LL-L "Anthropology" 2008.05.23 (07) [E]

Fri May 23 21:20:22 UTC 2008

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From: Theo Homan <theohoman at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Anthropology" 2008.05.23 (06) [E]

> From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Anthropology
[...]
> When it comes to the erstwhile even more
> multi-ethnic Iberian Peninsula,
[...]

Hello,

Well, this is a topic strange to me.
But if my memory is serving me: long, long ago paying
attention to this topic  I thought to have found some
anthropological parallels between the Basques and the
people of Zeeland [province in the southwest of the
Netherlands]. I forgot which peculiarities, but it
could have been to do with the skulls or so.
Some of our LL-confrères with more investigative
drifts [right now I have a third phase borreliosis and
I'm feeling pretty unheimlich; and also my memory and
orientation might be weak] might dig up something
about this topic.

Concerning the Basque whale-harpoonists:
After 1800 the seawater in the 'Golf van Biscaye'
[Golf van Biskaje Golfo de Vizcaya, Golfe de Gascogne,
Bizkaiko Golkoa] got warmer and the whales disappeared
there. And then we find Basque harpoonists [who got
unemployed] on dutch, icelandic and german whaling
ships.

vr.gr.
Theo Homan

----------

From: Luc Hellinckx <luc.hellinckx at gmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Anthropology"

Beste Ron,

You wrote:

In other words, my general non-scientific assumption is that today's Basque
speakers are to a large extent of non-Basque descent but some "Basque
features" survive among them, especially in previously more isolated
communities. This may also explain the reportedly short, stocky stature of
16th- and 17th-century Basque whalers' skeletons unearthed in Southern
Labrador (http://www.wordplay.com/tourism/basque.html).

I already wrote Mark about this in private, but since you brought up the
subject yourself, I'll pass the information on to the rest of the list as
well.

A group of pariahs, called the "Cagots" in French, used to live in
Southwestern France and also across the border in Spain (called "Agote"
there). Some think they were descendants of the Visigoths but this is not
sure at all. You can read about them here:

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cagot

http://cgpa64.free.fr/cagots/index.php

About their physiognomy:

http://cgpa64.free.fr/cagots/13/1313.HTM

Looking at the case of Basque and at the cases of various other documented
peoples and languages of Iberia, I wish we had similar indications of what
people and languages there used to be in Northern Europe before the arrival
of the Indo-Europeans. All we find are bits of tools and pottery as well as
stone monuments and the widespread dolmens.

Me too. Maybe this can partly be explained by the Ice Ages. People sought
refuge in caves in milder climates down South and some think that
Neanderthal man was then driven out of Central Europe, fleeing to Iberia.
Anyway, if you take those wonderful cave-paintings into account, it becomes
obvious that the North of Spain and the South of France were culturally very
productive and as such it's only logical that more artifacts are found
there. If art only flourishes when basic needs are already met, this would
suggest that the region must have been particularly pleasant to live in at
the time.

Kind greetings,

Luc Hellinckx

----------

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Anthropology

Thank you very, very much, dear Luc! This is highly interesting news to me.

Well, yeah. I wasn't going to respond, but then Mike seemed to encourage me,
and not privately either.

Congratulations, Theo, on linking the subject with the Lowlands! And *gaue
beternis*!

Talking about Lowlands links with the Basque people ...

   1. There are numerous Basque associations in North America, Britain,
   Australia, the Netherlands and Germany. In the USA, the states with the
   highest concentrations of people of Basque descent are in California,
   Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington and
   Wyoming. Most of this has to do with agricultural opportunities for early
   immigrants. In Canada there are Basque communities mostly in Alberta,
   Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, also in the French territory of Saint
   Pierre and Miquelon.

   2. Basques used to be commonly found among whaling crews based in various
   countries.

   3. The Kelly Family, a group of American European performers which is
   particularly popular in Germany, has been celebrated for its stirring
   rendition of the well-loved ceremonial Basque song *Agur Jaunak*. One of
   the "children," John Michael Kelly, is married to the Basque singer Maite
   Itoiz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63ZcPA4n5fA). Another, Barbara Ann
   "Barby" Kelly, lives in partly Basque-speaking Belascoáin, Navarre/Naffaroa,
   Spain.
   A video recording of the performance of *Agur Jaunak* (made somewhere in
   Germany) can be found here: *http://tinyurl.com/6hdmeg* (Please bear in
   mind that most of the Basque homeland is mountainous, the traditional
   economy is based on herding, and choral music has a very strong tradition
   there, as for instance also in Alps regions and in Wales. This may in large
   part explain the similarity of sounds among these musical traditions.)

I brought you the lyrics and my translation of this lovely song several
years ago. Here it is again, with a revised translation:

*Agur, Jaunak!
Jaunak, agur!
Agur t'erdi.
*Danak Jainkoak eiñak gire*,
Zuek eta bai gu ere!
Agur, Jaunak! Agur!
Agur t'erdi,
Hemen gire ...
Agur, Jaunak!
*

IPA:
aˈguɾ xaʊˈnak
xaʊˈnak aˈguɾ
aˈguɾ tɛɾˈdi
ˈdanak xaɪnˈgoak eɪˈɲak giˈɾe
s̻uɛk eˈta baɪ gu eˈɾe
aˈguɾ xaʊˈnak aˈguɾ
aˈguɾ tɛɾˈdi
(h)ɛˈmɛn giˈɾe
aˈguɾ xaʊˈnak

SAMPA:
a"gur\ xaU"nak
xaU"nak a"gur\
a"gur\ tEr\"di
"danak xaIn"goak eI"nak gir"r\e
S\uEk e"ta baI gu e"r\e
a"gur\ xaU"nak a"gur\
a"gur\ tEr\"di
(h)E"mEn gir"r\e
a"gur\ xaU"nak

"Literal" translation:
Greetings, (ladies and) gentlemen!
(ladies and) gentlemen, greetings!
Greetings to you!
All of us are the Lord's creation,
You and we alike!
Greetings, folks! Greetings!
Greetings to you.
Here we are ...
Greetings, (ladies and) gentlemen!

There are a few variants of this (e.g., *eiñak ~ **iñak ~ **eginak*, *Danak
Jainkoak** eiñak gire ~ **Jaungoikoak eiñak gire*).

And today, in time for our US American Memorial Day weekend and our
Northwest Folklife Festival here in Seattle (http://www.nwfolklife.org/), my
singable version:

Hello, dear friends!
Dear friends, hello!
Greetings to you!
We are the Lord's creation all.
Both you and we answer his call.
Hello, dear friends, hello!
Greetings to you!
Here we all are …
Greetings, dear friends!
                                          (c)2008, R. F. Hahn*
*

I might post it with the sheet music and a midi file at our Gallery (
http://lowlands-l.net/gallery/).

Enjoy!
Reinhard/Ron
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