Bertsolaritza
Encyclopedia
Bertsolaritza berˈts̺olaɾits̻a or bertsolarism is the art of singing extemporary composed songs in Basque
according to various melodies and rhyming patterns. Bertsos can be composed at a variety of occasions but are performed generally by one or various bertsolaris onstage in an event arranged for the purpose or as a sideshow, in homage ceremonies, in benefit lunches and suppers, with friends or at a competition. Such a sung piece of composition is called a bertso, the person who sings it is called a bertsolari and the art of composing bertsos is called bertsolaritza in
Basque
. Traditionally these were sung by men but there is an increasing number of young female bertsolaris today.
Usually the Basque terms are used in Spanish
and French
but the Spanish terms versolarismo and bertsolarismo and the French terms bertsularisme (from Zuberoan
bertsularitza), bertsolarisme and versification are also used.
Many different forms of metre exist for bertsos but 4 of the commonly encountered ones are the zortziko txiki "small of eight", zortziko handi "big of eight", hamarreko txiki "small of ten" and hamarreko handi "big of ten". An example of a Zortziko Txiki is the first stanza of the bertso Aitorren Izkuntz Zarra "Aitor
's Ancient Language" by Z. Andonegi:
The zortziko txiki is called the "small of eight" as the first lerro or "line" contains 8 oinak or "syllables" (literally called "feet"), followed by 7 syllables in the next line. Such a pair of lines is called a puntu, a "point", 4 puntu (or 8 lines) in total form one stanza in a zortziko txiki. The rhyme is carried in the lines of 7 syllables. The zortziko handi on the other hand contains 10 syllables in the first line, followed by 8 in the second. The hamarreko txiki and hamarreko handi only differ in the number of lines, of which they have 10 rather than 8.
An error in the rhyme is called a poto.
". At a formal competition the bertsolari are called upon to compose and sing different kinds of bertsos by the gai-jartzaile, the "subject setter". The gai-jartzaile informs the bertsolari(s) of the type of challenge, which tune they have to use, and the metre. Some common bertso challenges include:
The audience and the judges value wit as much as poetic value.
. Because it is primarily an oral art form, every bertsolari is free to use his own dialect so there is no requirement to use Standard Basque
. For this reason the orthography and grammatical forms used in publications of bertsos often diverge from the standard language to accommodate for dialect forms. For example, h is silent in Western dialects, so it is generally not written in old bertsos from those dialects, and ll (ʎ) and ñ (ɲ) are used much more often than in Standard Basque
; and ü (y) appears in the texts of Soule
tin bertsos.
The use of dialectal forms may ease finding a suitable verse.
For example the bertso Ürz' aphal bat by Etxahun was composed in his native Souletin dialect. If this was given in modern Standard Basque
, it would not only be altered radically but also break the syllable structure of the bertso:
. He was commonly known as Pernando Amezketarra, "Pernando from Amezketa (a village in Gipuzkoa)" and both a much loved bertsolari and trickster
.
Coinciding with a turbulent period in Basque history (the Carlist Wars
, World War I
and World War II
, the Spanish Civil War
, Spain under Franco) bertsos were a popular way of reflecting on current issues. Although bertsos which were considered to be worthy of passing on had been passed on orally before, the bertso-paperak, "bertso papers", became popular in this period and are the main source of information on these early bertsos today.
In the run-up to the Spanish Civil War
, two kinds of bertsolari started to be distinguished, the eskolatuak, the "studied" bertsolaris who were aware of written Basque literature, and the eskolatu gabeak, the "unstudied" bertsolariak who were not as literate, e.g. Txirrita
. The former, e.g. Basarri, were encouraged and advocated for by the Basque nationalist theoretician Aitzol, eventually tortured and killed by Spanish nationalist forces in the 1936 military uprising. He was the actual driving force behind the first major championship held in 1935 and the ensuing 1936 edition, while the Spanish Civil War
put a halt to the national championships until 1960.
