by Anne-Marie | Dec 31, 2018 | Culture |
It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m looking back. 2018 has been a big year for me.
Mostly because of Hella Basque.
2018 is the year I finally re-started this blog after putting it on hiatus a few years before.
I launched this new website in June and fellow bloggers Henar Chico of A Basque in Boise and Blas Uberuaga of Buber’s Basque Page were kind enough to spread the word.
Hella Basque also got a shout out in NABO’s Astero, which was much appreciated!
I’ve been enjoying reading your comments and messages ever since.
by Anne-Marie | Dec 27, 2018 | Entertainment |
With the new year coming up next week, I’ve been thinking about what direction to take Hella Basque in 2019.
And it occurred to me that the best people to consult on this issue would be you, the readers!
Because if left to my own devices, Hella Basque would just be a collection of rants about my Aita and the Basque news articles I’m reading.
I mean, I can still do that if you want.
But I figure you might have more varied interests than I do that could make Hella Basque better. More engaging, more interesting, and more helpful to the Basque American community online.
So I came up with this survey to condense all of my thoughts on what types of content to create in 2019 and ask you directly what you think.
Please take a couple of minutes to fill it out. I want to make this website better for you.
by Anne-Marie | Dec 13, 2018 | Entertainment |
A couple of weeks ago, a new Basque documentary was uploaded to YouTube: Basques in the West. It already has more than 1,700 views!
My parents religiously watch Family Feud every night after dinner, but for one evening last week, they allowed my sister to connect her computer to the TV and put on this film. Our first family movie night in years!
And it was well worth it. The documentary features lots of interviews with Basque immigrants and their descendents around the American West, with a particular focus on Idaho.
You know I love interviews. There’s nothing better than first-hand accounts to learn about Basque immigration.
So I’m excited to share that today we have the opportunity to hear from Basques in the West’s co-director, main producer, and writer, Amaya Oxarango-Ingram.
I wanted to learn more about the documentary and how it all came together. I also especially love learning from creative people about what motivates them, and what the process is like to go from having an idea to creating an amazing piece of work that benefits the community.
What follows is an interview I conducted with Amaya about Basques in the West.
by Anne-Marie | Dec 3, 2018 | Euskara |
Today is the International Day of the Basque Language. Every year on December 3rd, Euskara is celebrated all around the world.
The date for this holiday was established in 1948 by Eusko Ikaskuntza, the Society for Basque Studies. They chose December 3rd because it’s the feast day of Saint Francis Xavier, co-patron saint of the Basque province of Nafarroa (along with San Fermín).
by Anne-Marie | Nov 27, 2018 | Euskara |
A very interesting initiative started last Friday in the Basque Country.
While Basques in the U.S. were doing our Black Friday shopping, some Basques in the Basque Country were starting their days with an initiative called Euskaraldia.
Euskaraldia is a project in which people in all 7 provinces in the Basque Country are encouraged to speak more Euskara, the Basque language, over an 11-day period.
Beginning November 23rd and ending on December 3rd, Euskaraldia has seen thousands of participants sign up on their website. People either commit to being an Euskara speaker, Ahobizi, or an Euskara listener, Bellariprest, during these 11 days.
by Anne-Marie | Nov 13, 2018 | Food |
The holidays are just around the corner and that means a lot of us are thinking about menu planning.
What to serve all of the people coming over for Thanksgiving? What to bring to your holiday potluck?
Or if you’re having a small gathering, what to make that’s different enough from everyday cooking but doesn’t take too much effort?
One year for Thanksgiving, we had a goat leg at the dinner table instead of turkey. We have a small immediate family, and no one was volunteering to cook a turkey for just 5 people.
So Aita thought the holiday would be a great opportunity to serve up that goat leg his friend had just given him.
Yes, my dad has friends that just bring him animal parts — the perks of knowing ranchers.
In the spirit of the holidays, Mom cooked the goat.
Let’s just say that was the first and last time we had goat for Thanksgiving.
While I wouldn’t recommend the goat per se, I’m all about mixing up the traditional American Thanksgiving menu with your own cultural dishes.
So if you want to work a few Basque items into your meal this Thanksgiving, I’ve put together a list of recipes to give you some ideas.
