Several books have carried out a review from the first Bertso printzo to the present, as it is known in the locality. The book Bertsoaren haria in Hernani begins with the biography of bertsolari Txabolategi and with the historic challenge he made in the Plaza de Villabona before thousands of people and ends with the biography of young bertsolari Eli Pagola, descendant of Txabolategi, and the summary of the 2013 Championship. Orio: The book Ehun ute kantuan also collected the broadest possible time. In this case, the Auspoa section of Antonio Zavala is the main source of the past, as explained by Iñaki Iturain, one of the authors of Orio's book: “In three or four books of the Auspoa series there was the ‘immense richness of verses’ that existed in this mountain from San Sebastian to Orio, [words of Antonio Zavala]. He himself walked by Orio and through several witnesses gathered all these bertsolaris and also the verses of Balea: for the general public he brought out Auspoak for the first time. What we did was we brought it in, adapted it and supplemented it with later bertsolaris: Manuel Lasarte, Patxi Etxeberria, the Sarasua brothers, Xabier Sukia, Ibai Esoain, Iñaki Gurrutxaga... we brought a brief biography and a series of bertsos from each bertsolari.” From the archives of Zeruko Argia and ARGIA the book of Hernani has also been dressed a lot, as in bertsos, photos and chronicles.

Echoes of the movements in the Basque Country

The rest of the books on local Bertsolarism capture the movement of a given time. For example, Zumaia: Joan Dorronsoro, the author, tells us that the 20-year book of singing includes the creation of a bertsolaris school: “My objective was to explain the experience of Zumaia, integrated in the movement of the Basque Country: The creation of Bertsolarism schools and the innovation of Amuriza were taught throughout the Basque Country, and was also very related to the creation of the ikastolas”. Also in Hernani's book are testimonies about Bertsolarism in the Basque Country, about the most leading Bertsolaris of the time, about the championships and about the creation and evolution of the Bertsozale Elkartea association. Iturain is clear that history is built on the ground: “I think the best way to work in general history is for everyone to make their people. The sum of this gives a complete story.”

In the book Bertsoaren haria Hernanin by Hernani, more than writing a story, I've dedicated myself to sewing oral histories. To do so, they interviewed 35 people who have been part of the bertsolaris movement of the locality: Unai Agirre and Jexux Mari Irazu, which are on the DVD “Hernani bertsotan” and will be shared with the book. Each has spoken from his own experience, from which he has known, and his sum has had a very varied story, sometimes with a great contrast. Demonstrating that they lived the same moment in very different ways.

In addition to numerous historical testimonies, the reader will find countless topics in a cross-sectional way in the verses of the peoples. Dorronsoro has explained that this is the hallmark of popular culture: “Culture is the center of a people’s life. And within culture, oral literature is the main core, verse, joke -- they're very closely related to everyday life. Here are a thousand branches and beams that cross: political, social, economic... all.”

Main contributions

The authors of the books of Zumaia and Orio recommend that other peoples gather information about the Bertsolarism that takes place there. Dorronsoro considers that it is useful to breathe in the movement: "It is very important to ventilate, blow and cause a fire to occur in the affected area. In each village you have to aerate, collect and publish bertsolarism.” Iturain remembers how the town of Orio took the book: “It was a great gift for the lovers of the village bertsos, as it gathered a lot of information. For some it is also a great source of emotion, because it rescued some people of yesteryear.” These books are also a source for the curriculum of local schools, local Bertsolarism. And also to socialize the treasure that had already been gathered in Auspo: “Reading from all those bertsolaris, their sung bertsos, Herrikotxia, Txanka, Itxaspe, Seikola... I discovered through those books of Auspoa that world of the bertsos that was very present in society. I was deeply impressed. Most Oriotarras have never read a book from Auspoa and our book has brought them that treasure.” It is about socializing the Auspoa, the Light of Heaven and the treasure of the other sources, collecting oral testimonies in writing and finding ourselves with discoveries in the midst of which gold is nugget. The one looking for danger...