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Basque Club Aldizkaria Negua < 2011 < < 2011 < < 2011 < < 2011 < Winter 1 Inside NABO News 2-4 50th Anniversary 6 Euska Herria Brief 7 Nomadak TX Live 8 Basque Film Series 8 Gaztemundu 8 Basque Club Bus. 9 Basque Exhibit 10 Joko Garbi at BCC 9 The Basque Club’s Members’ free lunch and mus tournament will take place on Saturday, February 5th at the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center. The entire mus tournament will be played in one day, with finals being contested immediately following lunch. Teams that qualify for the finals, will be seated together at a spe- cial reserved table for lunch. This table will be served first to en- sure that the qualifying teams can begin the finals promptly. Mus tournament registration will start at 7:00am, and teams will be seated at 7:45am. The registration fee is $40 per team. The Members’ free lunch will be at 12:30pm. If you have already qualified for the NABO mus tournament, you are still strongly encouraged to participate in this mus tourna- ment. Odolki Jatea & Mus Tournament Saturday, February 5th, 7:00am / 12:30pm Lehendakari Patxi López Visits The Basque Cultural Center On July 27th, 2010, the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center received the Lehendakari, Patxi López, who attended a warm meeting with the Board of Directors of the local Basque Clubs in the Bay Area. The Lehenda- kari then went on to participate in a recep- tion, which was attended by Basque business- men and businesswomen from California. Addressing this audience, López insisted that, in addition to keeping their pride in being Basques alive, they join forces "on either side of the Atlantic" to enable Basque companies to establish themselves in the U.S. and ensure that the Basque Country "continues to grow." To this end, López announced that the Basque Government will "resolutely support" the possibility of integrating CAF within the North American trade-show model. "The United States, in general, and California, in particular, represents a priority space for the development of those areas where Basques excel, in order to connect with the Metropoli of talent, a definition that we hope to apply to the Basque Country in the future," he pointed out. While visiting the Bay Area, López signed an agreement with U.C. Berkeley and discussed a future agreement with Stanford Univer- sity for joint research and exchange programs. The event began with a Basque dance performance by the Zazpiak Continued on Page 8 Fiftieth Anniversary Gala Culminates Year Long Celebration Joelle Ourtiague and Mathew Fosse lead the Zazpiak Bat dancers at the 50th anniversary gala at the Basque Cultural Center. Photo courtesy of Marie-Jose Durquet. The Basque Club completed its year long 50th anniversary celebration with a special gala at the Basque Cultural Center on September 25th, 2010. The evening included special performances by Bertsolaris Johnny Curutchet and Gratien Alfaro in honor of the bertsolaris Xalbador and Mattin, who played a special role in the founding of the club. The Basque Club’s Zazpiak Bat Dancers and Elgarrekin Basque choir also gave special performances during the evening, along with the Basque band of Kitux, Basque musicians specifically assembled for this event. Basque Club Honorary President Jean Gorostiague delivered a tribute to the late Frederic Fuldain, who was instrumental in many of the Basque Club activities in its formative years. The guests of honor were the seven surviving founding directors, Jean Acheritogaray, Andre Arduain, Paul Castech, Jean Cornu, Michel Du- halde, Robert Gassuan and Gratien Ocafrain. Michel and Gratien trav- eled from the Basque Country to attend the gala. Basque Club President Christian Iribarren and Jean Gorostiague recognized their contributions Continued on Page 5 Zazpiak Bat Dancers Celebrate 50th Anniversary 2011 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Zaz- piak Bat Dancers, which made its debut performance in 1961. The Zazpiak Bat Dance group was initiated under the leadership of Frederic Fuldain and Juan Tellechea, who also served as the group’s first instructor and who introduced the group to dances from the Basque provinces of Bizkaia and Gipuz- koa. The group started practicing at the Union Espanola on Broadway Street and at the upstairs room of the Continued on Page 5

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Page 1: Basque Club Aldizkaria - sfbcc.us · Basque Club Aldizkaria NeguaNegua 3 NABO News 20112011 NABO Convention at Jaialdi The International mus players and delegates, sporting their

Basque Club Aldizkaria Negua < 2011 << 2011 << 2011 << 2011 < Winter

1

Inside

NABO News 2-4

50th Anniversary 6

Euska Herria Brief 7

Nomadak TX Live 8

Basque Film Series 8

Gaztemundu 8

Basque Club Bus. 9

Basque Exhibit 10

Joko Garbi at BCC 9

The Basque Club’s Members’ free lunch and mus tournament will take place on Saturday, February 5th at the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center. The entire mus tournament will be played in one day, with finals being contested immediately following lunch. Teams that qualify for the finals, will be seated together at a spe-cial reserved table for lunch. This table will be served first to en-sure that the qualifying teams can begin the finals promptly. Mus tournament registration will start at 7:00am, and teams will be seated at 7:45am. The registration fee is $40 per team. The Members’ free lunch will be at 12:30pm.

