Basque ethnography at a glance
Painting by José Arrue. Source: Labayru Foundation photo archive.
Professor José Manuel Pedrosa from Alcalá University wrote a short article on Hilarión Bengoa the drummer; the article, published by Labayru Fundazioa, was based on news items in the Memorial literario instructivo y curioso de la Corte de Madrid (Madrid Court Circular) for 1875. Coincidentally, Juan Ignacio Iztueta refers to a drummer named Hilario in his Gipuzkoako dantza gogoangarrien kondaira edo historia (Euskal Editoreen Elkartea, Klasikoak. Donostia, 1990. Edition by María José Olaziregi. The quote I have used appears on pages 110-111). Iztueta considered Hilario to be the very model of the conceited drummers who – despite being talented whistle players, were greatly responsible for the loss and falling out of fashion of the old dances of Gipuzkoa, as the result of the drummers’ indifference and disdain for the traditional melodies. He discusses that in a section entitled Gipuzkoako dantzari prestuak beren sorterriko dantza oniritzietan ibilteari zergatik utzi izan dioten (Why the noble dancers of Gipuzkoa have stopped performing the beloved dances of their land). And he blamed the drummers for those dances falling out of fashion.
Photo: Nasapunta at the Carmen festivity; Armintza, 2012. Author: Akaitze Kamiruaga, Labayru Foundation Photo Archive.
In traditional agricultural societies, plants and trees have had an extensive and recurring presence. In particular, trees with a significant character and a strong community or prophylactic load that, during the spring period will protect the potential harvest. During summer, they can also commemorate a satisfactory harvest, evidenced or materialized in their unique presence. In these contexts, the so-called maypoles (maiatzeko zuhaitzak) or festive trees (tree or poplar of Saint Joan, Donienatxa, etc.) have been, and still are a common practice.
Collecting heritage in Tudela. Source: Labrit Heritage.
Gypsies, bohemians, the Romani people. They have been part of Euskal Herria society for a long time. However, how much do we know about the history and culture of this community? In the following paragraphs, the testimonies extracted from the compilation of oral memories carried out by Labrit Patrimony, commissioned by Gaz Kaló, Federation of Gypsy Associations of Navarre, are presented. The main objective of this study is to bring the issue of otherness to the ethnographic field and do our bit to contribute against the invisibility experienced by the Gypsy community, through an anthropological point of view.
Author: Felix Mugurutza
Ascension Day was a significant reference in the calendar of our ancestors.
According to Christianity, it is celebrated forty days after Easter Sunday and commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven in the presence of his disciples.
Transferred to the profane environment, the Ascension marks the end of a specific period, which begins with the equinox and the beginning of spring and shows us the moment in which meadows, forests and crop fields show the moment of greatest prosperity. Furthermore, it was planting time.
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