Basque Literature and the Oral Tradition

Beginning of article

THE oral and the written tradition are intimately intermingled in Basque literature. For those who know it well, there is not a shadow of a doubt that Basque literature is as rich and varied as that of any other people, that it is just as fertile in original, authentic literary forms, and that the oral tradition is the vector of the essence of Basque culture.

Coupled with this keen awareness of the oral tradition is a realistic appreciation of written literature, which is seen as being a latecomer, neither very abundant nor fully representative, yet, at the same time, essential to the very survival of the language and to its adaptation to the demands of modern life.

Although this state of affairs is today widely recognized, this was not always the case and a glance back at the past may help us to appreciate better the present complementarity of these two forms of Basque …