A while ago, I wrote about Jon Bilbao and his pioneering work Amerikanuak. Richard Etulain has just published Basques of the American West, which brings new perspectives to the Basques that helped shape the history of the western United States. It also explores newer topics such as the history of Basques in places such as […]
Today marks the 89th anniversary of the bombing of Gernika. Last month, in March, we made a quick trip to the Basque Country over spring break to visit my dad’s family and made of point of seeing Picasso’s Guernica. As we near the 90th anniversary of the bombing, the painting is once again in the […]
The medieval history of the Basque Country is both fascinating and so convoluted. There are so many marriages back and forth between different families as royals tried to consolidate and expand power that it becomes dizzying. A great example is Tota, or Toda, Aznar of Pamplona. Her skill as a diplomat and in establishing power […]
It seems inconceivable today, but in the late 1500s, the rulers of what is now Spain thought they could conquer China and then the rest of Asia with an army of 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers. They thought they could persuade Japan to join them. What’s more, this army was going to be primarily Basque. Leaders […]
Death and taxes, the only things that can’t be avoided. Death eventually claims us all and it is no wonder then that people develop special beliefs around death. People develop special rituals around those who have died and the handling of their body. In the Basque Country, there are also beliefs and rituals connected with […]
This one may be of interest to only me… Driving along the highways in the heart of Bizkaia, there is a sign that appears on the side of the road that simply says Urberuaga, but there is nothing really there. It turns out that there used to be a quite renowned spa in the area, […]
The Basques weren’t the first to explore the seas… or were they? The Basques didn’t invent boats… or did they? The Basques aren’t aliens from outer space… or are they? Seriously, the Basques played an important part in the development of shipbuilding and seafaring. We know that they were outstanding navigators, but their contributions go […]
“The people of Biscay are excellent in the art of navigation, pilots and warriors, … in handling maritime affairs, where all of them, without exception, prove to be excellent pilots and skilled in the art of soldiery, attacking armed enemies with the same ferocity as the violent fury of the terrifying onslaughts of the Atlantic […]
One of my first exposures to the broader history of the Basque Country and the unique role Basques played in the history of the Americas was through National Geographic magazine. Before that, what little I knew was through osmosis from dancing and festivals. I didn’t really know much about Basques beyond having Basque parents. That article on […]
To me, one of the fascinating aspects of Basque history relates to witches. The Basque witch trials are infamous for how indiscriminate they were but also because they reveal how mob mentality can easily turn neighbors into enemies and outcasts into villains. Witches in the Basque Country represent this interesting transition between the autochthonous religion of the Basques and […]