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Poznan, Poland.  “Love for Euskal Herria, fascination with Euskera, wanting to learn languages…” these were some of the reasons that brought Basque students at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan to organize their own Korrika 18 on March 9, shortly before the race started in Euskal Herria.  Instructor Amaia Dones was the driving force behind the event, which took place at the main square in Poznan at noon.

“Ever since we proposed the event, the students decided that the goal of organizing Korrika in Poznan would be to introduce the Basque language to people in the city,” explained Dones.  “In order to do that the Polish Euskalaris prepared some informative pamphlets designed by Magda: the Korrika logo was on one side and information on the race in Polish on the other.  And that was “something that they had to explain to those folks who found themselves face to face with the race!”

[Korrika 18 in Poland started from the town hall plaza in Poznan (photo Luiza Stosik-Turek)]

[AEK and the Etxepare Institute collaborated in the event, sending promotional materials, posters and bibs (photo Luiza Stosik-Turek)]

[Weronika took the microphone and explained what Korrika was to the curious (photo Luiza Stosik-Turek)]

Besides pamphlets, one of the students, Weronika, took the microphone and explained to the curious that gathered what Korrika was and what Euskera is.  Her talk was successful and some of them joined the group.  Afterwards there was a short Basque lesson for those in attendance, teaching them some basic words and phrases.  “We were finally able to gather everyone behind the poster and take off,” said Amaia Dones.

[Participants anxious to get started just before taking off (photo Luiza Stosik-Turek)]

The race covered the center of the city, with the cry “ttipi-ttapa, ttipi-ttapa, Korrika!” chanted even by citizens of Poznan who joined in at the last minute as well as a group of Italian and American tourists.

[Residents of Poznan watched the race with surprise, but some also joined in (photo Luiza Stosik-Turek)]

The event concluded with a song, the mythic Txoria-txori followed by students dancing “Txulalai.”  Ten copies of Kontu-Kontari: opowiadania baskijskie, an anthology of Basque stories translated into Polish, were also raffled off.  More images of the day in this video: