argia.eus
INPRIMATU
La Luz departed from Egia
  • The other way around. In this way the members of Argia have embarked on a historic tour of the Egia district. As could not be otherwise, it was Pello Zubiria, who was present in the transformation of Zeruko Argia to Argia in the 1980s. And they had Truth as the epicenter.
Irutxuloko Hitza @irutxulo Xalba Ramirez @xalbaram 2022ko irailaren 19a
\'Argia\'-ko kideak Dabadabatik irteten. Bertane gon zen Antza inprimategia eta erredakzioa 1988tik 1990era. (Argazkia: Xalba Ramirez)

Zubiria presents the site they used from 1988 to 1990. It will surprise many: today the printing press Antza created by the Light was in the place of the Dabadaba legos. When the Tour team approaches the venue, one of the owners opens the door: “We are from the light,” says Pello, “the printing press we had here.” “Ah, yes, I knew something, a musician walking here was a worker and there he was a worker.” Who, and Okene Abrego, from the crazy groups and devices.

The printing press was from the Tamayo family. Zubiria recalls that in the 1980s, printing presses entered into crisis due to digitalization. Due to the crisis of the company, it was bought by the workers of Tamayo and later by Argia to these workers. In the end, move printing and writing. “This was a brothel,” said Zubiria, “the printing press, the commercial work, the weekly… everything was done here. And, as if it were not enough, here started Egunkaria’s project and the decision to carry it out: model number 0, and style book, for example, here did Koldo Izagirre, Koro Zumalabe, Malores Etxeberria and Luistxo Fernández.”

The printing press was in the place where Dabadaba is today. (Photo: Argia Archive)

The idea had been “for a long time”, but when it was carried out they sought another more appropriate place and moved to Lasarte-Oria, the Paseo del Circuito. That's where Argia followed, and that's where her relationship with Egia ended.

Before going to the next stop, one of the groups is happy: “I will come more at ease now as I go to Dabadaba, knowing this!”

1985-1988, Editorial Ametzagaiña

The Tour advances in the neighborhood, but it goes back in time. Zubiria has shown a writing three years before his passing through Dabadaba, where he is currently in the same place where the writing of IRUTXULOKO HITZA is located. “I remembered a lot more,” Zubiria said.

“In the adjacent premises were the lawyers, the Egia collective and the Berdin collective, who offered protection to the workers.” They had a lot of contact with them, as well as with the other agents and people in the neighborhood: “Many times we stayed here sleeping.”

At this time, digitalization began in Argia. “They taught us the first Macintosh and I still remember how they sold us: ‘This upheaval is the ostia, but it still serves no purpose.’ Zubiria says that journalists were pioneers in the use of computers: “The key was for journalists to do as much of the process as possible.”

Anecdotes are also a lot in writing. “Between the two floors there is a small mezzanine in which we slept many times. He caught us in the writing, for example, the leaks of Maiz and Piti.”

Members of ‘Argia’ in the current wording of the Word of Irutxulo. (Photo: Xalba Ramírez)
From ‘Zeruko’ to ‘Argia’ in the 1980s

Then the tour comes to Kata Bar. “In 1981 the Capuchins kicked us out and we came to this small place next to the Kata bar.” Today it's closed, of course it's the Porrontxos, and it hasn't been able to explain where they ate breakfast, ate and dine almost every day. But all of a sudden, there's Marian, who owns the bar, and, of course, he remembers Zubiria.

It was a special time for Argia. The weekly that depended on the Capuchins, at the time of Zeruko Argia, and in their day the journalism they were doing at the time of Elixabete Garmendia was too “progressive” for them and, uncomfortable with the situation, they proposed solutions. “They wanted to sell it to the PNV, but some colleagues convinced that that was a bad idea, that it was better for us to follow.”

There he lost the ‘Zeruko’ and all his religious affiliation. Since then, its main symbol has been independent and Vascophilous journalism. Eguía lived a passionate decade, seeing the birth of two projects that have marked a before and a after for Basque journalism.

ARGIA members in Egia in the early 1980s: Ostaizka Irastorza, Joxemi Zumalabe, Pello Zubiria, Jon Barandiaran, Joseba Alvarez, Iñaki Uria and Josu Landa. (Ed: ARGIA file)
Members of Argia, Bar Kata on the outside stairs. Now they're a little bit more than in the 1980s. (Photo: Xalba Ramírez)