| Andra Mari. History. 50
years of song and dance. In 1955, a group of young people from Galdakao, with the help and
protection of the local Catholic Church, formed the Basque dance group Andra Mari
Eusko Dantzari Taldea. After a few years of very hard work, the group found and
defined its own rightful place in the world of Basque culture.
From 1965 to the present day, the
group has represented traditional Basque culture in all the International Folk Festivals
in which it has participated, both in Europe as in the rest of the world.
In the 1970´s, intent on further
developing its studies, the group began to investigate, learn and recuperate many ancient
rituals, music and dances from the whole of the Basque Country. To do this, the group went
directly to the villages from where the rituals, music and dance originated to learn first
hand from the inhabitants - Dancing Masters, Dancers and reliable sources. The group
also began to compile as much information as possible about different dances and
celebrations that had been lost or were on the point of disappearing in the Basque
Country, in order to guarantee their continuity and the diversity of Basque culture.
The result of all this work today
is an extensive repertoire, which includes, for example, the Carnival
dances of Alsasua, the dances from Aezkoa, Salazar,Roncal and Valcarlos in Navarre and
especially the Dantzari Dantza and Soka Dantza (chain dance) from
Berriz, and the Jota Zaharrak (old jota dances) from Bizkaia;
or the dances from Soule, the dances from Gipuzkoa, the Ingurutxoak from Leitza and
Iribas, the Larrain dantza from Estella...etc.
The character or philosophy that
best defines the
group and its work can be resumed in a paragraph written by Lucille
Armstrong as the prologue to the book Dantzak by J.A. Urbeltz (1978). |
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| “…Since
the roots are the point of creation of a people, to know them means to know the way they,
the people, are; the importance of conserving popular dance in its traditional form is
therefore understandable, since it is the only way we can faithfully approach the past.
The slightest modification would render it insignificant and the dance would simply become
a physical exercise to keep the body in good shape”. |
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| We feel we can say without any
doubt that when investigating dances/music/rituals the group takes great care to maintain
the traditional forms, styles and choreographies, but above all it tries to understand the
essence of the dance. This approach has turned the Andra Mari Dance Group into a
point of reference in Basque Country culture. During the last few years, the group has been working to
recuperate and reactivate a cultural calendar in the town of Galdakao.To
this end they have celebrated the most important Basque traditional festivities and
rituals, such as, Saint Agueda (eve of 5th february), Erreginak (Whitsun ceremonials, 4th
May), Saint John (Midsummer night´s eve 24th June), and Olentzaro (Basque Father
Christmas, 24th December).
The group has also started to work
on the recuperation of traditional festivals and “romerías”(processions usually
to a local shrine) in the areas surrounding Galdakao, such as, the “Ascension”
in Bekea, “Andra Mariak” in Elexalde or the “Soka-dantza” (chain
dance) and street party in Santa Cruz of Galdakao.
During the summer, the group
organizes and celebrates the “Folklore bizian” festival in Bizkaia,
inviting traditional dance and music groups from Europe and the rest of the world to take
part. |
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| In its constant effort to
recuperate and reactivate the traditional dances, music and rituals of the Basque Country,
the Andra Mari Dance Group has dedicated many years of hard work to maintain and preserve
the identity of its people. Unfortunately, there are many people who would like to see the
total annihilation of the Basque cultural identity (proof being the innumerable cases of
aggression which our country suffers day after day). In the face of this difficult
situation, the group has become more determined than ever of the need to work in favour of
the continuity of Basque culture and identity and leave to the generations of Basques to
come the legacy of the vast cultural heritage of what was, is and will be ours. Galdakao, 2002.
The Basque Country. |
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