Rhythms of Struggle Recovery, Revival and Re-Creation of Txalaparta in the Basque Country by María Escribano del Moral A dissertation submitted in satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Ph.D. by research May 2012 University of Limerick Supervisors: Prof. Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin Dr. Colin Quigley © Copyright by María Escribano del Moral 2012 To my Father and my Mother, who gave me the Life To those who came before To my brothers and sister, to Sean To all the txalapartariak in whose search I shared To all who have helped me To you I stay in my place Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................... viii Declaration ....................................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................. x List of Figures ................................................................................................................ xiii List of Appendices .......................................................................................................... xv Transliteration of Basque ............................................................................................... xvi Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Section I. Chapter 1. Interpretation Approach and Methodology Introduction ........................................................................................... 10 The Methodological Field of Embodiment .......................................... 11 Identity and Embodiment: Sensibility ..................................................... 15 On Fieldwork as Experience, and Experience as Grounding .................. 17 The Field ............................................................................................. 18 Iruñea .............................................................................................. 19 Ireland ...................................................................................................... 23 Fieldwork Amid Conflict......................................................................... 24 Ethnographer’s Horizons ......................................................................... 26 Research Delimitation ........................................................................... 28 Participants .............................................................................................. 28 Time Span: The Present .......................................................................... 29 Research Duration and Space Delimitation ............................................. 31 Research Techniques ............................................................................... 31 Learning To Perform .......................................................................... 34 Inter-Influence and Reciprocity ........................................................... 35 The Figure of the Researcher .................................................................. 36 Proving Myself Through Action .......................................................... 37 Applied Ethnomusicology in Research ............................................... 39 iv Representation ....................................................................................... 43 Partial Truths ........................................................................................... 44 Transcription of Txalaparta ..................................................................... 45 “Writing in the field” ............................................................................... 45 “Writing out of the field” ........................................................................ 47 On Interviews and Observant Participation .................................... 47 Writing Style ..................................................................................... 50 Expressive Culture ........................................................................... 51 Conclusion .............................................................................................. 54 Chapter 2. Encountering Txalaparta Introduction ........................................................................................... 57 The Old Txalaparta: A Rhythm, A Way of Playing, and “An Instrument” with No Name . ................................................................. 58 Txalaparta as Played by the Old Txalapartariak . Descendants’ Memories .......................................................................... 63 The Awakening ...................................................................................... 75 The Generation of the 1960s and 70s ...................................................... 76 The 13 th Apostle: The Basque Artist Jorge Oteiza ............................ 80 The Birth of Txalaparta Zaharra .............................................................. 86 The Artze Brothers ............................................................................ 86 The Discovery .................................................................................. 86 The Poet Txalapartari ...................................................................... 96 Ez Dok Amairu (1965-1972) ............................................................... 104 Txalaparta in Ez Dok Amairu ................................................... 117 The End of Ez Dok Amairu. 1972 .................................................. 123 The Beltran Brothers ...................................................................... 127 Argia Dance Group ............................................................................. 130 Avant-Garde Txalaparta ........................................................................ 136 Mikel Laboa’s Compositions .......................................................... 137 Further Promotion and Popularisation of Txalaparta .................... 141 Txalaparta Festa..................................................................................... 144 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 150 v Section II. Performance. Interface Between Discourse and Action Chapter 3. Narratives Introduction ......................................................................................... 153 The Horse Totem ................................................................................. 157 Euskal Herri Musika .............................................................................. 163 Calling Device / Calling Rhythms ...................................................... 173 The Basque “Tam-Tam” (Talking Drums) ........................................... 173 A War Call ........................................................................................ 180 Work and Celebration ........................................................................ 181 Auzolan .................................................................................................. 182 Txalaparta Festa. The Making of Community ...................................... 185 Socialist Ethos ....................................................................................... 192 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 214 Chapter 4. Plural Understandings and One Project Introduction ......................................................................................... 217 Limits of Txalaparta. When Txalaparta Is No More ....................... 218 Interlocking Technique .......................................................................... 224 “Variants” of Txalaparta ........................................................................ 227 Improvisation .................................................................................... 232 Bertsolaritza .......................................................................................... 237 Ttakun Beat ............................................................................................ 250 Txalaparta is Music ............................................................................. 258 Understandings of “Music” ................................................................... 259 Sound Making Spectrum ....................................................................... 263 Construction of Music: What Ought To Be .......................................... 266 Txalaparta Batua? .................................................................................. 272 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 274 vi Section III. Efficacious Performance Chapter 5. Ritualising Txalaparta Introduction ......................................................................................... 278 Art, Ritual, Ritualising ........................................................................ 279 Tendency to Ritualisation in Relation to Txalaparta ....................... 285 Rhythms of Struggle .............................................................................. 293 Call To Battle .................................................................................... 303 Political Prisoners ...........................................................................