We’re back. Like each year, the first days of 2012, coincide with the beginning of summer vacation in the southern hemisphere, and we haven’t published the bulletin for a while, until San Sebastian day and the holiday in Donostia was over. Also as every year, some readers and Basque clubs didn’t pay attention to the notice and have written to tell us that they hadn’t received the bulletin. Truly, since why would I lie, it feels good to be missed. But false alarm, nothing happened and we will resume our normal activity, at least for the time being.
We haven’t stopped working during this time and among other things, we have looked at our program and made some predictions for 2012. In general, this year is not looking good, economically speaking, and so we are concentrating on finding the minimum necessary to continue. We will dedicate ourselves during January and February and hope to put together enough resources to keep going for another year, our eleventh. If we determine that we have to close, of course we will let you know.
The year started with the bad news of the tragic passing in a car accident near Bahia Blanca Argentina, of Iñaki Irazusta. We are sending a big hug to his family and friends. As well as to those who have lost Justo Irazabal, the Basque priest, or Alberto de Echaniz, who died this Sunday in Arrecifes; or Maria Diturbide in Corpus Christi Missions. From Buenos Aires, Norma Rios and the friends at Iparraldeko Euskal Etxea or the French Basque Club, remembered Mixu at the beginning of the year, on the anniversary of his premature death, just having returned from the Basque Country after a tour of Argentina, where he had just made many friends.
In closing this mournful page, Txillardegi died last week in Donostia, Jose Luis Alvarez Enparantza, a multi-faceted heavy weight in Basque culture, who also had a relationship with the Diaspora, Europe, as well as America. In memory of them all, in hopes that they give us strength to face life and the future.
On another note, South America’s summer barnetegi is being celebrated in Tandil, Argentina that we will cover this week. When the sounds of drums cease in Donostia, they will be heard again in Necochea this next weekend during the traditional “Donostiako Estiloa” (San Sebastian style) Danborrada of that city.
Udaleku in Chascomus, Argentina also wrapped up during the first week of January. Congratulations to its organizers and participants. Its neighbor, Uruguay, will host its Udaleku a little bit later this year, in April, nearing the end of summer, or newly begun autumn, when the temperatures are more pleasant.
Regarding events, this year Basque clubs and centers that will celebrate their centennials are Euskal Erria in Montevideo, the Zazpirak Bat in Rosario, Argentina, and the Euzko Etxea Basque club in Santiago Chile. Zorionak to you all.
We’ll be in touch.
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