Thursday, May 29, 2008

Basque Hidden Kitchens

Just yesterday the NPR's web page published three Basque recipes, today they go more into detail about the Basque diaspora in the USA's west.

The information is quite interesting, here you have it:

The Sheepherder's Ball: Hidden Basque Kitchens

by The Kitchen Sisters

May 29, 2008 · Maybe you've been to Sparks, Nev., to John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino. He's been there for nearly 50 years. We were interviewing Mr. Ascuaga for our story "Liberace and The Trinidad Tripoli Steelband" for our Lost & Found Sound series. He began to tell us about his Basque heritage and what led him to Nevada. The "Hidden Kitchens" series was not on the horizon then, but like we always do, we began asking him about the food of home.

Ascuaga's family is Basque, from the village of Orozco in the Pyrenees.

"My father came in 1900," he said. "All kinds of men came to Idaho, Montana, Nevada, California and New Mexico to become sheepherders. I still keep a flock of sheep to remember my heritage. I have a Basque restaurant in the casino, Orozco. It's the name of my grandfather's village."

The Lasarte Brothers

Many years later I was visiting my Nelson Sister, Jessie, about our upcoming story about the hidden kitchen traditions of the Basque and she said, "Oh, the men out in front, doing landscaping on our house, are two Basque brothers, the Lasartes."

I grabbed the tape recorder, she introduced us, and out of the blue we did an interview that is the center of this story. They spoke, they sang, they whistled. I heard all the calls they have for the sheep dogs that traveled with them over the long treks across the American West.

Francisco and Joaquin Lasarte came to America in 1964 from Basque country in northern Spain. Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator who repressively ruled the country for nearly 40 years, made life miserable for the Basque people, suppressing their language, culture and possibilities.

The result was a massive exodus, and the only way to come to the United States for many Basque was to contract as sheepherders. There was a shortage of shepherds in the American West, and Sen. Patrick McCarren of Nevada helped craft legislation in 1950 that allowed Basque men to take up this lonely and difficult job.

Neither Lasarte brother had any sheepherding experience when they arrived in America.

"You lonely, you by yourself," Francisco Lasarte said. "My God, you with 2,000 sheep and two dogs and you don't know what to do, where to go." The brothers were contracted for five years to this life. It was a sentence.

Each brother had his own flock, and they rarely saw each other or anyone else for months on end. Mostly they ate lamb and bread cooked in a Dutch oven in a hole they dug in the ground. You can still find these holes up in the mountains of Idaho, Montana, Nevada and California.

A Solitary Life

"You say Basque to a Westerner and you think sheepherder," said Mark Kurlansky, author of The Basque History of the World. "In Basque country very few people were shepherds. The seven provinces of Basque country are about the size of New Hampshire. No one has huge expanses of land there."

William Douglass, former director of the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, describes this solitary life.

"Teenagers were ripped up out of their communities back home, brought to a foreign land, with a foreign language, put up on top of a mountain ... crying themselves to sleep at night during the first year on the range."

The Basques have a family-oriented, communal culture, gathering around big tables to eat, drink and sing. This solitary life in remote mountains ran against the grain.

"Sprinkled throughout the rural newspapers of the American West in the early 20th century," Douglass said, "you get these reports of the mad Basco sheepherder, talking to themselves. Amongst Basques there's this whole vocabulary of madness: the sheepherder who goes over the edge, who becomes sagebrushed or sheeped."

"They had to have a sponsor to come over," Linda Elizalde McCoy said. Her family has run the Noriega Hotel in Bakersfield, Calif., for more than 75 years. It has been the way station to countless Basque shepherds.

A Home Away from Home

Hotels like the Noriega were home in the winter months for these isolated men. They piled into these Basque boarding houses that sprung up in Elko and Winnemucca, Nev., and Boise, Idaho. The men ate family style — big bottles of red wine, accordion music, conversation and card games.

Bernadette Hirigoyen was a cook at the Noriega Hotel. The dishes included soup, stew, flan, hard chorizo, chicken and paella.

"All the shepherds came there, lots of Bascos," Hirigoyen said. "Just guys, not women. Bascos knew this place; they would help each other find jobs. My grandmother was like a mother to the men in their teens. It was a lively community."

The Voice of the Basque

For 25 years, the voice of the Basque was Espe Alegria. Every Sunday night, sheepherders across the mountains of the American West would tune in to listen to her radio show on KBOI in Boise. Alegria's daughter, Rosita Artis, sent us some old recordings of her mother's show. Dedications, birthday greetings, suggestions of where to find good pasture, the soccer scores that her husband got off the shortwave from Spain, and the hit tunes from Spain and the Basque region. She would help the sheepherders with immigration issues, with buying plane tickets home, with doctor's appointments. She did her show for free, but once or twice a year the owners of the sheep camps would give her a lamb. The family would take it home, throw it on the kitchen table, cut it up and put in the freezer.

While working on this story we had the pleasure of working with people at the Center for Basque Studies and the Basque Library at the University of Nevada, Reno. We went to Basque festivals in San Francisco and Bakersfield, to the lively Gernika Bar inside Boise's Basque Center, and the Basque Museum and Cultural Center in Boise, one of the most inspiring places we've been on the "Hidden Kitchens" trail. There we found artifacts, the aspen trees with Basque carvings known as Arborglyphs and the Basque Oral History Collection, Oroitzapenak Memories: Voices from Basque America, which contains dozens of oral histories, many available online.

The Sheepherder's Ball was the highlight of the year in Boise, Rosita Artis tells us. The men wore denim, the women wore simple house dresses.

"You know, you wear gowns and tiaras to a ball. We wore house dresses. That's what we had," she said.

Lambs were auctioned off and proceeds given to a charity. Huge platters of chorizo and stew and pork sandwiches were served. Jimmy Jausoro's band played long sets deep into the night, and the community drank wine and danced. The ball continues to this day every December at the Euzkaldunak Club's Basque Center.

—Davia Nelson



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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Diaspora's Basque Recipes

This information comes to us thanks to NPR .

Here you have it, enjoy:

Basque Sheepherder's Recipes

May 28, 2008 · As they moved across the mountains of Idaho, Montana, Nevada and California, immigrant Basque sheepherders cooked in Dutch ovens covered by dirt in pits they dug in the ground. Below are recipes for sheepherder bread, lamb stew and Basque boardinghouse flan.

Prize-Winning Sheepherder Bread

Ingredients

3 cups very hot tap water
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp. salt
2 packages active dry yeast
9 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Salad oil

In a large bowl, combine hot water, butter, sugar and salt. Stir until butter is melted; let cool to about 110 degrees. Stir in yeast; cover and set in a warm place until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Beat in about 5 cups flour to make a thick batter. Stir in about 3 1/2 cups more flour to make a stiff dough. Scrape dough onto a floured board. Knead until smooth and satiny, 10 to 20 minutes — adding as little flour as possible to prevent sticking. Place dough in a greased bowl; turn over to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled — about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down and knead briefly on a floured board to release air. Shape into a smooth ball. With a circle of foil, cover the inside bottom of a 5-quart cast iron or cast aluminum Dutch oven. Grease foil, inside of Dutch oven, and lid with oil. Place dough in Dutch oven and cover with lid. Let rise in a warm place until dough pushes up lid by about 1/2 inch, about 1 hour. (Watch closely.) Bake, covered, with a lid in a 375-degree oven for 12 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove bread from oven and turn onto a rack to cool. You will need a helper. Peel off foil and turn loaf upright. Makes one very large loaf.

Source: From the Sheepcamp to the Kitchen, Volume II


Lamb Stew – Chateau Basque

Ingredients

5 pounds cured lamb shoulder
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 carrots
6 medium russet potatoes
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. dry thyme
1 cups dry white wine
2 tbsp. oil
Salt and pepper
1 small Pyrenees sheepherder round bread

In an 8-quart stock pot, saute lamb in oil along with the onion and garlic, until they are both soft. Add wine and enough water to cover meat. Add carrots cut in 1/4-inch pieces; add salt, pepper, thyme and parsley. Let simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Add potatoes (cut in chunk-size pieces) and cook until soft. Skim excess fat from surface and add flour to thicken broth. Carve out top of bread in circular fashion. Clean out some of the bread from inside and spoon stew into crust shell. Replace top as a lid; place on serving dish and serve immediately.

