World of The Basque People

The Basque people make a living performing all different kinds of jobs, their occupation mainly depends on their geographic location within the Basque Country. In the highly populated coastal provinces of Biscay and Gipuzkoa the main occupations found include fishing, shipbuilding ship repairing, mining. In the province of Araba the main jobs performed are farming and raising cattle.

Fishing has been a major part of the Basque economy since the sixteenth century. Fishing is not only an occupation to the Basque people but it is a major tradition to them as well. This is very much due to the
 Basque Country's geographic location which is exhibited by numerous 
coastal areas. While visiting the Basque Country one will find many fishing neighborhoods and villages, fishing markets, fishing museums, and different historical fishing boats. An example of a famous fishing village is Bermeo, Bermeo is one of the most important fishing locations on the Bay of Biscay.
In Bermeo one can visit a fishing museum or even visit the historical whaling 
ship of Alta. In the Basque County there are even fraternities called the 
Basque Fishing Brotherhoods. The Basque are most famous for fishing cod.

The Basque people are known also for their mining, they are most famous for mining iron, lead, and copper. In the Basque Country they have a must see mining attraction, this is the Basque Country Mining Museum. Mining does boost Basque's economy and provides jobs to the public.

Agriculture plays a significant role in the Basque economy. Basque farmers are known for growing corn and sugar beets. The Basque Country is also famous for Wine and cider making. In Basque one will find many farming communities, and farmers' markets filled with fresh produce. In Basque there is the Basque Farmers’ Union, EHNE (Euskal Herriko Nekazarien Elkartasuna), this union tries to preserve all the farming locations, this is to keep the food production running on track to meet the demand for food.

Finally As for livestock, the species that are breed in the Basque Country are sheep, dairy cattle , beef cattle, goats, and horses. 

Tourism is also a very important aspect of the Basque economy, in recent years tourism in Basque has skyrocketed compared to before.

references:

http://www.macaulay.ac.uk/livestocksystems/tdv/ruiz.htm

Basque Current Religious beliefs and Past Cosmos

Today most of the Basque people are Roman Catholics. A main part of Basque is its Catholic culture, this Catholic culture arose from the great number of people in Basque that are Catholic. Today about 85% of the Basque population are Catholic. For many centuries in the past the Catholic Church helped in governing the Basque Country.


The Christianization of the Basque Country has been a debate for a period of time. Some say that Christianity was first introduced into the Basque Country between the 4th and 5th century, while others say that Christianity was first introduced into the Basque County between 12th and 13th century. Their is more evidence agreeing that Christianity was first introduced into the Basque County between the 4th and 5th century, not between the 12th and 13th century. Either way the Basque people were among the last people in Europe
to turn to christianity.

Before the Christianization of the Basque Country, the Basque people believed in many different mythological creatures, gods, and goddesses. The main goddess they focused on was Mari, she was married to god Sugaar. As a couple Mari and Sugaar were believed to hold ultimate ethical power, and the power of creation and destruction. In different legends, Mari was said that she might have sons or daughters, but nobody knew how many. The two most well-known were her two sons Atxular and Mikelatz. Local Legends connected Mari to the weather Legends connected Mari to the weather, there came many different beliefs, People said that when she and Maju travelled together hail would fall down, when she departed from her cave storms or droughts will come, and depending which cave she lived in at different times would determine dry or wet weather.

Other famous mythological creatures, gods, and goddesses:

Aatxe: or Etsai is a cave-dwelling evil spirit who takes on the form of a red bull, but as a shapeshifter, sometimes can take the shape of a man.

Atxular and Mikelatz: are the sons of Mari, among others.

Basajaun: is the wild man of the woods and his female version basandere.

Galtzagorriak: is a type of iratxoak.

Gaueko: is an evil character of the night.

Herensuge: is the name of a dragon who plays a role in a couple known legends.

Erge: is an evil spirit that takes mens lives.

Ilargi or Ile: are the names of the Moon.

Iratxoak:

Jean de l'Ours: a man born to a woman and a bear.

Jentilak (gentiles): giants, sometimes portrayed throwing rocks at churches. They are believed to be Basques themselves, seen from a partly Christianized viewpoint. A surviving jentil is Olentzero, the Basque equivalent of Santa Claus.

Lamiak or laminak: a type of creature with bird-feet that dwelt in rivers and springs.

