Hard life of Basque shepherds in the New World
Basque shepherds earned thirty dollars a month plus room and board. This was substantially more than their potential wages in the Basque Country, but they paid a high personal cost to earn these wages. Each herder had the responsibility of caring for several hundred sheep, with only a dog to help him.
There were considerable risks involved. The herder had to account for lost sheep to his employer, a responsibility made especially difficult due to the threat of predators and hostile cattle ranchers. But perhaps the worst aspect of the Basque sheepherder's work was loneliness. The herding cycle required him to be alone for long periods of time.
Women from every Basque party except the right-wing Spanish PP and French party and women from Basque trade unions presented today a manifesto in order to ask for "democratic guarantees". This is what the new association called "Ahotsak" said today. Gemma Zabaleta (PSE/EE), Gemma González de Txabarri (PNV), Nekane Erauskin (EHAK), Nekane Altzelai (EA), Kontxi Bilbao (EB) or Aintzane Ezenarro (Aralar) are some of the congresswomen went today to the presentation of the previously mentioned group. Moreover, members of Basque political parties as Jone Goirizelaia and Ainara Armendariz (Batasuna), Begoña Errazti (EA), and some members of ELA, LAB and UGT trade unions also took part on the proposal.
The group presented a peace manifesto in which their members promise to be "voices for peace" and promote peace process. They also claim for Basque's right to decide even if a political-judicial change is required.
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