euskalkultura.eus

Montreal, Quebec.  Euskaldunak of Quebec is the only Basque club in the Montreal area and has worked for 15 years to raise awareness of Basque culture and the presence of the Basques, historically and currently, in this territory.  The club will celebrate its anniversary this weekend with a complete program of activities along with many guests coming from Canada, the US and the Basque Country.

Many delegates from  Basque clubs all over North America will participate in the festivities since Saturday Euskaldunak’s clubhouse will be the site of NABO’s (North American Basque Organizations) fall meeting.  Their presence and the echo of the proposed activities will be used by Euskaldunak to continue raising awareness of the Basque heritage in Quebec. 

Basque-Quebec Night

The festivities will begin tomorrow, with a Basque-Quebec night.  In the afternoon there will be a guided tour of the old part of Montreal, departing from the Euskal Etxea (429 Viger Est), at 5:00pm.  Following, a typical Quebec style meal will be served at the clubhouse and after, the party will move to the Ahuntsic-Cartierville cultural center, where the Basque group Kalakan will give a concert accompanied by local singers Liette Remon and Gabrielle Bouthillier.  The concert is free of charge and will begin at 8:00pm.

On Saturday the NABO meeting will take place from 8:30am to 5:00pm at the Euskaldunak clubhouse.  In the afternoon, at 5:00pm, the anniversary celebration will begin with another concert by Kalakan and the presentation of the musical project “Iparraldeko Konpilazioa” (Iparralde Compilation).  At 7:00pm dinner will be served, followed by a dancing to the music of Takatunk.

Art and rural sports

On Sunday morning there will be an excursion to the Mont-Royal area and at noon, and the finishing touch will be a meal at Montreal’s Spanish club. 

There will also be two exhibitions available to visit on the weekend.  One by photographer Angela Meijas of her series “Geroa Itxaropena” (The Future is Hope) which portrays both the traditional and modern Euskal Herria; and the other, by painter Michel Hacala who will show five paintings based on the Basque fishermen of Saint Laurent. 

It is also worth noting the Rhode Island Basque club’s contribution to the festivities by providing an exhibition of Basque rural sports. 

-More information on Euskaldunak Quebec’s website
http://www.euskaldunakquebec.com/index.html.

-This weekend's program
http://www.euskaldunakquebec.com/images/program_eng.pdf