Valparaiso, Chile. Among the 2,365 people there were Basque families and individuals that would settle and contribute to life in their new country. The poet Pablo Neruda, also of Basque origin on his mother’s side, and Chilean Consul in Paris at that time, organized the expedition. Some of those who came in the boat and their descendants include illustrious names incorporated in Chilean history, art, or culture. In the Basque case, the community and its members and the Basque clubs in Viña-Valparaíso and Santiago welcomed their compatriots. The renowned Basque Choir of Chile, for example originate on the Winnipeg, founded by Ramon Muguruza Zubillaga from Hernani to face the hard 30 days of travel.
The election of Chilean President Pedro Aguirre Cerda in 1939 supposed an important support for the different Basque organizes in the country. In June of that year, Aguirre Cerda was honored by the Euzko Gaztedija in Santiago. This is how Joseba Etxarri was told about that situation by Chilean Basque, Pedro Aretxabaleta Elustondo (Charravata, 1908), who was 30 years old at that time Aretxabaleta would serve for years as the Delegate of the Basque Government in exile and was one of those who mobilized the arrival of the Winnipeg
“I remember that day well,” Aretxabala said. “We went looking for the Basques that arrived and we housed them with our friends’ families. A commission was in charge of finding them lodging. One of the members was Santiago Zarranz, as well as Alberto Etcheverry, who was then the president of the Basque club, Pedro Azula, Fermin Borda…were on the club’s board. It was a solidarity movement because we were Basques, each and every one with our own way of thinking and ideology, but ready to help our compatriots who were in trouble. Many came before and after the Winnipeg Many of their children continue to be lined to the Basque club and maintain their feeling. Remember that we had two couples come to our house. One of the men was named, Jose Maria Bilbao and he started to work in a bakery. I remember the other had been an aviation superintendent in Bilbao…”
Almost none of the newcomers would return.
This week marks the 80th anniversary of the boat’s arrival and there was a very emotional event at the Muelle Prat in Valparaiso with the participation of the Spanish Minister of Justice, Dolores Delgado, as part of the commemorative program.
-See article in the local gazette EstrellaValpo
-Mural about the arrival of the Winnipeg to Chile inaugurated in the Memory Museum (El Desconcierto)
-The Winnipeg arrives to the port in Valparaiso, 80 years later (El País)
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