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The project supported by the Basque club is aimed at gathering stories and testimonies of the Basque families who settled in San Juan.  The book, is considered a tribute to “our ancestors,” that will also allow “to save the forgotten stories that would otherwise be lost with the passing of time.”  Anyone who would like to contribute should do so by June 30. Eusko Etxea will laso participate, next Friday, in the Sun Festival with a float dedicated to Basque music.

San Juan, Argentina.   The Eusko Etxea Basque Club of San Juan book is already being written and will be entitled, Basque Families and their Descendants in San Juan.  The idea to gather information in a publication that will be available to the public came from the club itself and it’s the club members themselves that are in charge of gathering the information, verifying sources and put it into text. If everything goes well, it will be published for December of 2016.  “I know that it is a huge undertaking what lies ahead,” Basque club reference member Ofelia Larrea told EuskalKultura.com, “but it is good work.  It is important and it will allow us to recuperate a large number of stories,” she states.

The material that can be contributed to the book must be related to Basque families who settled in San Juan, regardless of prior travel, that is, if they came directly to the region, or if they had prior stays in other places.  They will gather stories, testimonies, dates and also photos and documents.  “In my family’s case – Ofelia explains – I have the original certificate of good conduct that Mayor of the Basque village of Arrieta gave my father so that he could travel to Argentina.  And of course, a copy of this document will be included in the book.”

Materials are already being gathered, starting with families who are close to the club, but the idea is to reach all corners of the province.  Anyone interested in including their story should contact the Basque club on its Facebook page or by calling: 0264 4222182.  “The deadline to submit materials is June30, 2015.  Later we will have a lot of work in putting it in the form of a book; and if everything goes well, we would like to present it at our International Day of Euskera festivities in 2016, at the legislature, where we celebrate ENE every year,” Larrea said.

Next Friday, Basque float at the Sun Festival

Along with this news, the Basque club also told us that the local Basque community will once again participate in the Sun Festival.  Uniting in the motto of this festival – that is “Argentine Passions,” the Basque club will parade on February 27 with the float entitled, “The Basque’s Passion for Music.”