euskalkultura.eus

Gaztemundu is a program organized annually by the Basque Government for youth belonging to Basque clubs around the world, and is something that is especially well-received in the Diaspora.  The latest edition the focus was on music and gathered musicians and individuals who play traditional instruments at their respective Basque clubs.  The website of the Euzko Etxea in Villa Maria, Argentina, now includes a testimony by Nicolas, club member, telling about his experience. 

Villa Maria, Argentina.  Nicolas Morales visited the Basque Country as part of the Gaztemundu Program.  There he took Txistu classes and learned a lot about the culture of Euskadi.  Following are his reflections about this unforgettable trip

Before anything, tell us about you, Nicolas.

My name is Nicolas Morales Znojil. I am 24 years old and a study kinesiology and physical therapy. I have been a member of the club since 2006, thanks to my friend Eugenio Onnainty.

Now for those who don’t know about Gaztemundu and this year’s theme.

Gaztemundu is a program run by the Basque Government that provides youth from Basque clubs around the world the opportunity to visit Euskal Herria and deepen their knowledge on different topics. The idea is that the benefits then come back to their respective Basque clubs.  This year, the theme was music, and specifically traditional Basque instruments.

How were you chosen?

I signed up because I really like Basque music.  I had already begun playing Txistu a couple of years ago, teaching myself, and it seemed like a great opportunity to continue learning, and above all to learn more about Basque culture.  So I sent in my video along with some other things they required, and luckily I was chosen.

Let’s begin with the story of your trip

To tell you the truth, it was an incredible experience.  In all we were 14, 11 from Argentina, two from Chile and one from Uruguay.  We were there for two weeks, mainly in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque Country where we took classes during the day, each with their respective instrument, and each with a private teacher.  We learned for four hours a day, very full days, and we learned a lot. I learned about the txistu and the others on other instruments like the alboka, txalaparta, trikitixa, and pandero, even the Basque bagpipe. In the afternoon, we had outings and excursions around the country...

 (Read more on the Villa Maria club's website)