Maritxu Kajoi. Say what? For foreigners it’s yet again an unpronounceable Basque word, but for the whole Basque Country it’s one of the biggest parties of the year. Read more…
Gabon/Egun on everybody! Yes, I’m writing you in the evening, but for me it still feels like morning. Main cause: Maritxu Kajoi, one of Arrasate’s biggest yearly festivities, and Corine’s birthday party. I have seen very few hours of daylight this weekend and I’m suffering the consequences right now. Get ready for a long post! Read more…
‘ Sinterklaas..¿Que esta?, the not Dutch readers must think right now. Actually according to the Dutch children you must know him. Yes, it is a person and he is suppose to be one of yours!
Dutch children until the age of 7 or 8 are being told a story about a holly man named ‘Sinterklaas’ or ‘ Sint Nicolaas’ who will come from Spain each year to celebrate his birthday with them in the Netherlands. ( I know that you are from the Basque County but Dutch children don’t know the difference.) My small cousins have asked me when I just arrived here if I had seen ‘Sint Nicolaas’ yet.
His birthday is today on the 5th of December but he always arrives more early around the half of November. In every town (yes very possible) he will arrive by train or ship and he will bring with him many of his helpers who have a black skin collar (just like all the people in Spain yes), they are called ‘ Zwarte Piet’ which means ‘Black Pete’ and the most important ones have names like ‘Perdro’.
The steamship with presents
The story goes that he arrives to the Netherlands by a steamship from Spain and this ship is always filled with lots of presents and sweets for the children that have been good that year.
On the 5th of December, the night of his birthday families all come together for ‘ present night’ . While the family is sitting in the living room their will suddenly be a noise upstairs or outside. Quickly they go and look to discover where it came from and then they will discover a big bag full of presents that ‘ Zwarte piet’ left behind for them.
During the stay of December quit often schools gets visit from ‘ Sinterklaas’ and his ‘ Zwarte Pieten’ who will throw candy inside the class room. The same happens on the streets, it is a happy time for the children.
That is at least when they have been good sweet little children. The story goes that when you have been bad you will get slapped with the ‘roe’
The 'Roe' of 'Zwarte Piet'
and if you have been really naughty ‘ Sinterklaas’ will put you in his big bag used for presents and take you back with him to Spain.
I think that over here you have something similar going on? It is a fellow who comes down from the mountains in December every year with presents for the children.
Olentzero in Bilbao
He is called ‘Olentzero’ and is the Basque replacements for ‘Santa Claus’ around Christmas I understood. The idea of him bringing presents for the good children and mine cols for the naughty ones is quit similar to the idea around or ‘ Sinterklaas’. The only thing that I’ve heard and can’t believe is that he drinks and smokes (pot)? Muy interesante haha.
A well, over here I almost forgot that it is ‘Sinterklaas’ today. This is because I know it’s fake but..
When I look at some pictures of parades this year I do remember how exciting it was when he was coming to town and when I heard a knock on the door hoping it was ’ Zwarte Piet’ with candy back then, when I was still a little sweet and unknowing girl.
Some time ago, we happened to be in Zarautz, a lovely coastal town, close to Donostia. It’s a very Basque place and its waves are well known by surfers all over the world. I went there with some friends to enjoy the most important traditional party of the town, called just Euskal Jaiak(Basque party). As it was my second week in the country, I had my first encounter with Basque traditionalism.
Even though people were dressed up for a party, you just knew that they had a strong feeling attached to it. In Holland we only dress up for queens day, but the ridiculosity has the upper hand in this celebration. We put on our most lunatic orange outfit, cause in a way we feel uncomfortable expressing pride of our country.
This fear of expression however, was nowhere to be found in Zarautz. There was traditional Basque dance on different stages, there were plenty of parades and gatherings to express political feelings. But the thing that impressed me most was the fact that the youth participated in a traditional way too. They wore the traditional clothes, knew the old songs and they were very able to dance to them, as their ancestors have done for centuries.
Since there are supposed to be over 400 dances I wouldn’t know which [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/nh7IeNuK9XQ" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
my friends were performing, but it looked pretty easy. Hands up, wave a bit, some footwork, a turn here and there and that’s it! Okay, maybe not.. These guys and girls have been doing these dances since they were kids, so they managed quite well, and fast!
I had a go, but lost track soon, which the Basques found hilarious.. Well, what was I thinking anyway, I’m even unable to do the Dutch clog dance!
Weekends here just seem to keep going.. If you’re lucky, you catch a good Thursday night out in a student town, like I had in Arrasate. On Fridays people take it fairly easy, by having dinner with their friends or family. The one I was invited to happened to be in Donostia, were some of my Basque friends are from. We had a lovely night, meeting lots of people and the next day I found myself enjoying pintxos, some cider and a few welcome sunbeams. The following day another Basque ‘laguna’(Basque friend), took me for some hiking in the mountains near Gasteiz. This all seems like a pretty good weekend, but then Gernika was mentioned.. A big farmers market filled with good, fresh food, followed by a party? That just sounded too good not to go!
The bus trip from my town Arrasate was interesting. I had to take three different busses to get there. But I had a great conversation in the bus with a guy who wrongly interpreted my question to speak slower, he just spoke louder.. Que fuerte!
In Gernika, I went strolling over the market, and what they said was true. People from all over the Basque Country(including Navarra and the French Basque Country) were there to sell own grown farm products such as fruits, vegetables, sheep cheese, cider and txakoli.
Still wonder where that damn tree is…
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