In March 2017, several mountaineers created the Mendian Euskaraz group with the objective of knowing the heritage of the mountains in Euskera and offering all Euskaltzales the possibility of living and enjoying in Euskera on the mountain. Among other objectives, it was established that of strengthening ties with the groups of mountaineers of the Basque Country, of each place, who live or want to live in Euskera.

As explained by Edu Zabala, a member of the group, the project was launched in the autumn and has been gradually developing: “We have carried out a process that has lasted for about seven months, especially through social networks, to relate to Euskaldunes groups, but we have used many routes to transmit information.”

Thanks to this process, in particular, eight mountain groups and an association of Euskera have joined the project: Mendian Euskaraz (Basque Country), Marimendi (Basque Country), Etzandarri (Lemoiz), Blagan (Hondarribia), Añorga K.E (Donostia-Añorga), Mendia eta Herriak (Basque Country), GEU

As they have explained, it is essential that there are more and more Basque people, as “the Basque needs spaces to breathe”. That is what they intend to offer to all Euskaltzales through this project.

Respiratory areas of the Basque Country

When talking about the importance of Euskaraz also in the mountains, Zabala stressed that it is a leap from ideas to facts: “On the mountain there are many groups and each one makes his language, but through the project, at least we will touch the fender to the consciences of the Basque mountaineers.” Perhaps, in the opinion of Zabala, the Basque mountaineers make a special effort to increase the presence of the Basque country in the mountain.

In addition, they intend to make visible and make visible “what many may not have said”. In fact, the mountaineer has pointed out that supposedly solid respiratory areas are not really strong enough to survive. For this reason, he has invited all those who feel Basque to reflect and live in Basque in the mountain: “After all, the mountain and the Basque country are our heritage and we have to maintain them. If we do not support them, we know, unfortunately, what the future is.”

To start the project, they have organised a joint mountain outing for the next 27 May. In Navarre, the eight mountain clubs mentioned above, the Euskera Association and the Euskaltzales or Mountaineers interested in the initiative, will be mentioned.

Departure to the geographical centre of the Basque Country

The mountain departure of May 27 will be made in Basque, starting at 9 a.m. in the BENTA of Lizarraga and aiming at the geographical center of Euskal Herria in the Sierra de Andía. The tour is 22 kilometers long and has a elevation of 200 meters. In the event of a bad weather, another shorter journey would be made: from the same starting point to the hermitage of San Adrián, with a total length of eight kilometres and an elevation of 84 metres. They have invited all mountaineers and Euskaltzales to participate in this initiative, and have explained that they can be individually targeted in which group.

The project, for its part, will not end with this exit. As Zabala explained, the answer given to it will be analysed and evaluated first. However, the intention is that it should be repeated every year, on the last Sunday in May: “We want to keep this date on the calendar so that Euskaltzales and mountaineers join in Navarra, in the heart of Euskal Herria.”

In addition, he has indicated that they have the doors open to everyone and citizens: “This is a process, we hope that through the media echo we will reach more groups and more people. Therefore, we do not close doors at all.” They have therefore explained that 27 May will not be an isolated day, but an appeal to all Basque mountaineers.

They say that all groups together reflect “a great rainbow”, both geographically and in other areas: “The Basque and the international, the women’s, the youth and the children’s and, finally, those who work locally”. Therefore, they have explained that the diversity of the drivers is broad and rich and that they will continue to contact all those groups and individuals who want to unite the Monte and the Basque Country.

Gasteiztarras with Geu to the mountain

In February 2015, the mountain was 20 years old with the GEU. “So, we were two 40-year-old women, Maite Mendiburu and I, and we had our children in the clouds. They were starting to walk and go out alone, so we also had free spaces, like Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, and those intervals we started to take advantage of for the mountain,” says Bego Ariznabarreta. And once again, on one of those mountainous outings, Maite Mendiburuk to Bego Ariznabarreta: “‘We should make a mountain group composed of Basques’. It was Maite's idea. I said yes, but nothing else. By then, we were both part of the Basque association GEU of Vitoria-Gasteiz, so one day Maite told me that I was going to put an ad in Geu magazine. Said and done: ‘On Sunday, at 9:00 in the morning, in front of the Txapela bar, depart to Ezkibel’. We didn’t know anyone was coming, but we met 36 people!”

Bego Ariznabarreta followed the idea of Maite Mendiburu, became accomplices those who were formerly friends and friends, and soon after they called people to a meeting: “And we became a group. Since then there have been movements of people, of course, some have gone wrong, others have taken other paths, but we have always kept that team spirit.” Within the GEU Association there is an intention to go to the mountain with the GEU: “We created a special section within the partnership and so on. We have been the activity of the association since we were born, and so we want to be for a long time.”

This text was taken from the ARGIA Weekly of 27 September 2015. Author: Honey Anjel Elustondo.