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Necochea is a city that is directly linked to Donostia, since the times of “Loco” Azua, when he saw its beaches and thought they resembled those in Donostia, establishing its first spa there, the Perla of San Sebastian, in 1885. Their neighbors laughed, but after only five years the city was attracting masses of tourists.  The Loco’s passion for Donostia is still very much alive in the Basques of Necochea, and erupts each year during the week of San Sebastian, a party with Tamborrada, flag raisings and pintxo-potes in the middle of the Constitution Plaza included.  If you have never seen it, you’ll love these photos!

Necochea, Argentina.   One of the busiest weeks of the year has just concluded in Necochea: San Sebastian week.  The festivities began on January 19 and lasted through last Saturday, with a ton of activities: Tamborradas, raising the Basque flag in the converted Constitution Plaza….The Basques in Necochea carry this feast in their blood, and year after year, they feel something special when they play the sounds of Sarriegi that they learned as children.

This year, precisely, the children were the stars, because they debuted their new uniforms that were sent to them by the Summa School in Donostia.  “One of our projects was to gradually put together a children’s tamborrada in Necochea and with the support of Gaztelubide, the Summa School sent us some costumes that they were no longer using.  We thank them from the bottom of our hearts,” Xabier Zubillaga, club member told EuskalKultura.com.

Tamborrero in Donostia

Zubillaga couldn’t play this year in Necochea, but he had a good excuse: he was in Donostia where he attended the tribute that was held at Donostia’s Town Hall in honor of the Tamborradas in the Basque Country and the Diaspora.  “This recognitions is very important for the Diaspora.  Many Basque clubs have Tamborradas, even though the event only mentioned a few, the tribute was for all of them,” he said.

Besides the tribute, Zubillaga was invited to play the Tamborrada with the Peña Anastasio.  It was an unforgettable night for him.  “The people were surprised that an Argentinean would know how to play Polka, Tatiago and the rest of the songs.  The Diaspora is still pretty unknown to the Basque County and people didn’t know that in Necochea we hold a tamborrada, and that we create a replica of the Constitution Plaza, complete with raising the flag on the balcony of the municipal library….”

Another Crazy Basque

Necochea has a strong link to Donostia, according to Zubillaga.  Necochea is a miniature Donostia in Argentina and is one of the touristic cities in the country because of its beaches.  And all of this thanks to the testimony of a “crazy” Basque.  Another one.  And there are many in the Basque History in Argentina.

In 1885, Julian Azua created the first hotel in the city.  It was called “Loco,” convinced that this idea didn’t have a futre.  He called the hotel “The Argentine Pearl of San Sebatian,” because the beaches reminded him of the Concha.  In a few years, the massive influx of tourists made him right.  Soon everyone started building hotels and today the beaches of Necochea are famous in Argentina.

Euskal Etxea, Ikastola, Tamborrada...

The city has a large Basque identity, beginning with its name.  Besides its Euskal Etxea is one of the most active in the country, there is an Ikastola, and an exchange program for youth in the Basque Country to come in July (Hator Hona), and the feasts of San Ignacio, Korrika and the Day of Euskera are very well attended events.

In addition, during the week of San Sebastian, they try to bring a piece of Donostia to Necochea.  From the Basque winter to the heat of the Argentine summer.  A sample of what has been lived this year in our photo gallery: