Euskal kultura

The Rio Grande do Sul Basque club participated on September 13 at the Farroupilha Camp at the Estancia da Harmonia, a huge cultural gathering organized by the Gaucho Institute of Tradition and Folklore (IGTF) that nearly one million people visit. “We are very happy, because until now the Basque presence in the formation of our society was never taken into account,” Ana Luiza Etchalus, club president explained to EuskalKultura.com.

Rio Grande, Brazil. The Basque club in Rio Grande do Sul is very satisfied with its successful participation at the 2015 Farroupiha Camp. It is the largest cultural event in the state of Brazil that welcomes nearly one million visitors over 20 days.

The event commemorates one of the most important revolutions in the history of the state, the Farroupilha Revolution (1835-1845), where the gauchos (residents of this state) rebelled against the mandatory conscription for the war and excessive taxation.

Bazkaria to the kitchen

The Basque participation culminated on September 13 and included the enthusiastic collaboration of several club members. The Basque-Brazilians caught the attention of visitors with their clothing and txapelas, and mixing the traditional gaucho dress with Basque apparel and ikurriñas.

The IGTF left its pavilion to the Basques, who with the collaboration of the Bazkaria restaurant and its chef Aritz Aranburu, served meals to the visitors. The menu included “carreterio de cordeiro” (lamb) a fusion of Basque and Gaucho influence, wine form the region and dessert, Gateau Basque (Basque cake).

The Basque club jumped in

The day was complete with live traditional Gaucho music, and performances by members of the Basque club, like the Basque-Argentine, Jose Manuel Liceaga, Luiz Afonso Escosteguy and Ana Luiza Etchalus. At the stove was Fernanda Etchepare Maria de Fatima Etchepare and Haritz Aranburu, while relations with the IGTF were managed by Valerio Askonabieta and Ederson Otharan. Elimar Insaurriaga was in charge of decorating, and Basque-Chilean Oscar Inzulza entertained with typical Basque dance.

The event was attended by Adayr Insaurriaga, Eduardo Insaurriaga, Carlos Alberto Tellechea, Maria José Beheregaray, Julia Etchepare, Gabriel Etchepare, Luis Antonio Etchepare, Adriano Echevarne, Alejandro Argañaraz (who is in charge of communications and the blog) and many more, including children, and grandchildren of members, Basque-Brazilians from fifth, sixth, and seventh generations.

“It was an honor”

Participating left a great taste in the mouths of the Basque club. “The IGTF who had never included Basques before, that is to say, until now nobody officially recognized Basque participation in the formation of our people,” Ana Luiza Etchalus said. “This year was the first time that they talked about Basques, despite the fact that our gauchos are very influenced by the Basque presence in the camp – Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. But until our group started to talk about the Basques, nobody know anything about our influence.

“For the Basque club in Rio Grande do Sul, it was a wonderful success, but more importantly, it gave them much visibility. We are very happy, it was an honor to be invited and we hope that this agreement with the IGTF continues and that next year we are even more successful and gain even more exposure,” she concluded.

More photos and a chronicle in Portuguese on the club’s blog