euskalkultura.eus

He is from the land of gauchos, a place in the middle of the Pampa that has a Basque name: General Acha. Luis Obieta is a doctor and he is visiting his “other land,” for the first time that his great-grandfather left in 1880. 

Joseba Etxarri.   There are times when pen and paper don’t do Justice to the emotion and the deep feelings that the journalist or observer perceive in an interviewee.  Luis Obieta, from General Acha and is 58 years old traveling through Euskal Herria with his eyes wide-opened, amazed and unbelieving, realizing a dream, his without a doubt, but that connects with the interest, affection and love for his roots that he inherited from his father Francis who grew up hearing stories in General Acha, and exchanging books and reading avidly to gather as much information possible on the Basque Country and its culture.

You are 58 years old and visiting the country for the first time that is 10,000 kilometers away that has marked your life in some way as an Argentine.

-My life, in different sections, is linked to the Euzko Txokoa Basque club in my hometown of General Acha.  My father was the vice-president of the club when it was founded in 1965 and I lived it from a very young age and was part of its first dance group.  I was devoted to my father and liked to follow him around.  He had great love for all things Basque, even if he didn’t have any contact with the Basque Country.  He only knew that his grandfather, Francisco, like him, came to a sheep operation in Las Flores in the province of Buenos Aires.

What do you know about you ancestor that emigrated?

-His name was Francisco Obieta Zabala and he came to Argentina around 1880.  We know that he married in 1884 in Las Flores and later his children were born in General Acha.  My grandfather lived his life in General Acha and married my grandmother there so we are all from General Acha even though some later moved to other places.

How is your first trip to Euskadi going?

-I came with the intention of meeting someone from my family or with my last name.  In Argentina, except for my immediate family, I don’t know anyone other Obietas.  On the Internet and Facebook I was able to get in touch with some in Mexico, and I know there are some in the US as well, as well as many in the Philippines, but I haven’t found a one in the Basque Country.  A friend who is a genealogist helped me search.  It seems that my great-grandfather was born in Forua, but was baptized in another place, something that seems unusual.  I went to Forua to ask the neighbors and they told me that they don’t know any Obietas there, but that there are some in Gernika and they gave me the telephone number of a Mrs. Obieta who has family in Argentina.  For all of this, I only have words of thanks for the friendliness that I have been shown throughout this entire trip.  I did speak to this lady on the phone and we made a date to get together.  So when I traveled to Gernika I met her.  It doesn’t seem like we are immediate family, but both having the same last name, we must come from the same branch at some point in the family tree….This meeting [he tells it calmly, but his excitement is palpable] meant a lot, it was very exciting, in the Basque Country, where we came from so many years ago [seeing tears well up in his eyes behind his glasses].

You are hungry and thirsty to get to know things and feel them.

-This country has amazed me, walking through the Basque Country, the land of my ancestors.  I am very comfortable, pleased with what I see, for the beauty of the country, its cleanliness and respect and friendliness of the people.  San Sebastian seems like a wonderful city to me, more cosmopolitan than other places, more varied, surely because there is more tourism.  But I like Bilbao better, maybe because it is closer to my family; and Gernika enthused me.  Even though we still have to see Vitoria-Gasteiz, Navarre and Iparralde, but I am very happy and am enjoying this opportunity.  I am realizing one of my life dreams.

How does the Basque club in General Acha work?

-The Euzko Txokoa has great sports facilities and what is for sure is that it working more as a sports club for too long, without paying too much attention to its origin and function as a Basque club.  We have just covered the pool, and renders a great service, but our challenge is to recuperate the spirit and the goals that we established 50 years ago when the club was founded: Euskera, dance group, exchanges with other clubs…

I think, as some say, you will go home to Argentina now with your batteries charged.

-I am going back with a lot of desire, to carry and transmit what I have seen and felt and lived here.  A month and a half ago a dancer from a strong club in Bahia Blanca came to Macachin, not far from General Acha, where the next Semana National Vasca will take place in October, to teach a course.  I would like to use these youth, maybe from the Basque Country, who would like to share their knowledge with us.  Looking at Semana Nacional, I would like to get a group of youth from General Acha together to participate and experience it with their peers in other Basque clubs.  During our summer [winter in Euskadi], we organize a camp in General Acha for youth in general, and I would like to include a higher Basque content.  We function well as a sporting club; now we need to progress and fulfill our role as a Basque club.  We are on Facebook under Centro Vasco Euzko Txokoa and we need to share ideas and initiatives that help us to do so.