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Viedma, Argentina.  During the last few days, a large number of communities have joined in the festivities of Immigrant Day in Viedma, Argentina, in the province of Rio Negro, gate to Patagonia.  The festival, organized by the city along with the Directorate of Migration and the Commission of Foreign Communities, representatives of various culture and countries attended the event on September 8, in a day celebrated in honor of the immigrants who settled in this country and region.

The festival began at 10:30am with the singing of the National Anthem, however, a note of color arrived later when the Rio Negro Police Band played parts of each community's Anthem. Following the welcome, an array of typical dishes was provided along with dancing from each country on the stage. At the Basque there was a great variety of cold pintxos.  The dancers also performed three typical pieces from Euskal Herria.

 [Basque Club president, Isabel Labiano, at the club's stand (photoEE)]

“Our dancers are natives of Viedma and are members of the club, but they were away for a while in Bahia Blanca pursuing their university studies.  There, they join in with the dancers at the Union Vasca and today they come home to help with teaching the club’s txikis, which makes us very proud,” said Sonia Gastaminza, secretary of Beti Aurrera aberri Etxea.  “Currently we have Basque culture workshops on Saturdays and dance for children and those older than 15 on Mondays and Thursdays taught by Analia Zuntini.  We also have Basque language classes on Wednesdays in Viedma and on Thursdays in Carmen de Patagones with Delia Beatriz Etchegaray teaching both.”

[A Beti Aurrera Aberri Etxea dancers carrying the ikurriña or Basque flag (photoEE)]

In the meantime, thanks to a huge effort by club members, the clubhouse remodeling is almost finished.  “It is a small house but it will be enough for our activities so we won’t have to travel to other borrowed or rented places.  I think we will be able to move in next year,” told Beti Aurrera sources.