Basque ethnography at a glance
Ezpata Dantza (sword dance) for Corpus Christi performed by Goizaldi Dantza Taldea (Donostia, 06/06/1985). Photo: E. X. Dueñas
“Traditional” and/or “Basque” is one way of pigeonholing the dance performed by groups here. That has not always been the case and that is also true of how they are performed, however hard people champion the authenticity and, therefore, the inflexibility of steps and shapes down through the centuries.
Maite and Jule, looking at each other. Photo: Miren Gabilondo.
On 14 March, the book that the author Jule Gabilondo Maite wrote in Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Labourd) between 1937 and 1938 was presented in the cultural centre in the Torrebillela tower house (Mungia).
Jule Gabilondo Arruza-Zabala was born in Mungia on 29 January 1902. Her father, Juan Gabilondo Azurmendi, a doctor, was from Zegama (Gipuzkoa) and her mother, Leonor Arruza-Zabala Etxaburu, from Gueñes (Bizkaia). Her maternal grandfather, Raimundo Arruza-Zabala, was born in Mungia, but married in the town of Gueñes and returned to his birthplace with his family several years later. (more…)
Women masquerade in Esquiule, 1992. Author: Iker Uthurralt.
Masquerades are the traditional carnivals of the Soule region or Zuberoa as it is known in Basque. Society is divided into two groups in the masquerades. On the one hand, the reds, who represent the good, honourable and formal society. They include the five main characters: the lord and the lady, the peasant man and woman, and the marshals. On the other hand, there are the unscrupulous, unkempt and dirty blacks. That group includes the gypsies, who have been settled in Zuberoa since time immemorial, even though society would continue to harbour prejudices for ages. There are also the characters depicting trades of old: swords sharpeners, horse gelders, or the boilermakers who repaired leaky boilers. In addition to reflecting society, the masquerade aims to be satirical and criticise it.
Cuculus cannorus (female). Author: Trebol-a.
‘Cuckoo, cuckoo’. One of the best-known sounds of nature. It is clearly the most famous bird call, as can be seen from the bird’s name in different languages: kuku in Basque, cuco in Spanish, coucou in French, cuckoo in English…
Even though spring officially begins on 20 March according to the calendar, the call of the cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) heralds the arrival of this season for the baserritarras (farmers).
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