All posts by buber
Random Bits of Basqueness
The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 69
Donny dismounted from his horse and walked forward until his face was illuminated by the last remaining flames of the fire. Santi had his gun at hand the whole time, not directly pointing it at the cowboy, but aiming it in his general direction. Donny seemed not to notice. The other two remained on their […]
Fighting Basques: The other Basques of the Battle of Guadalcanal (1942): History Versus Myth
This article originally appeared in Spanish at EuskalKultura.eus on July 23, 2021. Faced with the legend and the myth of Carranza and his group of “Basque code talkers,” the real events of those Americans of Basque origin, Basque of flesh and blood, with Basque names and surnames, have to be vindicated by Basque historiography as […]
Basque Fact of the Week: The “Butter Buns” of Bilbao
When I visited my dad’s family in Munitibar, I’d stay with his brother Martin and his wife Rosario. They ran the Herriko Taberna. Each morning, after I woke up, I’d make my way to the bar. Rosario was already hard at work, cleaning the bar and preparing the days meals. I’d take my seat at […]
The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 68
Months passed and Kepa had still seen no sign of the zatia. He had resigned himself to his routine of tending the camp. The only reprieve was when Dominique stopped by with supplies. The two of them had struck up a genuine friendship. To be honest, Dominique was the first iparraldetar that Kepa had really […]
Basque Fact of the Week: Cristina Iglesias and Her Newest Creation, Hondalea
Donostia, the capital of Gipuzkoa, is a city filled with a myriad of things to see and do. From the Parte Vieja, where one can wander all night sampling pintxos, to the wonderful beaches, to the history of the San Telmo museum, there is so much to do. And, thanks to Cristina Iglesias, a sculptor […]
The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 67
The next few weeks at the boarding house seemed a blur. Every day was the same: get up, have a quick bite and some coffee, prepare breakfast for the boarders, clean the rooms, prepare lunch, and take a small break before having to get ready for dinner. Most of the faces were the same, and […]
Basque Fact of the Week: Basque Athletes at the Paralympics
The Olympics ended a few weeks ago, and now it’s time for the Paralympics, which start on Tuesday. The first official Paralympic Games were held in 1960 in Rome, though there were precursors to this historic event. There are at least thirteen athletes from the Basque Country going to Tokyo for the 2020 Paralympic Games. […]
The Adventures of Maite and Kepa: Part 66
Dominique returned after a few hours, beating Santi to camp. Maite got back on her horse and waved goodbye. “It was good seeing you Kepa,” she said. “If I get another day off, I’ll try to come back.” “I’d like that,” said Kepa as he gave an overly dramatic kiss to the back of her […]
Basque Fact of the Week: Gaurko Hitza, Basque Word of the Day
In between my sophomore and junior year at the University of Idaho, I spent a year in Donostia with the goal of learning Euskara. When I told my dad that I wanted to learn Basque, he asked “Why? Why not Spanish? You can speak that everywhere.” I guess he was too pragmatic. Anyways, I did […]