On the wake of the Civil War (1936-1937 in the Basque Country), all advancement on recognition of the bertsolaritza and Basque culture came to an end. Repression and hunger demoted the performances to low-key events, basically in a friend and family environment, since the new Francoist rule regarded this cultural activity with suspicion. However, as the tight regime opened up in the 1950s, on-stage performances alongside provincial championships started to be held, with the bertsolaritza taking on a higher public profile. In this period, the pairs Lopategi and Azpillaga from the Spanish Basque Country and Mattin and Xalbador from the French Basque Country should be highlighted. In 1967, a controversial national championship took place in San Sebastian
, when sadly frictions over the language gap between the eastern (French) and western dialects came to a head (contender Uztapide vs Xalbador).
There were no more national championships until 1980, in San Sebastian. This time the celebration meeting of improvised poetry was attended by an audience of some 10,000 people, where a new kind of bertsolari emerged, Xabier Amuriza, one who had methodically re-learnt the Basque language and the way of fashioning bertsos (in prison), as opposed to the previous in-born bertsolaris. New ways of learning the art of singing extemporaneous verses were set up, i.e. schools, resulting in new generations of bertsolaris, such as the young Jon Sarasua, who qualified to the final in the 1986 national championship.
In the 90s, the educated new generations came to the spotlight, with Andoni Egaña from Zarautz
bridging the generation gap between the largely rural uneducated or semi-educated bertsolaris from the old school and the new educated urban youths. The new bertsolaris were more technical and able to deal with almost all kind of issues in society, with young girls starting to stand out too. Furthermore, especially in the 2000s, young bertsolaris show a concern in forms and in opening up to new trends, like hip-hop or theatrical performances, instead of staying put on the stage.
Today the championships are conducted both at the provincial level and at the national level. Since having started again, they have drawn increasingly large crowds and the popularity of certain bertsolaris coupled with a renewed effort to foster traditional Basque culture have rejuvenated this tradition since the 80s, while an effort is being made to get close to other international extemporaneous verse traditions and mix different art disciplines. Many young people today have the opportunity to study bertsolaritza as a school subject or attend one of the many bertso schools for adults which today can be found in all 7 provinces of the Basque Country
.
On December 13, 2009, the Main or National Contest (Txapelketa Nagusia) held on a 4 year basis took place at the Bilbao
Exhibition Centre (BEC), with a massive turnout of 15,000. For the first time in the history of bertsolaritza, a woman, Maialen Lujanbio, won the contest after contending in the finals against the young Amets Arzallus, so taking over the txapela (or winner's beret) from Andoni Egaña, winner of four Main Contests in a row since 1993.
Basque Television
routinely broadcasts the championships and has programmes about bertsolaritza such as Hitzetik Hortzera which has been running since 1988.
In addition, the tradition in these parts of the Basque Country played down technical aspects of the verse (especially the rhyme), taking on forms closer to extemporaneous song. In the 90s, bertsolaritza began to show a renewed vitality in the north of Navarre thanks to young people keen on the practice, while at the turn of the century concerted efforts were made in the northern provinces aimed at restoring the bertsolaritza tradition by establishing bertso learning as an extracurricular activity in Basque language schools. The new bertsolaris emerging from these schools follow the prevailing bertso manners of the western provinces
. The skill of some of these young bertsolaris such as Sustrai Colina or Amets Arzallus (from Labourd
) is worth mentioning. The bertso school of Oiartzun
, a town with close ties to the bordering areas of Navarre
and nearby Labourd
has played a major role in the efforts to sustain the bertsolaritza tradition.
, to give voice to a particular emotion or to settle a debate.
More formal competitions are ofte held at occasions such as town festivals or fairs. The most important over-regional competitions are the
) since 1935 and involves local and regional heat
s prior to the finale.
In 2009, Maialen Lujanbio Zugasti became the first woman to win the championship.
, not their given name (given in brackets).
