euskalkultura.eus

In a very joyous atmosphere and with everyone being very satisfied with the event, organizers and participants alike, Semana Nacional Vasca 2015 concluded yesterday in Macachin.  The local Euzko Alkartasuna raised the bar pretty high for Euzko Etxea in Necochea who will host the next edition in November.  In addition to the present article, EuskalKultura.com will publish, starting tomorrow, a chronicle of the events including photos and video.

Macachin, Argentina.  Challenge overcome.  The Union Baska – Euzko Alkartasuna Basque club in Macachin surpassed expectations this weekend with the 2015 edition of Semana Nacional Vasca that in opinions gathered from participants by EuskalKultura.com was qualified with adjectives like “remarkable,” “charming,” “warm,”, “exciting,” “impeccable, and “very hospitable.”  The town, Basques and non-Basques alike, worked together in Macachin  and with their biggest smiles and all their enthusiasm for participants coming from all over the country to this town of only 6,000 inhabitants.  They put forth a lot of effort and dedicated themselves fully to the organization of the event and were honored to serve as the meeting point, encourage everyone daily, week after week throughout the year, dedicating their time to move activities forward, these working groups and Basque entities from all over Argentina.

Faithful to its loyal readers, EuskalKultura.com will publish, starting tomorrow, a complete series of articles with a lot of graphic support, photos and videos, as a chronicle of last week’s activities. In a prior article, published on Friday, with images of the city getting ready to welcome members of the Basque-Argentine community, the chronicle will include the great work of professional photographer, Valeria Garcia Oyarzabal, who we sincerely thank for her tireless work during the entire weekend.

As a teaser, in regards to video, this corresponds to the official inauguration on Friday night.  At the Plaza Independencia in Macachin in front of the hotel and Euzko Alkartasuna complex, and in the shadow of the Tree of Gernika that is growing there, they installed the flag poles where they raised both the Argentine and Basque flags.  The images show the last part of the raising of the Basque flag to the sounds of Agur Jaunak, in the presence of a large audience including authorities, the governor and deputy governor of La Pampa and the mayor of Macachin, as well as the Minister of Justice and Basque Government spokesman, Josu Erkoreka and president of the local Basque club, Iñaki Unamuno.

Besides the official events, on Friday there were cultural activities as well, and tourism like a visit to Salinas Grandes, a talk on history and the Basque reality in Argentina by Mikel Ezkerro and a Basque choir get together that included choirs from all over the country, expositions about Euskera and traditional Basque clothing, the latter by Magdalena Miganburu, and a dance to the music of Maral, a Basque-Argentine group.

On Saturday morning, the FEVA meeting took place that was attended by a delegation from the Basque Government led by Josu Erkoreka.  Basque clubs attending included: Anaitasuna (Maipú), Beti Aurrera Aberri Etxea (Viedma and Carmen from Patagones), Colectividad Vasca (Concordia), Denak Bat (Cañuelas), Denak Bat (Lomas de Zamora), Denak Bat (Mar del Plata), Etorritakoengatik (Puerto Madryn), Etxe-Alai (Pehuajó), Euskal Etxea (San Nicolás), Euskal Etxea (Villa Mercedes), Euskal Sustraiak (Trenque Lauquen), Euskal Txokoa (San Martín de los Andes), Euskalduna (Carlos Casares), Euskaldunak Denak Bat (Arrecifes), Euskaldunen Taldea (Salto), Euskel Biotza (Roldán), Eusketxe (Buenos Aires), Eusko Etxea (Villa María), Euskaltzaleak (Buenos Aires), Euzko Etxea (La Plata), Euzko Etxea (Necochea), Guillermo Larregui (Chacabuco), Gure Etxe Maitea (Olavarría), Gure Etxea (Tandil), Gure Txokoa (Azul), Gure Txokoa (Córdoba), Haize Hegoa (Montevideo), Iparraldeko Euskal Etxea (Buenos Aires), Itxaropen (Saladillo), Izatez Harro (Coronel Vidal), Lagun Onak (Pergamino), Lagunen Etxea (Laprida), Laurak Bat (Buenos Aires), Mendiko Eusko Etxea (San Carlos de Bariloche), Oroimenez (Los Toldos), Toki Eder (José C. Paz), Urrundik (Paraná), Unión Vasca de Socorros Mutuos (Bahía Blanca), Zazpirak Bat (Rosario), Zelaiko Euskal Etxea (Santa Rosa), Beti Aurrera (Chivilcoy), Hiru Erreka (Tres Arroyos), Eusko Aterpea (General Rodriguez), Gure Ametza (Río Cuarto), Euzko Txokoa (General Acha), Arbola Bat (Junín) and Zazpirak Bat (General Las Heras).

At the same time, there was also a meeting of dance directors followed by a talk by Josu Erkoreka about Euskadi and its Diaspora.  This was followed by a pelota tournament, an exhibition of rodeo skills at the Hippodrome that belongs to the club on the outskirts of Macachin, a presentation by the Basque-Argentine Business Chamber, recently created in the country, a concert by the Maachin Children’s Band that included Basque songs like Agur Jaunak and Gora ta Gora, and a traditional Tamborrada from Donostia, directed by Rosana Entizne from Bahia Blanca.

Saturday concluded with a huge artistic evening that included the participation of dance groups from Macachín, Villa María, José C. Paz, Arrecifes, Chacabuco, Bahía Blanca, Pergamino, Cañuelas, Bariloche, Laurak Bat, Mar del Plata, Laprida, Lomas de Zamora, Rosario, La Plata, Tandil, Trenque Lauquen, Paraná, Rosario, Maipú, Euskaltzaleak, Necochea, Ekin-Eusketxe, Concordia, Córdoba y Roldán, as well as the hosting club’s group.  During the evening, tribute was paid to Iñaki Unamuno, Basque club president where Josu Erkoreka, minister and Basque Government spokesman danced an Augrra as a sing of his respect and in recognition for his efforts.  Tribute was also paid to those who participated in the first barnetegi in Macachin for teachers in training to teach Basque in Argentina. The evening concluded, after dinner, with a dance again to the music of Maral.  

Finally, the highlight of Sunday was the herri-kirolak with harrijasotzaileak, and a huge parade of dantzaris in the Plaza Independencia in front of the Hotel Euzko Alkartasuna.  The traditional lunch and closing event, and the last concert by Maral outside concluded the 2015 Semana Nacional Vasca program.

Semana Nacional Vasca day to day in images starting tomorrow along with a new article in EuskalKultura.com.