Basque trad band plays in Dublin

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Tuesday August 21, 2007 17:54 by Diarmuid - Dublin Irish/ Basque Committee

DIBC organises number of Basque solidarity events

Basque traditional band is brought to Dublin to play by Dublin Irish/ Basque Committee, amidst other support and solidarity activities.

"Hegoaize", meaning "South Wind" in the Basque language, will play on Friday 25th in Dún Laoire as part of the annual Festival of World Cultures.

The traditional instruments will include the txalaparta (wooden percussion), alboka (cow's horn with a reed and finger-holes), trikitiksa (small accordeon), txistu (flute with three holes), pandereta (tambourine), alongside the guitar and violin. Band members will also perform Bertxos (a form of commentary singing with improvised lyrics) and traditional dance.

On Sunday 27th, the seven-strong band will be the main attraction at a fund-raising party organised by the DIBC.

Starting at 5pm in the "Saints and Sinners" pub in King Street North in Dublin, the event will include Basque food ("pintxos") on sale along with other traditional Basque fund-raising items (entrance 8 Euro).

Still flushed with the recent victory of their Basque/ Catalan football team against a number of international teams at the recent Belfast festival, the DIBC made a strong showing at the GPO on the 18th, with Basque flags ("Ikuruna") and a banner calling for Independence and Democracy for the Basque country. Many passers-by of Irish and othe national backgrounds expressed their support, including Basque tourists who were delighted to see such a demonstration away from their homeland.