Gstanzl
, the Italian
improvvisatori, and the Sardinian
mutos
(also known as mutettus, repentina or ottada in different parts of the island
.
Modernly bertsolaris have established contact with the Spanish-language traditions of Argentinian payadores and Cuban décima
s.
The singer Fermin Muguruza
has experimented with bertso-hop, drawing from bertso and rap music.
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
according to various melodies and rhyming patterns. Bertsos can be composed at a variety of occasions but are performed generally by one or various bertsolaris onstage in an event arranged for the purpose or as a sideshow, in homage ceremonies, in benefit lunches and suppers, with friends or at a competition. Such a sung piece of composition is called a bertso, the person who sings it is called a bertsolari and the art of composing bertsos is called bertsolaritza in
Basque
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
. Traditionally these were sung by men but there is an increasing number of young female bertsolaris today.
Usually the Basque terms are used in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
but the Spanish terms versolarismo and bertsolarismo and the French terms bertsularisme (from Zuberoan
Zuberoan
Souletin , is the Basque dialect spoken in Soule, France.-Name:In English sources, the Basque-based term Zuberoan is sometimes encountered. In Standard Basque, the dialect is known as Zuberera , locally variously as Üskara, Xiberera or Xiberotarra...
bertsularitza), bertsolarisme and versification are also used.
The Bertso
A bertso consists of two main components: the spontaneous verse and the melody to which it is sung. The famous modern-day bertsolari Xabier Amuriza defined it in a bertso as:| Neurriz eta errimaz | Through metre and rhyme |
| kantatzea itza | to sing the word |
| orra or zer kirol mota | that is what kind of sport |
| den bertsolaritza. | the bertsolaritza is. |
Many different forms of metre exist for bertsos but 4 of the commonly encountered ones are the zortziko txiki "small of eight", zortziko handi "big of eight", hamarreko txiki "small of ten" and hamarreko handi "big of ten". An example of a Zortziko Txiki is the first stanza of the bertso Aitorren Izkuntz Zarra "Aitor
Aitor
Aitor is a Basque masculine given name, created by Agosti Xaho for a Basque ancestral patriarch descending from the Biblical Tubal in his work "The Legend of Aitor" ....
's Ancient Language" by Z. Andonegi:
| Basque | English |
|---|---|
| Aitorren izkuntz zarra | Aitor's ancient language |
| nai degu zabaldu | we want to spread |
| munduaren aurrean | in front of the world |
| gizonki azaldu | courageously present |
| baldin gure zainetan | as long as in our veins |
| odolik badegu | we have blood |
| euskaldunak euskeraz | we Basques in Basque |
| itz egin bear degu. | must speak. |
The zortziko txiki is called the "small of eight" as the first lerro or "line" contains 8 oinak or "syllables" (literally called "feet"), followed by 7 syllables in the next line. Such a pair of lines is called a puntu, a "point", 4 puntu (or 8 lines) in total form one stanza in a zortziko txiki. The rhyme is carried in the lines of 7 syllables. The zortziko handi on the other hand contains 10 syllables in the first line, followed by 8 in the second. The hamarreko txiki and hamarreko handi only differ in the number of lines, of which they have 10 rather than 8.
An error in the rhyme is called a poto.
Music
There are scores of possible tunes which can be used for singing a bertso, stemming from traditional songs that once caught on and embedded themselves in folk culture. They are all, however, unaccompanied.Occasions and Presentation
Bertsos can be composed in a variety of settings and manners. The most elaborate forms are usually encountered at a formal bertsolari txapelketa, a "bertsolari competition" where a group of bertsolaris compete against each other for the txapela, the "winner's beretBeret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
". At a formal competition the bertsolari are called upon to compose and sing different kinds of bertsos by the gai-jartzaile, the "subject setter". The gai-jartzaile informs the bertsolari(s) of the type of challenge, which tune they have to use, and the metre. Some common bertso challenges include:
- Hasierako Agurra "The Initial Greeting": the bertsolari has to address the audience at the start of the day's competition, usually with a free choice of metre and topic
- Gartzelako Lana "Prison Cell Task": the bertsolari has to compose and sing a bertso to a given topic.
