Aizkolari

Agh I still have to recap the weekend day trips, but it'll be faster to just talk about yesterday. Pues, 2 days ago I was the only person in our level 4 class that didn't have plans for yesterday morning. Therefore I got the "task"  of going with students from the Basque class to interview a well-known Aizkolari. It was a bit intimidating, because it was with 2 level 1 students, and my friend Jenn who is in level 3. Not bad, but then I felt sort of responsible for communicating.

Anyways, we got off the bus at the right stop, thanks to some help from the locals. Btw it was on the mountain with a tremendous view of the ocean. We found Joxe Mari Olasagasti outside, with his apparent trainer carving the wood he would later chop. First he gave us a demonstration of the oxen he trains. They were very well trained and followed his Basque orders very well. Then Jenn interviewed him about Aizkolari while I filmed. Jeje I felt useful at one point because I explained a question that didn't make sense. And he would look at me to check that we understood him.

After our little interview, he did a demonstration. And I'm sure your wondering what is Aizkolari already. It's Basque competitions of chopping wood the fastest. I've seen it on tv and they stand on a little log, and chop it in half between their feet. Joxe Mari demonstrated by chopping in half one such logling (although it was placed on a stump, not under him). You can't just chop the same spot several times until it goes all the way through. For your information, you essentially have to chop a big V on either side of it until the top finally falls off. The process includes plenty of flying wood chips. With every swing he makes a "AUUUUAAAAGH" or "SHHHHF" sound.

We were quite impressed by this demo, but that was not all. According to his trainer friend, we were lucky because he was apparently in the mood to cut wood. There were two longer logs lying on the ground, and he went at them, chopping them both up. Everytime he swung down, sweat and saliva would fall down too. Now that is a Basque sport! And then he told us what made it even more impressive: he's 52 years old. AI AMA!

 

Then we walked over to the stable by the sidreria. There's where he houses 3 oxen, 1 horse, and 1 bull. On the short walk Jenn and I each got to carry an axe he had used. I'm pretty sure I could barely swing that thing from over my head without knocking my leg out, let alone chop all those logs to bits. Then it was the oxen's turn to show off. They also compete in heavy lifting concursos. A rock probably one foot high, and 3 feet x 3 feet was tied to them. At first the rope broke. But then they dragged it along on the cobblestone driveway so that we could smell the burning of the rocks. It was nuts!

After the deportivos, we went into his sidreria where he gave us all a sample. He told us to come back at the end of the semester to celebrate. And that we should send a photo that we took of us all (which I don't have yet). Then his trainer/friend drove us down the mountain so we wouldn't have to wait for the bus. What started as an intimidating meeting ended in besos, a sign of informality and friendship.