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San Juan, Argentina.  The third edition of the Popular Culture and Book Fair, organized by the Public Library in southern San Juan, had a great impact throughout the entire province.  The concurrence of personalities from the world of entertainment, politics and education confirmed once again the breadth of this event.  This year’s theme, marking the bicentennial of Sarmiento’s birth, was “integration and educational pluralism.”  This is why the Basque community presented an interesting exhibit on the Basque presence in Sarmiento’s master work, his observations on the people of the Basque Country.

[Former San Juan Basque club president, Ofelia Larrea, with members of the Legislative Library of San Juan (photo EE)]

“The Basque Glances of Sarmiento” is composed of bibliographic citations from the book Travels to America, Europe and Africa by Sarmiento written in 1876, where he describes the Basques, who he called “Biscayans,” as explained to EuskalKultura.com by the directors of the Basque club and the Pio Baroja Library.  “He also made reference his mother’s Basque surname, Paula Albarracín Irarrazabal that was later changed to Irrazabal” they added.

The stand also included an exhibit of photos and symbols of the Basque Country.  The idea was very attractive to visitors who came en masse to the stand, interested in a little-known side of the politician, writer and teacher from San Juan.