Euskararen Eguna ("Day of Euskara")
is our annual NABO event that goes to our
three part goal of making Euskara
"visible, viable & vital".
This year we celebrated this in San Francisco where
almost all of our Basque club Euskara instructors
gathered. Thanks to those who made the trip to
attend, and to our host the San Francisco Basque
Cultural Center.
The
participants in the Euskara instructors workshop
included representatives from our communities that have
(or soon will have) Euskara lessons being offered:
Boise (ID), Ontario (OR), Reno (NV), New York (NY), San
Francisco (CA), Homedale (ID), Rock Springs (WY),
Bakersfield (CA), Chino (CA), Denver (CO), Salt Lake
City (UT) & Elko (NV). The workshop was
coordianted by NABO's Euskara chairman Martin Goicoechea
and included instruction by Kinku Zinkuegi.
NABO continues its effort to promote the Basque
language, and this includes the support of our volunteer
teachers in our Basque communities to facilitate their
classes. Here during the morning session instructors
gathered in small groups to work on various aspects of
the Euskara program.
Our instructors can benefit from teaching resources, and HABE of the Basque Government has prepared
material to complement the BOGA computer
program, for the regular conversation classes. The
Basque Government's committment to Euskara was reflected
by participation of Kinku Zinkunegi of HABE, Josu
Legarreta (Director of Basque Government Relations with
the Diaspora) and Miren Azkarate (Minister of Culture)
seen here addressing the participants.
Euskararen Eguna ("Day of Euskara") is a
multi-faceted event in our Basque-American
community. Whereas the international day of
Euskara is celebrated December 3rd, our
American celebration--like our society--is more fluid
and it rotates time and place.
This year's
NABO version will be highlighted by two events: our
annual workshop for Euskara instructors and the debut of
the
Kantuketan exhibit that is a celebration of the
Basque language and song. And also in conjunction
with the 25th Anniversary of the San Francisco Basque
Cultural Center, there will be Bertsolari performing.
The
lyrics of Lertxundi's song "Euskararen Nazioarteko
Egunerako" are:
Euskara giza ondarea da: komunikazio
eta batasunerako tresna.
Elkar ulertu eta giza helburu gorenera heltzeko
beharrezko baliabidea.
Hizkuntzak leuntzen du animalia eta
gizon bilakatzen.
Berak bideratzen elkar laguntza giza
mailan gauzatzeko.
Zentzu horretan hedatzen da herri bakoitzaren
beharretara.
Hizkuntza ispilu leiala da,
non kondairan zehar, herri baten
baldintza sozialak isladatzen diren.
Hizkuntzak jakinarazten dio belaunaldi bakoitzari
oinarrizko kultura guztia.
Bere hizkuntzarekin hautsi duen herriak tradizioa du
errausten eta arima epeltzen.
Hizkuntzak bere baitan, herri baten
mundua ulertzeko era gordetzen du, herritarrek
hitzegiten dutenean.
Euskara, gure hizkuntza, giza ondarea da.
Thanks to Euskosare
that provided a great webpage with the above
information. Go there to find other related
information at:
http://www.euskosare.org/ene/2006/index_html
For a look back at our
first celebration/workshop click on:
Euskararen Eguna 2006