- Elkarrizketa "Conversation": two bertsolaris have to deal with the topic together, singing the stanzas in turns and responding to the previous statement. Again the topic is given.
- Puntua Jarrita "Point Given": the jartzaile sings a puntu and the bertsolari has to complete it, staying within the given tune and metre.
- Hitza Emanda "Word Given": the jartzaile gives a key word to the bertsolari who has to compose a bertso containing this word.
- Oinak Emanda "Rhymes Given": the bertsolari is given the four (or more, depending on the metre required) rhyming words and is required to compose the bertso "around" these rhyming words.
- Txapeldunaren Agurra "The Winner's Farewell": here the bertsolari is allowed to compose their farewell to the audience.
Topics
Any topic can occur in a bertso, anything from world politics to a humorous discussion about sex. A bertsolari might for example be asked to pretend to be a 17-year-old girl who has come home at 3 am to realise she has lost her house keys and must ring the doorbell. Bertsolaris may be required to compose an argument between two family members or to look at a topic from a philosophical point of view.The audience and the judges value wit as much as poetic value.
Language
Bertsos are always sung in BasqueBasque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
. Because it is primarily an oral art form, every bertsolari is free to use his own dialect so there is no requirement to use Standard Basque
Batua
Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...
. For this reason the orthography and grammatical forms used in publications of bertsos often diverge from the standard language to accommodate for dialect forms. For example, h is silent in Western dialects, so it is generally not written in old bertsos from those dialects, and ll (ʎ) and ñ (ɲ) are used much more often than in Standard Basque
Batua
Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...
; and ü (y) appears in the texts of Soule
Soule
Soule is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present day Pyrénées-Atlantiques département...
tin bertsos.
The use of dialectal forms may ease finding a suitable verse.
For example the bertso Ürz' aphal bat by Etxahun was composed in his native Souletin dialect. If this was given in modern Standard Basque
Batua
Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country...
, it would not only be altered radically but also break the syllable structure of the bertso:
| Zuberoan Zuberoan Souletin , is the Basque dialect spoken in Soule, France.-Name:In English sources, the Basque-based term Zuberoan is sometimes encountered. In Standard Basque, the dialect is known as Zuberera , locally variously as Üskara, Xiberera or Xiberotarra... |
Standard Basque Batua Standard Basque is a standardised version of the Basque language, developed by the Basque Language Academy in the late 1960s, which nowadays is the most widely and commonly spoken Basque-language version throughout the Basque Country... |
Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Ürz'aphal bat badügü herrian tristerik | Pagauso bat badugu herrian tristerik | We have a sad woodpigeon at home |
| Nigarrez ari düzü kaloian barnetik | Negarrez ari da kaiolan barnetik | It is crying from the cage |
| Bere lagün maitiaz beit' izan ützirik | Bere lagun maiteaz baita izan utzirik | Having been left by its beloved friends |
| Kuntsola ezazie ziek adiskidik. | Kontsola ezazue zuek adiskideak. | Friends, console it. |
History
It is unclear how old this tradition is but the modern recorded history of bertsolaritza dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. Bertsolaris were for the most part iliterate people, who performed in informal situations. As such, they didn't consider themselves as poets or a formal institution. However, they enjoyed great popularity and people often retained from memory their bertsos. Many of the most famous bertsolaris of this period came from the central province of Gipuzkoa. One of the earliest and most famous of these was a man called Fernando Bengoetxea AltunaPernando Amezketarra
Fernando Bengoetxea Altuna, commonly known as Pernando Amezketarra or — not so often — Fernando Amezketarra, was a bertsolari and folk guy born in the village of Amezketa , specifically in the farm named Espizaltxe, on October 10, 1764....
. He was commonly known as Pernando Amezketarra, "Pernando from Amezketa (a village in Gipuzkoa)" and both a much loved bertsolari and trickster
Trickster
In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. It is suggested by Hansen that the term "Trickster" was probably first used in this...
