Boise, ID, USA. Over the last few days, we have published two videos and a text created in relation to COVID-19 by Basques in the Diaspora. After the videos of Martin Goicoecha, from Rock Springs, Wyoming and Jexux Goñi from Reno, Nevada; and after a song composted by Mattin Lerrisa with lyrics by Begoña Echeverria from Chino, California, we now add bertsos from Boise, Idaho by Todor Azurtza published in the May Euzkaldunak newsletter coordinated by Lael Uberuaga.
(Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Todor is a son of the Azurtza-Sorrondegi family from the Diaspora. When he was six, they moved back to Donostia where he lived until he was 20; he later lived in London, and Paris for several years, traveling around the world to finally settle in the US, first in New York and then to move to Boise and settle here with his wife who is an Euskaldun from Idaho, Geneva Ayarra, granddaughter of Navarrese from Urepel and Jaurrieta-Eaurta. Todor feels profoundly Basque and more specifically one from the Diaspora.)
Here are his bertsos:
Boisera ere iritsi zaigu koronabirus maltzurra
eta etxetan sartuta gaude ezin atera muturra
baina hau ere pasatuko da gaindituko guk gailurra
ta bitartean zuek guztiak jaso gaur nire agurra
(The coronavirus has also reached Boise
and we are at home not being able to go outside,
but this too will pass, we will overcome this obstacle,
in the meantime, my greetings to you all today)
Nahiago nuke oraintxe bertan frontoian palan jokatu
edo musean aritu eta baita gustora dantzatu
baina gehiena nahiko nukena behar dizuet kontatu
Donostian den nire amatxo nahiko nuke besarkatu
(I’d rather be right now playing pala in the fronton,
playing mus or dancing,
but I have to tell you what I would most like to do,
and that is to hug my mum who is in Donostia)
Pazko igandea gaur dugu eta aberriaren eguna
zoritxarrez guk elkarrekin gaur ezin ospatu duguna
aurki berriro izango gara elkar euskaldun laguna
ta bitartean gora bihotzak zaitu zuen osasuna.
(Today is Easter Sunday and fatherland day,
a day that we unfortunately cannot celebrate together,
we will gather again my basque friend,
in the meantime, stay strong and take care of yourselves)
Send to a friend
Add comment
