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President of Paris Euskal Etxea, Sebastien Daguerre, and the Basque Government's director of Basque Communities Abroad, Gorka Alvarez Aranburu, were some of the guests who joined in the 70th birthday celebration at the Bordeaux Basque Club.  On the last weekend in May, and the first of June, Bordaleko Euskal Etxea shared the 70^th anniversary of its founding with members, friends, institutions and sister entities.  And the book about its history is almost done (see details and, why not, buy one!). 

Bordeaux, France.   70 years aren’t celebrated every day, and less often in good health, so the Bordaleko Euskal Etxea decided to celebrate it the best way they know: sharing its Basque ways, its culture and traditions with their neighbors in Bordeaux, as well as with members, friends, visitors, institutions and sister-entities and everyone else who wished to join in the festivities with them on the last weekend of May and first of June.

The club joined forces with the city, and shared its joy on the banks of the Garonne in the heart of the Bordeaux Fête le Fleuve festival.  There they created a typical Basque cider house that served sagardoa (cider9 with a menu based on pintxos, cod tortilla, txuleta and cheese.  All adorned with music, song, joy and good humor, also accompanied by a “Basque mojito” (made as a traditional mojito but with Green Izarra instead of rum) for the ones that wanted to try new stuff.

On June 2^nd and 3^rd  the Bordaleko Euskal Etxea welcomed Gorka Alvarez Aranburu, Director of the Basque Government’s Basque Community Abroad, and the President of the Eskual Etxea in Paris, Sebastien Daguerre, attended the eventsand joined the celebration, representing the worlwideDiaspora, in the Zorionak Zuri (Happy Birthday to you) on the banks of the Garonne.  There was a gift exchange between locals and visitors, and in the name of the Basque club, David Mugica, thanked everyone for the gifts, and acknowledged visitors. 

The festival program (see here), took place in two spots; on the banks of the Garonne, as well as at the Basque club that is nearby, in the Munich Plaza.  Adding to the large number of performances and events, were demonstrations of herri kirolak (force basque), Basque dance with Dantz’Erroak, Gazteria and Patxi Perez, music and song with Bildu, Meoko Txistuak, Txanbelatxoan, Balea Irrintzi, and entertainment by local choirs Bestalariak, Eguzki Lore, Etxekoak and Anaitasuna; also a concert by the group Skasti, a continuous accompaniment from the Band’A Leo Txaranga, talo makers from Baiona…food demonstrations, including presentations by chefs Christian Beauval, Julien Munzer and Vivien Durand, and Basque menu offerings in various establishments in the city, all with the support of institutions, businesses and friends that the organizers send a heartfelt Mila Esker to.

Book on the history of Basques in Bordeaux

The 70th anniversary of the club was good motivation to compile and publish a book entitled “The History of the Basques in Bordeaux (19th-20th Centuries), a work by Diego Gil that is almost ready to publish.  For preorders, books are on sale for 12 Euros if ordered by June 30th, or less if larger numbers are ordered, by clicking here. Get yours today and help out Bordaleko Euskal Etxea.