People

Maite zaitut, grandpa

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Twenty years ago, I was living in the Basque Country, in Donostia, trying my best to learn Batua. After resisting all of my parents’ efforts to get me into Basque dancing back at home, I had decided, on my own, to immerse myself as much as I could into the Basque culture. I wanted to learn about the culture of my dad and my grandpa — my mom’s dad — as a way to better connect with and understand these two men.

Grandpa — Joe Telleria — was born in the US, in Jordan Valley, Oregon. While he was born an American, his parents were both Basque immigrants so his first language was Euskara. While he had opportunities to go to college to study mathematics, his sense of obligation to his family was stronger. He pretty much stayed in Jordan Valley his whole life, marrying and raising a family there, hooking up his kids (at least my mom) with the new generation of Basque sheepherders, and making a life for himself. He became a corner stone of the town, running the market that was a hub of Jordan Valley.

Twenty years ago, on Thanksgiving day, I called my grandparents from a pay phone in the Parte Vieja of Donostia, escaping briefly from an evening of wandering the streets and bars of the heart of the city, knowing that everyone — my parents included — would be there for the traditional Telleria feast. “Maite zaitut” I said when the phone finally got to grandpa, both trying to express how I felt about him and show him I’d learned something of his language.  “Eh?” was what I got in return. Not knowing if he didn’t understand my Batua (his Basque was Bizkaino) or if there was a bad connection, I again said “maite zaitut.” Again, I heard back “what?” Finally, I simply said “I love you, grandpa.” After a brief pause, “I like you too, boy.” That was the last conversation I ever had with my grandpa.

Twenty years ago, on December 1, my grandpa died. I’d known he was sick, but didn’t really appreciate how sick he was. The only piece of advice he ever really gave me was “They can take your money, they can take your family, they can even take your body, but they can never take your mind.” I’m not an overly sentimental person, but maybe his words are one of the reasons I decided to spend so much time in school. If they are, I certainly owe grandpa an enormous debt.

Maite zaitut, grandpa.

Food, People, Random

A Basque-American Dream

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“No mus.” “Envido.” “Hordago!” Words fly as they gathered around tables, four men huddled around each one, cards changing hands as fast as chips changing sides.

These men, most of them immigrants from the Basque Country who started their lives in the United States as sheepherders, were now celebrating one of the youngster’s birthdays. After years of hard work in the fields — some them still working the lands into their seventies — they use any opportunity to get together, share stories and food, and play Mus. The afternoon starts off with appetizers of cheese, chorizo Pamplona, and some of my dad’s home made jamon. The men chat over glasses of wine as the main dishes of lamb stew, cod and potato soup, and blood sausage are receiving final touches. Once lunch is served, the hall is quiet — everyone is too hungry. Lunch ends with a big bowl of arroz con leche, sweetened just enough to have the perfect flavor.

Once the dishes are cleared and the tables broken up into four-man units, the cards come out. Partners and opponents are chosen, and six games begin. Shouts of laughter, a few cuss words, and lots of excitement quickly follow. My dad’s eyes twinkle as he bluffs his way to a win. I sit down to one of the few old timers who doesn’t play Mus so well and I listen to a number of stories about life in the Homedale area as a farmer and a previous life as a smoke jumper — a history rich in experience and appreciation for what he has.

As I watch and listen, I am very grateful for what these men represent. They embody the American spirit, the drive to better themselves, to work hard to make a better life for their kids. In their way, these men from a foreign land are more American than many born on this soil; they persevered under hard conditions to create for themselves and their families the American Dream.

Books, Euskara, History

Miscellany

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I’m trying to get caught up on my email and am finally getting to some news that I should have shared months ago… My apologies to those who alerted me to these.

First, a little-known but interesting side story to the history of the United States.  During the time that the fledgling country was developing its constitution, John Adams, later the second President of the US, was sent to Europe. During his trip, he made it to the Basque Country, and was suitably impressed, stating that “In a research like this, after those people in Europe who have had the skill, courage, and fortune, to preserve a voice in the government, Biscay, in Spain, ought by no means to be omitted. While their neighbours have long since resigned all their pretensions into the hands of kings and priests, this extraordinary people have preserved their ancient language, genius, laws, government, and manners, without innovation, longer than any other nation of Europe. Of Celtic extraction, they once inhabited some of the finest parts of the ancient Boetica; but their love of liberty, and unconquerable aversion to a foreign servitude, made them retire, when invaded and overpowered in their ancient feats, into these mountainous countries, called by the ancients Cantabria…” In recognition of this connection, Bilbao recently (recently being March…) installed a bust of John Adams. If you read Spanish, you can read about it here.

