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Joseba Etxarri. Dozens of Basque clubs around the world celebrate Aberri Eguna every year.  They do so too in Venezuela where last Sunday the Basque clubs in Caracas and Valencia both hosted two big parties as did families and members of the Eusko Etxea in Puerto La Cruz, following a well-established tradition in the Basque diaspora community.

-Am I wrong saying that Aberri Eguna is the most important date on the calendar of Basque clubs in Venezuela?

-It is the most relevant date that constitutes a central meeting point for the Basques, their descendants, and friends that in this way show their feelings about being Basque.  As I learned here from my parents, it's the main get together of the Basques in Venezuela, where we get together, share and visit, and we do it in our Eusko Etxea, seeing what we were, what we are and what we should be as a community, as part of Euzkadi, even though we are more than 8,000 kilometers away.

-It celebrated with great solemnity

-We celebrate every year based on four points: mass at 11am that was celebrated this year by Fr. Pedro Galdos SJ. At 12:30 hymns and raising of the Venezuelan flag and Ikurrina at the monument to the Gudari, at the entrance of the Basque club; Karmele Bilbao and Kepa Lekue raised them this year and Ainara Olalde and Iker Urcelay danced the Aurresku.  At 1pm, there was pilota at the fronton: Iker Urcelay beat Ekaitz Lacasa 22-12 in a nice match, and in pilota paleta, Mousiño beat Jorge Borrajo.  At 3pm we eat together in the main hall of the club with leek soup, beans, tuna Biscayan style… accompanied by Navarrese wine and tropical drinks.  There were nearly 300 people present.

-As club president it was a festive but work filled day…

-Everything was a success thanks to the great work done by our people, by unparalleled eternal helpers like Maite Carranza, Oyane Arregui, Maite Arriaga, Josune Zubizarreta, María Isabel Arriaga, Agurtzane Arteaga, María Teresa Ballatori, María Isabel Ramírez, María Alejandra Ramírez, Anton Arriaga, Unai Azpiritxaga, Victor Ballatori, Txomin Viscarret, Clever Ramírez, Joseba Barreda, Gotzon Lacasa, among others, and many others who are always ready to help, as well as each of the attendees, who saw our mistakes but look to them as an opportunity to improve, and are always trying to help and enjoy.

-What is your family history?  You are from Caracas, professionally a veterinarian, and your link to the Basque club came to you by your family.

-My father was Antonio Arriaga Gerriketxebarria, born in Gernika, he came to Venezuela on the first boat of exiles in 1939, along with my grandfather Mateo, Grandmother Juana and Uncle Jose.  Mom, Maria Teresa Aguirre Bernaola, was born in Durango and came in 1948.  We are eight brothers and sisters, Maite, Anton, Miguel, María del Rosario, Mapi, Mari, Amaya and I, all born in Caracas.  Several of us have been on the board of directors and we are all members and collaborators of Eusko Etxea.  Mapi is the only one that is not active since she lives in Madrid.

-You were president from 2007-2010 and now again since 2012.  What drives a young professional like yourself to accept the Presidency, where the duties are many and the joys are fewer and far between?

-I carry the Basque club in my heart and in every cell of my being.  My father was one of the club founders in Caracas in 1942 and was also a shareholder in the Euskalduna Real-estate, leaving each of us shares.  I was born less than a kilometer away and have always lived around the Eusko Etxea.  I studied in the Ikastola Euzkadi-Venezuela and was only away during my university studies, to study in a city different than Caracas, in Maracay.

-Venezuela is going through a turbulent time, and the Eusko Etxea is also experiencing an era that demands a lot of dedication and work. What drives you to keep on the ball?  

-Keeping something alive that my father left me.  We are talking about a place that when I arrive and step in, I feel like I’m in Euzkadi, and that we are Basques, in a place that despite being in Venezuela is Basque land, where you can do a lot.  What is important to me is to do so and not leave the work to others with the excuse that it can’t be done.  I add my grain of sand, literary, and I hope to give my daughters and if I have them my grandchildren the opportunity as well to enjoy a bit of Euzkadi in Venezuela, where their Basque genes can be shown in all their forms.

-What do they say, and how do your wife and children experience it, being your daughters three and a half and one and half years old?

-They also participate, enjoy, regale as well as suffer and get sad about our club right along with me.  Adriana is Italian, born in Venezuela, but since we were dating, she became totally involved in our club.  And my daughters, Naroa says, “Aitaxu, are we going to my Basque club?” each time we have a day off.  Oriana, although very small, shows her joy running and smiling while she is there.