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Necochea, Argentina.  Four Basque youth participated in this year’s version of Hator Hona, an initiative of the Euzko Etxea of iNecochea.  Urtzi Agirretxe (Lasarte), Jon Iraola Treku (Andoain), Ixiar Jauregi Loyarte (Hernani) and Ainara Saez Baztan (Villafranca-Alesbes) came to Argentina in mid-July, settled in the coastal city and joined in the euskal etxea’s activities bringing with them a wealth of knowledge in various areas of Basque culture.   Ainara Saez was in charge of four groups of Basque; Ixiar Jauregi ran txalaparta and pandero workshops; Urtzi Agirretxe taught the basics of the trikitixa to around ten kids; and Jon Iraola shared his dance expertise with the Gazte Alai dance group and ran two workshops – one for kids where he taught Axeri Dantza from Andoain, and another for mothers where he presented an interesting talk on the dances of carnival, with more than 50 people in attendance.

San Ignacio and tribute

The traditional Saint Ignatius dinner was served on Saturday the 30th, as part of the 2011 calendar of events.  The dinner was attended by about 200 people and entertainment was provided by the local Gazte Alai dance group as well as by those who participated in the Hator Hona workshops.  There was txalaparta music by Ixiar Jauregi and Ainhoa Agostini Zubillaga; Basque songs by the Ainara and her students, and a brief triki and alboka concert by Urzi and Jon respectively. 

There was also a moving tribute to the members of the Euzko Etxea’s first dance group during dinner.  The group presented on July 30, 1941 during the San Ignacio festivities at Necochea’s Paris Theater its first performance: they were Carmen Alza, Carmen Goñi, Martita Larraza, Loretxu and Nekane Markiegi, Chelita Peña, Nilda Rizzo Echemendi, Fanny and Mercedes Tellería, Nelly and Neri Urriza, Sarita Zubillaga, Víctor Fernández Iriarte, Pololo and Petete Irungaray, Alberto Irigoyen, Federico G. and  Alberto C. Landaburu, Enrique E Oyhamburu, Luis Razquin, César O. Rizzo Echemendi, Raúl Solchaga, and  Hugo and Rubén Zubillaga. 

On the morning of July 31, and continuing with a local tradition that dates back to 1939, “Wake Up Happy” was celebrated where various members of the community are visited.  The program continued with mass at the Santa Maria del Carmen parish, a salute to the municipal authorities and an homage and delivery of floral bouquets to General Mariano Necochea and Angel I. Murga, founder of the city. The day ended with an event near the sapling from the Tree of Gernika. 

Grandparents’ day, directors meeting and send off

Another traditional annual get together at the Euzko Etxea of Necochea is the celebration in honor of all the grandparents.  This year it took place on Friday August 5, and as always entertainment was provided by Gazte Alai that offered its best steps to those members honored.  There were also cakes and hot chocolate and at night, on the occasion of the Andra Mari Zuria, there was garlic soup.

Remember that Necochea will host this year’s Semana Nacional Vasca (Argentinean National Basque Week) and Euzko Etxea is the organizing institution.  Because of this, and also because the directors of all the dance groups throughout the country were present, the organizational meeting to organize the cultural evening slated for November 12^th was set.   Taking advantage of Jon Iraola’s presence, his talk about carnival was repeated the next day for the guests. 

After many intense days of activity it was time to say goodbye.  The send off of the youth who participated in Hator Hona took place during lunch where local center authorities were present along with representatives of FEVA and those from the Basque Center of Hiru Erreka de Tres Arroyos, where another set of workshops took place.

Since the program had concluded and after having visiting various tourist destinations in Argentina, the Basque youth toured the stands of the exhibition “Buenos Aires Celebrates.”