Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2016 i Faces People, Places, and World Culture for Kids and Children

Travelers visit Basque country for its spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, but often fall in love with its blend of traditional culture and modern innovation. From quiet villages tucked into the Pyrenees Mountains to the hustle and bustle of the largest city, Bilbao, there’s a lot to see, do, and learn in Basque country! 1. Did Basques beat the Vikings to the New World? Maybe not, but they couldn’t have been far behind. Historical and archaeological evidence shows that Basque whalers were working the waters and occupying seasonal fishing camps in northeastern Canada by the early 1500s. 2. “X” marks the spot! The unique Basque language uses this letter a lot, which is pronounced much like “ch” in English. Master the “x” and you are on your way to learning…

With a beautiful coastline on the Bay of Bizkay, the rugged Pyrenees Mountains, and postcard-perfect farms and villages, it’s no wonder that tourists love Basque country. But it’s the cultural heritage of the Basques that sets this region apart from other parts of Spain and France. The culture of the Basques, including their very old language, was nearly wiped out several times through history. People starved in the cities while surrounded by enemy militaries. One famous bombing in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War destroyed the city of Guernica. Children were punished if they were overheard speaking Basque, and traditional folk festivals were banned. So how did the Basque language and culture survive, and thrive, into the 21st century? A large factor was the end of the long reign of…

How do you get from Basque country to London using only the Basque language as a guide? This was one of the challenges presented to the fourth grade social studies students of Begoñazpi Ikastola in Bilbao in a typical day practicing Basque (known as Euskara), the language of their ancestors. A Revival The Basque language, once seen by outsiders as primitive and unintelligible, and even once outlawed by the Spanish government, is experiencing a major revival. Language immersion schools, where students are taught only in Basque, cover preschool through university in many areas of Basque country. Web sites, animated characters, and video games help Basque language learners in high-tech and entertaining ways. Many people consider Basque the oldest language in Europe. Surprisingly, it isn’t related to Spanish or French. Despite…

The stadium is packed with more than 10,000 excited spectators. The atmosphere crackles with anticipation. Which superstar rock group is about to take the stage? None. The eight men and women who climb on the stage to deafening applause are Basque language improvisational poets called bertsolaris. They are about to participate in a competition (called Bertsolari Txapelketa Nagusia in Basque) that takes place every four years. It is the modern-day interpretation of a singing tradition that dates to the 1400s. This gigantic competition is the culmination of hundreds of local and regional contests. These smaller and more informal competitions take place in such settings as schools, cider houses, and town halls. In earlier times, bertsolaritza competitions took place mostly in rural areas, helping keep the largely oral Basque language alive.…

“Did the pioneers just leave their covered wagons in the middle of nowhere, or what?” I asked this question while driving to Idaho as a child. I remembered learning about covered wagons and the pioneers who settled many towns in the West, but why were those wagons still around? They were used a very long time ago — right? I soon learned that what I was seeing weren’t quite the same as the covered wagons I learned about in school. They were actually called sheepwagons, used by sheepherders originally from the Basque country. As a Basque American, I knew some words in Euskara, I could Basque dance, and had a beautiful costume that I wore when I did, and I knew Basque people came to the United States, but I…

Every year, oars and water fly as groups of strong rowers race along the Bay of Bizkay in Basque country. The races (estropadak in Basque) developed from the days when fishermen would rush back to shore to be the first to sell their catch. Today, most of the people who compete are not fishermen, but trained athletes. Crews consist of 13 rowers and one coxswain. The coxswain keeps the boat on course and encourages the rowers to keep rowing as hard as they can. Originally, racers used fishing boats, like the small vessels sent out from larger whaling ships. Today the boats (traineru in Basque) are made specifically for competition. Early racing boats were made from wood. Today, they are made from lighter high-tech materials such as carbon fiber and…

Official Name: The Basque country; known to the Basque as Euskal Herria, “the home of the Basque people.” Location: Basque country is located in the western Pyrenees Mountains, spanning the border between France and Spain. It is made up of four regions on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees and three on the French side. Its northern border is the Bay of Bizkay in the Atlantic Ocean. Area: 8,088 square miles (slightly smaller than New Jersey) Population: 2,189,000 (2014 estimate) Government: Basque Autonomous Community – Parliamentary The Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country was meant to encompass all provinces inhabited by the Basque people in Spain, but Navarre became its own autonomous province. The statute applies now only to the provinces of Araba, Gipuzkoa, and Bizkaia where the president…

Q: country What do eat kids for in lunch Basque ? A: Fish, and lots of it! Let’s back up and start our sampling of Basque food more broadly. A major clue to understanding Basque food is a map of Basque country. With three provinces stretching across the Bay of Bizkay, many types of fish and seafood are popular. Local fish include tiny anchovies and sea bream. In farmland nestled into the valleys of the Pyrenees Mountains, sheep are raised for meat, and their milk is made into delicious cheese. A variety of fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits are showcased at outdoor markets. Wild and cultivated herbs are harvested to flavor dishes. In addition to their native bounty, the Basques have learned from the many cultures passing through their lands.…

