euskalkultura.eus

The Associazione Cultural Euskara in Rome has a special relationship with music and Basque, two facets that they often combine in their activities.  That is what this club that just won the 2015 ENE award did in a project that is now celebrating its 6th edition.  Until now, the stars of this idea have been children, but this year, the singers/producers were members of an occupational center in Lanuvio, in a town in the area.  Do you want to hear the songs?  Keep reading!

Rome, Italy.   On December 21, Euskanta 2015 was presented at the Occupational Center in Lanuvio.  This activity sponsored by the Associazione Culturale Euskara (A.C.E.) and the Department of Euskera at the University of Rome 3, allows members of the center the possibility to create and produce songs in Euskera.

In the first five editions of Euskanta, the participants were 4th and 5th grade regular students in public schools in Rome.  This time, they were members of the Occupational Center in Lanuvio.  “They are adults who go to the center daily, and they were the ones who created the songs.  Afterwards, center workers also created their own song,” Alex Mendizabal, club member explained to EuskalKultura.com.

Texts in Basque

The project is very special because each participant is in charge of writing, composing, performing and recording/producing a song.  The songs are in Basque so that members of the ACE and the Department of Euskera at Roma 3 help them create a small dictionary and translate phrases.  Euskanta 2015 is also supported by HABE.

“Each participant writes a verse and from there we create 5 texts.  We translated the texts and created a small dictionary.  Afterwards, with a computer, keyboard and microphone, they created the music: chose an instrument and created musical phrases, choose another, create another and so on until the instrumental part is done.  From this base, they sang and recorded the texts in Basque,” Mendizabal said.

They want to go to Bera, Nafarroa

Participants in the project don’t speak a work of Basque but they have a special connection with the Basque Country.  “In previous years, the center in Lanuvio has shared projects with the Occupational Center Uxane in Bera, Nafarroa” Alex explains.  “In 2009, a group traveled from Bera to Lanuvio, for a week visit where they did several activities together.  The authors of the songs always say that they would like to go to Bera.  Of course, but first money needs to be raised!”

All of the songs, texts and illustrations of the Euskanta (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015) can be seen and heard here: www.euskanta.wordpress.com.