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The president of the Asociacion Vasco Navarra de Beneficencia (AVNB) in Havana, Renato Garcia Egusquiza, was very satisfied with the celebrations that took place for the club’s 140th anniversary.  The festivities that ran just over a week, included photo exhibits, film screenings, outings, conference and the presentation of the Arima dance group who performed traditional Basque dances. 

Havana, Cuba.   “Those attending the various events were mainly club members, although in some of them there was a large showing of Cubans who are not of Basque decent,” Garcia Egusquiza said.  “We only have a few members who were born in the Basque Country, but this time some visitors joined us, as well as Carlos Gabilondo and his wife, Norma Carrizo, who joined us from Argentina and took in the entire event.”

“The oldest person attending was Dionisia Lezama Castaños, who is 93 and is a member born in the Basque Country in Sopuerta, in the town of Carral in Bizkaia.  There was always a university presence at the conferences and this included Dr. Felix Julio, the vice dean of the University “San Geronimo” from the city’s Historian’s Office.

In regards to support for the program the president indicated that the activities developed, “didn’t have any support from any official Basque entity or from the lectureship.”  He noted they got “economic support from our friend in Araba, Jon Zubiaurre, who besides that took vacation in order to join us.  Gorka Alvarez and Andoni Martin attended from the Basque Country and they also traveled with us to Pinar del Rio on the tour planned for Friday.  On Saturday they had lunch with the board and had a meeting regarding the program for those in extreme need.”

The Basque Week began with a photo exhibit coordinated by Garcia Egusquiza himself “with a large attendance of our board, Sonia Mirabal, photographer, and always faithful friend and Associate Jose Miguel Arrugaeta.  The exhibit is the continuation of a series, “The Basque Presence in Cuba, Images that show it,” that is presented annually since 2014, that proves the Basque presence in Cuba in various ways.  This year, for example, it was dedicated to the Basque mark on architecture.  Due to limitations, the exhibit was composed in a space lent us by the Historian’s Office and included some 20 photos scorted by the Ikurriña.”

“I want to stress the work done by our dance group.  It is called Arima (soul) that signifies spirit, encouragement, encouragement to do things, to carry out our goals.  It was created in 2014, with a lot of work and at first with the support of the regional dance chair from the Spanish Ballet in Cuba, through videos, and some accessories by Maider Varela, our Basque teacher.  We hope to have a live dance teacher, at first with Anartz Ormaza who has promised to come at some point.  Now the group is directed by a young member Daniela Guerra, who has a lot of experience and who has helped us from the beginning without any particular knowledge of Basque dance. She currently has 15 girls, embers and not, with classes taught for free which are open to anyone wishing to participate.  Those who performed were: Karla Alvarez (15 años), Claudia Muñoz (15), Mariam Márquez (12), Shakira Veliz (12), Milagros Álvarez (12), Anabel Espinosa (12), Gabriela Montes (8), Amelia Orama (8), Carolyn (8) and Veronica Martiatu (5). They practice once or twice a week for two hours, depending on the availability of the venue. AS everyone knows, we need everything but the desire to work for Basque culture.”

“The group Sustrai is a group of members who do crafts, and in this case in all varieties.  It was conceived as a way to link with the Basque Country and other clubs that do the same in hopes of growing this branch that unites all Basques and descendants from there and the Diaspora.  Its coordinator is Mario Garcia Ibarra, a member of the board who does very good work in that respect.”

“The film sessions were very interesting and what was more significant is that we were able to carry out the first Basque Film Series in Cuba with films being shown continuously in a government hall, thanks to the much appreciated participation and support from Carlos Gabilondo and Norma E. Carrizo, the directors of the Traveling Basque Film Series in Argentina who travelled expressly from Buenos Aires for this reason.  To be sure, we are not accustomed to this kind of film after being invaded by Hollywood, but I feel like this was a gradual entry of this film so awarded and with such real meaning of the Basque land of yesterday, today and forever.”

“Sunday’s meal, and farewell began by thanking all of those who traveled so far to be with us and to everyone who provided their spiritual, material, or like Carlos Gabilondo and Norma E. Carrizo, who also brought Basque film to Cuba, and who were the bearers of congratulations wishes from clubs in Argentina.  Our friend Jon Zubiaurre, from the Basque Country to whom we are grateful for his economic support, the Government of Navarre who sent us material for both work and play.  We enjoyed great Basque and Cuban music and a very delicious buffet with bear to refresh us from the heat that also accompanied us.  In general, everyone was very happy, and are confident to continue the climb necessary to be able to continue to strengthen the history of Basques in Cuba.”