Source: From the Sheepcamp to the Kitchen, Volume II


Flan (Basque Custard)

Ingredients

1/3 cup flour
4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
pinch of salt
6 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. nutmeg

On top of stove, brown the 1/3 cup of sugar in a 3-inch deep, 5-cup capacity pan. Set aside.

Beat the eggs, add milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Stir well. Do not beat after adding milk. Pour into the prepared pan; set this in a pan of warm water and place in oven at 325 degrees and bake for 1 hour.

Source: Isabel Larrondo Jausoro, Basque Museum and Cultural Center Basque Recipes Collection


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Eusko Flickr : Zea Mays


ZEA MAYS
Originally uploaded by Plateruena Kafe Antzokia

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys

This article was published at Gizmag:

Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys to create robotic claws with nanometer precision

Robotics

May 26, 2008 Researchers at the University of the Basque Country have used ferromagnetic shape memory alloys to develop experimental devices that can position objects with an incredible accuracy of 20 nanometers. The devices do not consume energy after being put in place, and have applications ranging from medical science to positioning mirrors in high-power telescopes.

Shape memory alloys are metals that, after being bent, are triggered to return to their original state after being heated. The phenomenon was first observed in 1932, but it was only with the commercialization of the Nickel-Titanium alloy, or nitinol, that their applications were properly explored. Researchers at the Ohio State University have proposed using nitinol instead of stainless steel when reconstructing broken bones – the urge of the metal to return to its form exerts a constant pressure on bones, forcing them to stay in place. Stiquito, a small robot often used in university courses, uses the expansion and contraction of nitinol as a method of propulsion.

However, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys only transform back to their original configuration when exposed to a magnetic field. Since the application of the field is instant, the transformation is also rapid, as compared to the gradual heating and cooling of metal in regular shape memory alloy transitions. Ferromagnetic shape memory alloys do not exist commercially, and are currently only created as part of research.

The Automation Group at the Department of Electricity and Electronics of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the Leioa campus of the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) is studying the stimulus-response characteristics of shape memory alloys and ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, with the aim of using them to facilitate precise movements in electrochemical systems in robotics. The researchers used shape memory alloys to build a prototype of a lightweight gripping claw - nitinol wire was placed between two elastic metal sheets, which contracted when a current was applied to the wire, gripping any objects around it. The claw has a point of precision to within a micron. The University hopes to further refine the ferromagnetic shape memory alloy actuators, which are already precise within 20 nanometers.

All these devices, currently at a laboratory stage, are useful for testing the basic characteristics of the materials, but in the future they could be end-product commercial prototypes for robotic devices and in micro and nanopositioning.

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Sunday, May 25, 2008

Ibilaldia 2008

This info comes to us via EITb:

30th Anniversary

Basque "Ibilaldia 2008" goes beyond all expectations

05/25/2008

Ibilaldia celebrated its 30th anniversary today. This time Ibilaldia was placed in the Basque town of Amorebieta-Etxano. As usual, people were able to enjoy Basque music, gastronomy and culture.

Citizens met in the Basque town of Amorebieta-Etxano to celebrate Ibilaldia. Ibilaldia is Bizkaia's version of the pro-Ikastola, pro-Basque language events that take place annually in the Basque Country. Every year events are organized in the different regions of the Basque Country to raise money for ikastolas (Basque language schools). Organizers said Ibilaldia 2008 went beyond all expectations and that influx of people was massive, though they did not give any specific sum.

Andra Mari, the ikastola in Amorebieta-Etxano, organized the 30th edition of Ibilaldia. From 09:00 to 20:00 and under the slogan 'Amore bi eta gehiago' (a play on Basque words) party atmosphere overcame this town, which is placed in the middle of Bizkaian geography.

The route was divided in six different areas to enjoy Basque music, gastronomy and culture in different ways. Basque bands such as Amaia Zubiria, Pantxo eta Peio, Etsaiak and Deskontrol entertained the spectators.

Ibilaldia is organized to satisfy all tastes. People there enjoyed bertsolaritza, (Basque Country¿s "spontaneous poetry"), txalaparta (typical Basque instrument), clowns, blow-up castles... Moreover, Ibilaldia paid tribute to the Basque popular song this year.

On the other hand, from 09:00 to 21:00 special public transport was provided to get to Amorebieta-Etxano. On the one hand, there were special train and bus services, and on the other hand cars were allowed to park in the industrial areas in the outskirts of the town.

Weather forecast in Amorebieta-Etxano

Cloudy spells in the early morning and morning, with possible light and occasional rainfalls. It has been cloudy and have rained at midday. Rain will stop at night and there will be clear sky. Wind will mainly blow south, with some west spells.


For more information about this event:




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Saturday, May 24, 2008

Basque Refugee Children in Bristol, 1937

The Lord Mayor of Bristol makes friends with some of the Basque refugee children after he had welcomed them on their arrival in Bristol. They are staying at the old Training Centre in Kingsdown.

gelatin silver print from the Visual Studies Workshop Collection

(Soibelman Agency News Picture Archive) reproduced by kind permission.

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Eusko Flickr : Bardenak (Nafarroa)


Bardenak (Nafarroa)
Originally uploaded by Amaia eta Gotzon

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Award For Kirmen Uribe

This note comes to us thanks to EITb:

Basque writer Kirmen Uribe receives Pen Club award in New York

05/20/2008

United States’ most important association of writers awarded Basque writer Kirmen Uribe in its day for the English version of his book “Meanwhile Take My Hand”. He was given the award last night in New York.

Pen Club, United States’ most important association of writers gave Basque writer Kirmen Uribe the prize he had been awarded with for the English translation of his poetry book Bitartean heldu eskutik (Meanwhile take my hand) on Monday.

The translation of the book was made by Elizabeth Macklin and was among the finalists in the category of poetry, an acknowledgement which culminates a year full of successes.

“It started with the presentation we made here in spring, then we traveled all over nine states of the United States, we went to several universities as Stanford, New York University… Then the critics made appreciations and finally I got this award”, Uribe explained.

Some Uribe’s poems can also be found at New European Poets, a collection of young European poets, that has been recently published in the United States. Kirmen Uribe also emphasized literary critics’ role for his success in the United States.

“The fact that a review is written in Los Angeles Times, Washington Post or Harvard Review, opens the door to new possibilities”, said the writer.

Kirmen Uribe will continue bounded to this country during the next months because he has been invited to write by a Californian university and in autumn he will write a novel set in New York.


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Eusko Flickr : Sagardo Eguna 2008


Sagardo Eguna 2008
Originally uploaded by xingolamingola

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Basque Picnic In Los Baños

This note about one of the Basque diaspora's festivals in the USA comes to us thanks to Los Baños' Enterprise:

Basque Picnic has family-friendly atmosphere

Event marks 45th annual such celebration in city

By Samantha Salas / ssalas@losbanosenterprise.com

The Los Baños Basque Club held its 45th annual Basque Picnic on Sunday and despite the extreme heat, board and club members alike were not only pleased, but impressed with the turn out as well as the family-like atmosphere that surrounded the fairgrounds.

Basque Club Secretary Jim Etchepare said he thought the pinic well really well. And since the board members work year-round on preparing each annual pinic, they've already started expressing ideas for the 46th year of the traditional picnic.

"We always start talking about things we've like to change or do differently for the following year," Etchepare said. "And with the high temperatures we experiences this year, and the injuries that resulted, that is a major concern of ours in planning for next year.

"The weather in Los Baños is usually more cooperative," he said. "But we're still looking to make changes to make sure we don't have any issues with the heat next year."

Etchepare said he's very grateful for the turnout of Basque, as well as non-Basque decent joining in the celebration.

