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AROUND THE WORLD 4: 22nd Herri Urrats Festival

In Iparralde, the Basque provinces in southwest France, the 22nd Herri Urrats festival kicked off on May 8, 2005. The Herri Urrats festival commemorates Basque province schools.

The Basque people are well-known for their colorful festivals and dances, particularly la Jota--a sort of jig. Iparralde lies in close proximity to the lake of Senpere, and they expect thousands of visitors for the festival.

The Basque have a motto: "Urrats biziz euskara bizi," which translates from their dialect to "Enjoy it the Basque way."

The Herri Urrats organizers expect to raise enough funds to invest in the opening of two new schools--called ''Ikastelas"--that will be built in the region.

The Basque provinces are located on either side of the Pyrenees in both France and Spain. For many years the Basque have sought to be independent of France and Spain so they may follow their own traditions and customs, as well as maintain their own dialect. In addition, the Basque have mysterious origins. They are one of the oldest ethnic groups in the world, but very little is known about their descendants.

During his invasion of Europe, Napoleon Bonaparte learned the Basque were fearless, which is the reason his troops retreated from the Basque province.

--Written by Jackie O'Neal

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