If you have already qualified for the NABO mus tournament, you are still strongly encouraged to participate in this mus tourna-ment.

Odolki Jatea & Mus Tournament

Saturday, February 5th, 7:00am / 12:30pm

Lehendakari Patxi López Visits The Basque Cultural Center

On July 27th, 2010, the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center received the Lehendakari, Patxi López, who attended a warm meeting with the Board of Directors of the local Basque Clubs in the Bay Area. The Lehenda-kari then went on to participate in a recep-tion, which was attended by Basque business-men and businesswomen from California. Addressing this audience, López insisted that, in addition to keeping their pride in being Basques alive, they join forces "on either side of the Atlantic" to enable Basque companies to establish themselves in the U.S. and ensure

that the Basque Country "continues to grow." To this end, López announced that the Basque Government will "resolutely support" the possibility of integrating CAF within the North American trade-show model. "The United States, in general, and California, in particular, represents a priority space for the development of those areas where Basques excel, in order to connect with the Metropoli of talent, a definition that we hope to apply to the Basque Country in the future," he pointed out.

While visiting the Bay Area, López signed an agreement with U.C. Berkeley and discussed a future agreement with Stanford Univer-sity for joint research and exchange programs.

The event began with a Basque dance performance by the Zazpiak

Continued on Page 8

Fiftieth Anniversary Gala Culminates Year Long Celebration

Joelle Ourtiague and Mathew Fosse lead the Zazpiak Bat dancers at the 50th anniversary gala at the Basque Cultural Center. Photo courtesy of Marie-Jose Durquet.

The Basque Club completed its year long 50th anniversary celebration with a special gala at the Basque Cultural Center on September 25th, 2010. The evening included special performances by Bertsolaris Johnny Curutchet and Gratien Alfaro in honor of the bertsolaris Xalbador and Mattin, who played a special role in the founding of the club. The Basque Club’s Zazpiak Bat Dancers and Elgarrekin Basque choir also gave special performances during the evening, along with the Basque band of Kitux, Basque musicians specifically assembled for this event.

Basque Club Honorary President Jean Gorostiague delivered a tribute to the late Frederic Fuldain, who was instrumental in many of the Basque Club activities in its formative years.

The guests of honor were the seven surviving founding directors, Jean Acheritogaray, Andre Arduain, Paul Castech, Jean Cornu, Michel Du-halde, Robert Gassuan and Gratien Ocafrain. Michel and Gratien trav-eled from the Basque Country to attend the gala. Basque Club President Christian Iribarren and Jean Gorostiague recognized their contributions

Continued on Page 5

Zazpiak Bat Dancers Celebrate 50th Anniversary

2011 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Zaz-piak Bat Dancers, which made its debut performance in 1961. The Zazpiak Bat Dance group was initiated under the leadership of Frederic Fuldain and Juan Tellechea, who also served as the group’s first instructor and who introduced the group to dances from the Basque provinces of Bizkaia and Gipuz-koa. The group started practicing at the Union Espanola on Broadway

Street and at the upstairs room of the

Continued on Page 5

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NABO Mus Tournament Winnemucca

The 2010 NABO Mus Championships were played at Winnemucca, Nevada, on June 12th and were hosted by the Danak Bat Basque Club. Al-berto Blanco & Pedro Sanz (pictured below) won the tournament and represented the Fresno Basque Club. Etienne Jorajuria and Josephine Curutchet (pictured above), representing Gardner-ville, won second place. Since NABO was hosting the International Mus Championships this year in Chino, these top two teams qualified to represent the U.S.A.

NABO Hosts the International Mus Championships in Chino

Year Host City Host Country Champion

1 1978 Azkaine, Lapurdi Euskal Herria Euskadi

2 1979 San Francisco, CA USA Euskadi

3 1980 Donostia, Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria Chile

4 1981 Mexico D.F. Mexico USA

5 1982 Buenos Aires Argentina Venezuela

6 1983 Santiago de Chile Chile Chile

7 1984 Caracas Venezuela Venezuela

8 1985 Donibane Garazi, Baxenabarre Euskal Herria Argentina

9 1986 Las Vegas, NV USA Chile

10 1987 Donostia, Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria Euskadi

