2023-09-20 00:54:39
A day for Basque poetry and a morning to listen to what two poets who write in the Catalan language have to say. Both days, a showcase for voices of different styles, origins and generations. This is what the ‘Irailekoak’ festival will bring to Lekeitio on September 30 and October 1. The new cultural event with creation in Basque – and not only in this language – is organized by Euskaltzaindia with the support of the Lekeitio City Council and in collaboration with the Kitto merchants association, the Recreational Society and the Lekitto Music Band. And it is here to stay, to return to the calendar in the coming years, although its promoters do not yet know where it will do so.
What they do know is that it is the first “live” activity in the field of poetry launched by the Royal Academy of the Basque Language. If, as its president, Andres Urrutia, says, language is made every day and it is not just norms but, above all, its use on the street, its speakers, ‘Irailekoak’ wants to bring you the reality of poetic creation in two days, one entire day and another morning, in which to begin with an analysis of that poetry in the first two decades of this century. “Examining the paths of Basque poetry,” as defined by Miren Agur Meabe, the Lekeitio National Poetry Prize winner and Euskaltzaindia full academic who is behind the program. That is the first objective of a festival that wants to disseminate poets “from here”, listen to voices from different generations and territories and create spaces for collaboration between them, in different territories.
‘Irailekoak’, with free admission, has conferences, recitals and conversations on the agenda, as well as lots of music. On Saturday the 30th, Iratxe Retolaza will open the festival with a talk on Basque poetry of the 21st at the Sociedad Recerativa, at 11:00; at one o’clock, the poets Aritz Gorrotxategi, Nerea Arrien and Eric Dicharry, accompanied by the musician Inun, have a recital scheduled in San Juan Talako. In the afternoon, the recital will turn into a parade: Beatriz Chivite, Itziar Ugarte, Jokin Erkoreka, Libe Goitia and Martin Bidaur will tour the town with the local music band to recite their verses on different stages. That will be at six. And at night, at 10:00 p.m., concert by Maite Larburu in the Compañía church.
For Sunday, tomorrow, the appointment at the Recreational Society is with poetry in Catalan and with two very different authors: the Mallorcan Antònia Vicens, 2018 National Prize, born in 1941, will talk with Iñigo Astiz and the Barcelonan Mireia Calafell, from 1980, she will be interviewed by Itxaro Borda. Everyone will express themselves in their usual language and there will be simultaneous translation.
Poetry will be seen for days in the streets, because the windows of around thirty businesses and many walls will display verses by Basque poets (Miren Agur Meabe, Aurelia Arkotxa, Bernardo Atxaga, Castillo Suárez, for example) and some literary figures universal (Forugh Farrokhzad, Anne Sexton, Alejandra Pizikarnik…).
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