Basque ethnography at a glance
Kutxa-entrega in Hondarribia (25/07/2022). Photo: E. X. Dueñas
According to the Dictionary of the Spanish language, the term “identity” has, among others, the meaning of “the set of natural characters of one individual or group, which characterizes them in comparison with others”, including the following synonyms: identification, affiliation and personality… To those, I would add two more acceptations: singularity and root (origin); without forgetting that identity also manifests itself in rivalry (healthy or unhealthy) in certain sports, celebrations, etc.
Annual festivities, and the ones celebrated during summer in particular, are filled with signs of identity and symbolic elements, general and specific; both from the material immaterial aspects. Who hasn’t heard the expressions “this is a lifelong festivity” or “this is not celebrated anywhere else”. We’ve already covered this topic in other articles from the blog.
Illustration from the work Euskalerriaren Yakintza.
There are two appropriate dates in the calendar for miraculous solutions: the solstices of the year.
On this occasion we shall refer to the summer solstice, or what is the same, the night before St. John’s Day, associated to having great potential for extraordinary solutions which exceeded all natural logic and order.
One of the usual rites of that night aimed at curing herniated children. They were kids whose guts were partially eviscerated by a tear of the peritoneal membrane. They usually had a lump in the lower abdomen, often in the groin, where the thigh joins the lower belly. This injury could bring very serious consequences, including the possibility of death.
Celebration of Saint John in Zizurkil. Author: Emilio X. Dueñas.
Saint John´s night and solstice feast have been associated with an infinite number of protection rituals for centuries: the beneficent use of water collected on this date, the free aerial circulation of harmful underground and aerial beings, the purifying use of fire, and the importance of the king star at this particular feast. The sun has led to the collective belief of St John´s being the longest day of the year (scientifically refuted), and also its singular and expected dance at dawn (optical effect known as “sun dog or parhelion”), and the bonfires that hoot the night light with their flames that make shadows of those around them dance. Therefore, it is no wonder that people and communities were captivated by the visual spectacle of the moment, trying to emulate it in their family or collective festive activities.
Author: Zuriñe Goitia
One of the most important vital functions of people is breathing, which we do unconsciously and involuntarily, without having to think about it. Sometimes though, our breathing is disturbed by the sudden contraction of the muscle at the base of the lungs, the diaphragm, causing the vocal cords to close and generate a distinctive sound, “hip”, which produces hiccups. It is a reflex act, which usually has a finite duration, disappears by itself, and it’s not serious. Although it may appear for no apparent reason, transient hiccups (zotin, txopin, txokin, kika, ipotz, txokoleta), are associated with eating quickly or abundantly, drinking alcoholic or gaseous beverages, or experiencing a sudden emotion.
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