Basque literature doesn’t have a long history, with Basque being a written language only recently, and only standardized (in the form of Batua) in the last 50 or so years.  However, given that delayed start, Basque literature has really matured. And thus the website basqueliterature.com, which is a portal in which “you will find information about different aspects of Basque literature: a brief history of Basque literature, catalogues about Basque writers, works and their translations, interesting links (institutional, academic, literary…) or news about Basque literature.”

Euskadi, Food, People

BasqueStage Winners Announced!

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Press Release:

November 14, 2011, (ALICANTE, SPAIN): Chef Martín Berasategui has announced the winners of the 2012 3rd Sammic Scholarship with BasqueStage at Lo Mejor de la Gastronomía in Alicante Spain. The winners are Ruth Selby and Elisha Ben-Haim, and they will join the kitchen of Restaurante Martín Berasategui, ranked in the San Pellegrino World’s Top 30, beginning in January 2012. They were chosen out of over 70 applicants in this, the third round of BasqueStage by a star-studded jury consisting of Chefs Berasategui, Pedro Subijana, Eneko Atxa, Hilario Arbelaitz, TV star David de Jorge and Sammic’s Managing and Marketing directors Jon Markina and Amaia Altuna.

Ruth Selby is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Greystone, California. She is a promising young chef who has experienced nearly every facet of the food industry. Not only has she worked in kitchens, she has toiled on the farm, growing and selling produce for other chefs to use. She has also seen the editorial side, writing and working in the test kitchens of Saveur Magazine. She has previous experience cooking in Spain, and we are excited to welcome her to the kitchen of Berasategui.

Elisha Ben-Haim is from Israel and is a graduate of the CIA in New York City. He boasts an impressive resume of jobs and stages, everywhere from New York institutions like the Russian Tea Room to the lauded Del Posto. He brings a dedication sharpened by work in the kitchen as well as combat service and hiking the Appalachian Trail.

BasqueStage is a program that gives cooks the opportunity to learn from some of the best chefs in the world, up close and personal. It is an initiative sponsored by Sammic, with the collaboration of Martín Berasategui, and coordinated by DeliFunArt, a marketing company based in San Sebastián.

Basque chef Martín Berasategui has earned almost every international culinary award, including 3 Michelin stars for his restaurant in Lasarte. In fact, the high ratio of Michelin stars to population in the area is partially due to his nurturing of other young chefs.

Sammic is one of Europe’s leading designers and manufacturers of Foodservice Equipment, specializing in Food Preparation, Food Preservation, and Hot Temp Ware Washing. Longtime technological partner of chef Martín Berasategui and based only 30 kilometers away from his restaurant, this 50-year-old company has just started operations in the US.

Euskadi, Interviews, People, Politics

More perspective on the end of ETA

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Continuing on the big news of ETA ending violence, here are two more perspectives that might be of interest.

First, Mark Bieter, who, by the way, has a wonderful blog that you should be reading if you aren’t already, has an interview he did with Jaime Otamendi, who is “a long-time ETB journalist and host, about ETA and when one of his friends was killed by ETA members as the two were having coffee in a bar in Tolosa.  Pretty amazing guy.”

Second, if you are in Reno, you might want to check out this discussion on Wednesday night.  Experts from the University of Nevada’s Basque Studies Center — Joseba Zulaika, Imanol Murua and Xabier Irujo — will be discussing ideas about Basque identity and nationhood. You can be sure that how the end of ETA changes the future of Euskadi will be a central part of the discussion. This event is free and open to the public. Here are some details:

Wednesday, November 16· 7:00pm – 9:00pm
University of Nevada, Reno
Knowledge Center, Wells Fargo Auditorium

History, News

To Say Goodbye

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Izaskun Arandia is an award-winning Scriptwriter, Script-consultant and Producer. With an MA in Screenwriting from the prestigious Bournemouth Screen Academy she has extensive experience and her scripts have been made into short films produced by the BBC amongst others.

She wrote and produced “If I Wish Really Hard” which has recently won Best European Film With Social Content” at the 2011 Eurofilm Festival and she is a full member of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and the Basque Scriptwriters’ Association.

Izaskun is producing the animated film “To Say Goodbye.”

