euskalkultura.eus

A group of musicians, dantzaris and amateur actors from Iparralde are working on a Pastoral about Katalina Erauso, the mythic nun that, in the 17th century, fled to America dressed as a man and lived a life full of adventures and battles.  The Pastoral will debut in June in Baiona and will be performed later in Donostia.  The organizers have launched a campaign looking for support and financing that has already been supported by Basque clubs in Paris, Pau and Switzerland. 

Baiona, Lapurdi.  Since February 2015, the Katalina Pastorala Elkartea Association has been working on creating a Pastoral based on the passionate life of the woman known as Monja Alferez.  Born in Donostia, Catalina de Erauso was interned at the age of four, with three of her sisters, at the convent of the Dominicanas in her hometown, located in what is now the Miramar Palace.  When she was 15 she fled the convent and to protect herself, she dressed as a man.

In 1600 she crossed the ocean for the New World, where she alternated between navigating, treating and military positions.  She was skilled with a sword, nevertheless, she was gravely injured in an altercation, when her gender was discovered.  She was again made famous, after two years of forced confinement in a convent, they repatriated her to Spain.  She was recognized by and received a stipend from Felipe IV.  The Pope, Urbano VIII, allowed her to dress like a man.  Not being able to stand the stares, she went to Mexico where she lived out her life as a host and a carrier.

In Baiona and Donostia

The Pastoral will debut on June 5 in Baiona, and afterwards, in September, it will also be performed in Donostia, as Jean Michel Etchart, one of its organizers told EuskalKultura.com.   The project, that will include more than 100 actors, has some 20 scenes, accompanied by 220 verses with music, songs and dance.

In order to carry this out, the organizers are also relying on the support of the Basque Government, the Council General of Aquitaine, as well as some local sponsors. The majority of the actors, musicians and technicians involved are volunteers.  However, funding is still needed for technical expenses like sound and renting the stands and tents, so the organizers have launched a campaign  in search of support from Basques around the world that the clubs in Paris, Pau and Switzerland have already contributed to.

More information available on their website: katalinapastorala.eus.

Presentation video of the project: