This article was translated by John R. Bopp
In October 2012, coinciding with the first anniversary of the end of ETA violence, in that entry about that anniversary we talked about something we found very symbolic, a video titled “Dancing in the Basque Country” which was made in 2010 and, as its creators explained, took “21 months to film, recording in more than 100 places and with a ton of friends dancing in the Basque Country. Based on an idea by Matt Harding”. We used it because, as we said back then, “this was a good time to take a look at the Basque Country, with a smile, dancing for joy”.
Then, we remembered how Voltaire defined the Basques or Vascones in his book 1768 The Princess of Babylon as “a people who reside, or rather skip, about the foot of the Pyrenees” as well as defining them as “sober, brave men” who are “indefatigable, courageous, and agreeable” (p. 87 at this link)
Today, we’re talking about that project again, which, seven years later, has grown up and “gone pro”. What was then a beautiful, symbolic gesture is now also extremely professional.
The basquecountrying project has started down a road that will take us through each of the territories of our country to show us its towns, with music and dance as the common thread.
They have done two of the six or seven videos that cover the whole of our nation, and we’re anxious the see the rest.
This seems to us to be an extraordinary project, done with care and quality. We’re really looking forward to the following entries, which we’ll post here.
We’ll leave you with the videos that have already been done (from the newest to the oldest), as well as that first video filmed in 2010.
LapurdiAround
(Continue) (Automatic translation)
GipuzkoAround (2016)
(Continue) (Automatic translation)
Dancing in the Basque Country (2010)
Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country
