This book is a reissue of the comic book that was published 26 years ago. The text has been adapted by Mitxel Murua and has been edited within the Klis-klasikoak section, promoted by the Galtzagorri association in collaboration with the Vice Ministry of Linguistic Policy of the Basque Government.
“Open portas klis-klas”, from that expression of Arratibel’s stories, in this collection entitled Klis-klasikoak, it is about creating a canon of children’s and youth literature in Euskera, a collection created with the aim of having in the plaza works representative of our literature. In the current market, only the new literature, the novelties are present; and we have many quality books published a few and a half years ago lost. In this sense, it is a satisfaction the work carried out by this series of “Clis-Classicos” to recover these quality works; and, besides the usual topics, in the first four issues that have been edited we find very different books: a story, a collection of short texts from children’s folklore, the translation of an international classic story and a comic book. The latter is the Indiano.Este
comic book set in the middle of the 19th century (history starts in October 1849 on a boat heading to San Francisco) and tells the story of two Basques traveling to California. From the first moment it can be noticed that it is a journey with adventure dyes, because when you land on the boat, the adventures of two of our colleagues begin: they attack on the same boat and capture them, they accuse them of false accusation when landing, then they suffer the betrayal… Julio and Bernardo live many adventures before joining their brother. It is a chain of Western stories, featuring thieves, cattle ranchers, gold seekers and many other characters. The
Basque reader can also be aware of what our ancestors have done in America. The jobs, customs, daily struggles and difficulties they encountered in order to move forward. In this sense, this adventure comic also knows our identity and our history.
In the book's foreword, Muro points out several clues that help to get to know this book better. Here's, for example, R. L. Stevenson's influences, films about the Far West, but also a Basque touch, as mentioned above: the history of the author's family (although the latter appears mostly in the magnificent comics of Justin Hiriart).
Without a doubt, Indiano is a pearl of our literature, a beautiful book that novice readers have had the opportunity to enjoy again, as we previously knew.