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Last Saturday the Berlin Basque club held a crowded Bertso-Bazkari that took place at the Basque restaurant, On Egin.  The venue was packed with nearly 50 people hoping to hear Jon Maia and Alaia Martin.  “There were as many Basques as Germans, and the majority of Germans were Basque language students.  But was also very interesting for Basque kids born here, being the first time that they have seen a Bertso Bazkari live,” Ainhoa Añorga, club president, told EuskalKultura.com. 

Berlin, Germany.   On the hottest day of the year, at least so far in Berlin, the Basque club gathered a large number of friends for the Bertso-Bazkari organized at the On Egin Restaurant.  The venue filled up with nearly 50 people.  “We didn’t have room for more, and we couldn’t accept any more reservations,” Ainhoa Añorga explained.

The meal began at 2pm and the menu was a typical Basque one with: beans, with all the fixings; a detail that won points from the Bertsolaris.  “Later the menu was remembered in their verses with it being as hot as it was, and were sweating!” Añorga recalls.  “In his welcome verse, Maia asked if we had used the menu to find out who is Basque and who isn’t.”

The bertsolaris sang in Euskera, and the crowd listened with great interest.  “The public was the best, because there were as many Basques as Germans, and even a Catalan.  There were students from the Basque language class that were more than 60 years old as well as teenagers, Basque children born here; and two little ones who were 5 and 7….a little of everything.”

Many of the Germans there are learning Basque.  “They talked about Bertsolaritza in class and it was one of them who chose the rhymes and themes,” Añorga said.  “The themes were explained in German and Basque, but the Bertsos weren’t translated.  It was very interesting for them and they were happy because they could understand quite a bit.  Sometimes the Basques translated a little into German, for the person next to us so they could get the joke.”

The Basque club was very happy with the experience and hopes to repeat it as soon as possible.