11 1988 San Carlos de Bariloche Argentina Euskadi

12 1989 Mexico D.F. Mexico Euskadi

13 1990 Aiegi, Nafarroa Euskal Herria Mexico

14 1991 Santiago de Chile Chile Australia

15 1992 Baiona, Lapurdi Euskal Herria Argentina

16 1993 Mar de Plata Argentina Australia

17 1994 Montevideo Uruguay Mexico

18 1995 San Francisco, CA USA Mexico

19 1996 Valladolid, Castile and León Spain C.V.E

20 1997 Isla Margarita Venezuela Euskadi

21 1998 Iruña, Nafarroa Euskal Herria Euskadi

22 1999 Acapulco Mexico Euskadi

23 2000 Donostia, Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria Chile

24 2001 Boise, ID USA Euskadi

25 2002 Miarritze, Lapurdi Euskal Herria Euskadi

26 2003 Mar de Plata Argentina Euskadi

27 2004 Acapulco Mexico Euskadi

28 2005 Donostia, Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria Argentina

29 2006 Santiago de Chile Chile Argentina

30 2007 Mar de Plata Argentina Euskadi

31 2008 Barcelona Catalonia Euskadi

32 2009 Balmaseda, Bizkaia Euskal Herria C.V.E

33 2010 Chino, CA USA Euskadi

34 2011 Angelu, Lapurdi Euskal Herria

Every several years NABO serves as the host of the international tournament of Mus. This was the fifth time that the tournament was in the United States (previously in San Francisco twice, Las Vegas & Boise). Eleven delegations participated (Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Euskadi, France, Mexico, Peru, C.V.E (Spain), USA, Venezuela), with the Euskadi winning this year followed by the French team. Team Euskadi has dominated this tourna-ment in recent years winning ten of the past fourteen tournaments and winning a grand total of fifteen since the inception of the international championship in 1978. Although most participating delegations represent a country a few represent regions, such as Euskadi and Nafarroa. The C.V.E. delegation (Comunidades Vascas del Exterior) represents Basque clubs in Spain outside of the Basque Country. The International Mus Championships this year will be hosted in Angelu, Lapurdi. Details and itinerary are posted on http://www.globalmus.com/ (click 2011 Agenda/Program).

International Mus Championships

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NABO Convention at Jaialdi

The International mus players and delegates, sporting their cowboy hats that were presented to them by the U.S. hosts.

The Zazpiak Bat dancers and klika performed last year at Jaialdi 2010, an international Basque cultural festival that takes place every five years in Boise, Idaho, which includes six days of celebrations that drew thousand of attendees from all over the world.

For almost a week, Basque rural sports, pelota tourna-ments, dances, bertsolaris, conferences, food, drink, music and lovely weather accompanied the red, green and white crowds that filled the Basque Block, down-town Boise, and the Expo Idaho Fairgrounds.

"Everybody wants to be Basque in Boise during the Jaialdi," many say in town. The festival does not just concern the Basque community, the whole commu-nity of Boise gets involved. "It has become an important city event. Certainly for the Basque community, but as time has gone on the broader community has become more aware of it and has embraced it to a certain extent," says Mayor of Boise Dave Bieter".

The festival has been a great success, according to Jaialdi director Dave Eiguren. "I would say that it ex-ceeded all our expectations by four. Very smooth," Dave says.

Director of the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, Patty Miller, who during the festival received the Lagun Onari Award for the museum's contribution to Basque history and culture, is of the same opinion as Eiguren: "It's been a great success. Wonderful crowds. The Boise Basque community really set up for this program and all the activities have been first class, so I think the people that came had a good experi-ence," Patty Miller says.

Nancy Zubiri, Euskal Kazeta editor, also agrees. "As a journalist, because I have been covering the Basque community in the United States for a long time, I think this has been one of the biggest Jaialdis. This could only happen in Boise because it has that concentration of Basques to do that", she says.

"As an enjoyer of Basque culture, this was a great party for the Basque people and I think everybody en-joyed it very much," Nancy adds.

For more stories on Jaialdi 2010 check http://euskalkazeta.com and click Jaialdi.

Upcoming NABO Meetings

< Winter: Salt Lake City (Sat Feb 12th)

< Convention: Buffalo, WY (Fri July 22nd)

< Fall: Montreal (Sat Sept 17th)

2011 NABO Calendars Contact Mary Curutchet 650-588-2249 - $6.

Matt Etchepare (above) competing in the NABO Pilota Tournament in Boise. San Francisco had a good showing at the 2010 NABO Pilota Finals in Boise at Jaialdi. Xavier Ocafrain defeated Dennis Pet-rissans in the final for Handball Sin-gles, then Xavier and Dennis teamed up to defeat Edu Sarria and Lino Zabala in the Handball doubles final. Aupa Xavier! In the Class A Paleta Goma final, Jacques Uhalde and Robert Iriart-borde defeated Edu Sarria and Patxi Kearns.