.
Carlist Wars
The Carlist Wars in Spain were the last major European civil wars in which contenders fought to establish their claim to a throne. Several times during the period from 1833 to 1876 the Carlists — followers of Infante Carlos and his descendants — rallied to the cry of "God, Country, and King" and...
, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, Spain under Franco) bertsos were a popular way of reflecting on current issues. Although bertsos which were considered to be worthy of passing on had been passed on orally before, the bertso-paperak, "bertso papers", became popular in this period and are the main source of information on these early bertsos today.
In the run-up to the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, two kinds of bertsolari started to be distinguished, the eskolatuak, the "studied" bertsolaris who were aware of written Basque literature, and the eskolatu gabeak, the "unstudied" bertsolariak who were not as literate, e.g. Txirrita
Txirrita
Jose Manuel Lujanbio Retegi , born on Hernani in 1860 and died in Altza in 1936, was a Basque composer of verse, known as bertsolaris.- Life :...
. The former, e.g. Basarri, were encouraged and advocated for by the Basque nationalist theoretician Aitzol, eventually tortured and killed by Spanish nationalist forces in the 1936 military uprising. He was the actual driving force behind the first major championship held in 1935 and the ensuing 1936 edition, while the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
put a halt to the national championships until 1960.
On the wake of the Civil War (1936-1937 in the Basque Country), all advancement on recognition of the bertsolaritza and Basque culture came to an end. Repression and hunger demoted the performances to low-key events, basically in a friend and family environment, since the new Francoist rule regarded this cultural activity with suspicion. However, as the tight regime opened up in the 1950s, on-stage performances alongside provincial championships started to be held, with the bertsolaritza taking on a higher public profile. In this period, the pairs Lopategi and Azpillaga from the Spanish Basque Country and Mattin and Xalbador from the French Basque Country should be highlighted. In 1967, a controversial national championship took place in San Sebastian
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, when sadly frictions over the language gap between the eastern (French) and western dialects came to a head (contender Uztapide vs Xalbador).
There were no more national championships until 1980, in San Sebastian. This time the celebration meeting of improvised poetry was attended by an audience of some 10,000 people, where a new kind of bertsolari emerged, Xabier Amuriza, one who had methodically re-learnt the Basque language and the way of fashioning bertsos (in prison), as opposed to the previous in-born bertsolaris. New ways of learning the art of singing extemporaneous verses were set up, i.e. schools, resulting in new generations of bertsolaris, such as the young Jon Sarasua, who qualified to the final in the 1986 national championship.
In the 90s, the educated new generations came to the spotlight, with Andoni Egaña from Zarautz
Zarautz
Zarautz is a coastal town located in the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country, northern Spain.The town is a popular tourist destination with the population swelling from its usual 22,812 to around 60,000 in summer. The Palace of Narros, located adjacent to Zarautz's 2.8 km long beach,...
bridging the generation gap between the largely rural uneducated or semi-educated bertsolaris from the old school and the new educated urban youths. The new bertsolaris were more technical and able to deal with almost all kind of issues in society, with young girls starting to stand out too. Furthermore, especially in the 2000s, young bertsolaris show a concern in forms and in opening up to new trends, like hip-hop or theatrical performances, instead of staying put on the stage.
Today the championships are conducted both at the provincial level and at the national level. Since having started again, they have drawn increasingly large crowds and the popularity of certain bertsolaris coupled with a renewed effort to foster traditional Basque culture have rejuvenated this tradition since the 80s, while an effort is being made to get close to other international extemporaneous verse traditions and mix different art disciplines. Many young people today have the opportunity to study bertsolaritza as a school subject or attend one of the many bertso schools for adults which today can be found in all 7 provinces of the Basque Country
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
.
