2 February, Kandelario. A thunder was heard. It's clear. The animal's muscles, which have remained immobile for a long time in the black hole, have tended. She was awakened by the rogue that slept. He woke up for months of sleep, left the heat of the threaded hole and approached the mouth of the sima. He stood on his two back legs and looked up into the sky. He looked at the moon first. Then he looked at the stars. He lowered his head and collapsed on his legs. Yeah, it's the day. The time has come. It's time to leave the bear. The winter is over. Let the carnival start.
The Bear is a typical carnival in the Basque Country. More than usual. The Bear acquires the leading role in most carnivals in which it participates. As in the No Carnivals of 2021 you can barely see the Bear, here are some pictures that have been seen here and there for years.
Bear in Arizkun, 05-02-2008. Photo: Iñaki Zugasti - Dantzan CC-BY-SA
Beskoitze
Hartza, Beskoitze, 19-02-2012. Photo: Eire Vila CC-BY-SA
Sohüta
Hartza, Sohüta, 17-01-2016. Photo: Eire Vila - Dantzan CC-BY-SA
The bear, Sohüta, 1934.
Safe
Hartza, Segura, 04-03-2011. Photo: Eire Vila - Dantzan CC-BY-SA
Eibar
Hartza, Eibar, 07-02-2015. Photo: Fernando Retolaza - Dantzan CC-BY-SA
Ermua
Hartza, Ermua, 14-02-2017.
The bear, Ermua, 1934. Standing: Pedro Amillategui, Ildefonso Landa, Tio Zacarias, Honorato Olañeta (Hartza), Segundo Goitandia, Ibarrola, Julian Aguirregomezcorta (Inbirri), Luis Urreta, Angel Ciarsolo. Plywood: Luis Araiztegi, Jesús Arzuaga, Juanito Izarra, Benancio de Eibar, Painter of Eibar, Vicente Izarra.
Oñati
The bear in the carnivals of Oñati. Photo: Maite Irizar - Dantzan CC BY-SA