Euskal kultura

The San Francisco Basque Cultural Center, Basque reference for the entire west coast, commemorated its 35th anniversary last weekend in style. The program ran Saturday and Sunday with musicians, and pilotaris from the Basque Country who were joined by local players. Many people from San Francisco and surrounding areas and states attended, resulting in a successful celebration. Zorionak!

South San Francisco, CA. As every month of February around this time, several members and friends in the community have this weekend, President’s Day Weekend, marked in red in order to attend and participate in the festivities on the occasion of the Basque Cultural Center’s anniversary. The SFBCC is part of a select group of Basque clubs with big facilities in the world. In fact the SFBCC is the largest Basque club facility in the entire US, fulfilled by an intense life with activities and cultural offerings that accompany those of the San Francisco Basque Club with its own Klika, Zazpiak Bat dantzaris along with younger groups, Euskera classes, musicians, bertsolaris, and activities for the youngest set, added to a huge pilota following, and a very busy restaurant.

Two teams of pilotaris from the Basque Country also attended as part of the sports program. One team was of Joko-Garbi, comprised of Pantxo Lissar, Ximun Destaillac, Bruno Irachabal and Eneko Sarratia, with their coach Eric Migueltorena, and another handball team made up of Oier Etxebarria, Imanol Legarreta, Andoni Mendinueta and Xabi Santxo, along with the president of the Euskadi Federation of Pilota, Gotzon Enbil. Matches were played on Saturday and Sunday with the final winners being Sarratia-Irachabal 40-37 in Joko-Garbi, and in esku pilota (handball) Legarreta-Mendinueta 22-19.

The cultural and social activities also took place on Saturday and Sunday. Providing entertainment on the weekend, at meals as well as at the Saturday and Sunday night dance was the group Ketxo, also from the Basque Country, led by Alex Diharce. On Sunday, to start the day, mass was celebrated in Basque and English by Aita Mike Lastiri, with the participation of the Klika, dantzaris, bertsolari and choir. Afterwards, the Center presented its Bizi Emankorra awards to Angel Arriada, Louis Marticorena, and Jeanne Mazeris (separate article to appear tomorrow regarding this), with bertsos dedicated to them by local bertsolari, Johnny Curutchet, and sung by the Elgarrekin choir and the audience, along with dance performances.

A day full of entertainment, get-togethers and strengthening of ties, all in celebrating the 35 years of Gure Euskal Etxea.