euskalkultura.eus

Boise, Idaho.  The Boise Ikastola went all out to celebrate San Sebastian Day, complete with Danborrada (Tamborrada, a drums festival) on January 21 and 22.  The center is used to banging drums since former teachers were from Donostia, Andoni and Bakarne who organized the first Danborrada (a drums festival is organized every year in Donostia as a main feature of the city festivals). Since then teachers have come from other areas of the country, like Bizkaia and Navarre, and each has taught the kids about their own festivals.  This year, Irune Sanchez,  the teacher, is from Berriz, Bizkaia but she has continued the Danborrada  tradition.

“We practiced in November and December with two girls from the Basque Country, and one of them was from Donosti.  Thinking about them I decided to do the Danborrada and so we started to prepare by having the kids watch videos, listen to songs, making drums and aprons…,” the teacher explained to EuskalKultura.com.

[It was colder in Boise than it was in either Donosti or Azpeitia but it didn’t bother the drummers (photo BoisekoIkastola)]

The festival was a huge success according to Irune and the kids already are asking when they’ll get to play the next Tamborrada.  “The txikis had a really great time.  One said, ‘Andereño (teacher), we are so lucky to have an Ikastola and do things like this, aren’t we?’’ said Sanchez. “They are really funny! Since I spend the day telling them ‘They do this in the Basque Country, the children in the Basque Country do that’ finally when the day came to play the Danborrada one of them started screaming: ‘Hey! Make a train; we’re going to Euskal Herria!  I'm soooo excited!'"

More pictures online and on their Ikastola’s Facebook page.

Euzkaldunak’s new board

On the other hand, last Saturday, January 26 the Euzkaldunak Basque club held its monthly dinner when they held elections for the Board of Directors.  The new board for 2013 includes Martin Bilbao, president; Ryan Boyd, vice-president; and Joe Lasuen, Geneva Ayarra, Tyler Smith, Michael Guerricabeitia, Johnny Boyd, Ricardo Yanci, Annie Gavica and Maite Iribarren-Gorrindo as directors.   Zorionak!

[Euzkaldunak’s January monthly dinner was very well attended (photo BoiseEE)]

More information on Euzkaldunak’s Facebook page.