euskalkultura.eus

12/31/2015 - Bilbao, Bizkaia

(Bilbao, 21-01-1915 - Bilbao, 12-31-2015)

Dear Friends;

On December 31 Fructuoso Perez Arrospide died in Bilbao.

He was born in Bilbao on January 21, 1915.

At the funeral they sang "The Oak and the ombú" as a metaphor for his life between Argentina and the Basque Country.

For those who knew him, surely more than sure that we close our eyes and we can see him standing, with sparkling eyes, claiming, demanding to go forward memory.

How to transmit any of this to those who did not know him? How spread Fructuoso to youth? Why this need to explain who he was?

Perhaps because he was a symbol of belief in the future of many others like him, that risked their lives for ideas, for justice, for freedom, for Euskal Herria. Fructuoso could not live in the free Euskadi for which he fought, but kept his freedom to fight for Euskadi despite battles, wounds and exiles.

Perhaps because his granddaughter hold the ashes and ikurriña at Fructuoso's funeral. And he lives there, into his grandchildren, in all who come.

Perhaps because they would like to know how in the age of Internet, being eighty, ninety and a hundred years old he avidly red the news on the computer and had an email account.

Perhaps because, being born in Bilbao, with his traces in the battles of Elgeta and Gernika, with his house in Ajuriagerra street until recently he used to go for a walk with Maria Jesus and take a beer; and with all he had "there" he decided to bring his ashes "here," to Argentina.

Maybe because ... he was so young being 101 years old!

Young, yes, because wanting to change the world for the better it's a life challenge . Equal for being 20 or 101.

To get respect in that piece of the world that is Euskal Herria for justice, memory, and freedom.

Thanks Fructuoso.

Goian Bego.

(Published in Facebook by the Laurak Bat Basque Club in Buenos Aires)