Today is the Aberri Eguna!

But what does Aberri Eguna mean?

Well, here you have an answer:

Aberri Eguna . The Basque national day, always celebrated on Easter Sunday. The word aberri 'fatherland' was coined by the Basque nationalist Sabino Arana in the late 19th century; it consists of herri 'country' preceded by a the fanciful word aba 'father', egun is 'day', and the -a is just the Basque article. The practice of celebrating Aberri Eguna was itself introduced by Arana; since then, the day has become an event of considerable importance, and it has always been celebrated except when persecution by Spanish dictatorships has prohibited this.

Aberri Eguna or the day of the Basque homeland is celebrated in conjunction with Easter in large parts of the Basque country.

The first Aberri Eguna was held on Easter Sunday, March 25,1932. Sixty-five thousand celebrated together in Bilbao. The festival fused both Basque culture and religion. The early nationalists promoted Catholicism and the choice of Easter, the major religious celebration in the Church's calendar, as the day to celebrate the homeland was no coincidence. Just as Easter marked the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the beginning of the church's year. Aberri Eguna also marked the rebirth of a people who had found themselves and their destiny.

Some Basque American communities also celebrate this event. But apart from this, in many ways the local civic picnics/festivals parallel the same sentiment. A similar format with a Basque mass to begin the festivities followed by Basque dancing, singing, sports, etc. is the norm at many Basque-American festivals. The connections between Catholicism and Basque culture is still very apparent at many of the gatherings.

Aberri Eguna is still celebrated today throughout the Basque country, including the northern provinces that lie in France. Its significance can vary from group to group, but Aberri Eguna remains a celebration of Basque culture and the recognition that the euskaldunak share a unique heritage that deserved the place amongst the people and cultures of the world.

(from a text by John Yzursa)

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