The Symbol of Our Nation: The Ikurriña that Survived the Fire

This article was translated by John R. Bopp

We believe this photo wasn’t included in any of the reports in the international media about the wave of fires that’s been charring the north of the peninsula, but we found it deeply meaningful.

The photo was taken by the Firemen of Biscay, and it shows an ikurriña flying high, having survived the flames that burned the mountains of Berango and Sopela—a true symbol of resistance and the willpower to stay on.

This ikurriña is located, as we’ve been told by those who know the area, next to one of the bunkers that was part of the Iron Belt that the Basque Government built to try to protect the last part of the Land of the Basques that had yet to by occupied by the insurgent Francoists.

In 1937, the enemies of Freedom, Democracy, and the Basque nation overwhelmed the defenses of the Basque Republicans who were fighting under the Euzkadi Government.  That historical battle we lost, but almost 80 years later, the Ikurriña, a symbol of the Basque Homeland, which has survived war, dictatorship, and fire, still waves on the Basque mountains.

When we saw the photo, the first thing that came to our mind was the shout that inspired the Gudaris fighting for the Euzkadi Government in their fight for Freedom:

Gora Euzkadi Azkatuta

We’d like to say eskerrik asko to the photographer for sharing it with us, and if you’re reading this, let us know so we can credit you!  We’ve since been informed it was taken by @BomberosBizkaia.

We now know a lot more about the photographer thanks to Deia.  The paper shared the link to this article on About Basque Country on Facebook, and today, published an interview with him.  His name is Roberto Garay and you can read his story here.

We’d also like to share a photo sent to us by Axier Arroyuelo on Facebook today, showing how close the fire got to the ikurriña on Mount Urko in Berango.

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Photograph by Axier Arroyuelo

Xinhua News Agency -28/12/2015 -China

Wildfires still burn across northern Spain

Around 80 wildfires are still burning across northern Spain 10 days after around 130 incendiaries broke out in a belt stretching from the Autonomous community of Asturias in the west, to the Basque Region in the east.

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Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country