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The idea came from Olga Leiciaga, when she began putting together the history of her family, decided to invite people who had one of her four last names: Elordi-Aguirre on her mother’s side and Leiciaga-Arrospide on her father’s.  The invitation was very well received and some 70 people gathered at the Itxaropen Basque Club in Saladillo to participate in the reunion.  There, Leiciaga presented information on the family that she had gathered in Argentina as well as in the Basque Country on her recent trip there. 

Saladillo, Argentina.   The gathering of descendants of the Leiciaga, Arrospide, Elordi and Aguirre families took place on November 27^th at the Saladillo Basque club since the promoter of the event, Olga Leiciaga, now living in Corpus Chirsti (province of Misiones), was one of the co-founders of the institution.

Along with Olga, Maria Eva and Celina Elordi, Juan “Tito” Leiciaga and his wife Susana, Maria Elena Leiciaga and her granddaughter, Milagros Di Leo worked on the event for 70 people who came from Buenos Aires, Recreo (Santa Fe), and from other places like Bahia Blanca, 25 de Mayo, Lobos and La Plata, from San Martin de los Andes (Neuquen), Corpus Christi (Misiones) and other locals from Saladillo, who gathered at the Itxaropen Basque Club.

During lunch, Olga was in charge of sharing how the reunion came about as well as share the contents of the Books that were later shared, that included the family tree.  She also indicated how important her trip to the Basque Country had been. There she was helped by Noel Elorga and Joseba Etxarri who shared relevant and surprising information with her, “among others, that the surname Leiciaga originally was Leiciaguezahar in the Basque Country,” but then was shortened to Leiciaga in Argentina.

Two Investigations

The two works presented by the current president of the Eusko Etxea in Corpus Christi includes her childhood experiences, related with the family who stars in the story.  In History of a Search, she includes the information about the Leiciaga-Hilero and Arrospide-Bertereche families, who were originally from Zuberoa: Leiciaga (from Ainharbe), whose original last name was Leiciaguezahar; Arrospide (Rospide) originally from Urdinarbe; Hilero (Ilhero) and Bertereche, both from Urdatx-Santa Grazi, information gathered in research done by Noel Elorga, presented by Joseba Etxarri.

In regards to the other book entitled Family Histories this includes the genealogies of the Elordi-Otermin and Aguirre-Alzueta families, contributed by Ángel Elordi and Alberto Aguirre.

Geneaologies of the Arrospide (Róspide) and Bertereche families were provided by Maria Luz Echeberry (Buenos Aires) who couldn’t attend in person but whose stories excited the audience.  In the words of Olga Leiciaga, “it was beautiful to find out that our great-grandfather Juan Arrospide didn’t come to Argentina alone, but with several sisters who left several children, that we didn’t know about until now, and who we hope to meet soon for a big family hug.”

“Saladillo was nice. We spent two days sharing emotions, memories, and family information. We were very comfortable at the place that unites us all, the Saladillo Basque Club.  That is why we want to especially thank the Board of Directors of Itxaropen who so kindly let us use their facilities and to the members of the board, who also served us meals.  It was a beautiful get-together where we relived the past, and enjoyed the present and predicted the future with more reunions to come.  Now to say farewell, doing so in hopes of seeing each other again in 2017," Leiciaga announced emotionally.