ASTERO (Basque for "weekly") is NABO's free Basque news & information service that is brought to you via email notification. To subscribe for weekly email notices send an email to [email protected].

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Applications will be coming out in February - For more details please check:

http://www.nabasque.org/NABO/Udaleku.htm

www.NABasque.org NABO News

Franxoa Bidaurreta Awarded NABO Bizi Emankorra

At the summer meeting in Boise, Idaho, NABO recognized Franxoa Bidaurreta with its Bizi Emankorra award (lifetime achievement award). Frantxoa was NABO’s first Pilota Chairman in 1976 and formed the NABO Pilota Committee. The first NABO Pilota Tournament was held within one year of the committee formation. Contacting the Federation Francaise de Pelote Basque (French Federation), the committee was

able to set up competitions between their players and NABO players, taking place every 2 years. This continued for more than 25 years. He was instrumental in encouraging the reopening of the Boise Fronton at the Basque Block which had been used as a warehouse for many years.

Franxoa had a vision for the United States to participate in the Inter-national Pilota Tournament. In 1978, he was the coach for the NABO sponsored team to the world tournament in Biarritz. This led to the formation of the United States Federation of Pilota in 1979. Franxoa has been on the Board of Directors from its inception until today and was president for four years.

UDALEKU 2011: Join the team! Every four years the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center hosts the NABO Udaleku - a summer camp for Basque children from the ages of 10 - 15 years old. This camp has been one of NABO's most successful programs, teaching children about Basque culture, and

most importantly making friends and connections throughout the United States.

Udaleku comes back to San Francisco from June 20th - July 3rd, 2011.

For Udaleku to be successful, we need your help. We are looking for volunteers to help with coordinating, housing, and transportation. If you are interested, please contact Valerie Arrechea at 415-859-1154 ([email protected]) or Lisa Etchepare ([email protected]).

Team USA Just Misses Medaling At The 16th World Championships Of Basque Pelota By Xabier Berrueta

The championships took place in Pau, France this past October. Team USA had opportunities for Bronze medals but came up short. Roger Etchevers got hurt in the

quarterfinals against Venezuela. So 26-year-old Mattin Ga-rateix stepped up for the next two games. He played Spain for the Bronze and lost 40-11.

Tony Huarte battled France and lost 22-10 to the Pampi Laduche-trained Alberdi from Hendaia. The game started 5-0 for Alberdi, then Tony tied it 8-8. But from then on, Al-berdi ran away with it.

Overall, of the eight specialties in which Team USA partici-pated, two qualified for World Cup play (top four), and three others qualified for the 2011 Pan American games. Overall, a sense of pride and unprecedented team unity was displayed, and the future is bright with American talent on both sides of the Atlantic in years to come.

Guadalajara, Mexico, 2014 awaits. See you there!

To read more about the World Championships, please check EuskalKazeta.com.

Team San Francisco: From left to right (standing): Mireille Acheritogaray (Paleto Goma), Xavier Oca-frain (Chief Representative U.S. Delegation), Remi Cuburu (Handball 36m court), Gratien Etchebehere Jr. (Paleto Cuero, Pala Corta), Christophe Alfaro (Handball), Aitor Berrueta (Vice-Representative U.S. Delegation), Xabier Berrueta (President - U.S. Federation of Pelota). From left to right (kneeling): Tony Huarte (handball) Josetxo Huarte (Paleto Cuero, Pala Corta), David Indart (Paleto Cuero, Pala Corta), Javier De Luz (handball).

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to the club by giving them the “The Claude Berhouet La-gun Ona” award (the club’s lifetime achievement award).

Video shorts were presented to commemorate Xalbador & Mattin, Frederic Fuldain and the Elgarrekin recording at Notre Dame des Victoires in 1983. A slide show video was also on display throughout the evening depicting photo-graphs from the club’s 50 year history.

Noemí Gonzalo-Bilbao of the Basque Delegation in New York City congratulated the Basque Club on behalf of Julián Celaya Loyola, director of relations with Basque col-lectives for the Basque Government.

Gala - Continued from page 1

The Zazpiak Bat dancers perform during the 50th anniversary gala. Photo courtesy of Marie-Jose Durquet.

Claude Berhouet Lagun Ona presented to (from left to right) Andre Arduain and Jean Acheritogaray by Jean Gorostiague and Christian Iribarren. Photo courtesy of Marie-Jose Durquet.

