The preparations for the pastoral Joxemiel Bidadores, the Basques of Pamplona, are proceeding at a good pace. A week before the performance that the time will accompany at 17:00 hours on 10 October in the Plaza de los Burgos de Pamplona, we have talked with Patxi Larrion and explained that the leaflets of the pastoral ministry plan to be exhausted for the premiere, whose sale will be the main way of financing the show. Larrion was a friend of Bidadores, like many others who have participated in this project, and according to him, they have shaped a project long ago through the show.

“This in itself, almost before Joxemi died,” he says, recalling February 26, 2010. Black Friday for Basque culture in Navarra: The writer and researcher of Baños de Ebro suffered a stroke and was in a serious condition. The friends, disheartened by the fear of what might happen, came together to vent and the talk lasted until three in the morning. In Bidadores, the book Materials for a history of Basque literature in Navarra. Something had to be done, a special recognition of the author of that book.

Bidor died on Tuesday, February 2. That same week, Artika’s house of culture was filled with its friends with a civil tribute. “Most of us who participate in it also participate in pastoral care, as curators or as collaborators.”

How to stage a multifaceted person

Over these years, other tributes have been made to Bidor, but it has some peculiarities: It is the first pastoral ministry ever produced in Pamplona and the second that takes place outside Zuberoa, after the cherries of 2014 passed.

Another atypical pastoral has influenced the implementation of what we are talking about today: The show on Basque gypsies, written by Ederlezi, Mixel Etxekopar and directed by Nicole Lougarot, was offered last year in Pamplona by the group of dances Duguna, organized by Zaldi Maldives, Euskaldunon Biltoki and Karriki. And at the subsequent dinner, the talk of Bidor's friends refocused on the theme of homage. Now yes, the format was clear: “For the summer of 2014 Jon Alonso wrote the draft,” says Larrion.

We asked Alonso what it is to write a pastoral for a more complicated writer in the prose, but he seems to have found no cost in his favorite place: “They are verses of Zortziko and they have rhyme in the peers, if you put it there you do,” he explains. “I have seen texts from other pastoralists and, for example, I have taken from another work the first pheredic verse literally. There are gestures like this: as they are coplas, I have put some Aresti.”

The other difficulty of the text, show the multiple faces of Biker. Writer, philologist, researcher, dancer, professor, Euskaltzale, mayor of Bachiller, father of two daughters... It was tireless in its 39 years of life, it is almost impossible for such a fruitful journey to result in a work of about two hours. And with Biker's death near the memory, some adjustments have also been made. “In pastoralists the theme is a very old character and someone represents it. We didn't want someone to play Joxemi's role, there was a lot of danger, both to the viewer and to the actor who was going to do it; it would be too committed. After all, Joxemi’s only happened five years ago.”

Instead of playing live, the pastoral ministry will feature a narrator, Mintxo Garaikoetxea, interviewed by Reyes Ilintxeta in the character section of this magazine. Through it, the various aspects of Bider will be indirectly counted. “There are things that have, however, been left out. Above all, they give the thread to the works of creation, literary critique and dancer.”

Pastoral Extra

Aritz Ibáñez and Ihitz Iriart have been in charge of the artistic direction of the work and from the beginning they saw that it did not make much sense to make a pastoral ministry of Zuberoa as such in Pamplona. But at the same time, this kind of theater has interesting features to tell stories, like the possibility of combining artistic disciplines. Ibáñez explained that the basic elements have been taken for the show on 10 October, to be held in Plaza Nueva. “The story that happens between two antagonistic groups, the koblak, and alternating singing, theatre, dance and music: that’s at the bottom of our pastoral ministry.”

The dualistic world of good and evil will be presented to us, quite the opposite of what is usually done. “In pastoralists the Khirixiak are good and the Türks are bad. In our case, as those who have been in power in Navarre are very Christians [laughs], we decided that the evil ones would be Christians; and the Basques the Türks.” They have also violated other “laws”, such as ways of entering and leaving the stage; or the obligation for pastors and angels to appear. These decisions are aimed at adapting the history that is told to the imaginary of the leading Basque cities. “For some it may be a sacrilegious, but this story doesn’t need it, and therefore we haven’t included them.”

As for the dances, to the same extent the novelties and typical of the shepherds: the dances satan, for example, will be published in the way of Zuberoa, “exactly the same”. But in addition, as a Biker walked by the dancers of San Lorenzo, they have also been invited during a festival. And so do the giants of Tudela. “They will dance a waltz that was once offered to Joxemiel by Tudela’s butchers.”

Tribute to the Basques of Pamplona, in an atmosphere of change

Four songs make up the musical aspect of pastoral care. With letters from Jean-Louis Davant and the music of Mixel Etxekopar, Etxekopar has purposely created another, words and melodies, and those who have been able to hear say that it is a claim of Euskal Herria in wheat color; a letter from Kike Diez de Ultzurrun, one of the main drivers of this project, Fernando Sagrety has launched new words.

With the help of many of the participants, they will get the premiere of the pastoral. And it seems that the participants will also stand in front of the mirror, as in the very title of the show you see that they want to pay tribute, in addition to Bidor, to all the people who for years have worked in Euskera in Iruñea. Thanks to them is happening the “other” change of Navarre, which can compete with what has happened in the institutions, if not in the headlines, at least in everyday life and certainly in the process of this show. “We have worked around a hundred people and we are all Euskaldunes,” Larrion explained, who also said: “Not only artists and musicians, but also carpenter, masonry, etc.” Starting and ending in Basque, a few years ago what was not possible is being produced.

The poem written by Bidadores on Mariano Mendigatxa syndrome: neither mohican, nor the last Basque. Mendigatxa and the Vasco de Pamplona/Iruña ask for a wine. Or two, if the one who invited him offered him a good company. On 10 October it will be the turn of this type of contract.