On December 13, 2009, the Main or National Contest (Txapelketa Nagusia) held on a 4 year basis took place at the Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
Exhibition Centre (BEC), with a massive turnout of 15,000. For the first time in the history of bertsolaritza, a woman, Maialen Lujanbio, won the contest after contending in the finals against the young Amets Arzallus, so taking over the txapela (or winner's beret) from Andoni Egaña, winner of four Main Contests in a row since 1993.
Basque Television
Euskal Telebista
Euskal Irrati Telebista is the Basque Country's public broadcast service. Its main brand is Euskal Telebista ....
routinely broadcasts the championships and has programmes about bertsolaritza such as Hitzetik Hortzera which has been running since 1988.
Navarre and the French Basque Country
Both Navarre and the Northern provinces have begun to participate in the renaissance of the bertsolari tradition but with some conspicuous differences, mainly due to sociolinguistic issues. While Basque in the Autonomous Community enjoys relatively sound position, in the other provinces the transmission and use of Basque is weaker, especially in the North. Here, the bertso tradition almost vanished following the death of the veteran bertsolaris Martin Treku (Mattin) and Fernando Aire (Xalbador) (1981 and 1976) with only a handful of senior bertsolaris staging performances thereafter. In the north of Navarre, bertsolaris were also scarce with some notable exceptions such as Manolo Arozena.In addition, the tradition in these parts of the Basque Country played down technical aspects of the verse (especially the rhyme), taking on forms closer to extemporaneous song. In the 90s, bertsolaritza began to show a renewed vitality in the north of Navarre thanks to young people keen on the practice, while at the turn of the century concerted efforts were made in the northern provinces aimed at restoring the bertsolaritza tradition by establishing bertso learning as an extracurricular activity in Basque language schools. The new bertsolaris emerging from these schools follow the prevailing bertso manners of the western provinces
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
. The skill of some of these young bertsolaris such as Sustrai Colina or Amets Arzallus (from Labourd
Labourd
Labourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
) is worth mentioning. The bertso school of Oiartzun
Oiartzun
Oiartzun is a town of the Basque Country located in the province of Gipuzkoa lying at the foot of the massif Aiako Harria.The name traces back to the Oiasso or Oiarso of the Roman period, an important town dedicated to mining and marine activities...
, a town with close ties to the bordering areas of Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
and nearby Labourd
Labourd
Labourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
has played a major role in the efforts to sustain the bertsolaritza tradition.
Bertsolaritza in the community and competitions
Bertsolaritza is practised both formally at competitions and informally at a wide variety of occasions, for example when visiting a Basque cider houseSagardotegi
A sagardotegi is a type of cider house found in the Basque Country. Modern sagardotegis can broadly be described as a cross between a steakhouse and a cider house....
, to give voice to a particular emotion or to settle a debate.
More formal competitions are ofte held at occasions such as town festivals or fairs. The most important over-regional competitions are the
- Arabako Bertsolari Txapelketa in ÁlavaÁlavaÁlava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
- Bizkaiko Bertsolari Txapelketa in BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
- Gipuzkoako Bertsolari Txapelketa in Gipuzkoa
- Nafarroako Bertsolari Txapelketa in NavarreNavarreNavarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
- Iparraldeko Bertsolari Txapelketa in the Northern Basque CountryNorthern Basque CountryThe French Basque Country or Northern Basque Country situated within the western part of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques constitutes the north-eastern part of the Basque Country....
The Txapelketa Nagusia
Above the provincial level, there is the Euskal Herriko Bertsolari Txapelketa Nagusia or "Great Bertsolari Championship of the Basque Country." This has been held (with considerable gaps due to the Second World War and the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
) since 1935 and involves local and regional heat
Heat
In physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
s prior to the finale.
