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A new Basque club has been added to the Basque Government’s official register of Basque clubs.  The Euskal Etxea in Saint Pierre et Miquelon, archipelago situated geographically near Newfoundland on Canada’s East Coast, but that is administratively part of France.  The Basque Government authorized this yesterday at its council meeting, recognizing it as an euskal etxea. 

Vitoria-Gasteiz.  Besides approving the 2017 grants for Basque clubs, federations and confederations, the Basque Government also officially recognized the Euskal Etxea in Saint Pierre et Miquelon, adding it to its official register of clubs.  After fulfilling all of the criteria and presenting all of the required documentation, the Basque Government’s council approved the inclusion of the new Basque club located in a significant place in Basque history, as the entire area of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Basques there were some of the first Europeans to visit these lands, even before the first explorers and cartographers from France.  Some details that caught our attention include, the presence of an Ikurriña on the Saint Pierre et Miquelon flag that refers to the contributions of Basques in the history of the archipelago.

Another characteristic image, for example, are the beautiful views of the fronton in the middle of Saint Pierre.  Building began at the end of the 19th century to replace a wooden cancha that had been damaged.  This new fronton celebrated its 100th birthday in 2006, and also serves every August as the site of the local Basque festival with sports, music, food and traditional Basque demonstrations.

The local league of Basque pilota was created in 1986 and is part of the International Federation of Pilota.  It had been preceded by the Zazpiak Bat that was formed in Saint Pierre in 1952, which in turn had another pilota entity, already mentioned, by the same name.  Miquelon also has a fronton that was built in 1986.

Herri Kirolak, and Basque dance are also practiced in Saint Pierre et Miquelon, especially for the August festival.  Now, the official recognition of the new euskal etxea will reinforce the initiatives that have been carried out to date.  In fact, in recent years the contact between them and other Basque clubs on the east coast of the United States and Quebec has intensified.  Ongi etorri, saintpierretamiquelondarrak!