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The vocation displayed at the store in Amorebieta-Etxano (Zornotza) is close to its roots.  Born in Venezuela, Itxaso Uzkanga designs t-shirts and accessories from her Basque culture and heritage.  The article by Kevin Doyle on her store Ekin Harriari and Itxaso Uzkanga was published yesterday in Deia. 

Kevin Doyle/Zornotza, Bizkaia.   Despite her Venezuelan accent, she is very proud to talk about her Basque roots.  Her dad from Begoña and her mom from Bedia, Itxaso Uzkanga (Valencia, 1977) left Venezuela for love in 2007 to live in Lemoa.  She is also in love with the Basque culture and its symbols, and so five years ago she opened Ekin Harriari, in Amorebieta, a store dedicated to the sale of t-shirts, necklaces and crafts related to the historic artistic heritage of Euskadi.  “I was always curious to find out about my roots.  In Venezuela, I spent a lot of time in the Basque Club in Valencia and I learned a lot about the Basque culture, but when I came here, I discovered a lot more,” she explained from her store located on Konbenio Street in Zornotza.

Taking advantage of her graphic artist training, Itxaso decided to start a Brand.  In this way, Ekin Harriari was born as a clothing and accessories differentiated with the main objective of spreading the cultural and artistic heritage that is Euskadi’s treasure.  In her t-shirt designs you can find ikurriñas, lauburus, or eguzkilores as well as images taken from tombstones in Argiñeta, as well as the caves of Santimamiñe and Askondo, as well as some mountains like Gorbea, Txindoki and Anboto.

When the city festivals of Amorebieta approach, the demand for t-shirts booms.  There are several kuadrillas who want to wear one of her t-shirts which can be seen here: www.ekinharriari.com. In this sense, “There are customers who come with a certain idea of what they want, while others want my help to figure it out,” says the person who has created catalogs with many designs to choose from with a variety of her creations: that include Marijaia, the hanging bridge in Portugalete and San Anton, Mikeldi, the Ekain cave, the hermitage of Abrisketa in Arrigorriaga, the lighthouse in Santa Katalina, fishing boats, and the most emblematic birds of Urdaibai, rural sports or mythology.  “I continue to read and look for ideas for my new designs,” she says satisfied while looking through her catalog.

Even though t-shirts and fabric creations are the best-sellers at the store, you can also purchase espartinak, bags, personalized cups and jewelry.  In regards to the latter, “I don’t think I have seen anything as emblematic as the cross of Gorbea, that I designed a necklace out of,” Itxaso said, who added with a laugh that “the first think I did when I came here was to climb Gorbea because being from Arratia, having not climbed it could result in my being banished from the family.”

Knowing full-well how difficult it can be, Itxaso wants to learn Basque although she is already trying to teach her twins, Oihan and Sara who are 17 months old “the little I know, but fortunately, my husband Urko is teaching them.” They married in 2008.  But her Basque feeling is noted in all directions.  “My mother and my grandmother were jailed in Saturraran.  Mom got out with the help of a nun and when she was 12 she left with her grandmother to Venezuela.  My father had family there, and also because he didn’t want to do his military service.  Destiny wanted my parents to meet at the Basque Club in Caracas,” she said proudly, adding that “the last mayor of Begoña was my great grandfather and I am also part of the pilota saga there.”

 (Published on 07-25-2016 in Deia)

Ekin Harriari
Plaza Kalbario z/g. Amorebieta-Etxano 48340 Bizkaia. Euskal Herria.
Tel.: 946 531 053
Email: ekinharriari@ekinharriari.com