euskalkultura.eus

Townsville, Australia.  Members of the Basque Club of Northern Queensland got together at the clubhouse in Townsville on May 1^st to celebrate their annual Aberri Eguna lunch and, for the first time, Korrika.  The weather cooperated and many of the 70 members in attendance decided to eat outdoors on the Basque club grounds.  The clubhouse is surrounded by a beautiful park, and some of the members were able to enjoy their meals shaded by a beautiful mango tree.

The menu reflected the multi-culturality of the Australian club, with several dishes from various countries, including an enormous paella.   Volunteers that put the event together included: Dolores Larrazabal Mendiolea, Antonia Mendiolea Echave, Mari Ibanez, Rose Lejarcegui, Phil Zumaran and Robyn Zumaran.  Three invitees from the Basque Country and the United States were also in attendance according to Pedro Mendiolea, club president.

[Enjoying the Aberri Eguna meal.  From left to right Gorka Barturen, Begona Bengoa, Rosemary Bengoa, Diana Gabiola, Mary Arrate and Maria Begona Bengoa (Photo BCNQ)]

No Flood Damage

The Basque Club of Northern Queensland is one of three Basque clubs in Australia, along with euskal etxeas in Sydney and Melbourne.  It was formed eight years ago and has 250 members.  In its second year of its existence, it purchased the building that it currently occupies.  The majority of its members live in Townsille, Ayr and Ingham, 100 kilometers north and south of Townsville respectively. 

[Front of the Basque Club of Northern Queensland’s clubhouse (photo BCNQ)]

[From left to right: Joe Corta, Jose Larrazabal and Felix Jauregui reminiscing around the table (Photo BCNQ)]

“Many families in the club came to Australia to work cutting sugar cane.  Today we have members in various professions like doctors, architects, professors, and engineers,” explains Pedro Mendiolea.  “The floods and cyclones devastated Townsville and northern Australia at the beginning of the year, but fortunately, the members of the club in general didn’t suffer major damage, and the Basque clubhouse itself was minimally damaged.”