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The Argentine tour of dance master Patxi Perez, will stop this week in Necochea for the Semana Nacional Vasca 2016.  The tour includes stops in places from Buenos Aires to Corpus Christi, Llavallol, Tres Arroyos, and later in Bariloche. It had a special beginning on Corpus Christi, Misiones, where besides teaching a dance workshop, Perez, along with the local Basque club, also made a book donation to schools in the community Mbya-guaraní.

Corpus Christi, Argentina.   The Eusko Etxea in Corpus Christi welcomed a visit by musician and dantzari Patxi Perez on October 23 and 24, on his second visit to Argentina.  Over the two days, Perez taught basic dance steps from typical Basque dances to a large group of students.  Those attending were mainly members and friends of the Basque club.  Nevertheless, dantzaris from Posadas (Misiones), Resistencia (Chaco) and Formosa also attended the workshops.  

Classes were taught in the reading room at the Basque club’s “Atahualpa Yupanqui” library, with certificates of participation also being presented.  In the words of club president, Olga Leiciaga, “the workshop became the basis for future activities.  The activity was fundamental in strengthening friendships with a group of youth from the Euskal Jatorri Basque club in Posadas,” Leiciaga told EuskalKultura.com.  “We have now committed to work with them on various projects.  Also, after seeing the results, we have also committed to continue to meet with the youth from Corpus to practice these dances as well as the tamborrada.”

To recognize the work done, officials form the Basque club presented Patxi Perez a copy of the film The mission as well as a copy of the book Siembra y cosecha by Olga Leiciaga herself.  Maialen Zamponi, who managed Perez’s visit from Eusko Ikaskuntza was also recognized.

Act of Solidarity

As part of his visit, Patxi Perez began a project in the Basque Country by Eusko Diaspora-Eusko Ikaskuntza to buy trilingual dictionaries (Guaraní- Mbyaguaraní-Spanish) and books to learn the Mbya-Guarní language for communities in the area.  According to Leiciaga, “the original idea was to purchase the dictionaries but as they weren’t available in any bookstore in Posadas, and currently there is no sign of them being reprinted, we decided to photocopy the material.  In this way, we photocopied and bound 30 copies, as well as seven copies of the books Ayvú rapytá and one copy of El árbol de la palabra, both by Leon Cadogan, for the Bilingual School Nº 659 in the community  of Tajy Poty in Yacutinga."

“These books are crucial for teaching the Mbyá Language and Literature,” she added.

“The rest of the funds raised will go to printing and binding the dictionaries for elementary bilingual schools in the communities of Mbya-Guaraníes in Yacutinga, Puerto Leoni, San Ignacio and Aristóbulo del Valle.  On behalf of everyone at the Basque club we want to thank everyone who contributed money to help us grow our indigenous communities, as well as Patxi Perez, who proposed this goal to us: to make this donation that is of utmost importance to our peoples.  On behalf of all of us, eskerrik asko!” she said.

To conclude his visit to Corpus Christi, Perez visited the community of Tajy Poty on October 23rd. There he had the opportunity to meet with the Chieftain Ruperta with a group of children who study in the local school.  Patxi played a song for them on the txistu and they returned the favor by singing him a song in Mbya-guaraní.

-Prior article here: Patxi Perez's second Argentina tour