Only a few generations ago, everyone in the Basque Country had, officially, Spanish or French names, an imposition of the Church and State. I’ve done some genealogy and this is the case going back centuries. I’ve heard that people often had unofficial Basque names or nicknames, but on their birth certificate or in the priest’s […]
Situated in the heart of downtown Boise, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center is a centerpiece of the Basque community in Idaho. With a variety of exhibits highlighting Basque history in Idaho and the American West, they provide a glimpse into the lives of the men and women who helped shape Basque identity in the […]
What’s in a name? For a place like the Basque Country, there are several names that jumble together and can be confusing at times. Because the Basque Country is split by the Spanish-French border and, even within Spain, it is split into two different autonomous communities, there are different names that reflect this politically complex […]
The discovery of the the Hand of Irulegi showed how much history there is hidden in the mountains of Euskal Herria. Another such discovery was recently announced, this time revealing tantalizing hints about the beliefs of the ancient Basques. Though there is still so much more to learn, each discovery teaches us just a little […]
I often quote linguist Larry Trask in many of my posts about Euskara. I had the great fortune to “meet” Larry virtually through a number of Basque-related Internet forums that were popular in the day (mailing lists and the like that seem to have all but disappeared). Larry was noted for being critical of most […]
One of the most magical scenes from the Basque Country is the valleys filled with a gentle fog, hiding the deepest recesses as the mountains peak over the top. It’s something that is simply very rare here in New Mexico. But, for ancient Basques, that fog wasn’t always welcome and indeed it brought supernatural diseases […]
The world is full of natural wonders and every corner of the globe can boast spectacular sites. It seems, though, that the Basque Country has a disproportionate number of unique phenomena. From the flysch of Zumaia to a number of wondrous waterfalls to an amazing network of caves and caverns, the Basque Country is teeming […]
I’ve posted a few times about the intertwined history of the Basque Country and the neighboring Muslim empire during the Muslim occupation of Iberia. The more I look, the more intriguing bits of history I find. Not only was there a close relationship between the two kingdoms/empires, but at least a few Basques became important […]
Dragons are ubiquitous across mythologies all over the world and the Basque Country is no exception. Their version – the herensuge – shares many features with other dragons but also has some seemingly distinct traits. The herensuge also features in stories in which a hero vanquishes the monster, providing the hero some bonafides. Though in […]
When I was trying to learn Basque, one shortcoming I had as an English speaker is that I simply didn’t know the grammatical lingo. There are a lot of terms thrown about – declenation, ergative, auxiliary verb – that are used to describe the grammar that we simply don’t learn in English class. At least, […]
