euskalkultura.eus

Los Toldos, Argentina.  It has been a year since Basques and descendants of Basques in Los Toldos started to organize themselves formally.  By the beginning of 2013, having held the first board meeting of Oroimenez, they began to develope activities including Basque language classes thanks to Ane Egia.  During its first year, they have made great progress, in June, they welcomed the president of FEVA, Ricardo Basterra and in November they participated in The Basque Argentinean National Week - Semana Vasca.  This progress was also clearly seen with their participation in this year’s local Festival of Communities.

[Basques and descents with sanfermin dresses of all ages gathered in Los Toldos to the sound of Kepa Junkera’s music (photoEE)]

On Sunday, December 1^st, and together with other local communities, the Basques celebrated cultural plurality providing txistorra, made from a recipe from Leitza and Marmitako Donosti style. But the Basque touch wasn't just in the food.  The ambience and the music also hinted to this country in the Europesan Western Pyrenees.  In addition, and just a few days after celebrating the International Day of Euskera, students from Oroimenez read the emblematic poem Nire aitaren etxea defendituko dut (I will defend my father’s house) by Gabriel Aresti.

During the day, the Queen of the Communities of the Partido de Gral. Viamonte was selected with Oroimenez also participating. Its representative, Korali Otermin Luberriaga, club ‘cantinera’, was elected as Queen for 2013-14

[Basque representative Korali Otermin Luberriaga was chosen Queen of Collectivities (photoEE)]

[Olentzero didn’t miss the festivities.  It seems that members of Oroimenez behaved very well this year because only candy was passed out and not coal (photoEE)]

Finally and as a symbol of December and Christmas, the Basque stand welcomed Olentzero.  The coal maker came down from the cold mountains to great children and adults in the city, just as he did last year.  The most loved coal maker by the Basques, took advantage of the children’s and adult’s attention to tell a little bit of his story from the Basque Country.