In 2009, Maialen Lujanbio Zugasti became the first woman to win the championship.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1935 | Inazio Eizmendi Manterola "Basarri" |
| 1936 | Jose Manuel Lujanbio Retegi "Txirrita" Txirrita Jose Manuel Lujanbio Retegi , born on Hernani in 1860 and died in Altza in 1936, was a Basque composer of verse, known as bertsolaris.- Life :... |
| 1960 | Inazio Eizmendi Manterola "Basarri" |
| 1962 | Manuel Olaizola Urbieta "Uztapide" |
| 1965 | Manuel Olaizola Urbieta "Uztapide" |
| 1967 | Manuel Olaizola Urbieta "Uztapide" |
| 1980 | Xabier Amuriza Sarrionandia |
| 1982 | Xabier Amuriza Sarrionandia |
| 1986 | Sebastian Lizaso Iraola |
| 1989 | Jon Lopategi Lauzirika |
| 1993 | Andoni Egaña Makazaga |
| 1997 | Andoni Egaña Makazaga |
| 2001 | Andoni Egaña Makazaga |
| 2005 | Andoni Egaña Makazaga |
| 2009 | Maialen Lujanbio Zugasti |
Famous Bertsolaris
Most historic bertsolaris were generally known by their nickname, usually stemming from the family house or farmBaserri
A baserri is a traditional type of half-timbered or stone-built farmhouse found in the Basque Country in Northern Spain and Southwestern France. The baserris, with their gently sloping roofs and entrace portals, are highly characteristic of the region and form a vital part in traditional Basque...
, not their given name (given in brackets).
Historic Bertsolaris
- Basarri (Inazio Eizmendi, 1913–1999) Gipuzkoa
- BilintxBilintxIndalecio Bizcarrondo, also known as Bilintx was a Basque improvisational poet or bertsolari living in Spain, who wrote largely in the Basque language...
(Indalezio Bizkarrondo, 1831–1876) Gipuzkoa - Bordel (Joan Etxamendi Larralde, 1792–1879) NavarreNavarreNavarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
- Etxahun (Pierre Topet, 1786–1862) SouleSouleSoule is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present day Pyrénées-Atlantiques département...
- Etxahun-Iruri (Pierre Bordazarra, 1908–79) SouleSouleSoule is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present day Pyrénées-Atlantiques département...
- Etxamendi (Jean Etxamendi 1873-1962) Lower NavarreLower NavarreLower Navarre is a part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département of France. Along with Navarre of Spain, it was once ruled by the Kings of Navarre. Lower Navarre was historically one of the kingdoms of Navarre. Its capital were Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint-Palais...
- Lexoti (Jose Luis Lekuona (1925–2006) Gipuzkoa
- Lazkao TxikiLazkao TxikiJoxe Miguel Iztueta Cortajarena , better known as "Lazkao Txiki" was a Basque bertsolari poet and musician....
(Joxe Migel Iztueta Kortajarena, 1926–1993) Gipuzkoa - Mattin (Mattin Treku Inhargue, 1916–1981) LabourdLabourdLabourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
- Otaño (Pello Mari Otaño Barriola, 1857–1910) Gipuzkoa
- Pello ErrotaPello ErrotaPedro Jose Elizegi “Pello Errota” was born on the estate of Goikoerrota's Mill near Asteasu, a town in the Basque region of Gipuzkoa, and was one of the best known bertsolaris of all time....
(Pedro Jose Elizegi, 1840–1919) Gipuzkoa - Pernando AmezketarraPernando AmezketarraFernando Bengoetxea Altuna, commonly known as Pernando Amezketarra or — not so often — Fernando Amezketarra, was a bertsolari and folk guy born in the village of Amezketa , specifically in the farm named Espizaltxe, on October 10, 1764....
(Fernando Bengoetxea Altuna, 1764–1823) Gipuzkoa - Piarres Ibarrart (1838–1919) LabourdLabourdLabourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
- TxirritaTxirritaJose Manuel Lujanbio Retegi , born on Hernani in 1860 and died in Altza in 1936, was a Basque composer of verse, known as bertsolaris.- Life :...