Claude Berhouet Lagun Ona presented to (from left to right) Gratien Ocafrain, Robert Gassuan, Michel Duhalde and Paul Castech. Photo courtesy of Marie-Jose Durquet.

bowling alley adjacent to Helen Wills Playgroun. Initially, recorded music was used and a few years later the group was accompa-nied by accordionist Jim Etchepare and txistulariak brothers Juan Jose and Carmelo San Mames. Over the years various musicians assisted the dancers: Abel Bolumburu, Alain Erdozaincy, Jean Flesher, Jean Louis Curutchet, Idoya Urruty, Valerie Arrechea, Caroline Chiramberro and Isabelle Bushman. (source: Gardeners of Identity: The Basques in The San Francisco Bay Area by Pedro Oiarzabal)

The Basque Club wants to collect photographs of the dance group from all five decades, the best of which will be used in a commemorative video clip. To submit your photo, please contact anyone on the board of directors (see page 9). Mil esker!

Zazpiak Bat Dancers - Continued from page 1

Members of the original 1961 Zaz-piak Bat Dancers, who attended the Basque Club’s 50th Anniversary Gala at the Basque Cultural Center on Septem-ber 25th, 2010. From left to right (back row): Paul Castech, Gratien Ocafrain, Michel Duhalde, Pierre Labat. From Left to right (front row): Louise Saparart, Christine Uharriet, Mayie Ocafrain, Denise Ourtiague, Bernadette Iribarren, Anita Arduain. Photo courtesy of Marie-Jose Durquet.

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50th Anniversary Weekend

On the spring weekend of June 4th and 6th the Basque Club collaborated with the Basque Cultural Center with a weekend long celebration of the Basque Club’s 50th anniversary. Friday, June 4th’s activities were held at the Basque Cultural Center and featured hand ball games with players from the Basque Country, which followed with a dinner and performance by the Basque musical group Luhartz. The theme of the evening was a look back at the pilota tournaments the Basque Club had organized in the sixties and seventies in San Francisco at Helen Wills Play-ground. Vintage photographs and the Basque Club pilota cham-pionship perpetual trophy were on display. During the course of the evening two distinguished Basque Club members were recognized with The Claude Berhouet Lagun Ona award for their work in supporting pilota during those years: Angel Ar-riada and Franxoa Bidaurreta.

On Sunday, June 6th the celebration resumed in Petaluma at the annual Basque Picnic. The day started with a Basque Mass offi-ciated by Aita Jean-Michel Lastiri with the Elgarrekin Basque Choir and Zazpiak Bat dancers and klika. After mass, the Basque group Luhartz entertained while folks enjoyed their rack of lamb barbecued lunch, which included an impromptu per-formance by Kepa Junkera. The afternoon program included performances by the San Francisco Gazteak dancers and the Zazpiak Bat dancers and klika and the Los Banos Basque Club dancers. Pierre Poydessus, Anna Iriartborde and her late husband Ganix were recognized for their longtime service to the Basque Club in staffing the Basque Picnic for many years. Alain Erdozaincy and Valerie Arrechea were recognized for their longtime service to the cultural groups. Basque Club President Christian Iribarren presented each of them The Claude Berhouet Lagun Ona award.

6 Valerie Arrechea Alain Erdozaincy Anna Iriartborde Pierre Poydessus

Kepa Junkera Zazpiak Bat Dancers (left to right) Montserrat San Mames, Amaia Etcheverry, Christina Etcheverry, Joelle Ourtiague, Erica Fosse.

Angel Arriada receiving The Claude Ber-houet Lagun Ona from Christian Iribarren

Franxoa Bidaurreta receiving The Claude Berhouet Lagun Ona from Christian Iribarren

Aintzane Uria (left) and Rafa Iriondo of Luhartz

Aita Jean-Michel Lastiri

Daniel Camou leads the Zazpiak Bat Klika and is followed by drum-mers (left to right) Gratien Alfaro, Christian Curutchague and Ryan Mendisco.

Bernard Ithurralde

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Clearest Sign Radicals Have Em-braced Peace Over Irrelevance by Paddy Woodworth, Irish Times, January 11th, 2011

EUGENIO ETXEBESTE, a leader of Eta during its bloodiest years in the 1980s and a participant in failed peace talks with the Spanish gov-ernment at the end of that decade, used to talk about having a recurrent political nightmare.

His greatest fear, he said, was that the group would continue fighting until long after most Basques had ceased to support it. In those circum-stances, it would finally fade away ignominiously, due to public indiffer-ence and successful police operations.

In recent years, his nightmare has become daylight reality. Backing for Eta drained away in the Basque nationalist heartlands, and leader after leader has been captured by the police. The group had become virtually incapable of carrying out a single successful operation more than a year before it declared its current ceasefire on September 5th last.

