Basque ethnography at a glance

Mari Karmen Berrizbeitia. Sanblasak begietan: argazkilariak Abadiñoko ferian [Eyes on the feast of St Blaise: photographers at the Abadiño fair].

The feast of St Blaise, on 3 February, is celebrated in many localities one way or another, but in Abadiño (Bizkaia) the occasion is a very special one. There is evidence of an agricultural and livestock fair held in this town since the 17th century. The said fair is well known throughout the Basque Country and used to be attended by people from all over the peninsula.

José Ignacio García Muñoz. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.

The former two-day exhibition and sale takes now place on a single day. The event showcases the best of livestock, along with agricultural products, crafts, farm machinery and other goods. Celebrations last for five days: Candlemas on the second, St Blaise’s Day on the third, Little St Blaise’s Day on the fourth, St Agatha’s Day on the fifth, and the day dedicated to women cooks and waitresses at local bars on the sixth.

José Ignacio García Muñoz. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.

The show is rounded off with crowded oxen tests. The competition involves pairs of oxen dragging heavy stones on a specially constructed test place inaugurated in the late 1960s and considered among the best in Bizkaia.

Typical of the feast of St Blaise are neck ribbons for protection against sore throats, ring-shaped pastries, shortbread biscuits and marshmallow sweets. During masses on the day priests bless foods and merchandise which parishioners take to church.

Natives and residents of Abadiño are sure to attend this annual festival. As a rule, dutiful housewives devoted themselves to cooking for their guests promptly after early mass; now, though, men and women alike do not pass up the opportunity to visit the fair and taste traditional chorizo-filled maize flatbread wraps served from stalls.

A popular three-line verse refers to the festivity:

Abadiñon sanblasetan
neskazaharrak bentanetan
mutilzaharrak engainetan.

(In Abadiño on St Blaise’s Day / spinsters at windows / fool eligible bachelors.)

Rosa Mari Ardanza – Etniker Bizkaia –Etniker Euskalerria Groups

Translated by Jaione Bilbao – Ethnography Department – Labayru Fundazioa

References for further information: Livestock Farming and Shepherding, part of the Ethnographic Atlas of the Basque Country, and Sanblasak begietan: argazkilariak Abadiñoko ferian [Eyes on the feast of St Blaise: photographers at the Abadiño fair], published by Abadiño Council.