Table of contents
Contenido de esta página
I. BIRTH. JAIOTZA
Childhood beliefs about where children come from
The stork. Paris
Brought by the midwife or the doctor
Zerutik ekarriak
Found in nearby settings
Bought
Labour. Erditzea
From home to hospital births
Helpers during labour
- The midwife
- The doctor
Labour
- Everyday life prior to labour
- The position when giving birth
- The action of giving birth
- Preparations
- Labour
- Delivery
- Labour alone
- The placenta and umbilical cord
Caring for the postpartum mother
Feeding the mother after giving birth
- Diet and convalescence period
- Harmful and beneficial food
Announcing the birth
Holding and showing the child
Looking after the newborn
First care
Checking the child
- Head
- Straightening the nose
- Ears
Swaddling babies
Precautions taken
Breastfeeding
Nursing
Wet-nurses
Dangers for the nursing mother. "Getting hairy"
Extending breastfeeding
Breastfeeding today
Start of normal feeding
Burial of unbaptized infants
Under the eaves of the house
In the vegetable garden
In the limbo of the cemetery
Lack of coffin
People attending the burial
Appendix 1: Emaztia esperantxetan eta haur jaioberriaren jatekoa Nafarroa Beherako bi herritan
Appendix 2: Couvade
II. BELIEFS RELATED TO BIRTH
Cravings. Influence on the child
Guessing the sex of the child
Shape of the mother's belly
Signs in the face of the mother. Blanket
Course of the pregnancy
First step of the pregnant mother
Moon phase influence in conception
Divination procedures
Choosing the sex
Different beliefs about pregnancy and labour
Intercession of the saints for a safe labour
Importance of the moment of the birth
Child saludador healer
Pre-baptismal precautionsa
Not kissing the newborn
Charms
Holy water
Religious charms
Medals and other religious items
Curing the evil eye
III. BAPTISM. BATAIOA
Baptising newborns
Delaying baptism
Baptistery. Pontea
Emergency baptism
People attending the baptism
Baptism apparel
Holder of the child
Ritual entourage
Old baptism ritual
On entering the church
Way to the baptistery
In the baptistery
New baptism ritual
Offerings and gifts
Hospitality to mark the baptism
Refreshments for the entourage (Alava. Bizkaia. Gipuzkoa. Northern Basque Country (lying within France). Navarra)
Arrebuchas ritual where the godparents throw sweets and coins (Navarra. Alava. Bizkaia. Gipuzkoa. Northern Basque Country)
Godparenthood
Undertaking of the godparents
Spiritual kinship and affinity
Choice of godparents
Offering to be a godparent
The right to be a godparent
Sole godparent
Godparents of convenience
• Godparents by chance
Names of godparents and godchildren
Baptismal name
Gifts from the godparents
Christmas and Easter presents
IV. POSTPARTUM PERIOD
Requirements during the postpartum period
Using a tile as protection
Blessing the mother
The Purification of the Virgin Mary as the archetype
Names
Length of the postpartum quarantine
Churching ritual
Visiting the postpartum mother and celebrating the end of the postpartum period
Offering up of children in chapels and at shrines
Appendix: Blessing the mother ritual
V. EARLY CHILDHOOD. HAURTZAROA
The cradle. Sehaska
Wooden cradles
Wicker cradles: Moses basket
Cots
Substitute cradles. The half bushel
Cradle mattress and linen
Rocking the cradle
Making the cradle
More recent cradles
Looking after the child
Taking the baby for a stroll in the past
The first outings
Traditional ways of carrying the child
People looking after the child
- The women of the household
- Babysitters
- Nursemaids
Taking the child for a walk nowadays
Childhood development milestones
The first steps
- Learning implements. Baby walker
- Popular beliefs
Infant babbling
- Helping to start talking
- Popular beliefs
Cutting the first teeth
Losing baby teeth
- Tooth, baby tooth
- Gift for lost tooth
The anniversary of the birth
Birthday
Birthday presents
VI. CHILDHOOD AND PUBERTY
Attending school
Ordinary school starting age
Starting school late
Early school starting age
Truancy
First Communion
Private communion and high mass communion
First Communion alone
Dates for holding the First Communion
Rite of passage to adolescence
First Communion dresses
- Former attire
- First Communion suit
First Communion reception
- Hot chocolate breakfast
- Family refreshments
- The First Communion reception today
First Communion presents
- Collecting in the neighbourhood
- Communion gifts today
Confirmation
Confirmation, rite of entry into youth
Celebration of the Confirmation
Confirmation in the past
- The pastoral visit
- Confirmation at an indeterminate age
- Farcical formulas of the Confirmation
Chores done by children
Initiating children to chores
Common tasks for boys and girls
Jobs entrusted to girls
- Urzayas
Jobs done by boys
Children's chores today
Children activities and games
Appendix 1: The Communion day and the Administration of the Confirmation in Sara (L)
Appendix 2: Notes on the school system and literacy
VII. YOUTH
The mocería youth association
Mocerías in Alava