Etxebeste must wonder whether his nightmare has ended with Eta’s long-awaited statement yesterday, which clarifies that this ceasefire is “permanent, general, and verifiable by the international community”. Many other Spaniards and Basques must also be wondering whether their infinitely worse nightmare, the experience of being targeted for serving in the security forces, or simply speaking out against terrorism, is also finally at an end.

Etxebeste has been an influential if shadowy figure behind an unprece-dented shift in the thinking of radical pro-independence leaders in the Batasuna party in recent years.

Batasuna has long been regarded as Eta’s political puppet, and it was finally made illegal for playing this role in 2002.

After that, Batasuna leaders like Arnaldo Otegi began to assert them-selves as autonomous voices, especially during the group’s last ceasefire in 2006.

That proved to be a bitter experience for Otegi and his colleagues, as Eta imposed its own ultra-radical agenda during negotiations with the Spanish government. The group then brutally ended any hope of a resolution of the Basque conflict at that time by bombing a Madrid airport terminal, killing two people.

Batasuna found itself in the wilderness, excluded from all political insti-tutions and any possibility of engagement with the government.

Meanwhile, disarmament by the IRA and the advent of Islamist terror-ism on the scale of the 2004 Madrid bombings, had made Eta seem increasingly anachronistic.

Otegi and his colleagues also found themselves the object of a devastat-ing offensive by the Spanish judiciary, which has kept many of them in prison for most of the last four years.

The charges against them often appear politically motivated and are sometimes dismissed when they come to court, but few in Spain had any sympathy for people regarded as cheerleaders for terrorists.

In the past, gross human rights abuses by the Spanish state, including the use of death squads, have provided Eta and Batasuna with invalu-able propaganda tools in their own communities. And such practices have not been entirely extinguished, as the convic-tion of four civil guards on serious torture charges against Eta suspects earlier this month clearly revealed.

Today, however, such cases elicit only shadows of past protests. A completely new political strategy was clearly needed if Batasuna was to survive politically.

So the party has gone for broke on the concept of a “new scenario” – the peaceful but vigorous pursuit for self-determination.

The long delays in Eta’s responses to this strategy, however, show that a hard core remains resistant to dumping its weapons. But yesterday’s statement goes much further towards doing so than the group has ever done before, despite little prospect of early prisoner releases in return.

There is undoubtedly still a big reservoir of support in the Basque Country for Batasuna’s new departure. But even if Eta does finally quit the scene, the radicals still face the huge challenge of Spanish public opinion.

Not only most Spaniards, but also many Basques, are deeply hostile to renegotiating the status of the Basque Country under any circum-stances.

Nevertheless, the dream of a new, democratic and peaceful scenario is infinitely preferable to the nightmare engendered by the bitter conflict of the last 50 years.

Paddy WOODWORTH (born 1951, Bray, Ireland) has written extensively for the Irish Times, where he was a staff journalist from 1988 to 2002, as arts editor and as an editor and contributor on the foreign desk. He is best known for his work on the Basque Coun-try and Spain and his previous book, Dirty War, Clean Hands, was described by Franco biographer Paul Preston as "one of the most important books about post-Franco Spain ever published." Paddy Woodworth’s latest book is entitled The Basque Country (Oxford 2008). Both works are available at the Martin Minaberry Library at the Basque Cultural Center. The library’s catalogue can be viewed and searched online at www.BasqueEd.org, click Library.

Spokespersons for outlawed pro-Basque independence party Batasuna (from left) Miren Legorburu, Txelui Moreno, Marian Beitialarrangoitia and Rufi Etxeberria speak to the media following the declaration of a permanent ceasefire by Basque separatists Eta in San Sebastian, Spain, yesterday. The government rejected the ceasefire, saying it did not go far enough.

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Gaztemundu is a Basque Government program for the youth of Basque clubs from around the world since 1996. This offers an opportunity to travel to the Basque country and partake in a two week program, which will be focused on youth directors this year. This will coincide with the World Basque Congress which puts this at

the end of October, first week of November this year.

The application will be posted on the NABO site so keep an eye here if you are interested: http://www.nabasque.org/Pages/Projects/gaztemundu.htm

Bat Dancers, subsequent to which the Lehendakari took the floor in order to explain the current economic situation of the Basque Country and the importance of the mission he is currently spearheading in North America. For López, the U.S.A. is "an unavoidable reference point for the development of strategic alliances within our business, university and technological system," to which end he has striven to improve relations "on either side of the Atlantic." The Lehendakari has encouraged Ameri-can Basques to construct "bridges to enable relations between a territory that, more than any other, combines its past with economic and business vigor in the most advanced production sectors and the great country of the United States."

