaving an Having passed his high cinema, etc. In approximately 1988 indelible mark on the school certificate, Niko The other great love he saw one of his most institutions to which he began his studies to become accompanying his cherished dreams come true, belonged and on all of those a lawyer at the University of exceptional teaching work already drafted in a to whom he generously Z Valladolid. was the Basque culture. document drawn up in 1962: offered a humanistic and Somewhere around He was therefore a creation of the Eusko Kultur "Basquist" view of life. 1948, he contacted a Basque member of the famous Etxea (Basque Culture Niko Iguain Azurza died resistance group consisting Saski-Naski formation. The House) which, in his own in Buenos Aires on 28th of Basque students and holder of a fine baritone words "endeavors to awaken February 2005. voice, he created the vocal
headed by Arenaza in the E said Castilian city, quartet "Aberri", along with distributing flyers on Basque Mertxe Marrodán (later to nationalism. become his wife), Juan José Having found the group, Agote and Miguel Aguirre. Niko was given the job of He organized at the destroying propaganda by Denak Bat in Lomas de Ofelia Ahedo. Although throwing it into the River Zamora memorable tributes you’re no longer with X Pisuerga, but with the to Padre Donosti and Jesús us, I would like you to misfortune that the packet Guridi, sharing radio know that you remain burst and hundreds of flyers auditions of Basque Music in our hearts every day. floated to the surface. on National Radio with Rest assured, the Arrested and on the Isidoro de Fagoaga. House you founded still point of being tried, in an Politically speaking, he functions as you always T even worse situation given was an enthusiastic wanted it to, with its his position of "university supporter of Jagi-Jagi in the Basque, Catalan, militia spearhead ", he was fifties, in 1957 becoming one cookery, choir, football finally saved from of the founders in Argentina classes, etc. prosecution by his father’s of the Basque National Eskerrik asko. E tremendous efforts. Front, headed from
Issue 68. Year 2005 BASQUE CENTERS 29 [email protected] S @rean E-mail Txoko
This section is set aside for any comments, suggestions or interesting facts sent in by our readers. If there’s anything we should include and haven’t, or if you’re curious about something you can’t find the answer to, here’s your chance to let us know.
I would like to thank the increased my emotion even Euskal Etxeak publication in Andrés. He came to Editor and his collaborators more. We share the same order to keep us more up- Argentina alone, in a ship’s on behalf of all Basques surname. to-date with news in hold, along with other and their descendants in Euskadi. I would also like What wouldn’t I have given Basques fleeing from the Argentina for sending out to receive the weekly e- at that time to have my Franco regime. He went to a the Euskal Etxeak magazine. gazette. father beside me –he died village called Arroyo My name is Luis Ojanguren in April 1998– to share the Warm regards to everyone. Algodón and asked one of and my father, born in history of that@ great his uncles, Jorge Zuasnabar, Muguia, got married in fighter, José Antonio de for work. He gave him a milk Argentina to Zenobia Fariña Aguirre. Lawyer Eduardo Aguirre @churn and that’s how it all (Galleguita), with whom he started. He discovered that had two children, Luis and Every day I follow the news RÍO CUARTO. CÓRDOBA people played strength Mario. in Euskadi via the Basque ARGENTINA competitions for chickens, Channel. I work as an pigs and the occasional little My father taught us how to editor at the Audiovisual cow (because my father love his town, his country, @@@@@@@@@@@ Production Department of lifted stones in Astigarraga), with his comments, his the National University of @landscapes, his people, his Agur Lagunok: and that’s how he started to Río Cuarto where we receive earn money. He called his customs. the satellite broadcasts Zuen "Euskal Etxeak " loved-one María Luisa, my from Spain (ATEI, TVE, I would like to thank you hemen Tasmanian jasotzen mother, who left everything Galicia, ETB, etc.), and my for this magazine, which dugu eta benetan pozgarria in San Sebastián and came sentiments always keep it serves as a way of da etxetik horrenbeste to the end of the world. He improving our knowledge of tuned into the Basque kilometrotara aurkitzen founded the Basque Center those who built a country Channel. geranok zuen berri jakiteak. 