Amatxi, Amuma, Amona: Writings In Honor Of Basque Women (Occasional Papers Series)

This publication brings together eleven essays on Basque women--their personal and collective stories--from the Basque Country of Europe to Basque settlements in the American West, Latin America, and Australia. This diverse collection focuses on identity, specifically Basque identity, together with the contribution of these women to their communities and to the maintenance of their culture. As the introduction states, "Basque women have played strong, diverse roles within their cultures, both that of the Basque country and that of the Basque community spread throughout the world. The voices that have contributed to this volume pay homage to those roles in different ways. We begin with two works of fiction by Basque-American writers, each recounting a tale of childhood shaped by Basque grandmothers. The other writings are loosely arranged to carry us from fiction to personal recollection and finally to the purely academic."Martin Etchart's "Amatxi" captures a day of transition in the life of a thirteen-year-old Basque-American boy who learns about love and hope and the power of family while helping his grandmother prepare Easter dinner. Maria Davis Denzler's "Into the Dark" is a haunting, lyric tale of the presence of an owl who, by linking three generations of women -- grandmother, mother, and daughter -- provides a bridge between the past to the present as each woman feels the presence of the mysterious bird in her life. In "Basking in a Different Sun: The Story of Conchi Mendiolea," Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui brings to bear her personal knowledge of the migrant experience in North Queensland, Australia. Estibaliz Gastesi's "Emiliana de Zubeldia" traces the life and work of the Basquepianist and composer, demonstrating how Zubeldia maintained a strong Basque identity despite constantly traveling the world to play at the foremost concert venues. Rachel Bard's "Berengaria of Navarre: Medieval Role Model"Linda White is the author of 'Amatxi, Amuma, Amona: Writings In Honor Of Basque Women (Occasional Papers Series)' with ISBN 9781877802096 and ISBN 1877802093.