Baztandarren Biltzarra is the brotherhood festival of the villages of the Baztan Valley. It has been held in Elizondo since 1963 on the Sunday the festivities of San Fermín and Santiago, which is normally Sunday 3 July. It is a popular celebration in which the 15 villages that make up the valley (Almandoz, Arizkun, Berroeta, Erratzu, Lekaroz, Amaiur, Arraioz, Elbete, Gartzain, Oronoz, Aniz, Azpilkueta, Elizondo, Irurita and Ziga) take part.
In 1963, a group of friends decided to organise a festival that would bring together the villages of the valley. With this aim in mind, all of them were asked to come to Elizondo with a float decorated with motifs or themes representative of the region. In fact, the soul of the festival is these floats on which each village reflects (and transmits) its concerns and demands.
The festival was a great success and its fame spread throughout the Basque Country. However, the authorities of the time did not accept the festival and put many obstacles in the way of its celebration.
In 1976, the delegation that the town council of Baztán had for the organisation of the festival abandoned this function. A group of young people therefore created the Baztandarren Biltzarra Cultural Association. This entity was responsible not only for organising the festival, but also for organising various cultural activities in the villages of the valley throughout the year.
This festival has become a reference throughout the Basque Country. In fact, similar festivals have been organised in other parts of the valley with the same objective.
The day opens with a mass, followed by a parade of floats through the streets of Elizondo. Each village presents one. This is followed by the mutil-dantza dance in the Town Hall square. This is an exclusively male dance in which the number of dancers increases as the melody progresses. The morning ends with a popular lunch in the Market Square.
In addition to the aforementioned programme, throughout the day there are numerous stalls exhibiting handicrafts and selling local products, as well as sporting activities (laxoa matches) and musical activities (concerts).
En 2013 el Baztandarren Biltzarra sopló 50 velas. 50 años de historia en los que la fiesta ha mantenido su esencia: misa, partidos de laxoa, desfile de carrozas, mutildantzas, comida popular,... Todo ello, acompañado de diversos eventos culturales: conciertos, deporte rural, teatro, cine, coros,...
Cinco décadas de fiesta no exentas de dificultades. Dificultades no sólo externas (falta de financiación, falta de apoyo oficial, represiones directas, expedientes,...), sino también internas, por la falta de personas dispuestas a colaborar en la organización.
Durante estos años ha habido también momentos reseñables por distintos motivos. Así, es interesante recordar los 30.000 partipantes de la edición de 1973, las 2.500 pesetas de presupuesto de la primera edición o la participación, por vez primera, de las mujeres en las mutil-dantzas de 1980.
Con motivo del aniversario se compuso una canción. La letra es de Fernando Anbustegi y la música del grupo Trikidantz.
Gazte batzuren ilusioa Arizkun, almandoz eta ziga Elkartu Baztandarren biltzarraren leloa | Dantzatu Aitortu eskuarari daukan balorea Atzendu dezagun gure jarrera baldarra Zorionak baztandarren biltzarra! Elkartu |
- Baztandarren Biltzarra. Web oficial. [Fecha de consulta: 3 de abril de 2014].
- Baztandarren biltzarra 50 urte. Baztanen eskuara barra-barra. 1963-2013. Revista.