The ikurriña, the symbol of the Basques all over the world, turns 120

This article was translated by John R. Bopp

On July 14, 120 years ago, the ikurriña flew for the first time, raised by Luis and Sabino Arana, from the Euskeldun Batzokija that was thereby opened, at nº 1 Correo St, in the Old Part of Bilbao.

We wanted to share with our readers a series of videos that ETB has prepared relating to the flag of the Basques.  We’ve chosen two.  The first one recalls how during the hard times of the dictatorship, the Euskal Etxeak around the world, the “Basques abroad”, kept the ikurriña flying in the breeze.

The second one shows us its meaning today.  By the way, among all the images that this second video shares, there’s one of the flag of Johnson County, Wyoming, USA, which, as we mentioned back in 2012, has an ikurriña as its base.  It’s a clear example of how the Basques abroad have turned this flag into the symbol of Basque identity.  It’s also a clear example of the lng road this symbol has come down to turn its colors, red, white, and green, into the colors of the Basques.

We’ll leave you with the links to these two videos, along with a complete list of videos about the ikurriña that you can find on ETB’s YouTube page.

We’ll also leave you with an article published in Deia by Luis de Guezala, a PhD in History, who has also participated in the second video we’ve linked to.

Deia – 12/7/2014 – Euskadi

Patria vasca y Libertad: 120 años de la ikurriña

Este próximo lunes, 14 de julio, se cumplirán 120 años de vida de la ikurriña. Fue el sábado 14 de julio de 1894 cuando se izó por primera vez, con motivo de la inauguración de la primera formación nacionalista vasca, el Euskeldun Batzokija, en Bilbao, en el segundo piso del edificio de la calle Correo que hacía esquina con El Arenal, entonces numerado 34.

(Continue) (Automatic Translation)

ETB – 24/7/2014 -Euskadi

Cuando la ikurriña solo ondeaba en Iparralde y en las euskal etxeak

ETB – 28/7/2014 -Euskadi

El significado de la ikurriña, hoy en día

Videos about the ikurriña on ETB’s YouTube page

Articles about the ikurriña on our blog

Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country