"The club of Los Baños is basically a cultural club where we keep the heritage alive, and teach our traditions and dances to our children. It's a way to visit and catch up and keep our culture alive," he said.

And while you have to be of Basque decent to be a member of the club, Etchepare said everyone is welcome to many of their events, like the annual pinic.

Joined by surrounding cities' Basque clubs, Los Baños welcomed San Francisco, Bakersfield, Nevada and Idaho clubs to their annual celebration, club member Mary Zabalbeascoa said.

"I thought it was a big success, even though we had to deal with the heat," Zabalbeascoa said. "We had people from all over come out, even the priest who the mass in the morning was from Japan."

The Basque Picnic traditions started prior to the served lunch in the morning with the mass, followed by performances by the Los Baños Basque Club dancers, as well as the San Francisco Basque Club dancers.

"The reason why it's been going on for so long is to celebrate the joy of the heritage and to reconfirm our love for the culture. It's just a fun time," she said.

After the picnic's lunch of lamb stew, lamb chops, beans, salad, bread and cheese, the Basque club's dancers, ranging from elementary school age through high school, entertained the massive crowd with their rehearsed Basque dances, which is a favorite of many of the picnic-goers.

"There are 72 kids in the program," Anne Erreca, an instructor for the dancers, said. "22 of them are in high school."

Erreca said the amount of dancers the club has seen over the years has grown incredibly.

"I think it's the highest in the area," Erreca said of the dancers.

Los Baños High School senior Joe Erreca was one of the dancers in the group who's been part of the club and dancing since he was five.

"I can't believe it's over," Joe Erreca said of his senior year coming to an end. "I might come back next year to dance, though, if I decide to stay in town for college."

Joe Erreca was also one of four seniors who received a $500 scholarship for their dedication throughout high school. Other recipients included Phillip Etcheverry, Mark Etchepare and Chelsea Brown.

Members of the Los Baños Basque Club plan to attend San Francisco's Basque picnic in a few weeks, as the two clubs seem to be partners for each others annual celebrations.


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Spain Rejects Basque Referendum

Here we are again, witnessing Spain's descent into totalitarianism for refusing to evolve and finally let go of its genocidal colonialist past.

Once again they have rejected a proposal to a referendum in the Basque Autonomous Community depriving part of the Basque society with a chance to express their will regarding their self determination.

I present to you a note regarding this issue published at Earth. com:

Spain rejects Basque referendum on independence
Posted : Tue, 20 May 2008 12:50:04 GMT

Madrid - The Spanish government on Tuesday reiterated its rejection of a Basque plan of a referendum on a self-government bordering on independence, which the Basque regional government is proposing as a solution to the violence of the militant separatist group ETA. Spain could not accept the plan, which did not respect the constitution nor have a wide backing in Basque society, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said after meeting Basque regional Premier Juan Jose Ibarretxe in Madrid.

Ibarretxe accused Zapatero of only caring about his Socialist Party's success in the upcoming Basque regional elections, but said he nevertheless believed an agreement to still be possible.

Ibarretxe has announced the referendum for October 25, but even some sectors of his own Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) are against it.

It is expected that the vote would consult the Basques on the future of their region, including a self-government bordering on independence.

There are fears that the vote would lend legimacy to ETA. Spain has expressed willingness to enlarge the Basque region's autonomy in exchange of Ibarretxe abandoning his plan.

ETA has killed about 830 people over four decades. The most recent victim, police officer Juan Manuel Pinuel, died in a car bombing last week.


Just how stupid can Zapatero be?

He says that "Spain could not accept the plan, which did not respect the constitution nor have a wide backing in Basque society". How is it that he knows that the plan does not have a wide backing in Basque society? Wouldn't you need a referendum to find out the backing of any plan by any group?

And how about the recent referendum in Kosovo regarding their independence? It was clearly against the Serbian constitution, yet, it took place.

Oh, and by the way, I would like to ask the people at Earth.com who is counting the victims of the violence generated by the Spanish government, that figure doesn't appear in any of their reports about the Basque Country.

Maybe is time for Ibarretxe to stop betraying the Basque society that really wants independence, is obvious that Madrid is never going to give him any measure of respect.

Note: The Basque Autonomous Community only includes three out of the seven historic Basque provinces.

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Friday, May 16, 2008

Canada Endorses Torture

A Canadian immigration officer has decided that testimony obtained under torture is fair evidence to order the deportation of a person to Spain, a country that just last week was labeled by both the United Nation's Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International as a state where torture is practiced in a regular basis against Basque activists.

Here you have this note from Globe and Mail:

Basque separatist suspect ordered deported

SIDHARTHA BANERJEE

The Canadian Press

May 14, 2008

MONTREAL -- Immigration officials have ruled that a man suspected of being a Basque terrorist should be booted out of the country after he lived illegally and in relative anonymity in Canada for nearly six years.

In ordering Ivan Apaolaza Sancho deported, Immigration and Refugee Board commissioner Louis Dubé did reject some federal evidence that appeared to have been obtained when another person was tortured. But Mr. Dubé ruled that there was more than enough additional evidence, including police warrants and affidavits, showing Mr. Sancho has ties to ETA, a Basque separatist group involved in terrorism.

Those documents were sufficient to kick Mr. Sancho out of the country, Mr. Dubé ruled yesterday in Montreal. Mr. Sancho is wanted by Spain in connection with a series of car bombings tied to ETA.

Mr. Sancho has been living in Canada since 2001 under aliases and forged documents and says he will be tortured if returned to Spain.

Mr. Sancho's Montreal-based lawyer, William Sloan, didn't agree with the commissioner's ruling, which excluded some evidence while accepting police versions of the same facts. "It doesn't make a terrible amount of sense," Mr. Sloan said.

In particular, the lawyer keyed in on testimony from Ana Belen Egues Gurruchaga, a Basque detainee in Spain, who fingered Mr. Sancho during questioning.

Her 2001 testimony was rejected by Mr. Dubé because it was likely obtained under torture while she was in Spanish police custody after a Madrid car bombing.

Mr. Sloan said Ms. Gurruchaga filed a criminal complaint of torture not long after she was released. He said roughly the same information provided by Ms. Gurruchaga was used in the police warrants.

"I am shocked that the tribunal could find that the only evidence against me was obtained under torture, while at the same time concluding that the Spanish allegations, which are based on that same evidence, are somehow valid," Mr. Sancho said in a statement released by his supporters.

Mr. Sancho admits to being part of the Basque nationalist movement but has denied ever supporting ETA.

Mr. Sancho has been held since last June in a wing of the Rivière-des-Prairies detention centre in northeast Montreal. He was ordered yesterday to stay there for another 30 days until his next detention review.


Therefore, Mr. Dubé blemishes Canada's reputation as a country that respects human rights. More than that, Louis Dubé is a torture apologist.

Just one more thing, the name Louis and the last name Dubé both sound awfully Québécois to me. Nice way to show solidarity to the peoples struggling for self determination there Mr. Dubé.

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Learning Experience In Ireland

This note comes to us thanks to An Phoblacht:

Basque youth Delegation in Ireland

A BASQUE youth movement delegation has been visiting Ireland over the last week to learn about the Peace Process 10 years into the Good Friday Agreement, to raise awareness of the Basque political situation, and to increase meaningful engagement with Ógra Shinn Féin and community groups.

The Basque delegation included activists from the international, student and media projects.

During the week, the Basque youth visited Tyrone, Armagh, Lurgan, Fermanagh, Belfast, Down, Dublin, Monaghan and Derry.

They also addressed a number of public meetings with enthusiastic crowds at each event engaging in an interesting discussion.

They spoke at length about the growth of the Basque youth movement and how the Spanish and French states have responded with a huge level of repression in an attempt to stem their phenomenal growth. There was a huge emphasis on the role of the Basque language in promoting a Basque identity and helping to progress their struggle.

