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Rio Cuarto, Argentina.  Following the line that was begun by Eduardo Aguirre at the Rio Cuarto Basque club, in the province of Cordoba, a new tribute to elder members of the club was held.  In this occasion, the honorees included: Esther Ansorena, Walter Patatxo Asnal, Josefina Bilbao and Elva Viano Zuza, founding club members that still continue to support club activities.

[The new plaque with Edurne Bilbao’s name that is now in the kitchen (photoEE)]

[Board members and Joseba Etxarri gathered around honoree, Edurne Bilbao, who has been the principal cook in a thousand and one of the club’s events (photoEE)]

As part of the tribute the plaque that will now adorn the club’s kitchen was also presented.  In the words of the club’s directors, “the plaque is a way to thank Edurne for all of the work that she has done over the last 20 years.  It is an acknowledgement of her selfless work and profound commitment to the Basque feeling.  Edurne, Josefina, Imanol and Jose the latter already deceased, are part of a family that they began and served as the engine for, Gure Ametza.”

The November 13^th ceremony at Gure Ametza didn’t only honor its history, but also in an effort to cement the club’s future, honored its children that have been part of the club for at least one year. 

Talk on the Basque Diaspora

During his stay in Argentina, the Director of EuskalKultura.com took a tour of the closest Basque clubs to Villa Maria, site of this year’s Semana Vasca.  As part of this tour, Joseba Etxarri participated in the aforementioned ceremony and gave a talk on Basque culture and Diaspora to club members and friends. While in the area, Etxarri also visited the Tree of Gernika sapling in the Euskal Herria Plaza and the Industrial College where lathes donated by the Basque Government, a few years ago, are at work.

Forestation of the Euskal Herria Plaza

To complete the program for the week, members of the Basque club along with the Wichan Ranquen Community Nursery planted 45 trees of native species all along the Euskal Herria Plaza.

[Gure Ametza members along with the Wichan Ranquen community nursery at the Euskal Herria Plaza (photoEE)]

It should be noted that this plaza, located on the banks of the Rio Cuarto, was inaugurated in August 2010 in hopes of converting it into a place for the dissemination of the Basque culture.