HERRI KIROLAK BASQUE RURAL SPORTS

CULTURAL CHANGE AND SPORT

COMENIUS PROJECT 2010-2012

ANITURRI BHI-AGURAIN

THE BASQUE COUNTRY

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HERRI KIROLAKINTRODUCTION

The name HERRI KIROLAK could be translated as Basque Rural Sports or Sports of the Basque People.

In 2006 the Basque Government officially recognized 18 disciplines, which rank from sports known all over the world such as tug-of-war (SOKATIRA) or wood chopping (AIZKOLARITZA) to sports that wouldn’t be easy to find outside the Basque Country, for example, competitive grass cutting (SEGA) or ear of corn gathering (LOKOTX BILTZEA).

HERRI KIROLAKINTRODUCTION

Most of these sports find their roots in centuries of agricultural practise and are strongly linked to Basque cultural identity, giving us a glimpse of the traditional lifestyle of the rural pattern.

To participate of any of these sports, you need to have enormous stamina, good techniques and clear ideas of strategy. However, more than anything, you need to be physically strong. For example, HARRIJASOTZAILEAK consists of lifting stones of more than 200kg and balancing them on your shoulders

LOKOTX BILTZEACORN GATHERING

AIM: The aim of the sport is to gather ears of corn as fast as possible.

HISTORY: The origins of this sport date back to the old times when farmers used to harvest corn.

EQUIPMENT: ears of corn (or wooden sticks), and baskets.

HOW TO PLAY CORN GATHERING

The game can be played with 25, 50, 75 or up to 100 ears. If there are more than 25 ears, then they are placed in sets of 2, 3, or 4 in each line.

The ears must be picked up one by one. After picking up the first ear, all the rest can be collected in any order. They must then be placed in a basket at the starting line. This means that you can’t take a new ear before you have placed the previous one in the basket.

The first ear must be placed 2m away from the starting point. After this, they are placed at intervals of 1.25m

The game can be played one on one, or in teams. If you play with teams, the players take turns to pick up the ears in a kind of relay race.

In the game it is important to throw the ear of corn into the basket from as far away as possible in order to save time. The further away you are from the basket when you throw the ear the better, as you will run a shorter distance.

STAMINA

FASTESTRUNNERS

COLLECT THE FURTHEST

EARS

TACTICS

SOKATIRATUG-OF-WAR

Tug-o-war, or sokatira is another traditional Basque sport. It is usually played with two teams of 8, although there are several variants. The two teams pull on opposing ends of a rope in an effort to drag the other team towards them.

The rope is marked with a "centre line" and two markings four metres either side of the centre line. The teams start with the rope's centre line directly above a line marked on the ground, and once the contest has begun, they attempt to pull so that the opponent’s four metre line crosses the centre line.

drag rope to you

use legs to push

than pulling

more pushing

keep ams fully

extended

use underarm

grip

tactics

HOW TO PLAY SOKATIRA

Rules The rope must only be

gripped by the hands, and must be kept taught at all times

There is usually a weight limit, which the combined weight of each team must not exceed.

It is forbidden to lower your elbow below the level of your knees in an attempt to gain greater leverage.

Only the two competitors at the end of the rope may wrap the rope around them

TXINGAKWEIGHT CARRYING

TACTICS

PACE ONESELFDON’T START TOO FAST,

KEEP STRENGTH

DON’T LET THE WEIGHTS TOUCH THE FLOOR

In this sport competitors have to carry two weights as far as they possibly can, doing laps around a town square or other pre-determined course. There is no time limit and so the game ends when the competitors can no longer carry the weights. The person who completes the most laps before dropping the weights is the winner.

TXINGAKWEIGHTS CARRYING

Rules Competitors must carry one

weight in each hand. It is forbidden to support the weights with any other part of the body.

The weights must be cylindrical in shape and made of iron.

The weight of the txingak depends on the competitors: for men, they must each weigh 50kg, for women – 25kg and for children – 35kg.

Competitors may stop walking at any point and continue when they want as long as they do not let the weights touch the floor.

PELOTA

Basque pelota is the most famous of all the traditional Basque sports, although it does not technically count as herri kirolak. It is a ball sport that belongs to the same family as tennis, squash, and badminton, although it is clearly distinct from these other sports. It is played either indoors or out on a special court known as a frontón, and it can be played either in singles or doubles.

There are many theories about the origins of pelota; some believe that it began in Ancient Greece, others in the Roman Empire. What is clear is that the modern incarnation we see today was developed in the Basque Country over many centuries. We can see evidence of its progression by looking at historical and literary sources from as early as the 12th Century.

PELOTA

There are many theories about the origins of pelota; some believe that it began in Ancient Greece, others in the Roman Empire. What is clear is that the modern variety we see today was developed in the Basque Country over many centuries. We can see evidence of its progression by looking at historical and literary sources from as early as the 12th Century.

There are 4 main variations of the sport:

Pelota a mano, bare handed Pala, with a wooden or rubber bat Xare, with a type of net Cesta punta, with a special curved

basket

PELOTA

The most popular version outside the Basque Country is probably Jai-Alai which is played with a basket. It is particularly popular in North America, but is currently practiced in over 25 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Unfortunately, it seems that pelota is losing popularity, and many frontons around the world are closing. This said, the Pan-American Sports Organization has decided that pelota will be played at the next Pan-American Games in Mexico 2011.

The status of pelota as an Olympic sport is a point of confusion. It has been included as an Olympic sport several times: in 1900, 1924, and 1968, and also in 1992 in Barcelona as an exhibition event. However, it will not be included in the 2012 games as it does not meet the required conditions for selection.

BARE-HANDED PELOTA

The main feature of a fronton is the frontis, a wall against which the players have to bounce the ball. Usually, there is also a long side wall which the players can try to rebound the ball off.

The idea of the game is to strike the ball so that it bounces off the frontis and into the playing area in such a way that the opponent is unable to return it.

You have to get the ball between the two lines or txapas on the frontis, and the playing area on the floor. If the receiving player can’t return the ball after one bounce, then the opponents gain 1 point. The winner scores 22 points.

OUR OLD PELOTA COURT IN AGURAIN

We recorded a video of a variety of bare-handed pelota. The most important type of court in professional competition is a left-walled fronton, but in Agurain, we have an outdoor, right-walled fronton. In fact, this is the old wall of the fortified medieval city.

The front wall is the frontis and there is also a side wall which is on the right in this case. When it is played indoors there is also a third, back wall that is parallel to the frontis. It is at a distance of 36m

Beginners use what we call pelota goxua. It is made of softer materials. Players at higher levels use harder balls.

There are still very few girls playing pelota, but we can manage. Before playing a game, the ball must be warmed up. To warm it up, the players bounce it up and down with

their hands. A coin is then thrown to decide who starts.

CULTURAL CHANGE AND SPORT

COMENIUS PROJECT 2010-2012

ANITURRI BHI-AGURAIN

THE BASQUE COUNTRY

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