As part of the extensive tour, the delegation met with representatives of Ógra Shinn Féin, the National Graves Association, Sinn Féin councillors, MLAs, and TDs, Sinn Féin’s Roinn an Chultúir, community and student activists, ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills) workers, and former political prisoners.

The engagements with the various strands of Irish republican activity opened up huge levels of debate and suggestions on how both the Irish and Basques can move forward collectively in pursuit of our common goals.

To explain the historical context of the Irish republican struggle, the Basque youth were involved in a number of tours which explored the conflict and resistance from 1798 until the modern day.

Sites of particular interest were a walking tour of Dublin, Tyrone, Belfast, Derry, Fermanagh and Narrow Water in County Down.

The delegation also held a minute’s silence at the site of the Loughgall massacre to mark the 21st anniversary.

The colonialist powers like England and Spain can do little or nothing to stop Irish and Basques from showing each other their solidarity.

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Patxaran

The Wall Street Journal has published this article about one of the most iconic Basque spirits, Patxaran. Here you have it:


Rustic Pacharán Aims for Top Shelf
By WILLIAM R. SNYDER
May 16, 2008

Before entering the cordoned-off cobbled street in Pamplona, Spain, for the running of the bulls at 7 a.m. on a weekday last July, a group of young Spanish men, still weary from their carousing the night before, toasted one another and took a shot of a strong, electric-red liqueur. "It's tradition," one of them said, "and pacharán calms the nerves."

Doctors take note. For centuries the citizens of Spain's Navarre region have relied on pacharán, a concoction of aniseed-based alcohol and sloe berries, as a favored home remedy for stomach pains, nausea, aches, nerves -- and even hangovers.

Of course, consumed in large enough quantities, the beverage itself may have led to many of those aforementioned maladies. Pacharán -- also known by its Basque spelling, patxaran -- isn't just a medicine; it's also the regional tipple of choice, a drink with a long, mostly homemade history that now has more upscale ambitions and is finding a market outside of Spain. A growing number of digestif enthusiasts are reviving pacharán, calling it the perfect after-dinner drink. This is big thinking for a liqueur that was, until recently, thought of as little more than medicinal moonshine.

Like most folklore, the drink's origins are shrouded in mystery. People here just know that pacharán has always existed. First written about in 1415 as being served at the wedding of the king of Navarre's son -- it was to medieval Spanish royalty what champagne was to the French monarchs -- pacharán later appeared in the medical records of the Monasterio de Santa María de Nieva in 1441 as a reliable antacid. Then for centuries it faded from prominence, relegated to toasts at family celebrations.

Spain has no shortage of signature drinks. Compared with the global followings of sherry, Jerez brandy, cava and Rioja wines, pacharán is more of a rustic rural cousin. But the people of Navarre, says author Jorge Sauleda, believe there is nothing superior.

"It is one of the most genuine products to come from the earth," says Mr. Sauleda, who has written essays on pacharán and on Navarran cuisine. "The taste is a gentle sweet that doesn't stick to the palette. Brandy is too harsh and pastis tastes too much of anise. A young pacharán is the perfect blend."

Featured prominently as the exclamation point after a long Basque meal -- considered the best cuisine in Spain -- pacharán is proving popular with the many tourists who visit the region and want to take home a bottle of their discovery. Madrid's Barajas airport duty-free shop recently added a pacharán section. Production of the drink by commercial distilleries is increasing, opening a global market for this once-local beverage.

The foundation of pacharán is deceptively simple. "Making it requires three raw materials," says Tere Arizaleta, owner of the award-winning Azanza distillery. "Liquor, fruit and time." The liquor is an aniseed base with an initial alcohol content of 35% to 50%. The fruit is the berry of the Prunus Espinosa, known in English as a sloe. The time element involves macerating the freshly harvested sloes in the liquor for one to eight months, after which time they are strained out. Other natural additives, such as vanilla pods, coffee beans, cinnamon and sugar, are included in small amounts to personalize the flavor before bottling.

Because of the ease of blending and the proliferation of sloe berries in the Pyrenees, for centuries the most common form of the drink was called "pacharán casero," which roughly translates as homemade hooch. "It is the original way of producing pacharán and it is reason why the drink is so popular in Navarra," says Mikel Berraondo, secretary of the Institute for Food and Agriculture Quality of Navarre, a nonprofit group that monitors quality control and promotes food and drink from the region.

In the cellars of farmhouses throughout the countryside, cases of bottles filled with anisette and sloes rest undisturbed in the darkness. In each cellar, though, the bottles will include other token ingredients, signatures of a family's recipe. Coffee beans are a popular addition to cut the sweetness of the sloe. Others prefer a syrupy-sweet finished product and will add refined sugar to the mix. Some prefer honey, though it doesn't dissolve as well as sugar. Additional flavors include cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla beans.

Of course, pride and private recipes result in local rivalries. "We don't have official competitions, but if one man declares he has the best, then his neighbors will challenge his claim," says Mr. Berraondo. This leads to a sort of unofficial contest: a group tasting in a bar. At first tempers flare and disputes are settled with more tasting. Mr. Berraondo even recalls seeing arguments erupt at weddings where one relative is unimpressed with another's pacharán. But, he says, "By the end of the bottle, everyone is friends again."

The fact that it is best drunk young creates a bit of a marketing problem for pacharán -- one that producers are working to overcome. Once the soaking process is finished, the pacharán will not improve with time. In fact, it will likely deteriorate. Spring and summer are the only times to enjoy pacharán at its peak. Unlike cognacs, ports and brandies, which can improve in quality (and rise in price) over time and in relation to particularly good grape harvests, pacharán doesn't have a vintage classification system. A good crop of sloes is not usually promoted as such.

Pacharán is a sweet drink, with an alcohol content ranging from 25% to 30% after maceration and aging, making it a little stronger than port. The sweetness should be dry, deriving from the fruit, not the added sugar. A good nose reflects a balance between the bouquet of the sloes and additives and the aniseed liquor. The mouth should be velvety, a sign of fresh berries. But the drink's most striking characteristic, and the quickest indicator of quality, is its unique color. Professional tasters can recite variations in hue with the nuance of an interior decorator discussing paint chips.

"The color should be a bright, deep red. The brightness reflects youth and pacharán should be consumed while young," writes Manuel Ruiz Hernández, a wine critic and spirits expert, in a research paper for the University of La Rioja. "If the color has a dull red brick hue or is yellowish, rust or orange, it implies old age and a loss of the fruitiness."

Yet even with royal origins and widespread popularity in the Basque country, the drink's modern history is brief and obscure. Pacharán was bottled regionally at the end of the 19th century, then commercially marketed in Spain in the 1950s. It was granted an official Denominacion de Origen status in 1987, putting it on a par with local wines and assuring a certain level of quality. The following year a regulatory council for quality control, the Consejo Regulador D.E. Pacharán Navarro, formed.

"Pacharán was then protected by [European Union] regulations and can only be made in an approved way," notes Silvia Villanueva, a member of the regulatory council. This upset some small-batch distillers. While home distillers consider themselves artisans and their drink as good as the large producers, the regulatory council is making it difficult for them to sell their product, saying they bottle in conditions that don't meet manufacturing-sanitation standards. Homemade pacharán can be still bought from restaurants and fairs, but it is becoming more difficult to find outside of a bar or restaurant. Visitors to rural Navarre should ask innkeepers and local bartenders for a pour of their house bottle. The villages of Estella, Abarzuza, Viana, Aribe and Aibar are well-known for exceptional homemade blends.

Two decades after getting official status, the pacharán producers' council comprises only five companies: Licores Azanza, Licores Baines, Ambrosio Velasco, Destilerias La Navarra and Vinicola Navarra. Even with a mark of quality and modernized production, the digestif remained a regional drink. But Navarre and the rest of the Basque country are seeing annual increases in tourists, many of whom come for the running of the bulls at the annual San Fermin fiesta in Pamplona or to sample the region's famous cuisine. Though more sangria and beer are consumed at the fiesta now, pacharán is the drink most closely associated with the festivities, like Pimms at Wimbledon or a stein of beer at Oktoberfest.