Mr. López is the third Lehendakari to visit the Basque Cultural Center. Juan José Ibarretxe visited on February 16th & 17th in 2008 and José Antonio Ardanza visited on March 19th, 1988.

Lehendakari - Continued from page 1

The Lehendakari, Patxi Lopez (center), pictured with from left to right: Marisa Espinal, Tony Espinal, Danielle Espinal and Gina Aguerre at the reception at the Basque Cultural Center.

VACAS Friday, April 1st, 7:30pm 1992, Julio Medem, 96 min, color in Castilian with Eng-lish subtitles

OGRO Friday, May 20th, 7:30pm 1979 - Gillo Pontecorvo, 115 min, color in Italian with English subti-tles

San Francisco Basque Cultural Center Free admission

Please check www.BasqueEd.org for more details and to see the trailer.

Martin Minaberry Library The Martin Minaberry Library, located at the Basque Cultural Center is now back in circulation. To check the newly updated catalogue and to make arrangements to check out books, please visit www.BasqueEd.org and click “Library.”

The 2011 program will be hosted by Dr. Oscar Alva-rez, the William Douglas Distinguished Scholar of the Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada at Reno. Dr. Alvarez will introduce each film and lead discussion after the screenings.

Oreka TX Dazzles Audience At The Basque Cultural Center

Oreka TX, the Basque Country’s most prolific Txalaparta musi-cians, toured the U.S. in 2010 and performed at the Basque Cultural Center on September 23rd. In 2004 this duo of Igor Otxoa and Harkaitz Martinez took their Txalaparta (Basque instrument made of planks of wood or stone and played with 2

people) around the world to collaborate musically with other indigenous cultures in the Laplands, Sahara, India and Mongolia. The filming of this journey let to their award winning documentary, Nomadak TX. Their show brings the music created in the documentary back to life as they play along side their musical collaborators, who are projected on a large screen behind them on stage. With this show, Oreka TX takes their audience back on this journey which becomes a huge window, to view and discover different places and different peoples.

To view a clip of this show please visit www.SFBCC.us and click on “Headlines” then click on “Nomadak TX Live at the BCC.”

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NeguaNeguaNeguaNegua Basque Club Aldizkaria

2010-2011 Board of Directors

General Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of Jan, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep & Nov, 7:30pm, San Francisco Basque Cultural Center.

Events / Important Meetings Feb 5th 49th Mus Tournament and Members’ Free

Lunch

Feb 18th-20th

BCC Anniversary with Joko Garbi & Handball players from the Euskadi Federation of Basque Pelote.

Mar 9th 7:30pm - General Meeting - @ BCC

Apr 1st Basque Film Series - VACAS - 7:30pm page 8

Apr 13th 7:30pm - General Meeting - @ BCC

Apr 17th Palm Sunday Mass @ NDV 9:00am. Lunch following at the Basque Cultural Center.

May 11th 7:30pm - General Meeting - @ BCC

Jun 5th Basque Picnic - Petaluma

Jun 8th 7:30pm - General Meeting - @ BCC

Jun 20th-Jul 3rd

Udaleku at the BCC - page 4

Jul 21st-Jul 24th

NABO Convention - Buffalo, WY.

Aug 27th-28th

BCC Euskal Etxeko Jaialdia.

Sep 14th 7:30pm - General Meeting - @ BCC

Nov 9th 7:30pm - General Meeting - @ BCC

May 20th Basque Film Series - OGRO - 7:30pm page 8

Nov 5th BEO - Nafarroaren Eguna

May 15th San Mateo County History Museum Immigrant Day - 12:00pm-5:00pm - page 10

Basque Club Business

1983 Elgarrekin CD To order online and to see a promotional video, please check

www.BasqueClub.com. To order a copy my mail, please mail a check written to “Basque Club” in the amount of $12 to Basque Club, c/o Philippe Acheritogaray, 118 Yolo Street, Corte Madera, CA 94925.

9

Gardeners of Identity a history of the Basques in the San Francisco Bay Area is now available and can be purchased for $20 at events at the Basque Cultural Center or from the Center for Basque Studies website of http://www.basque.unr.edu/ (click on Books).