“To Say Goodbye” is a compelling, emotional and dramatic feature-length animated documentary set against the brutal backdrop of the Spanish Civil War.

It blends frank and heartbreaking interviews from the last survivors of one of Europe’s most tragic yet neglected stories with vivid classical and 3D animation to tell the little-known story of the 4,000 Basque children evacuated from the port of Bilbao to England in 1937.

Originally these children were told they were only going away for three months.

But as we approach the 75th Anniversary of the evacuation, some remain in England, forever separated from their families and their homelands and, often, deprived of the chance to ever see their parents again.

It is through interviews with these children, now all in their 80s and 90s, that the story of the evacuation of the Basque children following the bombing of Guernica in 1937 will be told.

We never see these interviewees, it is simply their words that form the story; first-hand memories that remain fresh and emotional as they recall the on-set of the Spanish Civil War, how it affected their lives in the Basque Country, the disappearances of friends and family, the agonising decision made by their parents to send them away, and the despair shown on the quayside in Bilbao as they had to bid farewell to their parents for the final time.

They describe the horrendous boat crossing to England and then life in the camps in the south of England, all the while hoping and expecting to return home to their parents. They reveal how weeks turned into months and then into years and describe how false hopes, deceit and deception ensured 250 of them would never return and never see their parents again, destined to remain in England for the rest of their lives.

And throughout, their stories are illustrated with memorable and striking animation depicting in stylised imagery their emotions, their journey, and their memories, to form an animated feature-length documentary unlike any seen before.

“To Say Goodbye” is a documentary that presents the final opportunity for those who lived through this harrowing and tragic event to tell their story and to to remind us of a period in history that should never be forgotten.

To help support “To Say Goodbye,” visit their Kickstarter website.

Basque-t Cases

The Basque-t Cases: Fall 2011

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The Basque-t Cases are a group of Basques — born in Euskadi, living there now, or first generation American-Basques — who are coming together virtually to discuss current events in the Basque Country. Think of it as a Basque round table. The intention is to provide some perspective on events occurring in Euskadi. The Basque-t Cases are:


Henar Chico Jiménez: Born in Bilbao, Henar moved to Boise, Idaho when she was 21.  She has rediscovered her Basque roots in the Basque diaspora.


Guillermo Zubiaga: Another Bilbaotarra, Guillermo relocated to New York City to pursue his passion in graphic arts.


Joe Guerricabeitia: Joe is a first-generation Basque who has embraced his Basque heritage through his involvement with the Seattle Euskal Etxea.


Pedro J. Oiarzabal: After several years as a guest professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, Pedro returned to his native Euskalherria to continue his work on Basque anthropology and Basque identity.


Last week, ETA, after about 40 years, called a definitive end to all violence. What does this mean for the Basque Country?


It’s harder to make an objective assessment when you’ve spent the last 15 years living abroad and have been removed from day-to-day life in the Basque Country. However, I am very excited about the news; this time I feel that the ceasefire is going to stick. I also know it won’t be an easy process. Just this weekend I watched the news online from EiTB and La Sexta, and there are certain politicians that will never say anything positive if it’s related to ETA, not even about a definitive ceasefire.

On the other hand, ETA has yet to turn their weapons in and they have yet to apologize to their victims. I don’t think the latter will happen any time soon, or ever. Obviously, it’s easy for me to say let’s move forward and start building a new Basque Country because my whole family is alive and well. On the other hand, I want to make sure nobody else has to suffer, and I want my kids to only know about ETA from news articles and Wikipedia.

Personally I think is quite encouraging to think of the possibility of a brighter future for my beloved Euskalherria. However I must say two things for those who see it otherwise. First I truly hope that those who still brandish the argument of “the Boy who cried wolf” are proven wrong. Secondly it makes me sad but doesn’t surprise me either that those who like in Julio Medem’s film refused to participate happen to be the same exact “bunch” who not only constrain from accepting this “olive Branch” but also insult it as a “mascarade” and further vilify its motive.

The fact is that in the history of Humanity NOTHING absolutely NOTHING has been solved by those whose only argument has been the discourse of NEGATION. Moreover nobody shall forget that E.T.A, is not the conflict itself nor the origins of the conflict but RATHER the expression or the reaction against a much rather older, and longer dragging conflict and its unresolved issues. I am only glad that for the Hordes of Spanish Nationalist the end of E.T.A. liquidates not only its alibi but one of its biggest (if not its only one) political crusading propaganda.

