Bertsolaristic movement History The reality of modern age

The reality of modern age

The popularity of fiestas grew considerably as of 1977. Students began to study the art at special schools – Sarasua or Euzkitze, for example – and here Amuriza was of incalculable assistance. Bertsolaris began to appear on television, on the radio and in the press, and their public increased at the same giddy rate. Bertsolaris were also transformed into an advertising strategy. Just as down through the centuries the bertsolaris had adapted to change, so the topics and the bertsolaris themselves became much more sophisticated: of the 47 contestants in 1997, for example, 26 had studied at universities.

The phenomenon of Basque speakers whose mother tongue was not Basque became a considerable part of Basque reality. The art left the farmstead for the city carrying an instructions manual. Using the theoretical basis proposed by Manuel Lekuona, the bertsolari myth was written down in specific steps: for example, Hitzaren Kirol Nazionala (National Word Sport, a method for learning how to make verses) or Hiztegi Errimatuak (Rhyming Vocabulary) gave everyone the chance to be a bertsolari. This provided an explanation of all the magic tricks, and was quite a revelation: bertsolaris had to be made, and then had to be born on stage.

The en masse emergence of bertsolari schools also dates back to this era, the 1980s. Some bertsolaris from the Busturia area had been learning the art at the Garriko school in Muxika with Enbeita, and the group which had started out in Aretxabaleta in 1974 became popular, but most of today’s schools did not commence their activities until 1981. Among the young hopefuls were Arantzazu Loidi and Kristina Mardaras, who aimed to add women’s voices to the art after so many years of compulsory silence.

Competitions were organised by the Basque Language Academy after the Civil War, but in 1985 disagreements emerged between the bertsolaris and the way in which the contests were organised. Following long discussion and debate, in 1986 the Basque Country Bertsolari Association (later the Association of the Friends of Bertsolaris) was created in 1986 to organise the competition for that year. In 1991 the association founded the Xenpelar Documentation Unit to compile information relating to the traditional production of bertsolari verses, and a few years later the Lanku company was founded to publicise and promote the art of bertsolaris.

Bertsolaris these days are increasingly younger, and the art itself has rejuvenated to a more urbane style: Unai Iturriaga, Igor Elortza, Maialen Lujanbio … the story of the bertsolaris is now an everyday story, and they are to be found in the street, in the square, at the theatre, on the radio, web sites, magazines and almost anywhere.

Scripta manent, verba volant.

Bertsolaris from the social viewpoint			Creating space for bertsolaritza