The Michelin-starred chef Juan Mari Arzak offers a variety of labels in his eponymous restaurant in nearby San Sebastian. And country inns here will include a copa of pacharán in the fixed-price menu del dia.

Since pacharán was not commercially available for so long, the challenge for distillers is to identify qualities that make a bottle a top-shelf selection like a fine brandy or cognac, two drinks considered competition. They're focusing first on the sloes.

"The condition of the sloe berries before soaking is the most important element to consider," says Ms. Villanueva. "The more mature fruits lose color and substance, but green ones are acidic and take too long to infuse their properties."

The skin of a mature sloe and a green sloe are almost identical, making it difficult to distinguish. To find out the maturity, the pulp is inspected by pinching the berry. As a rule, the preferred pulp color is ruddy red.

Destilerias La Navarra is trying to define top-shelf pacharán with its Green Label, by focusing on select sloes, using only berries with a diameter of less than 7 millimeters. The smaller size sloes generally come from younger bushes and are less acidic. The liqueur is packaged in a green bottle to protect it from light, which slows aging.

Also a consideration for top-shelf quality is the berry's origin, whether it's wild or domestic. Licores Baines' Gold Label pacharán recipe blends both wild and farmed sloes, which the company says creates a fuller body and justifies its higher price -- about €10 to €15 a bottle depending on the blend.

Currently, many producers still pick wild berries from blackthorn bushes in the foothills of the Pyrenees during a September harvest. "One goal of the regulatory council is to improve the domestication of the blackthorn," says Mr. Berraondo.

With a better-farmed crop, distillers can monitor the growth of sloes throughout the season, much like a vintner inspecting grapes on the vine. This will give producers more accurate quality and yield estimates.

Distillers are also promoting new ways of drinking pacharán, like mixing it in cocktails such as a martini or a wine spritzer, says distillery owner Ms. Arizaleta. One ambitious brewer in the French part of the Basque region, Oldarki, has launched a pacharán-infused beer that is finding an audience with fans of framboise.

PACHARAN TASTING NOTES

Since medieval times pacharán has been a medicine, a digestif and a celebratory tipple. But like the peculiar Basque language, it remained isolated in Navarra. As such, finding the drink in a liquor store outside of Spain can be a challenge, unless you're in a capital city. France, England and Belgium are the largest export markets in Europe, and specialty stores in each stock a variety. A solution, though, is to buy online. Productsfromspain.net carries the major producers and ships globally. Some producers also sell directly to online customers.

The common practice is to drink pacharán on ice or chilled, but take it warmer, between 15 and 18 degrees, for critical tasting. Too cold and the anisette overpowers the palette; too warm and you'll be swallowing fruit candy. At a mild temperature the alcohol and bouquet should be in harmony. And because a unique serving glass doesn't exist, a cognac snifter or a cordial glass suffices.

Judge pacharán by assessing three qualities: color, nose and mouth. Experts consider color to be the quickest indicator of quality. It should be an intense red. Cloudiness and rust or orange shades imply old age, while brightness is a sign of youth. As for the nose, neither the sloes nor the alcohol scents should stand out. A good pacharán has a fruity bouquet with a light undertone of anise alcohol. The texture should be soft and the taste sweet, though not in excess. If a sip leaves a film in your mouth comparable to soda, too many sweeteners were added. Ultimately a good pacharán will be subtle in every quality but the color (the louder, the better).

Here are four pacharáns considered to be top-shelf.

La Navarra
La Pacharán Green Label
€34.95
Made of sloe berries with a diameter less than seven millimeters, this brand is bottled in green glass to protect it from light. By using select berries, La Navarra creates a sublime velvet texture with a deep fruitiness.

Licores Baines
Gold Label
€29.95
The full body of the Gold Label comes from the complexity of the blend, which can include vanilla, sugar or coffee to complement the flavors of the berry. The numerous yet subtle scents make this pacharán's nose more like a wine than a liqueur.

Azanza
Pacharan JV 1810
€19.95
Blending both wild and domesticated sloe berries, the craftsmen at Azanza use a recipe little changed since 1810. The combination of different sloes creates a drier pacharán that doesn't linger on the palette like the sweeter labels.

Zoco
€14.95
By far the sweetest of the four tasted because Zoco employs more modern distilling techniques using sugars to accentuate the sweeter elements of the fruit. But with the sweetness comes a lack of complexity, which is noticeable in the lighter color.


Please, excuse the sloppy "reporting" evidenced by the author's insistence in down-playing the Basque identity of Navarre, after all, he works for aBasque-phobe.

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Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Save The Pelota Court

EITb is picking up on a story I published a few weeks ago. Here you have their take on the issue:

Community calls for help to save last Basque court in Arizona

05/13/2008

The Basque court is seriously deteriorated and community leaders need $1 million to rehabilitate it so they are looking for the support of someone who can help them.

A popular campaign in the U.S. city of Flagstaff is calling for help to save from collapsing the last Basque pelota court in the state of Arizona.

The Basque court is seriously deteriorated and community leaders need $1 million to rehabilitate it so they are looking for the support of someone who can help them.

"Now it's up to somebody with money who can see the vision in it," Flagstaff resident Patty Lutrell told the Yuma Sun. "We're basically looking for a rich Basque."

The Basque pelota court, which was built in 1926 next to Flagstaff's Basque boarding house, is "abandoned and falling apart". Both the court and the boarding house are reminders of other times when Basques worked as sheepherders and were an important community in Arizona.

Olga Esparza, the granddaughter of the first owner of the hotel, remembers how on typical Fourth of July at Jesus Garcia's boarding house, young Basques would compete in Basque pelota tournaments at a the court, danced traditional dances and ate Basque food. "I have so many memories, not just for me but for other people," Olga Esparza told the Yuman Sun. "Now there aren't many Basques left in Flagstaff or in Arizona."


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Celtic League

This note comes to us thanks to Agence Bretagne Presse:

Celtic League's General Secretary at Basque Youth Congress

The General Secretary (GS) of the Celtic League has been continuing developing contacts with the peoples of Europe in his role as President of the European Free Alliance Youth (EFAy), a European political youth organisation.

Last weekend, Rhisiart Tal-e-bot addressed the annual congress of Basque political youth Gazte Abertzaleak (GA) in Bilbo/Bilbao, Basque Country, who elected a new Secretary General and Bureau of the organization. Also present at the congress was Unai Ziarreta, President of Basque nationalist party Eusko Alkartasuna, who had also been invited along to speak.

In his address, the GS spoke about the importance of all the different peoples in Europe working together to achieve a European Union that is democratic and fair:

« We are all aware that the EU as it stands today needs to be reformed, to take account of the rights of all the peoples of Europe, where we all have an equal voice and are equally represented. This aim cannot be achieved on our own, but in working together we have the means and the determination to make a difference. »

In words that have significance for Bretons and Irish alike, Ziarreta spoke about the importance of working for a united Euskal Herria (Basque Country) that is not segregated by two different states (France and Spain) and even partitioned within the state itself (as in the case of Navarra).

The Basque Country is just one of the several stateless nations that exist in the state of Spain and in this way is similar to all of the other Celtic countries with the exception of Ireland. The Basque language and culture is arguably the oldest in Europe and predates the Indo European languages of which the Celtic languages are part. However, the Basque lands (Euskal Herria) have been divided up over the years and now straddle the states of France and Spanish and are split up within the Spanish state itself, with Navarra and the 'Basque Country' both having their own distinct parliaments. Both Basque Governments in the state of Spain, have a high degree of autonomy, which far outstrip the powers of Wales and Scotland.

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League


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Eusko Flickr : Casco Viejo Sign


Casco Viejo Sign
Originally uploaded by ramezqui

Monday, May 12, 2008

Basque Identity In Salt Lake City

This note comes to us thanks to the Salt Lake Tribune:

Living Traditions Festival: Keeping the art alive

Event veterans say exposure to new audiences is vital for preserving their crafts and cuisine

By Tom Wharton
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 05/11/2008 11:45:04 PM MDT

Mary Gaztambide and Melva Emrazian have been involved from the beginning with Salt Lake City's 23-year-old Living Traditions festival, which is Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Washington Square at the City-County Building.

