euskalkultura.eus

Durango, Bizkaia.  For another year the Durango Book Fair opens its doors, the annual Basque cultural event that will become the meeting point for writers, musicians, publishers, actors, cultural agents and moreover, thousands of Basques eager to see the new products and learn about new the new Basque cultural production.

Today the fair will be attended by writes Jon Arretxe and Yolanda Arrieta as well as musicians form the group EH Sukarra as well l asn the Karrika Theater Compnay.  Events will take place on various stages with Kabi@ dedicated to children; dubbing workshops and movie screenings in t Basque at Irudiena; as well as activities related to theater in Szenatokia.

Finally in the Ahotsenea area the recent works of EH Sukarra, Malenkonia, Irati Jimenez, and the show “Jainko Txiki eta jostalari hura,” by Kirmen Uribe, Mikel Urdangarin, Bingen Mendizabal and Rafa Rueda; clowns Pirritx eta Porrotx, Kometa, Mikel Markez, Napoka Iria and Xabi Aburruzaga, among others.

In addition to the clowns, Pirritx, Porrotx and Marimotots will perform in the Saguganbara at 5pm and the day will close with a concert by Su ta Gar at 11pm (which can be seen live on eitb.com).

For the complete program: here.

Award presented to Bill Douglass

Finally, it should be noted that the Diaspora and especially the US Basque community will have a large role at the fair thanks to Anthropologist and North American Euskaltzale, William A. Douglass, who will receive the Argizaiola 2013.  Douglass has dedicated a large part of his career to the study of Basque culture and history of the Amerikanuak in the US.  He was one of the founders of the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno and served as its director for 30 years.

The American researcher, well-versed in Basque culture, is a regular at the book fair where the CBS also has a stand to present its publications.  Douglass is expanding his field of study to include the Basque community in Latin America and is working on a conference next year in Cuba on the Basque community there. He also will publish a new book on Basques in Australia which he also talks about in this interesting interview on the Azoka’s website.