The presentation in Karrikiri of Pamplona started with an anecdote: “On the other day two friends came together in the street and one asked the other: ‘(H)I have the video of the moon, have you seen it? It's great! This year you also have to go see (H)ilbeltza?’. His second colleague, wearing a philosopher's face, replied: ‘Yes, I will go, but not to see (H)ilbeltza, but to do (H)ilbeltza’.

For the group that organizes the week of the Basque black novel, this anecdote summarizes well the reality of Baztan’s initiative: “Experience has shown us that whoever has come to the (H)ilbeltza is not limited to playing a passive role that is usually put to the public. The one who has reached the (H)ilbeltza, voluntarily or involuntarily, becomes part of the (H)ilbeltz”.

The project started with a group of readers, but to organize this year’s edition, for example, more than 30 people are participating live, chatting, acting, playing music… “Our initiative is based on collaboration, thought and realized in Euskera, and, most importantly, made to enjoy”.

Hammett, Gereño and Hemingway to start the week

As for this year’s program, it will start next Monday with a talk by the translator Xabier Olarra and creator of the editorial Igela. You will have a subject that you know well: The novel Uzta gorria de Dashiell Hammett, one of the jewels of the genre that was published in the black section of Igela, translated by Olarra himself and considered by the writer André Gide as one of the categories of William Faulkner and Joseph Conrad. So the reference of the black novel, but also something else, as Olarra will explain in the house of Dr. Arizkun from 19:30 hours.

The next appointment will be on 16 April, this time by the hand of Koldo Izagirre. Every year at the Baztan there is talk of a classic of the Basque black novel and for this edition they have chosen Xabier Gereño: The Belarusian writer introduced the novels into the Basque learning methods, according to the organizers, “wrote to create readers,” and created for those novels Captain Jurgi, who made him the protagonist of several novels. In Mendiarte society you will be able to learn more about it from 19:00.

The black novel comes to Friday with a writer who did not write (H)ilbeltza: Gontzal Agote will talk about Ernest Hemingway and, to be more precise, about the black genre films that have been made from the works of Hemingway. The film critic will talk about this issue in Arizkun de Elizondo, from 19:00.

The camp, a place for perfect crime?

Itxaro Borda and Edorta Jimenez will open the Saturday programme with a theme that is of great importance in the context of the (H)ilbeltza: What does a black story change if you look at the city or the countryside? “What role does space and landscape play in the black novel? Do we separate the two areas or have we turned them into hybrids?” the organizers ask. Moderated by Ana Galarraga, the two writers will try to answer these questions from the rural areas and cities they know. The talk will be at 11:00 a.m. in the Arizkunenea Culture House of Elizondo and then a meal will be made in Erratzu.

This meal is usually a special quote in (H)ilbeltza, as Basque writers who have published some novelty in the field of the black novel take advantage of the desk to present their book. This year, Miel Anjel Elustondo will present Kezko bola bat Itoak Birikak (Txalaparta), a novel written thanks to the scholarship launched under the Baztango initiative. In addition, Edorta Jiménez will present the spot that touches the Rainbow, while Xabier Etxeberria will do so if it is reintegrated into the area.

Saturday will end with “The Night of the Suspects”, “once the day has passed between literary tertulias and books, to get to know us better and play better”.

On Sunday morning the activities were organized in Arraioz, coinciding with the carnivals of the locality: Under the name “The Black Lap” the event has been organized starting at 11:00 hours, in which the attendees will be able to know a story from the hand of a narrator. The organizers have explained that the story, the story and the theater have been created specifically for that day, and that 20 January will be the only opportunity to see it.

At the end of the week, the Mairu theatre group and the members of (H)ilbeltza will make an animated reading in favor… or against Chandler written by Jon Alonso, from 19:00 in Arizkun de Elizondo.

New call for scholarship (H)ilbeltza

In addition to the program, the (H)ilbeltza scholarship is also underway, which aims to promote black novels in Basque. Miel Anjel Elustondo was the first winner in 2017 and will present the result in this edition, as stated below. In the 2018 edition he won Josu Baranbones and is translating The Blunderer from the American writer Patricia Highsmith, which will be presented next year.

This year’s call will not yet be presented, as the organizers have said, they usually do so after passing the (H)ilbeltza. However, they have encouraged writers to present their creations.