Coordinator:
(Selected by this focus group)
Recording Secretary: John M. Ysursa, NABO Facilitator
Tentative objectives for this
focus group:
> Form focus group (first teleconference by early December) & together
select a coordinator that will serve as a moderator and "head coach" for
our team
> Initial discussion: formulating a set of goal(s) for 2008 & how
to implement the plan
> If parts of the 2008 plan require requesting Basque Government grant
support, this will need to be presented to the finance focus group no later
than the end of January so NABO can coordinate its 2008 request.
|
Volunteer members:
Martin Goicoechea (Rock Springs)
Pierre Etcharren (SF)
Gina Gridley (Mtn. Home)
Gloria Lejardi (Homedale)
Begona Echeverria (Chino)
John Ysursa, NABO Facilitator;
info@nabasque.org |
 |
WHY GROUPS. At one end of the continuum is one person in
NABO making decisions, and at the other is all the voting delegates.
It's not advisable to go with either extreme (e.g., NABO has to be more
than just one person but asking everyone to be engaged in everything
isn't viable either). So the hoped for remedy is the use of focus
(advisory) groups, consisting of volunteers who are specifically
interested in this aspect of Basque culture. The aim is for this group to
articulate and implement NABO's four year plan of "ZATOZ."
The groups remain open to revision as necessary.
|
 |
Upcoming phone conference: TBA |
Priorities for
this year:
__ Euskara instructors workshop
__ Initial workshop for new potential instructors
__ BOGA coordinator (to run this half of the Euskara program)
Euskara proposals
 |
2007 World Basque
Congress Resolutions
1)
Development of stronger ties between Euskadi and the Basque
Diaspora.
2)
Generate a greater sense of awareness of the global Basque
community
3)
Promote the internal cohesion and greater efficiency of actions
4)
Greater external exposure for Basque communities
5)
Participation of women and youth |
Below are the specific resolutions for this focus (advisory)
group taken from
Final resolutions from the Congress |
13.- La DRCV acordará con las federaciones, y en su defecto, con los
centros vascos la financiación de cursos intensivos de formación de
“irakasles” (profesores de euskera), para garantizar la enseñanza del
euskera en los centros vascos.
The DRCV
will assist in the formation of future Euskara teachers for Basque clubs
14.- La DRCV subvencionará la formación de monitores para actividades
infantiles en euskera y los materiales de interés para tal fin.
Asimismo, propiciará la creación de “udalekus” (campamentos de verano) y
estancias en familias, de forma que se favorezca la enseñanza del
euskera desde la niñez hasta la universidad.
The DRCV
will assist in youth Euskara programs from K-12
34.- La DRCV realizará gestiones para el desarrollo de una convocatoria
de becas de formación en Euskadi, con las siguientes características:
The DRCV
will run Basque Country workshops for:
-Becas de formación en Euskadi, en periodos cortos, para
perfeccionamiento en técnicas y conocimiento de materiales para el
desarrollo de las actividades de los Centros vascos.
Short-term stays for learning how to further develop Basque club
activities
-Becas de formación, para periodos inferiores a dos años, para cursar
prioritariamente estudios relacionados con la cultura vasca: euskera,
gastronomía, etc.
Long-term stays (2 years) to learn in-depth Euskara, Basque cooking,
etc.
|
EUSKARA: The
Basque Language |
HELBURUA/GOAL. Euskara is one of the
primary elements that defines "Basqueness;" the Basques word for
themselves "Euskaldunak" means one who speaks Basque. NABO's
efforts are to make Euskara visible, viable & vital: visibile in
that Euskara feature prominently in our communciations; viable in that
we continue to facilitate the learning/speaking of the language; vital
in that we effectively draw more attention to the central role of
Euskara in our culture.
BETEZEA/IMPLEMENTATION. The person[s] who will be responsible for making this happen are:
EGOERA/SITUATION. At
present there are ten clubs that are offering regular classes.
This number is somewhat skewed because in several communities one club
is serving as the host for two or more clubs; thus ten communities is
more accurate. The current number of students in these ten are
178. To increase student numbers and the number of locals offering
classes the following are proposed:
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
Create
student-recognition system; certificate awarded
Creation of an Euskara
mentor position that includes: coordinates BOGA material; offers
regional weekend workshops; Udaleku & Gaztealdi Basque lesson
plans; teachers resource manual
Identify/recruit potential Basque instructors that can be
trained
Celebration of
Euskararen Eguna
Annual workshop to
keep instructors enthused and to facilitate their teaching
Identify/recruit potential
local students
|
Training of new
Basque instructors
Advancement
of students to Basque country for study
Create a fundraising
drive; issue of long-term financing
Development of a
"Basque-Fast" program / Topaketa to provide quick infusion to raise
enthusiasm for learning
Summer 2008 intensive weeklong workshop for instructors in U.S.
