Joseba Edesa Portillo and Laurita Siles Ceballos started the Mutur Beltz project in 2015. It is a question of preventing the disappearance of this breed of sheep from Karrantza and the grazing that they suffer in Karrantza. The activity of the association is divided into four areas related to sheep: milk, meat, wool and art. However, all areas are interrelated and have the same objective: Recover the value of the black sheep of Karrantza.

Because grazing is also art.

Seeing that the city and the rural environment are increasingly remote, one of the intentions of the members is to bring the two parties closer and promote the relationship between them. “We use art and culture to influence and think about society, to reduce the distances between the rural environment and the city. It has always been thought that some make art and other crafts. Some say they're quick and some say they're stupid. That rigid distribution is a lie,” Edesa explains.

One of the initiatives to deal with this breakdown is the black sheep fair that is being held in the village to promote it. Although until a few years ago the fair was always held, in recent editions a different point of view has been added to the fair. “Now, that day we combine the work of the artist with the work of the pastor, we put the artist and the pastor at the same level, both are the protagonists.” Activities related to grazing are combined with art exhibitions related to the subject. The participants of the Black End also organize artistic meetings of pastors and stays to Ondo Bizi.

What about wool?

Meat and milk are the most common means of harnessing these breeds of sheep, and Mutur Beltz also works to promote these products. But there is another raw material that was previously highly appreciated and that today is treated as waste: wool. “The point of view of wool has always been textila, and our wool does not have good quality for it. It’s harder, it’s more permeable, so we need to encourage other uses,” says Edesa. For the time being, most Karrantza pastors are receiving wool to study any new uses they may have. Research is already under way.

It is clear that members will have to work on all aspects to deal with the loss of the sheep race. “We need an economy to prevent the disappearance: we will have to work both in making cheese, and in cooking of different kinds to better sell lambs, and also rethink the use of wool.”