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Grazing flock of sheep and lambs. Akaitze Kamiruaga. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.

The provision of in-kind aid to neighbours was commonly known as lorra in some Basque-speaking communities. It more properly concerned situations where a family in need, for whatever reason, was helped by neighbours, providing them with material support. The terms totoa and totoarena have likewise been found to designate the same concept.

If a shepherd lost his entire flock to disease, he would ask each of his fellow shepherds for a young sheep, which they would immediately present him with. In the surroundings of Oiz Mountain the provision of sheep was known as bildots-lorra, bildots being Basque for ‘yearling sheep’. The custom was also observed in other regions, although not given a particular name. (more…)