Lehendakari Urkullu greets Gaztemundu 2013 program participants

Oinkari's own Miren Aizpitarte is one of the 2013 Gaztemundu participants. Aupa Miren! 

This article originally posted by EuskalKultura at http://www.euskalkultura.com/news/lehendakari-urkullu-greets-participants-in-the-gaztemundu-2013-program?utm_source=euskalkultura-en&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=2013/09/05

Youth from the Basque Diaspora that are participating in this year’s Gaztemundu program were welcomed yesterday in Vitoria-Gasteiz by Basque president Iñigo Urkullu. The reception was attended byt the Secretary General of Foreign Action, Marian Elorza, and the Director for the Basque Community Abroad, Asier Vallejo. Iñigo Urkullu invited the youth to share in the challenge of building “an open Euskadi that will make its own place and become recognized in the global world.”

Lehendakari Urkullu, his wife, Secretary General of Foreign Action, Marian Elorza and Director of Basque Communities Abroad, asier Vallejo greeting Gaztemundu participants (2013)

Vitoria-Gasteiz.  The fifteen youth participating in Gaztemundu 2013, from Basque clubs in Argentina, Chile and the United States, started activities last Monday in this training program focused this time on music and instruments.  Yesterday afternoon, they left their classroom and were welcomed in the Lehendakaritza government facilities in Vitoria-Gasteiz by Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu.

During the event, Urkullu assured everyone that Euskadi “doesn’t forget” the Basque communities and highlighted the work done by Basque clubs.  The Lehendakari declared that Euskadi is part of a “global culture,” but that at the same time, Basques feel “the need to defend their diversity” and to “preserve and develop” what is “closest.”

2013 Gaztemundu participants yesterday in Gasteiz with Lehendakari Urkullu (photo Irekia)

Lehendakari Urkullu was accompanied by his wife at the event, along with the Secretary General of Foreign Action, Marian Elorza and the Director for the Basque Community Abroad, Asier Vallejo.  The Gaztemundu youth, were accompanied by their instructors who will teach them how to perfect their knowledge of traditional Basque instruments and music through September 14.

The goal is that when the participants return to their respective Basque clubs that they will share what they have learned and contribute to the training of more musicians.  This year’s participants include:

ARGENTINA

-Juan Manuel Hiriart - CV Denak Bat de Mar del Plata
-Aitor Hormaechea - CV Denak Bat de Mar del Plata
-Facundo Lamenza - CV Euzko Etxea de Necochea
-Martina Saa - CV Euzkal Etxea de San Nicolás
-Ignacio Baña - Centro Laurak Bat, Buenos Aires
-José María Gutiérrez - Centro Laurak Bat, Buenos Aires
-Ignacio Esquiroz - Euskaltzaleak, Buenos Aires
-Agustín Alonso - Gerora, Asociación Cultural Vasca de Córdoba
-Franco Seghesso - Gerora, Asociación Cultural Vasca de Córdoba
-Fernando Zabalza - Gerora, Asociación Cultural Vasca de Córdoba
-Cynthia Vanesa Sánchez - CV Gure Ametza de Río Cuarto

UNITED STATES

-Miren Azpitarte - Euzkaldunak Boise Basque Center, ID
-Pilar Shortsleeve - Basque Club of Utah, SLC , UT

CHILE

-Raimundo Riquelme - Colectividad Vasca de Chile, Santiago
-Aitor Xabier Riquelme - Colectividad Vasca de Chile, Santiago

Oinkari at the 2013 Western Idaho Fair

Madelen Bieter Lete serves up shredded lamb for a sandwich at the Oinkari Basque Dancers booth. JOHN SOWELL — jsowell@idahostatesman.com

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/08/18/2712381/the-most-popular-part-of-the-fair.html#storylink=cpy

Read John Sowell's full article at: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/08/18/2712381/the-most-popular-part-of-the-fair.html

Down food row, Madalen Bieter Lete grilled an order of Basque solomo, pork loin marinated in spices, sliced thin and served with roasted red peppers.