2010 End of Year Balances Checking 508.96

Vanguard 163,629.86

TOTAL ASSETS 164,138.82

2010 Income Misc 640.00

Dues 5,986.00

Dance fees 520.00

Mus fees 1,640.00

50th An.(4 events) 9,508.00

Picnic 13,970.00

Dividend 4,588.60

Basque Government 5,953.46

Total 42,806.06

2010 Expenses Charitable contributions 100.00

Christmas/services 300.00

Misc 129.00

Appreciation Dinner 668.26

Insurance 817.00

Members free lunch 2,345.00

Mus tournament 253.00

NABO Mus fee 820.00

50th An. (4 events) 25,051.00

NABO Travel—delegates 1,000.00

Newsletter 831.26

Picnic 12,811.54

Postage 251.00

Storage Unit Rental 1,779.00

Dancers 1,466.99

Total 48,623.05

2011201120112011

Jean Gorostiague Honorary President

Pierre Etcharren Director Emeritus Christian Iribarren President, 650-588-8100, [email protected] Yvonne Hauscarriague Vice-President, 650-892-4806, [email protected] Valerie Arrechea Secretary, 415-859-1154, [email protected] Philippe Acheritogaray Treasurer, 650-312-2011, [email protected] Jean-Pierre Elissetche Sergeant at Arms, 415-531-3293, [email protected] NABO Delegate Jean-Louis Curutchet Director, 650-515-2957, [email protected] Johnny Curutchet Director, 650-922-3567, [email protected] Mary Curutchet Director, 650-588-2249, [email protected] Charles Elliott Director, 650-873-2776, [email protected] Lisa Etchepare Director, 650-678-8895, [email protected] Matt Etchepare Director - NABO Delegate, 650-255-9842, [email protected] Mayte Ocafrain Director, 650-589-2973, [email protected] Juan Jose San Mames Director, 415-648-8990, [email protected]

New Board Member: Lisa Etchepare Ongi Etorri Lisa!

Joko Garbi Coming To The Basque Cultural Center The Basque Cultural Center will be fea-turing three days of Joko Garbi (The clean or pure game) exhibitions during its 29th anniversary celebration on Feb-ruary 18th through the 20th (6:00pm Friday, 4:00pm Saturday & Sunday). Unlike its more famous (especially in the US) variation of this sport called Jai Alai, the Joko Garbi xistera (whicker basket used to handle the ball) is smaller in size and depth and Joko Garbi players can-not “hold” the ball as the ball must glide in and out of the xistera. Handball play-ers from the Euskadi Federation will

also be featured on Saturday and Sunday. To make pre-paid dinner reservations for Friday (7:30pm), Saturday (7:00pm) or lunch on Sunday (1:00pm) please contact Anita Arduain at 650-583-7018 or at [email protected]. For more details please check www.SFBCC.us.

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BASQUE CLUB

949 Valencia Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Aldizkaria. Special thanks to this edition’s contributors: Xabier Berrueta, Marisa Espinal and John Ysursa. A very special thanks for all the photographs by Marie Jose Durquet and Jean-Paul Barthe. Please let us know what you think or if you have contributions to future Aldizkariak:

Email - [email protected] Phone/Fax - 415-924-2151 (Philippe)

Mail - 118 Yolo Street, Corte Madera, CA 94925.

Philippe Acheritogaray - Editor

Basque Club Aldizkaria Basque Club Aldizkaria Basque Club Aldizkaria Basque Club Aldizkaria

Basque Presentation At The San Mateo County History Museum

The founding directors of the Basque Club, who attended the 50th anniversary gala, are pictured here at the Basque Cultural Center: (from left to right): Robert Gassuan, Gratien Ocafrain, Jean Acheritogaray, Michel Duhalde, Andre Arduain, Paul Castech. Photo courtesy of Marie-Jose Durquet.

This past November 13th, Xabier Ber-rueta gave a presentation at the San Mateo County History Museum, as part of their monthly “Court House Docket” speaker series. The presenta-tion, illustrated with PowerPoint slides and brief video clips, covered Basque history, culture & immigration as well as the history of the Basque Cultural Cen-ter. The presentation was followed by cultural exhibitions with Johnny Cu-rutchet singing bertsoak (improvised sung poetry verses in Basque) with translations by Xabier and a Txistu demonstration by Juan San Mames. This edition of the Court House Docket was organized to promote the “Gardeners of Identity: Basques of San Mateo County” exhibit at the museum,

which will run through February of 2012. The exhibit explores the ancient Basque

culture and how its unique traditions have become a part of the San Mateo County community.

Coming up later in the Spring is the Museum's annual Immigrant Day Festi-val, where you can discover the traditions immigrant groups have brought to San Mateo County and experience festival featured food, craft activities for

families and performances. The date is Sunday, May 15th from 12:00pm-5:00pm.

The History Museum is located inside the 1910 County Courthouse building at 2200 Broadway in Redwood City. Hours of operation are 10am to 4pm every day except Monday. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for sen-iors and students and free for children 5 and under. For more information about the Museum, call 650.299.0104.

Artifacts and photos on display at the San Mateo County History Museum.