Archives
Climb to the mountain. Aia (Gipuzkoa), 1998. Antxon Aguirre.
Transhumance is the practice of moving livestock, mainly sheep, from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle, typically to highlands in summer and lowlands in winter. And for good reason, because pasture and forage resources in certain geographical areas do not always match livestock needs throughout the year. Long-distance livestock routes are commonly known as cañadas, or altxonbideak in Lower Navarre and Zuberoa, whereas ardibideak, or simply bideak, are minor paths and tracks used to access the mountain from lower altitudes. (more…)
Fruit tree in full bloom. Luis Manuel Peña. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.
Just as a house was not a home unless it contained a hearth, blood was regarded as the very essence of life and health for people and farm animals alike. Indeed, there is an old saying that ‘a house without fire is like a body without blood’, its documented Basque equivalent being su bako etxea, gorputz odolbagea.
Blood also refers to emotions and temperament, especially when passionate. Thus, for instance, we say that someone who annoys us ‘makes our blood boil’, odolak irakiten deusku, or that someone ‘seems to have no blood in his veins’, odolbakoa da, to suggest that nothing upsets or moves him, or that he lacks passion and verve. There are plenty of similar expressions that we use, almost without realizing it, in everyday language. (more…)
Dandelions in the field. Luis Manuel Peña. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.
It has been a cold and rainy winter, and spring is taking its time arriving. We still find ourselves surrounded by snow-covered mountains, and when the northwest wind blows, it enters our body and makes us feel like we are freezing. (more…)
Grass harvesting in Carranza (Bizkaia), 2017. Luis Manuel Peña. Labayru Fundazioa Photographic Archive.
The eighth volume of the Ethnographic Atlas of the Basque Country, this one dedicated to agriculture, is about to see the light of day. It relates to a previous volume on livestock farming and shepherding, as could not be otherwise, since agriculture in traditional societies is closely linked to these activities. The present work includes a chapter devoted to grass, where the mentioned linkage is perhaps most clearly appreciated, its cultivation and care being designed for the provision of animal feed. (more…)
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