Gaztambide organizes the Basque dance troupe and food booth; Emrazian showcases Armenian lacemaking.

They braved a snowstorm the first year, when the event was at what was then This Is the Place State Park. They've endured rainstorms and a run on sausages. They've seen the free festival that celebrates the Salt Lake Valley's ethnic diversity grow to attract more than 45,000 people.

"It is an ethnic fair and we are an ethnic group," said Gaztambide, whose 'Ko Triskalariak dance troupe and food booth have become fixtures at Living Traditions. "We thought if other ethnic groups are there, we should also be there and make our presence known. It was basically exposure."

Emrazian began displaying the Armenian needle-and-thread lacemaking skills she learned in her original home of Syria in the hope of finding students willing to carry on the tradition.

"This came to us from our ancestors," she said. "It is very enjoyable. When I was a young girl, my father had a rug business. He would work on the rug during the daytime. In the evening, by the old lamp, we would teach each other [to make lace]."

Living Traditions veterans, including Casey Jarman, who directs the highly popular cultural event for the Salt Lake City Arts Council, shared memorable stories, starting with the weather. Jarman remembered the first event in 1986, when it snowed for the two days before the opening. Workers braved the cold and waded through mud to get things set up.

"It is good for your moral fiber and character," he said. "People thought we were crazy, but we stuck with it. It was more positive and gave a sense of the strength of the community."

Food can be a challenge.

Gaztambide recalled not knowing what to expect or how much food to order for the Basque fundraising food booth that first year. The group lined up Basque chorizos from Idaho but didn't order a lot. Television news showed the governor eating one of the chorizos, and there was such a run on the sausage that it was gone by the first night. The group scrambled and made a deep-fried, battered steak sandwich served on a bun with red peppers.

What these veterans love is the chance to share their culture with the community, raise funds and recruit new members to clubs.

"Our traditions and food are popular throughout the world," said Gaztambide, adding they are "traditions that we are trying to maintain and pass on to our kids. So are the folk dances, the card games, the ball playing, the songs and the music. We are trying hard in the North American Basque Organization, of which I am president, to maintain the language. The language is important. It's thousands of years old."

Emrazian remembers a woman who came to her booth and studied the lace so closely that she gave the festivalgoer a piece about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The woman said it would look good on her table and the lacemaker wondered how such a small piece could be used on a table. So she asked. It turned out the woman, who was from California, made dollhouses. She sent Emrazian a photo of how the little piece of lace looked in its new home.


I want to congratulate Mary Gaztambide who I had the chance to meet in San Francisco a few years ago.

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Sunday, May 11, 2008

Herri Urrats In Senpere

This note comes to us thanks to EITb:

Herri Urrats 2008

Senpere celebrates Basque Schools' Day in the north Basque Country

05/11/2008

The commitment to the Basque language and to the Ikastolas is so rooted in the Basque society that thousands of people attend every year the festival in order to enjoy the day and to pay tribute to the ikastolas.

Thousands of supporters of the Basque language and culture are expected to meet today in Senpere to celebrate Herri Urrats. Herri Urrats is the festival of the Basque schools in the Basque provinces south-west France.

Every year events are organized in the different regions of the Basque Country to raise money for ikastolas (Basque language schools). The commitment to the Basque language and to the Ikastolas (Basque schools) is so rooted in the Basque society that thousands of people attend every year the festival in order to enjoy the day and to pay tribute to the ikastolas.

Music will be the main protagonist. Bands such as The Uski`s and Betagorri, or Celtas Cortos will entertain the spectators. Even children will have a place with stands with games and clowns. The day will also be packed with dance performances as well as sports activities and other kind of attractions.

Organisers aim at getting enough funding to be able to guarantee a wide teaching offer. The funds raised from this event will go towards the building of a new Basque School in the town of Donamartiri.

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Saturday, May 10, 2008

Rankin Is Mad

Nicholas Rankin has a nice grip of what is going on in Euskal Herria, he has supported initiatives to solve the political conflict and his writings about the Basques are always well documented.

But he is upset and he wrote about the reason why he is upset, unfortunately he allowed the worst on him to come through.

Here you have the article:

A Basque encounter with pirates

By Nick Rankin
BBC, Spain

When a Spanish fishing boat, with its cargo and crew, was seized off the Horn of Africa recently, it prompted Madrid to call for the extradition of the hijackers and for international action against piracy.

For centuries, bold Basque sailors have ventured out on the seas that crash on their homeland in the Bay of Biscay.

Basques, chasing whale and cod, were probably the first Europeans to reach North America.

The Portuguese, Ferdinand Magellan, is credited with being the first man to sail around the world, but actually he died in the Philippines and it was a Basque, Juan Elkano from Getaria, who brought his ship home.

So when a Basque-owned tuna fishing boat called Playa de Bakio was seized off Somalia, with five Basque among its crew, the story was a big one in the Basque country. The press were keen to find out all about the kidnapped fishermen and their anxious relatives. Pictures were vital.

"This is gold dust," said my friend Vincent, the Reuters photographer, tapping a good image of the fishing boat in the newspapers, next to personal ones of the crew.

"I wonder where they got those."

Ransom

In the bad old days, foot-in-the-door journalists used to steal framed family photographs off the mantel, but nowadays a second with a digital camera is all a good snapper needs.

The day before Vincent had been photographing the daughter of one of the kidnapped sailors and he still had her phone number. I called her mobile to offer a crumb of reassurance.

I told her I had made a BBC radio programme about Somali pirates and had learned they did not usually harm foreign captives. All they wanted was the ransom money.

She told me the company was prepared to pay and I said that in that case her dad would soon be back safe. And indeed, after a million or so euros changed hands, the crew were freed.

A Basque newspaper interviewed Andrew Mwangura, the sensitive man who runs a charity that helps distressed African seafarers.

"Hello, Andrew!" I said out loud reading the paper because I had spent time with him in Mombasa.

Andrew Mwangura explained that Somali piracy was a rational economic activity in a lawless country. There was no government to regulate the fishing grounds in the Indian ocean off Somalia.

The hijacked Playa de Bakio may have been licensed to fish for tuna, but scores of other European and Asian fishing boats trawl illicitly in Somali waters, running big risks for high returns.

Mwangura estimated that this pirate fishing off Somalia is worth over £50 million a year. And so the Somali pirates in their turn levy a kind of privatised tax or toll on any foreign vessels they can seize, claiming territorial rights.

Civil War horror

A few days later, in the cemetery at Gernika, I ran into my own personal pirate.

Gernika is a place whose history has been fought over. In 1937, during the Spanish civil war, the town of Gernika was burned down. There were two different stories about what happened.

The Spanish victors of the civil war claimed that the communist citizens of Gernika blew up and burned their own town. The Basques said their town was fire-bombed by foreign aeroplanes as was indeed the case.

I wrote a book about George Steer, the Times journalist, whose truthful report of the Nazi bombing inspired Pablo Picasso to paint his famous, black and white picture, Guernica.

The Basques have now put up a bust of this reporter, George Steer, in the town - and every year on the anniversary I accompany his son, who lays flowers at the tomb of the dead.

After this year's ceremony, I was told that someone who had written in Basque about George Steer wanted to meet me.

Intellectual pirates

He was my age, with the rough scruffy look that is the badge of authenticity among left-wing, Basque nationalists.

"Your book made me cry," he said, "so I copied it."

He handed me a slim volume for young people. The cover was instantly familiar, because it was the same as my own.

I still did not quite grasp that someone had picked my pocket and was now presenting me with my own wallet as a gift.

Only later did I find all the pictures were lifted, without credit or permission, and realise that the publishers were the same intellectual pirates from Navarra who had also ripped off G L Steer's original Spanish civil war book and copyrighted it themselves.