40 years ago now, but (Euskadi), men and women I am moreover a member of missed his homeland. Or of tremendous physical and Zorionak eman nahi dizuegu the Gure Ametza Basque rather, he wanted to die in spiritual strength, not to bihotz-bihotzez eta jaso Center and receive its @ his beloved Astigarraga. He mention generosity. ezazue besarkada handi @monthly gazette. bero bat, said goodbye to my mother Once again, thankyou. Kind My dream of discovering and my sister Josefa in the regards. the Basque Country with my port of Buenos Aires one 1 Luis Ojanguren father was impossible Javier Alcorta August and died on a 31 eta Lurdes Rementeria August. He was a Basque ARGENTINA because of his death. I will now try to make it come @@@@@@@@@@@ who fought for his people true with my family: and never changed to Argentine nationality. @@@@@@@@@@@@ Adriana, and my children THANK AND GRATITUDE @ There’s one thing I would Victoria (3) and Juan FOR YOUR TIME AND Dear editors of Euskal Ignacio (1). Unfortunately ATTENTION like to point out: he donated the economic situation in to the Basque Center the Etxeak: I am going to tell you the Argentina and the low milk cows he won in a short story of my father, I was deeply moved on salaries make a trip to the competition of strength receiving your publication Miguel Ignacio Ormazabal. Old World difficult, if not running with a bag weighing in my home, and even He was born in Astigarraga, impossible. But hope is the 100 kilos against another moreso on getting down to in a caserio named Porto last thing we lose. Basque man from Hernani. reading its contents, Buro. The son of José Kind regards from a Basque referring to the centennial I would once again like to Ormazabal and Josefa man who loves Donostia. of the first Lehendakari repeat my gratitude at your Zuasnabar, he had another Aguirre (N 63/2004), which kindness in sending out the two brothers, Jorge and Jorge D. Ormazabal
30 Issue 68. Year 2005 COLLECTIBLE N EW B ASQUE C UISINE 6
Hilario Arbelaitz Restaurante Zuberoa Garbuno 20180 • Oiartzun (Gipuzkoa) [www.zuberoa.com]
Like so many other good Basque chefs of his generation, Hilario Arbelaitz took his first cookery steps in the kitchen with his mother. These beginnings are the reason for his love of things traditional and his assurance that, as a chef, he particularly likes to transform traditional Basque cuisine, modernizing it while maintaining its roots. Also an advisor to other establishments, Hilario Arbelaitz was granted the National Gastronomy Award in 1991 and was recognized as the best chef in the Basque Country in 1993. For the last 32 years he has been working at his restaurant in Oiartzun, the Zuberoa, holder among others of two Michelin stars.
S LOW- COOKED S UCKLING P IG IN C UMMIN
P R E P A R A T I O N Cut the suckling pig into pieces and put it into salt for 1 hour. After this time, remove all of the salt under cold running water and place the pieces in a pan. Cover with oil and sprinkle with cumin. Leave to slow-cook for 2 hours. I N G R E D I E N T S Grill until golden brown before serving. Serves four One 1.5 kg suckling pig Suckling pig sauce Sunflower oil for slow cooking Sauté the bones with vegetables F I N I S H I N G T O U C H E S Cumin and cognac to make the sauce. Place the suckling pig in the Sieve and strain. center of the dish with the potato Fruit stewed with purée and fruit stewed with ginger. ginger Fruit stewed with ginger Potato purée
Slice the pears, apples, peaches, sultanas and macerate in vinegar with grapefruit rind. Pan-sear with chopped ginger.
31 Issue 68. Year 2005 Photo album
This snapshot was taken in the "Polo Bessonart" closed pelota court in the city of Trinidad, Uruguay, in 1943. One of the backstops was my father Luis Alberto Sorhuet (great-grandson of Martín Sorhouet Dalsatte, from Hasparren, Iparralde). Basque pelota was always a much more deeply rooted game, particularly among Basque families. Warm greetings from Montevideo. Laster arte, Hernán Sorhuet Gelós
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Eusko Jaurlaritzaren Argitalpen Zerbitzu Nagusia Basque Government Central Publication Service