Who would have told me that in those hidden corners that I have trod on since I was a child, a huge news story about Basque would be born in 2004? In fact, in the villages of this area of the country of Arabar, mainly from Gipuzkoa and throughout the centuries, a large number of Basque men and women went to study Spanish. They left their mark, mostly on their surnames. In the cemeteries of Zalduondo, Galarreta, Arriola, Barria, Narbaiza, Axpuru, Larrea, Ozeta... the percentage of uncomposed Basque surnames is much higher than in any other territory of Álava.

And in 2004 the news hit us: A manuscript by Juan Pérez de Lazarraga appeared with several works written in Basque. The document was about 1.565! That is to say, in terms of chronology it was the most outstanding in the history of the Basque language in Álava. It was therefore making an enormous qualitative leap in the historiology of Basque literature, especially with regard to the author’s country of origin and the context of his work.

Lord of the lands by the fork

Juan Pérez de Lazarraga was Lord of Pasto in the second half of the 16th century until his death in 1605. The Lazarraga had their place of origin in the city of Oñati, similar to the Gebara lineage to which they were dependent. And between the two families there were not few marriage pacts to control the lands under the Elgea and Urkila mountain ranges. Zalduondo on one end and Ozeta on the other. And during this time we have the villages mentioned above, which for centuries have known a constant human flow, making the way between Europe and Castile.

In describing the Basque territories, Ptolemy of the second century mentions Gebala and Gabaleca, among others. Some people read Gebara and Galarreta in these names. Chapter VI-VIII. In the cemetery of the Aldayas in the 20th century, an enormous discovery was made, about fifteen years ago. The objects detected clearly explained that the local population was accustomed to the presence of strange men and women. Many merchants, pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, and people in general who had to pay a toll for their passage through the San Adrián tunnel have passed through the centuries. And the Gebara and Lazarraga families of the Middle Ages took advantage of this from their superiority: control over the flow of human beings that went from one side to the other brought them profits. The economy ruled over any other reason. This has always been the case in the history of mankind.

Juan Pérez de Lazarraga also represented the property on these lands and defended Gambian interests in disputes between Gambos and Oñazos, closely aligned with the Lord of Oñati. The title Lord of the Tower of Larrea came indirectly to our character when he died without descendants of what was previously – the uncle of the same name. And the new Lord married Catalina González de Langázar, the daughter of the late owner of the tower of Arriola near Larrea.

We have Juan Pérez de Lazarraga, author of the history of the Torre de Larrea, written around 1600, with the title Relación Histórica de las Casas y Apellidos de Lazarraga. And also of the lengthy writing that has been called “Manuscript of Lazarraga”, created in Basque and Spanish. This is the one that has taken the name of Juan Pérez de Lazarraga to new dimensions and has set a new golden milestone in the chronology of written Basque. Likewise, and this statement is not irrelevant at all, since it is written by an individual of the nobility of the time, the Basque language can indicate that it had a place in the high salons. Where and in Álava!

Witnesses of history

Whoever comes to know the pasture and the surrounding areas will not waste time, of course! In the pasture itself, you can still see the remains of what was once the old tower. If we visit the town on the 4th of July, we will also have the opportunity to participate in a tradition of five hundred years. It is called “El Barte” and the pilgrims of pasture who walk to the village of Hermua to honor the image of San Martín in its hermitage. - Oh, my God. And in these last years the cheeses of Larrea, with the denomination of origin of Idiazabal, are gaining immense popularity.

Zalduondo (Palace of the Lazarraga); Arriola (a stele offered by his hometown to the foral Ramón Ortiz de Zarate: “The Guardian of the Foros Ramon Ortiz de Zarateri. 1817-1883”); Barria (XII. Monastery of the 20th century); Narbaiza (popular ceramic exhibition); Axpuru (Church of San Juan Bautista); Ozeta (Palaces of Arrieta and Isasmendi); and above all, wonderful routes to taste peaceful and attractive surroundings.