Basque

The Basque region (Euskal Herria) is located in the western Pyrenees, straddling the border between Spain and France. It includes parts of northern Spain (the Basque Autonomous Community and Navarre) and southwestern France(Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule). The Basque people have a distinct culture, language (Euskara), and traditions that predate Indo-European cultures. Despite political divisions, the Basques share a strong sense of identity and have maintained their language and customs over centuries. The region is known for its rich cuisine, vibrant festivals, and sports like pelota.

Euskara

Euskara (or Basque) is the native language of the Basque people, spoken in the Basque Country (Euskal Herria) in northern Spain and southwestern France. It is a language isolate, meaning it has no known relation to any other language family. Euskara predates the arrival of Indo-European languages in Western Europe, making it one of the oldest surviving languages on the continent. The language has several dialects, but efforts have been made to standardize it into Batua, which is used for official and educational purposes.

Despite political and social pressures, Euskara has survived through centuries of Roman, Visigoth, and Spanish rule. During the Franco regime (1939–1975), the use of Euskara in public was banned in Spain, but it experienced a revival after the restoration of democracy. Euskara is now recognized as an official language in the Basque Autonomous Community and parts of Navarre. The French government, however, does not grant it official status in the French Basque region. Modern efforts to preserve and promote Euskara include bilingual education, media broadcasting, and cultural festivals. The survival and revival of Euskara are seen as symbols of Basque identity and resilience.

Asterix speaks Basque

Several Asterix albums have been translated into Basque (Euskara), reflecting the cultural significance of the series in the Basque-speaking community. There have been four distinct translation projects over the years:

1. Mas-Ivars Editores (first translations in the 1970s).
2. Elkar / Grijalbo-Dargaud (from the 1980s to early 1990s).
3. Elkarlanean (in the late 1990s).
4. Salvat Editores (starting from 2001, including modern releases).

Notable titles include Asterix eta Kleopatra, Aztia (The Soothsayer), Asterix eta urrezko igitaia (The Golden Sickle), and Asterix Hispaniakoan (Asterix in Spain).

Idefix

Dogmatix (Idefix) and his friends speak Basque as well. They are called ‘Menderakaitzak’. The books are quite small, about A3 format I think. They are published by Salvat.