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The Saltoko Euskaldunen Taldea Basque Club, Salto City Hall and the local Winemakers Association signed an agreement last Saturday that sets the base for the gradual recuperation of Pascual Harriague's historical cellar and converts into the “Cultural Space Bodega Harraigue – Ground Zero of Tannat (Tannat is considered the national grape of Uruguay.)  The Basque club wanted to pre-inaugurate the place in its future role and so celebrated Euskera Day there along with the club’s 24th anniversary. 

Salto, Uruguay.   As part of the Uribarri project (presented in February of this year by the Basque club and the UNESCO Chair Paisajes Culturales, along with sponsorship from the University of the Basque Country to the city), on December 3rd the Saltoko Euskaldunen Taldea, the local administration and the Winemakers Association of Salto signed an agreement that serves as the basis for the gradual recuperation of the heritage of the Pascual Harriague Bodega.  As part of the agreement, a commission was formed to manage the cultural space.  Efforts are begin made to establish there a regular agenda of events.

To begin what will be an extensive and interesting program of cultural activities, the Saltoko Euskaldunen Taldea inaugurated the agreement by celebrating the International Day of Euskera, on December 3rd, along with the 24th anniversary of the creation of the euskal etxea.  With this aim, in addition to the signing of the agreement, there was a talk about Pascual Harriague, a Basque from Hazparne, especially prepared for the occasion by Alberto Eguiluz.  Afterwards, attendees were treated to a BBQ.  At the Bodega, the birthplace of the Tannat Grape, and in the same context in which the activities have begun to be outlined at the “Cultural Space Harriague Bodega – Ground Zero of Tannat” there was also a wine tasting of local wines.

In a conversation with EuskalKultura.com, the Basque club president, Luis Zaldua, expressed his great joy that after a year of effort, they could finally provide the legal framework for the agreement to make use of the facilities, even if there is still a lot of work to do.  “Nevertheless, this first activity was specially symbolic since it took place on the International Day of Euskera as well as the 24th anniversary of the club, with the cellar decorated expressly for the event with an Ikurriña as well as several other Basque elements.  Soon we will begin working on the cultural agenda, as well as on remodeling the space,” Zaldua explained.

In regards to the officials and audience present, the local Mayor, Andres Lima, also participated in the event along with representatives of the Winemakers Association, the Basque club president, Luis Zaldua, with part of the board of directors, and the prior Basque club presidents, Hugo Zaldua, Adela Soto, María Noel Irabuena and María Cristina Juanena.  The president of the Floresko Euskal Etxea, Esteban Fagalde, was also in attendance along with architect Maider Maraña, on behalf of the University of the Basque Country UNESCO Chair.  Representatives of other institutions belonging to the 21st Century Meeting of Basque Entities in Uruguay couldn’t attend because they were also celebrating Euskera Eguna in their own places.

Bodega Harriague

The Harriague Bodega (Harriague Cellar), founded in 1860 by Pascual Harraigue, originally from Hazparne, was the birthplace of the Tannat grape that is actually a symbol of Uruguay.  Since its cessation of activity n 1910, for reasons that are still unclear, the land and the buildings that comprise the bodega became the property of the city.  The “Cultural Space Bodega Harriague – Ground Zero of the Tannat,” under the municipal coordination along with the Winemakers Association and the Basque Club -- that is the main supporter of the initiative -- seeks to put a value on said space, emblem of the city, but also of the local Basque community, an initiative that has the support and the collaboration of the University o the Basque Country and the UNESCO Chair.