Basque ethnography at a glance

Source: Nora Urbizu.

Although we pass by them without even realizing it, it is still common to see shackles on the streets of our towns. This object, known in Basque by various names (uztaia, rintza, txinga, zirgilo), reminds us of the past. In its simplicity, we could classify it as cultural heritage, since it has become a historical object integrated into our urban landscape. The shackles were used to tie donkeys and other animals, and despite having survived all the changes and innovations that have occurred in the streets, they open a window into the lifestyles of our ancestors. These elements, which are symbolic heritage, have the capacity to recall past lives.

Julio Caro Baroja, in his book Los Vascos (1971), affirms that the form of a living space is closely linked to the social and economic structure. Specifically, rings highlight the connection between economy and space, and establish personality, identity and historical past. Although today they are not used productively, who knows how many peasants used them in the past.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the trade of the distributor, responsible for delivering farm products, was a significant profession. Regardless of whether there was an economic connection or not, distribution was the transfer of goods, a transaction using farm products. In this sense, the work of selling or exchanging these products was mainly taken care of by women; although it was more recognized as a domestic task than as a profession. Moreover, the trade was indeed hard; it required great responsibility, it was a laborious and often dangerous activity.

The regional market they visited and the frequency with which they went varied according to the sales strategy of each family. Which products they produced, as well as the number of family members was an important factor in this decision. The routes to reach the market also offered different options, since travelling by donkey on foot, by tram or by bus were not the same. Paradoxically, the donkey was at the time a symbol of progress and openness to the market, a symbol of modernity.

Source: Kutxa Fototeka.

The farm was both a production site and a home. Far from being a closed reality, the farmhouse has had a long, perhaps eternal, economic relationship with the street household, commerce and industry. Large families lived on the farmhouses, but no one was left redundant. It is worth noting that the work of the youngest members of the family was also important. Although they had little time left until adolescence, they performed important work for the home and family. Often, before dawn, they would go out with their donkeys or cows.

Milk, cheese, eggs, capons and chickens, vegetables, beans, nuts and loquats were common in the baskets that the baserritarras (farmers) prepared for the market, as well as charcoal in the forest areas. The previous work of collecting, selecting and preparing the products was carried out with great care. In any case, the fact that the farmhouse provided all these foods (with the work of the farmers, of course) did not mean that they could become part of the family’s daily diet.

As we have said, the women were responsible for selling these products to earn money so that they could buy other foods or basic household items. Many farmers sold their products in the market, in shops or in private homes; in the latter cases, each farm had its own customers. Therefore, it should be emphasized that the distribution was not limited to just the markets. These sales strategies varied according to the production seasons or the search for a quick or easy sale. Moreover, at the peak of production, they went to the sales points several times a week.

The shackles of our streets offer us the opportunity to travel back in time, to see spaces from a different perspective. During their daily hard work, our mothers, aunts and grandmothers tied their donkeys to these rings; let us not forget their work.

Nora Urbizu Arozena — Anthropologist