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Symposium on Basque Language and Culture Dr. William A. Douglass and Ms. Linda White were the featured humanists at the pre-Jaialdi Symposium on Basque Language and Culture: Past Perspectives and Future Prospects on June 13 and 14 in Boise, Idaho. The Symposium offered a forum for public discussion of two sensitive topics for Basques of the American West: ethnicity maintenance and Unified Basque. On June 13, Dr. Douglass spoke to a large and interested crowd on "Basque Identity: Past Perspectives and Future Prospects." Dr. Julio Bilbao introduced the speaker, moderator Dr. David Lachiondo, and reactors Gloria Lejardi, Pat Bieter, and Joe Chertudi. A lively discussion ensued regarding the maintenance of the Basque identity in the American milieu. On June 14, Ms. White addressed the issue of "Euskara: A Heritage in Transition." Dr. Patrick Lecertua served as moderator for the panel discussion that followed, and the reactors were Miren Artiach, Joe Eiguren, and Steve Mendive. Panel members fielded questions from the capacity crowd regarding the merits of Unified Basque, or batua, and assured the audience that the purpose of batua was not to replace their Vizcayan dialect, but to enhance it and serve as a medium whereby Vizcayans and speakers of other dialects could communicate with each other. After the discussion of Unified Basque and its role in the revitalization of the Basque language, Joseba Arregi, Minister of Culture and Tourism for the Basque government, addressed the audience on the current state and possible future of the language. The Symposium was funded in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council. |
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