At the same time, she used a pair of tongs to scoop up shredded lamb from a pot and placed it on a bun with grilled onions.

The most popular item at the booth sponsored by the Oinkari Basque Dancers is a chorizo on a bun. During the fair's 10-day run, members of the dance troupe and other volunteers will serve up thousands of chorizos - mostly to a non-Basque audience.

"It's by far the most popular item," said Amy Hormaechea Wray, who has worked at the booth for a half-dozen years.

The chorizos are supplied by Gem Meat Packing Co. of Garden City.

The Oinkari Basque Dancers have operated a food booth at the fair - which helps raise money for the group's travel expenses and equipment costs - for more than five decades. The group started out with a booth at the old fairgrounds at North Orchard and West Irving streets and moved with the fair to its current location in Garden City.

Original article:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/08/18/2712381/the-most-popular-part-of-the-fair.html

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/08/18/2712381/the-most-popular-part-of-the-fair.html#storylink=cpy

Trailing of the Sheep Teaser

Is anyone else getting pumped for the Trailing of the Sheep?  Oinkari attends every year, and it is one of our favorite events to participate in.  The Wood River Valley is beautiful in the autumn, and we love to perform our Basque dances with a scenic mountain backdrop.

To get you excited for this year's festival, here's a video compilation from the folks at the For 91 Days travel blog.  Visit their website for the full post!

Oinkari New Kids 2013

For anyone interested in joining Oinkari Basque Dancers in fall of 2013, we welcome all interested Basques 14 years of age and older to join during 3 Sundays in September: the 15th, 22nd, or 29th.  If you can attend all 3, that would be ideal.  Practice begins promptly at noon in the main hall of the Basque Center (601 Grove, Boise), and lasts until about 4pm.  Please wear comfortable workout clothes and closed-toe, flexible shoes.  We will have leather Basque dance shoes for purchase, which are a required part of the costume.  No previous Basque dance experience is necessary.

After practice (at 4pm) on September 29th, we have a required New Kid Orientation for new dancers and parents,  where we will introduce the Oinkari Board of Directors, distribute the New Kid Packet, give an overview of Oinkari as an organization, answer questions about responsibilities, costuming, traveling, etc.

Qualifications:
---  Must be at least 14 years old or in the 9th grade by  9/1/13
---  Must be enthusiastic and interested in learning Basque traditional folk dances.
---  Must belong to (or join by 1/1/14) Euzkaldunak, Boise's Basque club.  If the dancer is under 18, at least one parent must belong to Euzkaldunak, which is $40/year for a new member.  Members must be of Basque heritage or married to a person of Basque heritage (Euzkaldunak policy.)  For membership information, email secretary@basquecenter.com

Costs:
Dancing with Oinkari Basque Dancers is free.  However, dancers are responsible for the cost of their own traditional dance costume (we have a seamstress that makes all the costumes).  Men's costumes cost about $100 and women's costumes cost about $350.

For more information, email info@oinkari.org, or check out our calendar.  See you in September!

San Inazio is this Weekend!

See below for the Boise Basque Festival Schedule of Events.  Oinkari perform at 1:45pm on the Basque block, but the entire weekend is jam-packet with fun Basque-related events!  Hope to see you there.

Oinkari men perform Lesaka Dantza at San Inazio 2012.  Photo by Leah Nash, NYT

Elko NV Jaietan July 5-7 Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events

Friday July 5th/Ostirala 5an Uztaila

6 p.m. – Kickoff/Txupinazua- Fronton
Enjoy the evening with your family and friends with a taste of what is to come during the weekend. There will be dancing by the Elko Ariñak dancers, Basque sport exhibition of weight lifting and wood chopping, and handball games. Stay for exceptional food, drink, bounce house and the North American Basque Organizations Txerriki contest, featuring homemade tripota, chorizo and sausage! And much, much more to start a Basque-filled weekend! Come early to purchase a commemorative wineglass or beer mug with an exclusive 50th Anniversary design!

