In conjuction with the Basque Educational Organiztion's annual "Basque Culture Day," The Basque library at the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center will be put back into circulation and will be re-dedicated in memory Martin Minaberry who started the library back in 1984.

Related link: www.basqueed.org/BEO-Basque-Culture-Day-2009.htm 

Martin Minaberry was born on May 16^th, 1937 in the Basque village of Ortzaize, Benafarroa (Hortz Etcheberria sortetxea).  His mother was Augustine Goyen, also a native of Ortzaize (Hortz Etcheberria etxekoa), and his father was Kaiet Minaberry, who was from Donostiri, Benafarroa (Urruzpurria sortetxea), and Martin was the ninth of their eleven children.

Martin studied at Gran Seminar of Baiona and was ordained a Roman Catholic Priest on June 29^th, 1963 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Baiona, Lapurdi. His first posting was as a chaplain at the Lycee of Marracq in Baiona.  He left the priesthood, but returned later and was reinstated by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles where he served as a priest his last years.

The birthplace of Martin, Hortz-Etxeberria, in Ortzaize, Benafarroa.

Martin came to San Francisco in 1978 and quickly became involved in the Basque institutions there and in NABO.  He was a director of the San Francisco Basque Club for many years and served as its President from 1981-1982.  Martin was one of the founders of the United States Federation of Pelota (USFP) and its first secretary in 1982.  He also supported and promoted the sport of Pilota, and was one of the founders of the “Confederación Panamericana de Pelota Vasca” and he was its president for many years. 

After representing NABO in the 1982 Congress of American Basques, which was sponsored by the Basque Government and held in Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Martin became NABO’s International Chairman and the Basque Government’s main contact with NABO through 1991.  Martin also served as NABO’s Calendar Coordinator for many years and wrote grant requests on behalf of NABO.

Martin was a founding member of the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center and was one of the central forces in having the BCC Educational Committee created, which then quickly evolved to the Basque Educational Organization, Inc., for which he served as inaugural Chairman.  Martin was also the main figure in establishing the Basque library at the Basque Cultural Center, and in acquiring the books.  Martin was one of the early Euskara class instructors at the Basque Cultural Center.  He was a tireless worker for Basque causes.  

The Martin Minaberry Basque Library is located on the second floor of the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center.  To view the collection click on www.sfbcc.us/library_contents

Martin understood the necessity of knowledge, because this is how Basque culture would be transmitted from one generation to the next.  Thus he was instrumental in helping to create the Basque library at the Basque Cultural Center, and that is why the leadership decided to re-dedicate it in his memory.

Martin left us too soon when he passed away in 2001, but he left us a positive legacy.