The members of the Basque cultural group Manttale are not standing still. They have already established the Kantazaun project in the cultural landscape, a monthly event to boost Basque singing. They also usually organize a meal during the San Miguel festivities, and this year, instead of bertsolaris (improvised Basque singers), they have announced a stand-up comedy session. It will take place on September 27th, and tickets will be available for purchase at Bikain.
This year, moreover, they are coming with a new initiative called Aurorak. This custom, known in the Goizueta and Hernani areas, will also become a reality in Urnieta. On September 19th, starting at 08:00 in the morning, they will be singing from street to street, accompanied by an accordion. They will have a collection of melodies and lyrics recorded in a booklet, so that each participant can have one.
To prepare for the event, they have already met on September 10th and 17th, from 18:00 to 20:00, at the Sports Center. They have emphasized that the loss of space for the Basque language in the streets and its recovery is one of Manttale's objectives, with the main reason for launching 'Aurorak' being to hear Basque more often in public spaces.
The Aurorak initiative has a strong tradition in southern Navarre and Álava. According to an article published by the local media Arabako Alea, this tradition has evolved, going beyond a purely religious aspect. Those that have remained in the religious sphere have found it harder to survive. The group that goes out to sing usually gathers in a circle and then begins the songs. Normally, they accompany the aurora with a musical instrument. In towns such as Agurain, Guardia, Lantziego, Lagran, Labraza, Oion, Pipaon, or Santikurutze Kanpezu, they maintain the tradition, with some changing the lyrics and music to be linked to current events.
Therefore, we will soon hear the Aurorak in the streets of Urnieta.