Saturday July 6th/Laurnbata 6an Uztaila

7:00 a.m. – 5K Run/Walk – Eusko Etxtea – Elko Basque Clubhouse
$20 participation fee and you get a t-shirt
Registration is at 6:15 a.m. Race starts at 7:00 a.m. For more information contact Cody Krenka at 738-6479

8:00 a.m. – Golf Tournament – Ruby View Golf Course
$30 per person a $120 per team, DOES NOT INCLUDE GREENS FEES OR CART FEE
Registration is at 7:00 a.m. Shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. For more information contact Brad Martin at 777-7277
 

10:00 a.m. – Parade – Downtown Elko
Starting at the Crystal Theater on Commercial Street, continuing through Downtown Elko down Idaho Street, ending at the Elko County Fairgrounds.

1:00 p.m. - Games & Dancing – Elko County Fairgrounds
$10 Adults, $5 Children 12 & Under
Featuring the following dance groups: Elko Ariñak, Utah'ko Triskalariak, Reno Zazpiak Bat, Boise Oinkari, Gauden Bat from Chino, CA, Zazpiak-Bat from San Francisco, CA, Watch traditional Basque rural sports featuring weightlifting, wood chopping, weight carrying, bale toss, tug o war, and more!

9 p.m. – Dance - Eusko Etxea - Elko Basque Clubhouse
$12 Admission
Dance - featuring Boise's Amuma Says No; come enjoy a fun filled evening of dancing, catching up with old friends and making new ones

Sunday July 7th /Igandea 7an Uztaila

Eusko Etxea - Elko Basque Clubhouse
Please NO outside Food or Beverage

10:30 a.m. – Sheepherder’s Bread Contest – Auction to be held after Mass
11:00 a.m. - Catholic Mass
12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Basque Picnic ($18 Adults & Seniors, $10 12 and Under)
Beef Tri-Tip, Lamb Stew, Basque Beans, Salad, Paella, French Bread, Dessert, Wine, and Coffee.
1:30 p.m. – Dance Performances & Basque Sport Exhibitions
4:00 p.m. – Jota and Irrintzi Contest

EuskalKultura is giving you another week to enter; the question is still “What does being Basque mean to you?”

Original Article at:
http://www.euskalkultura.com/news/we-giving-you-another-week-to-enter-the-question-is-still-201cwhat-does-being-basque-mean-to-you-201d?utm_source=euskalkultura-en&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=2013/06/13&language_sync=1

2013-06-10
raffle, news

EuskalKultura has extended the deadline for another week to enter the raffle to win the book Basques: Their Language throughout History. If you haven’t already, you have two more days to enter, until Sunday, to send us your answers to the question: What does being Basque mean to you? You can respond via email, or through our comments section or on Facebook and be entered in the raffle. IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to include your information at the end of your submission, or you may be disqualified since we won’t be able to contact you.

Donostia-San Sebastian.  If you would like a copy of Xamar's Basques: Their Language throughout History by Xamar (Vascos. Su lengua a través de la historia liburua, by Pamiela), published by Pamiela, you still can.  We have extended the deadline by a week so you can still enter the drawing until Sunday June 16 at 23:59.  In order to participate all you need to do is answer the questions “What does being Basque mean to you?” We know that it’s not an easy question and that there is more than one answer.  You can send us your response in the three following ways:

Email: send your response to info@euskalkultura.com with “being Basque” in the subject line.  Also include your name, address and phone.

Facebook: Write on EuskalKultura’s wall also leaving your information there.

If you want to see responses submitted so far, click here.

IMPORTANT: Remember that you need to include your email at the end of your submission otherwise you may be disqualified since we won’t be able to contact you.

If you have already entered and you forgot to include your contact information, send us an email to: info@euskalkultura.com.