(Jose Manuel Lujanbio Erretegi, 1860–1936) Gipuzkoa - Urretxindorra (Kepa Embeita Renteria, 1878–1942) BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
- Uztapide (Manuel Olaizola Urbieta, 1909–1983) Gipuzkoa
- Xalbador (Ferdinand Aire Etxart, 1920–1976) Lower NavarreLower NavarreLower Navarre is a part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département of France. Along with Navarre of Spain, it was once ruled by the Kings of Navarre. Lower Navarre was historically one of the kingdoms of Navarre. Its capital were Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint-Palais...
- Xanpun (Manuel Sein, 1928–2002) LabourdLabourdLabourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
- Xenpelar (Frantzisko Petrirena Errekondo, 1835–1869) Gipuzkoa
- Zepai (Akilino Izagirre Amenabar, 1906–1971) Gipuzkoa
Modern Bertsolaris
- Xabier Amuriza Sarrionandia (1941) BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
- Amets Arzallus Antia (1983) LabourdLabourdLabourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
- Sustrai Colina Akordarrementeria (1983) LabourdLabourdLabourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
- Andoni Egaña Makazaga (1961) Gipuzkoa
- Igor Elortza Aranoa (1975) BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
- Jon Enbeita Ealo (1950) BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
- Unai Iturriaga Zugaza-Artaza (1974) BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
- Maialen Lujanbio Zugasti (1976) Gipuzkoa
- Jon Maia Soria (1972) Gipuzkoa
- Jon Martin Etxebeste (1981) Gipuzkoa
- Mañukorta (Gregorio Larrañaga Mandiola, 1943) BiscayBiscayBiscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
- Oihane Perea Perez de Mendiola (1977) ÁlavaÁlavaÁlava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
- Xabier Silveira Etxeberria (1976) NavarreNavarreNavarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
- Aitor Usandizaga Izagirre (1976) Lower NavarreLower NavarreLower Navarre is a part of the present day Pyrénées Atlantiques département of France. Along with Navarre of Spain, it was once ruled by the Kings of Navarre. Lower Navarre was historically one of the kingdoms of Navarre. Its capital were Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint-Palais...
Similar traditions
Other cultures have traditions of sung extemporary verse not unlike bertsolaritza. Amongst them are the Austro-BavarianAustro-Bavarian
Bavarian , also Austro-Bavarian, is a major group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south east of the German language area.-History and origin:...
Gstanzl
Gstanzl
The Gstanzl is a mocking song that is especially known in the Austrian-Bavarian regions. A Gstanzl normally consists of four lines, sometimes eight, and is sung in dialect. They can either be sung at certain dances , or are sung without dancing.Gstanzln are normally only sung by men...
, the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
improvvisatori, and the Sardinian
Sardinian language
Sardinian is a Romance language spoken and written on most of the island of Sardinia . It is considered the most conservative of the Romance languages in terms of phonology and is noted for its Paleosardinian substratum....
mutos
Mutu (music)
A mutu is a type of improvised sung poetry found in Sardinia. These are traditionally sung mostly by women in response to the male for of this type of improvisation called Battorinas....
(also known as mutettus, repentina or ottada in different parts of the island
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
.
Modernly bertsolaris have established contact with the Spanish-language traditions of Argentinian payadores and Cuban décima
Décima
A décima refers to a ten-line stanza of poetry, and the song form generally consists of forty-four lines...
s.
The singer Fermin Muguruza
Fermin Muguruza
Fermin Muguruza is a Basque rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, record label manager, and co-founder for the ska punk band Kortatu, active from 1983 to 1988, and for the crossover group Negu Gorriak, active from 1990 to 1996.He is the brother of musicians Iñigo Muguruza and Jabier...
has experimented with bertso-hop, drawing from bertso and rap music.
External links
- Bertsolari, a trailer of a documentary on bertsolaritza by Asier Altuna with English subtitles
- Bertso Eskolak (Bertso Schools)
- Bertsozale Elkartea (Society of Bertso Aficionados)
- Articles of the Oral Tradition Journal
- Spanish-language Auñamendi Basque Encyclopedia: