Earlier this month, the Seattle Basque Club served as gracious host for one of NABO’s tri-annual meetings.   It was a real pleasure to have had the opportunity to travel to that beautiful city and take in a different part of our Basque world.

Our federation, known by the acronym NABO, currently counts forty member organizations (mostly Basque clubs but not exclusively; e.g., the Boise Oinkari Basque Dancers are members, as is the Society of Basque Studies which is an educational organization, etc.).  Some of our members count several hundred individuals as their members, while others count only a handful.  So we span from big to small, a multitude of organizations with some shared aspirations but also specific, separate interests. 

NABO Treasurer Grace Mainvil giving the financial report to delegates

As a federation, we do not have a headquarters or other facility and are thus dependent on member organizations to serve as hosts of various NABO events (e.g., Udaleku, Kantari Eguna, Pilota tournament, etc.)  So that is why it is always gratifying when one of our members agrees to host our delegate meetings that allows us to get together a few times a year to speak together.  We are also dependent on a small group of volunteers that work on various projects; these are usually people who are already active in their own local Basque organization so we are glad to have them and the time, treasure & talent they contribute.

Getting to met the locals at the "Txori" Basque pub.  This was the first time that NABO was hosted up in Seattle.

Vancouver delegate Elena Sommer & NABO Secretary Marisa Espinal at the reception for delegates in the high-rise apartment of Mr. & Mrs. Ray Aspiri.

The Seattle meeting was unique; a newer member in NABO this was the first time the Seattle club hosted a NABO event.  It was a pleasure having the opportunity to visit this beautiful American city.  Hosted events for visiting delegates included a Friday evening reception at the high-rise apartment of Mr. & Mrs. Ray Aspiri with a stunning view of the Puget Sound.  Then the next morning, the Seattle club hosted the 2009 Fall NABO meeting, that was nicely punctuated with a fine lunch for delegates.  The evening concluded with a dinner at a local Basque restaurant “Bilbao.”  The cost of hosting the event varies (e.g., if a club needs to rent a facility) and if the host is able, a light breakfast and then a lunch are provided the delegates.  Oftentimes, hosting the NABO meeting serves as a way of bringing more people to a host’s event (e.g., in Salt Lake City which merges the hosting of the NABO meeting with their annual Basque dinner-dance event.)

Delegates being tempted by the lunch set-up.

Our visiting delegates had a wonderful time, and the hope is that the Seattle Basque Club enjoyed having us.  It was a great opportunity for delegates to go to a town few had seen before, and though a small club, the Seattle Basques were great hosts.  Eskerrik asko!

NABO delegates & Seattle Basque Club hosts