It is territoriality again, anything about Basques they feel belongs to them.

Although they flout international laws of ownership, the Somali pirate and the Basque publisher both claim their action is somehow in the national interest. As Dr Johnson said: "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel."

Madrid called for the hijackers of their trawler to be extradited to Spain and for international action against piracy.

I won't hold my breath waiting for law and order to reach Somalia. But the Basque country is in Europe where intellectual property rights are more protected.

I am minded to go fishing for trouble, with a heavyweight copyright lawyer.


Was that quote by Dr. Johnson really necessary?

Hopefully things will be resolved to his satisfaction. And hopefully he will then apologize for calling all Basques that long for their undeniable right to self determination by the term scoundrel.

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Eusko Flickr : Panorama


Panorama
Originally uploaded by aticof4a

Thursday, May 08, 2008

From The Philippines to Nabarra

This article describes part of a trip by a journalist from Philippines to Nabarra, it was published by the Sun Star.

Here you have it:

Thursday, May 08, 2008
The Basque Country Tour
By Jinggoy Salvador

Stop 1: Andoain

NORTH of Spain, South of the Bay of Biscay and bordering on France in the northeast, the area is known as Pais Vasco in Spanish and Euskadi in Basque. This is where the Atlantic Ocean meets the green slopes of the Pyrenees, making a rugged coastline and mountainous locale. In the country of Spain, this is said to be the wealthiest community.

The Basque people have preserved unique culture, the jewel of which is its language, Euskera, a pre-Indoeuropean tongue whose mysterious origin has never been established. This was recognized as the official language of the region in 1978.

It is indeed distinctive from the rest of the languages spoken in Spain. There is Spanish, Catalan and then there is Basque. Much like we have here in the Philippines but in Spain, their "language" is spoken with pride, like they come from a different country.

If and ever there is an invitation that come your way, take ma advice, make sure you grab and guard it with your life. It came my way via Chef Mikel Arruiz, I took and I had a blast!

First stop of this Basque tour is my host's hometown -- Andoain. My friend grew up in this town in the province of Gipuzkoa, wotha present population of around 13,000, sad to say, decreasing since 1981.

This lovely small town is located where the Oria River widens, next to the mountains of Belkoain and is recognized by its green areas surrounding the rivers, which are dense forests, very suitable for hiking.

Arriving on the most opportune time makes the visit more worthwhile, it was the feast of Saint John aka San Juan, the town's patron saint. And you know what that means - an all day and all night activity. That includes merrymaking the Spanish way -- vinos and tapas galore!

It was amazing how the townsfolk make sure that they do take part in the celebration. It seems that at a certain age, it is an honor to be part of the presentation.

There were several dances performed during the fiesta, young adults and children were involved. It was amazing - fancy foot works and striking costumes. And most interesting is the Chef's parade. Well, it is said that a number of the best chef's in the globe would come from the Basque Country. I'm proud to know one, my host.

The weather in this part of the country is quite unpredictable. Summer it may be, but in the Pais Vasco's mountainous region, they enjoy the typical summer downpour. During the fiesta, I had a sampling of such phenomenon. But this did not dampen the fiesta spirit a bit- the show must go on.

My hosts did not let me leave not trying the local cuisine. I was able to dine in a quaint restaurant up a hill that used to be a farmhouse. It is now an inn with a small restaurant. And another farmhouse converted into an apple cider making spot and a home-cooking dining area. It was amazing.

And this is only the first stop. More coming your way...


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Eusko Label

Some news regarding the sale of local rural products in Nabarra. The note comes to us via EITb:

Gastronomy

"Eusko label"

Quality Products

05/08/2008

The proximity of the producer to the market makes it possible to pick the Euskal Baserri products at their optimum ripening point.

"Euskal Baserri" (Basque Country House) is a brand that enables consumers to identify Basque fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce, kiwi fruit, pears, apples, leeks, walnuts, hazelnuts, and chards. These products have been produced with great care and attention, in small vegetable gardens or in farms near the Basque country houses. The proximity of the producer to the market makes it possible to pick the Euskal Baserri products at their optimum ripening point, thus preserving the characteristics of their flavour and allowing them to always arrive fresh at the sales point. These are some of the products you can find in some Basque markets:

Basque beans

Beans have a long-standing tradition in the Basque Country. Beans have been grown in our country houses for more than 500 years. They are high quality beans of carefully selected varieties which have been classified by professional tasters. The three most characteristic types are: Tolosa's beans, Alava's kidney beans, and Gernika's beans.

Basque Beef

Euskal Okela (Basque Meat) is beef which has been certified with the Eusko Label-Kalitatea (Basque Quality Label) symbol, which complies with all the origin, health and quality requirements as defined in the technical rules that regulate these standards. Euskal Okela is exclusively sold from authorised butcher's and is easily recognised for its Eusko Label-Kalitatea.


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Eusko Flickr : Bizkargin


bizkargin
Originally uploaded by larrabetzutikmundura

Albiztur and Ordizia

Time to read about what Nabarra offers in the way of tourist destinations. This information comes to us thanks to EITb:

Routes

The inland road

Way of St. James in the Basque Country: Albiztur and Ordizia

05/08/2008

The slopes of Murumendi, one of the most emblematic mythological mountains in Gipuzkoa, were a haven to Mari, capable of creating devastating storms as she crossed the sky in the shape of a ball of fire.

Pilgrims preferring the floor of the valley to the slopes of the hills, would cross through Alegia –with its own hospital, Ikaztegieta, Legorreta and Itsasondo, all of which could have originated around the Road to Santiago. But it would seem that most pilgrims chose to follow the summits and Tolosa.

Heading inland from the left banks of the River Oria, on a mountain track parallel to the present N-1, they were well cared for in the churches and hermitages dotted throughout a part of the country inhabited since the remotest of times, judging by the archaeological remains found in an area now rarely visited. The Santa Marina neighbourhood of Albiztur, for example, had a hospital for pilgrims founded in 1587 by Gracia de Goikoetxea next to the church of Santa Marina de Argisain, with a Romanesque facade helping us to imagine the first edifice that must have stood on the same site.

Not far from here is Aldaba, a neighbourhood of Tolosa also entered by the area around Alegia, famous for its church of San Miguel Arcángel. The present building, which stands over the former, was built in 1962, and is the work of Pérez de San Román. It is a small rectangular construction in stone and concrete, with an apse comprising a huge window giving a complete view of Aralar. This very special temple is well worth a visit.

This mountain trail takes us to the slopes of Murumendi, one of the most emblematic mythological mountains in Gipuzkoa, and the geographical centre of the Territory, the summits of which were a haven to various spirits and the undeniable lady of the area, Mari, capable of creating devastating storms as she crossed the sky in the shape of a ball of fire.

Travellers choosing to make their way down to Ordizia would come to a 13th century fortified village built according to a layout conceived by Alfonso X, with its four entrance doors and own hospital. Ordizia is also the birthplace of the famous navigator and cosmographer, Fray Andrés de Urdaneta (1568-1608), who discovered the fastest route between Asia and America. Remains of the walls were found at the base of the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción which, although dating from the 16th century, stands over an earlier 13th century construction. Also interesting is the 17th century Barrena House, presently used as the local Cultural Centre, and the 19th century Greeco-Romanesque Town Hall, before which is the square where the famous Wednesday market takes place.

Those preferring to continue on their way without descending into the towns would come to the traditional Templar enclaves of Arriarán and Salvatore. A place of passage for all kinds of caravans, this area began falling into decline when the routes crossing it lost importance in favour of others. Arriarán has recently come back into the news on the inauguration of a dam converted into a sculpture by Nestor Baserretxea, although the church of San Pedro is well worth a visit for its 17th century high altar and the stone arcade supporting the choir.

This area was nevertheless far more important in days gone by. The Arriarán and Yarza lineages were the most noteworthy in Beasain which, due to the fact that it wasn’t granted the title of town until the 18th century, was united to Ordizia for defensive reasons during centuries.


