Ask a Basque Thread

[Josu]

What is the typical breakfast a Basque family will have together?

One question, which mechanism lead you to this question starting from the video?

Now, the breakfast, gosari. Hmm, nowadays I must say that we are completely equal to other countries, coffe, toast, jam,milk, fruit, cereals, cheese. It is not a very heavy breakfast, people taking coffe is not usually taking cereals or fruit. I usually take a cup of coffe and a piece of pudding, sometimes just cereals with milk.
Tea is not very common here.

Traditionally we were having breakfast twice, once just after waking up, it usually was being a soup, made with onion or bread, it was the "gosari" itself. Later, about 11:00 AM people was having another breakfast called hamaiketako (literally the meal taken at 11) and usually was a Talo (similar to mexican tortitas but more thick) or a ogitarteko (literally inside bread). They are usually filled with sausage or black pudding.

In any case I would say that breakfast has never been a common meeting time in basque families, we usually meet in lunch or dinner

 

[Oerdin]

It is breakfast here now so I naturally thought of food.

 

[caketastydelish]

Is the Basque language deteriorating? If yes, how would it make you feel if the Basque language one day dies out?

 

[Josu]

Is the Basque language deteriorating? If yes, how would it make you feel if the Basque language one day dies out?

Absolutely yes. Euskera, basque language is endangered. There are several UNESCO reports that confirm this.
There is a paradox because as times goes by there is more and more people that is able to speak Euskera, but I think that there is less people that uses it as daily language.

If Euskera wipes out I don't think that i will be alive to see it. There is a traditional song saying "ez zaigu hilgo Euskal Herria ni bizi naizen artean" which means that the country of basque speaking people won't die while I am alive. I like to see it as a defense of our culture, and I try to think that basque language won't die while I can speak it.
In any case I think that the language tends to be a mix between spanish and basque, so we won't realise it.

 

[Oerdin]

Can you post pictures of Basque country?

 

[Josu]

Can you post pictures of Basque country?

Sure, here some of them. Name in english and in basque between ()

Saint John in Gaztelugatxe (Gaztelugatxe). Small church in tiny island



Bilbao (Bilbo-Bilbao) Guggenheim museum



Bilbao (Bilbo-Bilbao) Old town



Saint Sebastian (donosti). The bay




Saint Sebastian (Donosti). Square in the old town




Mount txindoki(txindoki) mount txindoki from Beasain




Vitoria (Gasteiz).



Gernika. Junta House.



Mendoza's Tower House. Mendoza




Irati Forest (irati). Natural park



Pamplona (Iruña) San Fermin is starting...



Ochagabia (Otsagabia) Small town in Pyrenees



Oma Forest (Oma). An artist draw on some trees in the forest. If watch them from the propper pint, they are making a drawing




Now some pictures from the French basque country

Bayonne (Baiona)



Biriatu. Traditional houses



saint jean pied de port (Donibane garazi)

 

[madviking]

Why are there so many Basques in association football?

 

[Josu]

Why are there so many Basques in association football?

I do not understand the question very well, by association you mean in the organism that rules the football here?

Well there is no specific reason, I think. In the past there were many basque football players along the La Liga, allmost all teams were having at least one basque football player. This is the case of the current president of Spanish Federation Angel Maria Villar, he was born in Bilbao and played for Athletic Club for several years. I did not watch him but I have heard that he was not very talented, what everybody remembers about him is when he punched Johan Cruyff.

Later once he was retired as football player he founded the football players association and became president of the basque federation. From there he became the spanish federation head in 1988. He has not left the charge since then by giving favours to those who vote for him. He has always claimed to be Athletic Club's supporter but he is more damaging than becoming for us.

President of La Liga is Jose Luis Astiazaran, basque as well, Born in Donostia-Saint Sebastian. He is a "success bussinessman" and became Ral Sociedad's owner in 2001. Being this team's chairman they had their best results since they won La Liga in 1984-85. He left the team in 2004 in a big economical (almost in) and social crisis. He used this years to improve contacts (he became Angel Maria Villar's collaborator) and used this to became TV's, Real Madrid's and Barcelona's puppet in La Liga. I have never seen such an oaf managing one organization.

This two persons make me think that we keep best managers in basque country and we send worst ilk abroad

 

[madviking]

I do not understand the question very well, by association you mean in the organism that rules the football here?

I meant association football as normal football (soccer) to differentiate it from American football.

 

[Josu]

I meant association football as normal football (soccer) to differentiate it from American football.

OK, so then the answer is quite different.
Basque people always have been keen on sports. There are many basques in UCI Pro Tour (cycling) there are many basques in mountaineering and there are many basques in football. I think that these 3 sports and basque pelota (jai alai) are the most popular sports here.
The football issue probably is because football camed to spain from basque country. There were several mines in basque country mainly in biscay and Guipuzcoa. English engineers arrived to extract iron and brought football with them.
Since then Football became very popular in basque country. On the other hand, there is a kind of culture of effort in basque people that favors the sports practice.

 

[Josu]

BTW Next sunday it is Basque's Homeland day

 

[bombshoo]

BTW Next sunday it is Basque's Homeland day

What does that entail? Festivals and such?

 

[mayor]

Next Sunday it is Easter..... Why do you combine it?

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

I remember having to traverse that intimidating river mouth to surf Mundaka . Biarritz was some hellish conditions when I was there , I had to pass .

 

[Eniotna]

Another question about cycling

Are Basque people (and yourself) interested in the cobbled classics such as the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix?

 

[mayor]

notices the question.... looks at the location: ah that explains it

 

[Josu]

What does that entail? Festivals and such?

Let's say yes.
We are not able to celebrate this day togehter . Each nationalist political party organizes its "festival". There is a meeting with a speech done by the party's leader. Traditional music and dances, a lunch and maybe some concerts with modern bands for young people.

 

[Josu]

Next Sunday it is Easter..... Why do you combine it?

In fact, basque homelan day is always on Easter.
The date was established by Sabino Arana, PNV's founder. There are two stories about the date choosing:

1) Sabino Arana and his brother Luis had a conversation about the homeland on Easter. Then they decided to boost basque nationalism. Hence they choosed this date

2) First PNV memberse were very catholic, they wanted to give more simbolism to the date by celebrating on easter


There is another story about it, but I am not sure about it. Basque nationalist has always looked into Irish nationalism. According to this story Sabino Arana would choose Easter in tribute to Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin

 

[Josu]

I remember having to traverse that intimidating river mouth to surf Mundaka . Biarritz was some hellish conditions when I was there , I had to pass .

I am not very keen on Surf, but let me tell yo something, I heard (notice that I am not keen on surf) that some works in the river in mundaka has changed the swims and some people was complaining because the surf was not the same in mundaka..... Aparently it will take a while getting the swim back

 

[Josu]

Another question about cycling

Are Basque people (and yourself) interested in the cobbled classics such as the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix?

Not to much, we have a culture of watching 3 or 1 week races, not to much about classics. However people who is very interested in cycling is always complaining because it is very unusual watching this kind of races on TV
Some years ago it was easyer for us watching them as basque television used to broadcast most important races in season, but now we are just having a few.