Student-recognition system;
certificate awarded
Celebration of
Euskararen Eguna
Euskara mentor position
Identify/recruit potential Basque instructors that can be
trained
Identify/recruit potential local students |
Identify/recruit potential volunteer visiting Basque instructors
willing to come from Europe to spend time in different Basque communities for several weeks at a
time.
2009 Euskararen Eguna celebration in Washington D.C.
Training of new
Basque instructors
Advancement
of students to Basque country for study
Fundraising
drive; issue of long-term financing
"Basque-Fast" program / Topaketa
Student-recognition system;
certificate awarded
Celebration of
Euskararen Eguna
Euskara mentor position
Identify/recruit potential Basque instructors that can be
trained
Identify/recruit potential local students
Annual workshop to
keep instructors enthused and to facilitate their teaching |
Euskara Munduan celebration in the Basque Country
Volunteer visiting Basque instructors
willing to come from Europe to spend time in different Basque communities for several weeks at a
time.
Training of new
Basque instructors
Advancement
of students to Basque country for study
Fundraising
drive; issue of long-term financing
"Basque-Fast" program / Topaketa
Student-recognition system;
certificate awarded
Celebration of
Euskararen Eguna
Euskara mentor position
Identify/recruit potential Basque instructors that can be
trained
Identify/recruit potential local students
Annual workshop to
keep instructors enthused and to facilitate their teaching |
HELBURUA/GOAL.
Mus is a successful
program for adults, however many clubs do not have a youth mus program.
Without young players Mus will soon be in trouble. One important factor
is focusing on Mus as a cultural aspect and not just a card game.
Needed for the next 4 years: a growing youth mus program, NABO
visibility – cards and playing sets; emphasis on Mus as a game unique to
the Basques, and therefore a cultural game.
BETEZEA/IMPLEMENTATION.
The person[s] who will be responsible for making this happen are:
EGOERA/SITATUION.
The number of senior/older players is stagnant; the future is the number
of new players that join the ranks. Accordingly these are
proposed:
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
Awareness in the US of the cultural importance of Mus
NABO cards and playing sets
NABO Mus Tournament
NABO Junior Mus Tournament
Participation in the International Mus Tournament
|
A 10% increase in youth mus participation
10% increase in
clubs participating in the NABO Jr. Mus tournament
International
awareness of Mus as a culturally Basque game
NABO
Mus Tournament
NABO Junior Mus
Tournament
Awareness in the
US of the cultural importance of Mus
NABO cards and
playing sets
Participation in
the International Mus Tournament |
A 10% increase in youth mus participation
10% increase in
clubs participating in the NABO Jr. Mus tournament
NABO
Mus Tournament
NABO Junior Mus
Tournament
Awareness in the
US of the cultural importance of Mus
NABO cards and
playing sets
Participation in
the International Mus Tournament
International
awareness of Mus as a culturally Basque game |
A
10% increase in youth mus participation
10% increase in
clubs participating in the NABO Jr. Mus tournament
NABO
Mus Tournament
NABO Junior Mus
Tournament
Awareness in the
US of the cultural importance of Mus
NABO cards and
playing sets
Participation in
the International Mus Tournament
International
awareness of Mus as a culturally Basque game |
HELBURUA/GOAL.
Many of the long term goals for Euskal Kantua can also be covered under
Euskera. Without the language, there will be less song. The two can
help each other by focusing on the songs and their vocabulary in Euskera
classes. What is needed over the next 4 years: an increase in
young singers; an increase in exposure to Basque song; an increase in
exposure to bertsolari.
BETEZEA/IMPLEMENTATION.
The person[s] who will be responsible for making this happen are:
EGOERA/SITUATION.
Basques are singing less and less, and this not only denies us an avenue
to express our language, but also significantly a means with which to
connect with others. Accordingly, the following are proposed:
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
NABO song book
Increase in
participation of youth in Kantari Eguna
Kantari Eguna
|
Workshop on bertsolari: helping those who speak Basque learn how to
create bertsos.
Encourage clubs to
teach songs to their children
Kantari Eguna
|
10 % increase of youth participation in Kantari Eguna
Kantari
Eguna
Bertsolari
workshop
Youth singing |
10
% increase of youth participation in Kantari Eguna
Kantari
Eguna
Bertsolari
workshop
Youth singing |
