Bernard Etxepare

Bernard (or Bernat or Beñat) Etxepare was a Basque writer of the 16th century, most famous for "Linguae Vasconum Primitiae" ("Principles of Basque"), the first book to be published in Basque literature.

Etxepare was born in the Garazi region of Lower Navarre. He is believed to have been born in Sarasketa, perhaps in the last decades of the 15th century, and to have spent the majority of his life in Garazi, working as rector in Eiheralar and vicar in Garazi.

It was Etxepare's lot to live in a time of war and upheaval starting in 1512 in the Kingdom of Navarre. In one of his poems he confesses to having spent time in prison, although the reasons for his detainment are not very clear. According to some, he was accused of having taken the side of Castile in its conflict with Navarre. Others, however, think that the reasons for his incarceration were moral rather than political.

Either way, Etxepare loudly proclaimed his innocence, and was therefore able to publish "Linguae Vasconum Primitiae", a book of poems, in 1545 in Bordeaux. In the title, the prologue, and the final poems Etxepare clearly describes that he is the first Basque writer. He called for Basque to go out and be more widely known, and wanted Basques to blaze new trails, making themselves known to the world through the medium of printing.

[http://www.basquepoetry.net/poemak/0005.htm "Kontrapas"]

Basque!
Go out!

Blessed be
the city of Garazi
for having raised Basque
to a fitting rank.

Basque!
Go out into the square!

Others deemed it impossible
to write in Basque -
here is the proof
of their deception.

Basque!
Go out into the world!

Little though thou wert esteemed
among tongues,
now shalt thou be
the noblest of all.

Basque!
Go out into the entire world! Other tongues
have attained their splendour -
now ours shall exceed
them all.
Basque! Everyone praises the Basques
despite not knowing their language.
Now they shall know
what Basque is like.

Basque! If thou hast never been
printed before,
now thou shalt travel
throughout the world.

Basque!

There is no language,
not French nor any other,
which is comparable
to Basque today.
Basque!
Go out and dance!

External links

* [http://klasikoak.armiarma.com/idazlanak/E/EtxepareBPrimitiae.htm Online edition of Linguae Vasconum Primitiae] .