Mairuak or Intxisuak: are the male equivalent of lamiak in the Pyrenean region.

Odei: is a storm clouds.

San Martin Txiki: is a trickster, also a famous christian character

Sorginak: is a mythological being that travel with Mari and other real witches.

Tartalo: the Basque version of the Greco-Roman Cyclops.


references:

http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?rog3=SP&peo3=10709

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_mythology

Birds of the Basque Country

Out of the 563 different species of birds that can be seen in Spain, 347 of them have been spotted in the Basque Country. The Basque Country is in one of the most important bird migration routes, making the Spring and Fall the best seasons for birdwatching in Basque. The Basque Country has a significant amount of conservation and biodiversity locations to protect birds, these conservation areas take up about 20% of the Basque territory. In Basque there are three different Bioclimatic Zones that distinguish where birds live. There is the Bioclimatic Atlantic Zone, the Bioclimatic Transition Zone, and the Bioclimatic Mediterranean Zone.

There are four main regions where birds are found in the Basque Country.

1- Valleys and Mountains south of the coastal range:

This is an area of rugged terrain in the interior area of the province of Araba. This area is well preserved and features beautiful landscapes. Birds found in this area:

European Honey Buzzard
Booted Eagle
Short-toed Eagle
Griffon Vultures
Egyptian Vultures
Golden Eagles
Peregrine Falcons
Eagle Owls
Bee-eaters
Middle Spotted Woodpeckers

2- Wetlands of the interior:

These wetlands are home of some amazing and diverse birdlife. Today in the Basque Autonomous Community these wetlands are scarce, but there have been recent movements to
restore these wetlands. Birds found in this area:

Storks
Little Ringed Plovers
Marsh Harriers
Tufted Duck
little Ducklings
Water Storks
Spoonbills
Gulls
Short-toed Larks
Woodchat Shrikes
Starling roost
Waders
Great-crested Grebes
Red-crested Pochards

3- Estuaries along the coastline of the Cantabrian sea (Biscay Bay):

This area attracts numerous aquatic and sea birds especially in migration times and the winter. Birds found in this area:

Waders
Little Grebes
Coots
Water Rails
Plovers
Passerines

4- Mountainous massifs of the coastal range:

These Mountainous areas are among the best conserved areas in the Basque Country. Birds found in this area:

Yellowhammer
Black Woodpecker
European Honey-buzzard
Red-backed Shrike
Water Pipit
Citril Finch
The rare Alpine Accentor
Geese
Doves
Wallcreepers
Griffon Vultures
Egyptian Vultures
Alpine Chough
Alpine Swift
Rock Thrush

Birds are of great importance to the Basque people, every year the Basque people hold a Feather and Folk Festival. This festival is held in the Spring, between May 31st and June 9th, to greet the many migratory bird species that fly their way to Basque at this time. At this festival bird lovers get together, experience nature, and welcome all the arriving birds.

There are a few different beliefs about different birds in Basque, especially in a town like Obaba where people live and interact with birds daily. Some Basque people believe that the Robin is a wholly bird and that nobody should kill it. They believe this because they believe the Robin plucked out the thorns from Christ’s forehead. That is why the Robin has a red breast, because it got stained with the blood of Christ.

There is a widely known Basque children's song about birds, that says:

Txantxangorria txantxate,
Birigarroa alkate,
Xoxoa dela meriante,
Txepetxa preso sartu dute.

Which means in english:

The robin sings his song,
The song thrush is the jailer,
And, with the blackbird’s help,
They’ve put the poor wren in prison.

This song represents that their are four season by singing about four birds, the Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, and the Wren. The interpretation of this song is that the Wren stays in Basque all year long until December then it leaves, and the Robin only comes to Basque in December when the Wren leaves. This symbolizes that the Wren leaves at the end of an old year and the Robin comes at the to open up a new year. This song originated because in the past the Basque people would sacrifice a Wren in december to mark the end of the year, and around christmas time they would release a Robin to mark the beginning of a new year.

references:

http://featherandfolk.ca/#

http://www.threepennyreview.com/samples/atxaga_f09.html

http://www.birdingeuskadi.net/archivos/menusarchivos/promocional%20birding%20ES_2010_07_30_12_51_10.pdf

http://www.fatbirder.com/links_geo/europe/spain_pais_vasco.html#