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Sunday, May 04, 2008

Spanish Language In Peril

Don't panic, Spanish language is not about to disappear, it is just that an imitator of Basque-phobe Keith Johnson by the name of Graham Keeley has published a piece that would lead the readers to believe that the push by Basques, Catalans and Galicians to strengthen their own languages represents a clear and present danger to Spanish.

Here you have the article:

Spanish speakers fight to save their language as regions have their say

Graham Keeley in Barcelona
The Observer,
Sunday May 4 2008

Habla Español? It is a question that in some parts of Spain ignites a fierce political war of words over the language of Cervantes. A growing number of activist groups in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia claim they are being denied the right to speak Spanish by regional nationalists who use language as a political weapon.

But the speakers of Spain's other 'official' languages - Catalan, Basque and Galician - insist that, on the contrary, Spanish is thriving and regional authorities have to save their own languages from being lost forever.

Since Franco's death in 1975, a process of 'linguistic normalisation' has taken place in autonomous regions that have their own languages. The Basque, Catalan and Galician tongues, repressed by Franco after the end of the civil war in 1939, have been promoted with millions in public funds, in the hope that more people will speak them.

But now Spanish speakers complain that their language is being marginalised by regional nationalists in revenge for the way their own languages were suppressed in the Franco years. They are appealing to the Spanish constitution, which guarantees the right to speak Spanish along with the three other official languages.

The battle has centred on the classroom, with Spanish-speaking parents in the regions worried that their children will be unable to read or write Spanish well, as they will only be taught in Catalan, Basque or Galician - minority languages compared with Spanish, which is the first language of about 322 million people worldwide.

The Basque Country has three types of teaching: in Spanish, Basque and bilingual. Just 5 per cent of parents took the Spanish-only option in primary schools this year, and the Basque government said it has had to cut back on Spanish-only teaching due to the lack of demand.

But Susana Marqués, of the Platform for the Freedom of Linguistic Choice, claimed that schools teaching Spanish have become ghettoes hampered by lack of funding because the authorities are keen to promote Basque at all cost. She said the Basque authorities want schools to have a high level of Basque in order to receive generous local funding. 'The only way to do this is total immersion in the language. In 20 years of this policy they still have not managed to get bilingualism here. It is not the language of the street. And 70 per cent of companies here never use Basque.' Marqués's group has appealed to Spain's ombudsman, Enrique Múgica, arguing that their rights are being denied. But Patxi Baztarrika, deputy head of linguistic politics for the Basque government, said: 'Spanish is present and should be. To say that Basque poses any threat to it is ridiculous.'

In Catalonia, Catalan is the language in all state schools, with Spanish only taught for up to three hours a week. An anti-nationalist party, Ciutadans (Citizens), was launched in 2006 to oppose 'linguistic politics' in Catalonia, but its leader, Albert Rivera, has received death threats. 'Fifty per cent of the population of Catalonia are from Spanish-speaking origins, and it is impossible to study in Spanish in private schools or in state schools,' said Carina Mejías, spokeswoman of the opposition right-wing Popular party in the Catalan parliament.

Bernat Joan, a Catalan Euro-MP and expert on linguistics, said: 'This protest would only be legitimate if students did not have adequate Spanish teaching. This is not the case.'

In Galicia, at least half of teaching must be in the regional tongue. Gloria Lago, a founder of Bilingual Galicia, said: 'The children ask to be taught in Spanish and this is not allowed because the law prevents it. When the bell goes, they start speaking their own language.'

However, Marisol López, Galician head of linguistic policies, insisted: 'Children study in two languages. If we don't discriminate positively in favour of Galician, Spanish will dominate.'

Talking Points

Spanish: 332 million speakers

The third most spoken language in the world, after Chinese and English. Spoken widely in Spain, Latin America and US

Catalan: 9.1 million

Romance language spoken in Catalonia, and parts of Valencia, Balearic Islands, Sardinia, south west France

Galician: 3-4 million

Romance language spoken in Galicia, parts of Asturias and Castilla y León

Basque: 1 million

Language of unknown origin, spoken in the Basque Country of north west Spain and south west France


Good thing that good ol' Graham provides with the chart of speakers for each language at the end of the article so you can see just how ridiculous the whole thing is.

I would like to ask Susana Marqués and Gloria Lago what do they think about the annihilation of several languages (and cultures) committed during Spain's long venture as a colonialist and genocidal power.

And I am going to say it loud and clear, if you are a Spaniard living in Euskal Herria, Catalunya or Galiza and you are afraid your kids will not learn "proper" Spanish easy, go back to Spain and stop being part of an occupying force that deprives entire nations of their freedom.


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Friday, May 02, 2008

Pasaban Conquers Dhaulagiri

This note comes to us thanks to EITb:

Sports

Mountaineering


Basque Country's Edurne Pasaban summits Mountain Dhaulagiri

05/01/2008

The Basque climber becomes the third woman to climb ten of the fourteen eight-thousanders.

Basque climber Edurne Pasaban summited on Thursday Mount Dhaulagiri, 8,167 meters, and became the third woman to climb ten of the fourteen eight-thousanders.

It was Pasaban's third attempt to summit Mountain Dhaulagiri, after two failed attempts in 1998 and 2001.

The ten eight-thousander mountains climbed by the Basque mountaineer include mountains Everest (8.848m.) in 2001; Makalu (8.035m.) and Cho Oyu (8.201m.), in 2002, Lhotse (8.516m.) and Gasherbrum I (8.163m.) and II (8.035m.), in 2003; K-2 (8.611m.) in 2004; Nanga Parbat (8.125m.) in 2005 and Broad Peak (8.047m.) in 2007.

The "Al filo de lo imposible" expedition includes the Basque mountaineers Asier Izagirre, Alex Txikon, Catalonia's Ferrán Latorre and Ecuador's Iván Vallejo.


Zorionak Edurne!


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Euskara Speaking Gipuzkoa

This note comes to us via EITb:

Basque routes

Gipuzkoa : a province of Basque speakers

05/02/2008

This area’s topographic conditions led large parts of the province to live for centuries in virtual isolation and with only the very occasional outside contact.

Gipuzkoa’s position at the heart of the Basque Country, surrounded by mountains and the sea, has contributed to the fact that it is this province, and particularly its inland rural areas, which has best maintained the Basque culture and folklore; we mustn’t forget that this is the province with the highest number of Basque speakers. Visitors will often run into people who speak the language, especially in the inland villages where Basque is in everyday use.

Romanization in Gipuzkoa was late in arriving and only had a superficial effect on its eastern extreme, leaving remains in Irun (the Roman necropolis of Santa Elena hermitage), Hondarribia and Oiartzun. But Gipuzkoa, to which neither the Celts nor the Muslims arrived, did have a certain amount of communication with the exterior in the Middle Ages thanks to the two alternative Roads to Santiago, one along the coast and another via the interior although contacts were limited to the areas near these roads.

Definitively annexed to Castile in the 8th century, the Castilian kings founded in Gipuzkoa numerous municipalities from which to control the ways of communication and the borders with the Kingdom of Navarre. These municipalities, which went on to further expand in later centuries, contain the highest concentration of artistic and architectural heritage.

Ever since the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Gipuzkoa have devoted themselves to agriculture, coastal fishing (then including whales) and ironwork to which they would, in time, add trade. During the 19th century industrial revolution, while Bizkaia tended to work at heavy industry, Gipuzkoa preferred to specialise in the light industry sectors, such as paper or machine tools.

Industrial concerns established themselves fairly evenly throughout the province, thus contributing to a balanced distribution of the population. But despite the fact that Donostia-San Sebastián and its area have important demographic weight, the capital of Gipuzkoa still has the lowest population ratios in the Basque Country.

This decentralisation means that each region has, to a greater or lesser extent, its own monuments, industrial areas and natural spaces, not to mention an excellent selection of leisure activities, and gastronomy, thanks to the unforgettable fact that this is a land of great chefs. These are just some of the characteristics of today’s Gipuzkoa, rich in attractions
and economic diversification.


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