Gorantziak danori!

Orain Bai

I am cautiously, cautious. As an American-born Basque my perspective has always been from the outside-in, tethered by familial stories of la Guerra and Franquismo and reinforced by my own sporadic reading of various sources going further back to the Carlist wars, los fueros, through la Guerra, ETA’s evolution from EKIN and their landmark killing of Carrero Blanco, and retaliatory Spanish atrocities by GAL.

ETA did not form in a vacuum and certainly history cannot be ignored, however, neither can the present. 2011 is giving way to 2012. For better or worse the last 20 years has seen Europe reiterate it’s commitment to a union that has all but disappeared internal borders and checkpoints and gone as far as adoption of a single currency.

Euskadi is no longer a quaint region in Spain that Hemingway foundly writes about; it’s a formidable player in business and industry. The world has taken notice of innovative COOPs like Mondragon, cutting-edge green technologies like solar and wind and the even the ability to re-invent itself, no better exemplified than in Bilbao’s recent history. Still, ETA has remained the elephant in the room and Euskadi’s most unfortunate export.

I hope for the days where I’ll be able proudly state I am Basque and not immediately be questioned about my position on “terrorism,” or whether it’s safe to walk the caminos my father, and his father before him, walked. Certainly those who have been there know, but even in this day and age of increased interconnectivity a lot of the message is obscured by what ETA has or has not done.

Certainly our Irish brothers to the North have seemed to have had some success in reintegrating their military arms and continuing the push for change politically. It is with that in mind and knowing that ETA and the IRA have and continue to have ties that I am hopeful that Euskadi as a whole will re-invent itself politically. It won’t be easy and it won’t happen over night but I hope with this latest affirmation for peaceful progress that it will happen.

Ondo izan munduko euskaldunak.

My first recollection of ETA was the paintings on the walls. I thought “Is ETA good or bad?” Only a child could ask such a question. Over thirty-five years later ETA finally announced the cessation of its “armed activity.” However, there have not been any major public celebrations or spontaneous outburst of joy on the streets. I believe that we are all thrilled about the good news, but for most of us we basically have lived without even considering that ETA was there. It was already condemned to ostracism in our minds. Now, this ostracism has publicly crystallized. ETA did not have any other choice than declaring its end. Only god knows what the future will bring, but there is no turning back at this point.

With the end of ETA and the rise of parties such as Bildu, how do you see the political future of Euskadi evolving, especially in the context of the “borderless” Europe that Joe mentioned?


I think it is too early to know what is going to happen on the political arena, particularly with the upcoming Spanish General Elections on November the 20th. On one side we have Bildu-Aralar, plus Sortu if legalized, and the PNV, and on the other side we have PP and PSOE. Anything is possible from here to the next Basque Autonomous Community elections in 2013. Will the PP still support the PSOE in the Basque Country if they gain the majority of the votes on November the 20th? Will the PSOE hold on to the Basque government or will they call for early elections? Will Sortu be legalized and become the new left-nationalist party taking over the Bildu-Aralar coalition? Will Aralar and EA disappear as independent parties?

Well… pretty much the only argument used to make Herri Batasuna (with its subsequent name changes) illegal was that the party acted as ETA´s political arm. What are they going to use now if ETA is no longer part of the picture?


How do you see the future of Basque nationalism in all of this? I’ve heard people say that small independent nations, such as what Euskadi would be in that scenario, are not so necessary in the context of the EU. Will Basque nationalism be even stronger, given the wider set of parties to represent those views or will Basques become more accepting of the status quo?


I don’t think Basques will ever stop having a nationalistic sentiment, however, I think it won’t be as extreme. In my opinion, one’s sense of protection – in this case of a country and its language and culture – is heightened when feeling threatened or oppressed. As the situation in the Basque Country turns more and more peaceful I believe the nationalistic sentiment will become more subdued.


I am not a political analyst yet I think of two potentialities: First of all in view of the last 2009 elections, or better yet the “maneuvers” to obtain those rather “demographically flawed” results, neither the Spanish left (PSOE) nor the right (PP) fully realized the impetus they gave to the abertzale sentiment…. Case in point the later results during the “autonomics”.

Furthermore If we add to this premise ETA’s most contemporary statement surely a con-natural to Bildu being a legal party I think the overall disposition is going to be towards full independentism (which may or may not necessarily have to do with ” nationalism”).

