This article was translated by John R. Bopp
The Argentine daily La Voz del Pueblo, published in Tres Arroyos, has just published an article by Stella Maris Gil discussing the history of the Hiru Erreka Basque Center in that city.
Now we’ve already blogged about this Argentine euskaletxea. We’re doing so again today to reference this article covering its history. And really, this history are three separate histories that are closely intertwined: First, that of the Basque people, both those who arrived in those new homelands, full of hope, over the last 150 years, and of their descendants, who keep their roots thriving; that of the Argentine Republic, a place where thousands and thousands of Basques found a new home; and that of our homeland, the Basque Country, to which many of those Basques in Argentina, or Argentine-Basques, feel a part of, without losing a speck of their pride in being Argentinean.
Nothing is easier for a Basque than to feel a part of his Homeland while at the same time becoming one of the “best citizens” in his adopted homeland, thereby fulfilling, even before being asked, what was asked of all Basques around the world by Lehendakari Aguirre in 1942 to “in their homelands, be among the best citizens”.
And nothing is harder to find than a Basque who has at least one family member, somewhere on the family tree, who didn’t go to the New World in search of a better life, be it to strike it rich, escape persecution, or both.
We are an essential part of those countries, and they of ours. And in this little corner of Argentina, that reality is made abundantly clear.
Reading this article has been like discovering so many of the places groups of Basques got to, their joys, their sorrows, their successes, their failures, and above all, their commitment and desire to go on as a community.
That’s why reading this article is so much more than learning the story of just this Basque Center. It’s also discovering the history of all of them, the ones that are still running, the ones that aren’t, and the ones that, even without an official name or formal organization, are helping to keep all those Basques, most of whom were born in their adopted homeland, united with the homeland of their forebears so that they too feel that it is theirs.
They are the vanguard of the Basque nation to the world. They are our best introductory letter. And they are, as they have shown whenever it’s been necessary, essential when their homeland has gone through its darkest hours.
Eskerrik asko!!!
La Voz del Pueblo – 21/10/2019 – Argentina
La Casa Vasca
No te olvides del pago Si te vas pa’ la ciudad Cuanti más lejos te vayas Más te tenés que acordar” (A.Zitarroza) El Centro Vasco de la calle Sarmiento preserva la memoria de sus antepasados, llegados a Tres Arroyos desde la lejana península ibérica, después de largo viaje, hasta este país a medio hacer, en un lejano confín del mundo, tierra de pampa y mar.
(Follow) (Automatic translation)
Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country