ALL CAPS = stressed syllable Aupa (OW-pah) Howdy, hey Kaixo (KAI-sho) Hello Ongi etorri (ON-ghee eh-TOR-ee) Welcome Agur (ah-GOOR) Goodbye Bai (buy) Yes Ez (es) No Mesedez (meh-SEH-des) Please Eskerrik asko (es-CARE-rick AS-co) Thank you Barkatu (bar-KAH-too) Excuse me Egun on (egg-oon OWN) Good morning Gabon (gah-BONE) Good evening, good night Aita (EYE-tah) Dad Ama (AWE-mah) Mom FAST FACTS: • With at least five different dialects still spoken in Basque country, sometimes it is hard for Basque speakers who live in different villages to understand one another. The language is being standardized for new learners, but local dialects hold important clues to the language’s history. • During World War II, the American military considered using Basque for coded messages. Ultimately, they chose the Native American language of Navajo instead because…

Believe it or not, some competitive sports in Basque country use tree logs, heavy stones, and rope to prove speed, accuracy, strength, and endurance. These rural sports, called Herri Kirolak in the Basque language, are rooted in the farming and fishing industries. Pilota is another sport that is played throughout Basque country and around the world. Rural sports and pilota have become so popular that they are now a vital part of Basque culture and identity. No Basque cultural festival is complete without these sports competitions. Aizkolaritza (Wood Chopping) Wood-chopping competitions are among the most popular of Basque sports. The sport began hundreds of years ago when workers needed wood to build ships and make charcoal; contests were held to establish the strongest and fastest woodchoppers. The woodchoppers, or aizkolaris,…

Basque whalers, like the whalers seen in this image from one of Captain Cook’s voyages, faced many dangers and difficult work. Why and how did the Basques travel from Western Europe to the banks of Newfoundland, Canada, in the early 1500s? The answer — they discovered cod. The cod is a fish native to the cold waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean and the North and Barents seas. Young cod have special enzymes in their bodies that act like a natural heating blanket and allow them to survive in sub-zero temperatures. Generally, cod prefer to live on the sea bottom, at a range of 33 to 655 feet below the surface. However, fishermen can catch them anywhere between three and 1,968 feet deep. These hardy fish can also live in…

In the days before Facebook and even telephones, Basque farmers had to think outside the box when it came to spreading news. So when a fresh batch of apple cider was ready, how did they invite neighbors to come celebrate? Farmers in Basque country developed a unique method of communication. Once they had juiced all the apples, they would carry the large wooden apple presses onto the rooftops to dry. If neighbors could see it, that was an invitation to come drink and celebrate. To alert friends farther away, they beat on the wooden planks of the press with large sticks. This sonic summons was so loud, people from farmhouses many miles away would come for the festivities. The Basques eventually developed games and contests based on the strength and…

Giants are regular visitors at cultural festivals in Basque country. Towering above small children perched atop their mom or dad’s shoulders, these friendly giants parade down the street to lively music, stopping occasionally to pair off in a stately dance. Whether wearing the traditional Basque beret or a soccer jersey, their arrival delights the crowd and sends locals and tourists scrambling for their cameras to capture the spectacle! Larger-Than-Life Characters Festivals play a big part in the Basque tradition. Seasonal festivals occur year-round in Basque country and wherever Basques have settled around the world. Many of these events feature larger-than-life, costumed figures known as “Gigantes y Cabezudos” (Erraldoi eta Buruhandiak in Basque), which means, “Giants and Big Heads.” The Giants are large, hollow figures with detailed papier-mâché heads and arms…

Joana Arrechea, 15, lives in San Francisco, California. Her friend Mikaela Goicoechea, 16, lives in Rock Springs, Wyoming. They met in 2010 at the Udaleku summer camp run every year by the North American Basque Organizations (NABO). In this exchange, they share their experiences. Why did you want to attend Basque summer camp (Udaleku)? M: I had heard about camp through my parents and through other kids in my local Basque club growing up. The first year I decided to sign up for camp, it seemed like a simple decision to at least try it out. J: When I was seven years old, Udaleku was in San Francisco, and my mother was teaching at the camp. I would hang around the Basque Cultural Center and watch classes. I saw how…

“Direnik ez sinistu, ez direnik ez esan.” (Don’t believe they exist, but don’t say they are not real.) – Basque proverb Basque folklore includes many fantastic beings that people once believed lived in the forests and mountains of Basque country. The lamia is a very well known example of these creatures. The lamia (plural in Basque, lamiak) generally takes the form of a pretty young lady, who lives near springs and rivers, and spends her time doing laundry or combing her long blond hair with a golden comb. Her most identifiable feature is the webbed duck feet she has instead of human feet. Lamiak are considered very rich because they usually have much gold in their possession. Although they do not do anything really bad to humans, they’re not to…