The customs we consider today normal, from where they come from, imposed or not, who and why, the questions posed by this retrospective. Why those who have acquired everything they could for centuries are today in favour of equality. Where is the sky, why most Christians want to go to heaven, but the best after possible? A good reflection on the option, do well.

In the Basque Country of our ancestors, nature was the axis of survival. In collective and social life, dependence on the environment was total. The sun, the water, the fire, the moon, the hail -- they were very important in this way of life.

Therefore, it was essential to seek control of these forces in order to take advantage of the advantages and avoid damage. This prohibition of differences through rites and myths led to the formation of religion over time. Earth, moon, sky, sun...

The religion of our ancestors, therefore, has its origin in nature and the practice based on that belief has left deep roots in the Basque Country, from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages.

It can be said that in the sixteenth century Christianity spread throughout the Basque Country, which brought us a profound change. Among other things, the first socio-economic differences that occurred in the private model that departed from Christianity to understand land ownership.

The Christian Church soon began to suppress traditional religious uses and myths in these lands. The followers of the customs were accused of having ties with the devil, of aspiring the blood of the children, of pushing the bad crops... They repeated the same thing that the servants of Imperial Rome did before with the Christians, who followed another religion.

Little by little these new concepts began to emerge between the multitude and Christianity was adapted in some cases to the old beliefs (summer and winter solstice), rejecting others as if they were a superstition, and those who directly contradicted the Christian faith were destroyed by bans and taboos (moon worship, carnivals, etc.). ).

In this context we find witches, heresy and repression from the Church, which are later assumed by the Spanish and French States, imposing Catholicism as the only religion in this part of the border. We have a clear example that the Courts of Navarre, in 1533, state that by the absenteeism of the bishops the dioceses are crumbling and as a consequence the fondness for witchcraft increases.

It was at this time that women became the priority objective of repression, and not by chance. Women relate to the magic field, to criminals. For Christianity, women are a source of sin that distances them from all the responsibilities of their rites and celebrations. In the ceremony and in Christian society, man owns all roads.

At that time, women were almost nothing. The value he was given to practice the spell, to bring men into the world and little more...

However, all ancient rites were not contrary to Christianity. In fact, Christian priests were also involved in cases of inquisition. In a rural environment, many met even after Mass in the caves and intersections (in their usual sacred places) to celebrate the festivities with the participation of all. In the Christian model, the only protagonist of the ceremony was the priest, who acted backwards to the congregations.

This was the “head of class” of the time and gradually completed, through the Church, the structure for the defense of their interests. Result: moral Christian.

All kinds of behaviors were regulated. Old customs and Christian belief faced and they clashed with immoral ones.

Thus, the old beliefs became immoral, supernatural, the things of witches and heretics.

To the so-called “sorcerers” in general we can approach from two points of view: Witch, out of reality; and witch, what real, what real, what real, of flesh and bone, so socially recognized.

The first is an old myth, invisible, unreal, symbol of damage and disease. Being an incorporeal spirit, a series of rites have been used to drive it away.

The Church itself, it must be stressed, has used this witch model to equate Christians with the devil.

In the other model of witch, corporeal, it must be said that this woman suffered the direct consequences of repression. They were tortured and burned in flames, often for envy of neighbors and neighbors, and also for centuries.

Among these witches, on the other hand, we can make two groups: one is the young and beautiful, the symbols of sin, as we have said before. Beauty became a powerful argument for joining the devil. The other is older women, often widows and widows. These were not dangerous for those in power, but they were famous among the inhabitants, because people used them to cure their diseases with herbs and broths.

Many cases can be cited. For example, the young and beautiful widow “María de Cinco Villas”. In the parish priest's house he had to spend every night for months, forced by him to resist the temptation of sin by a prayer... until he became pregnant. Finally, the denouncement of the parish priest's pastors as witches served to achieve what the Christian pastor wanted.

Looking for the sky, yes, but on the wrong road. Softer?