Only time’ll tell

So far, there has been a reorganization of the Basque political parties into Spanish left (PSOE, EB) and right nationalist (PP, UPN) and Basque left (Bildu-Amaiur) and right nationalist (PNV), which clear the political panorama. Even more, none of the them seem to me that their nationalist aspirations are watering down, much the opposite. ETA has clear the path for everyone to set their agendas on the table. If, as the Spanish establishment has repeated many times, everything is possible without violence, then I cannot see why Basque nationalism´s future is going to be somehow badly affected by changing the scenario.

I agree with Henar that Basques will continue to have a nationalistic sentiment and that the intensity of the this desire has much to do with being oppressed. Politically this has played out in the last 30 years with the “Spanish” political entity which is “Euskadi” (Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Araba) vs what has become the “French” Pays Basque — a much looser affiliation without it’s own budget. Certainly ETA and the stronger nationalistic sentiment has been voiced in Spain where the oppression was clear, direct and Franquista.

Still I agree with Guillermo: “Only time will tell.” There is a lot going on in Europe financially and politically and common problems may overshadow cultural differences.

Joe, exactly “…..Basques will continue to have a nationalistic sentiment,” like before Aita Larramendi or Sabino Arana, may be more or less accentuated. However in regards of E.T.A. we must understand that it is/they are not the problem or the conflict itself nor the origins of the conflict but rather (and as I have been saying) the expression or the reaction against an older, and longer, dragging conflict and its unresolved issues.


Guillermo, I completely agree. That’s why I mentioned previously reading about the Carlist wars, los Fueros, etc… History has a way of repeating itself which is why it’s important as mirror. You have to look into it and realize you are making the same mistakes. Euskaldunak have some choices to make in the next month and I am interestingly awaiting to see what they do, but certainly the issues in Euskadi are much older than one generation.


I hope history does not repeat itself! Of course, we shouldn’t forget what happened, but we should learn from it and move on to building a better Euskadi. I am curious as well to see what’s going to happen in the next few months.

Also, I wish Basques would finally be given the choice to decide on their future. Personally, I have yet to make up my mind about independence, but if the process was peaceful and fair, I’d be open to whatever the outcome may be.

Everyone, this has been a great discussion. Eskerrik asko! Any parting words?


I’ve enjoyed having a voice, thanks for the idea, Blas. And nice to talk to you guys, Joe, Guillermo and Pedro.


Eskerrik asko danori!


Thank you all. Eskerrik asko Blas.

History, Websites

Basque Arboglyphs

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Long-time Basque historian, and frequent contributor to Buber’s Basque Pages, Joxe Mallea, has done a lot of work documenting Basque history recorded on the trees of the American West.  Joxe has decided to start a website (since, as his daughter says, no one reads books anymore) that will showcase many of the arboglyphs he has documented.  The website, basquehistory.net, is still a work in progress, and based on what Joxe has collected, will be greatly expanded from its current version, but this is an interesting and unique perspective on Basque history from the point of view of those men and women who endured the hardships of emigration and life in the hills of the American West.

Euskadi

Mondragon

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Many might already know, but in case not, the Basque town of Mondragon has gained some fame for the co-operative there.  It has been used as a model because of its great success.  If you haven’t heard about it, you can find some information at this Wikipedia article.  A reader pointed me to this blog, which gives a diary of a visit to Mondragon to learn about the co-op.  Some interesting reading for anyone interested in alternative business models.

Euskadi, Politics

ETA ends violence

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Yesterday, ETA officially announced the end of its campaign of violence. While viewed with skepticism by the main political parties of Spain, this is a historic day for the Basque Country. And one that was inevitable.  While the PP and PSOE make typical remarks about how we’ve seen this before and how can we trust this one is real, the fact is that ETA had very little support amongst the Basque populace.  Even ETA prisoners in Spanish jails had called on them to end the violence.

This, of course, doesn’t mean that everyone is suddenly happy with the status of the Basque Country within Spain.  There are still groups that want independence.  Now, however, all of those groups are working through the political process rather than using violence as a means towards this end. The end of ETA’s violence, combined with the recently declared legality of parties such as Bildu, offers independence-minded Basques other legitimate avenues to express themselves and make their voices heard.

There is still a lot of uncertainty about the political future of the Basque Country, but this announcement certainly makes that future seem brighter.

Photo shamelessly stolen from Luistxo Fernandez, who found it here.