The most basic element of a written language is the alphabet. However, because Euskara wasn’t standardized until the 1970s, spelling of Basque names and words was all over the place, often borrowing from Spanish and French. With standardization, the chaos finally settled and now there is a common alphabet used in all parts of the […]
Last week I profiled John Garamendi, one of the most prominent Basque-American politicians we have ever had in the United States. However, the distinction for the most prominent politician goes to Paul Laxalt. Governor and US Senator, he was also a close friend of Ronald Reagan and played an important role in Reagan’s presidential campaigns. […]
For centuries, the history of the Basques has been written by non-Basques – we have so little historical documentation written directly in Euskara or even by Basque themselves. Thus, when we find any hint of Basque history written by Basques, we must examine it to the fullest. The unassuming carvings left by Basque sheepherders in […]
“Make sure the next generation is better off than yours.” That is the ethos of so many immigrants, the Basques included, as they look for opportunity in foreign lands. It was what Saturnino Garamendi told his grandson as he entered politics. John Garamendi is a prime example of this ethos. His grandfather immigrated to Utah and, with […]
People have always searched for answers and have often turned to the world around them to help explain seemingly random events. Why did she die? Why did he get sick? The animal world often provided answers, or at least foretold coming misfortune. The Basques had a strong relationship with the animals around them and found, […]
We fear the night. Monsters, bad guys, and evil can hide in the dark. We avoid that darkened street corner, not sure what might be hiding in the shadows. The ancient Basques had those same fears, though perhaps their monsters were a bit different. They appealed to their goddesses for relief. And the eguzkilore was […]
It’s somewhat amazing to realize that we can get a reasonable forecast of the weather by simply looking at our phones. Granted, they aren’t perfect – forecasting the weather is extremely hard – but overall, when meteorologists say there is a 50% chance of snow, half the time it snows on those days. It wasn’t […]
Merry Christmas! Egu Berri On! I hope everyone has a great holiday break however you celebrate. Today, I wanted to fill your virtual stocking with a bevy of Basque Facts about Christmas. May these little nuggets inspire you or at least give you some new perspective on the Basque culture, history, and people and whet […]
Lisa Van De Graaff (my wife), in her studies of the textile arts, ran across an embroidery stitch called the Basque stitch. She asked me about it, suggesting I do a Basque Fact of the Week about it. It turns out, there is little information about it in English beyond the fact that it is called a Basque […]
For much of its history, the Basque Country has been split by borders that aren’t theirs, putting it into a kind of no-man’s land. Families were separated by this imaginary line, but the laws on either side were real. This led to a whole underground of trade perpetuated by men and women known as mugalariak. […]