- Mocerías at the turn of the century
Mocerías in Navarra
Communal activities of young people in other parts of the Basque Country
Outfits and headwear
Dancing. Dantza
Start age
Dance venues: the square
Dance times
Dance classes
- Dancing alone
- Partner dances
Starting and ending the dance
- The bastonero (dance master)
Organisation of the dance
Start of the dance and pairing
Musical instruments
- Instruments from the past
- Trikitrixa and accordion
- Txistu and drum, bagpipes and dulzaina double reed instrument
- Dance orchestras and municipal bands
- Modern instruments
Dancing during pilgrimages and patron saint's festivities
Private dances
- Casinos, societies and social circles
- Dance parties
- Discotheques and night clubs
Restrictions on freedom to dance
- Coercion of conscience
- Reproaching the congregants
- Lent and mourning
Contemporary transitions
Compulsory military service
Departure of the quintos (conscripts)
Conscript celebrations
Presentation to society
Youth religious associations
Congregation of the Daughters of Mary
Congregation of San Luis Gonzaga
Other youth associations
Appendix:Regulations for organising cuadrillas (companies of friends) or Societies. San Martín de Unx, 9 January 1885
VIII. START OF THE ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP
Meeting places and opportunities
Meeting points in the past
- When working
- The fountain
- At the end of religious ceremonies
Dances
Accompanying the girl home
Walking out
Matchmaking games
Rites and prayers to find a suitor
Courting dances and wooing of young women
Night courting dances
St. Agatha courting dance
St. John courting dance
Wooing
Preparing doughnuts
Propitious time to start a romantic relationship
Taking the lead in romantic relations
Matchmaking
- Friends or relatives
- Matchmakers
Marriages arranged by the parents
- Matches guided by economic interests
- Calling
- Arranged liaisons
Parental pressure ending the courtship
IX. COURTSHIP
Ways of declaring their love
Exchanging objects
Formalising the courtship
Value of the courtship and its ending
Sweethearts meeting
- Meeting place
- Meeting days
Relationships between the couple and their single friends
Realm of the courtship
Intermarriage
Local inbreeding
Levy on a groom from another area
X. MARRIAGE SETTLEMENTS
Request for the woman's hand in marriage
Marriage settlements
Alava
- The mandas or marriage settlement
- Contents of the settlements
- Entering into the settlements
Bizkaia
- Marriage settlements
- Contents of the settlements
- Kontratuko bazkaria
Gipuzkoa
- The entailed estate
- Contents of the settlements
- Entering into the settlements
Northern Basque Country
- The marriage contract
- Contents of the settlements
- Kontratuko apairua
Navarra
- Marriage settlements
- Contents of the settlements
- Entering into the settlements
Marriage settlements at the turn of the century
The marriage contract
Contents of the settlements
- As regards the people
- As regards the goods
The dowry
Alava
- The dowry
- Consequences of a rupture
Bizkaia
- The dowry
- Consequences of a rupture
Gipuzkoa
- The dowry
- Consequences of a rupture
Northern Basque Country
- The dowry
- Consequences of a rupture
Navarra
- The dowry
- Consequences of a rupture
Dowry at the turn of the century
Contents of the dowry
Setting up the dowry
- Handing over the dowry
- Compensation in case of rupture
XI. WEDDING ARRANGEMENTS
Requirements to get married
Banns
Publication of the banns
Customs during the banns of marriage period
- Congratulating
- Bota-eguna
Ballads to the bride and groom
Stag/hen party
Celebration in the past
The stag/hen party today
Padrinos or wedding sponsors
Choice of the wedding sponsors
Obligations of the wedding sponsors
Wedding invitations
Increase in the number of guests
Sending out the invitations
Wedding gifts
Gifts between the bride and groom
Gifts from the guests
XII. THE WEDDING. EZKONTZA
Time and place of the marriage
Weddings within the year
Mourning wedding
Dates and times held
Venue
Decoration of the church
Music and songs during the ceremony
The wedding entourage
The wedding entourage in the Southern Basque Country (lying within Spain)
The wedding entourage in the Northern Basque Country
- Symbolic levy on a groom from another area
The wedding entourage today
Attire of the wedding guests
- The bride's wedding dress
- Until the middle of the century
- Prevalence of the white dress
- Headwear and ornaments
- Mourning
- The groom's suit
- Attire of the guests
The religious ceremony
In the church porch
- The marriage
- Blessing of bands and rings
In the church
- Nuptial mass
The religious ceremony today
Marriage certificate
Offering the bridal bouquet
Congratulations, tribute and gifts
Return of the wedding entourage
Wedding photographs
Civil marriage
Ceremony
Current acceptance of civil marriage
- Frequency of civil marriages
Appendix 1: Civil marriage form in the Southern Basque Country
Appendix 2: Ezkontza euskeraz Herriko Etxean (lparraldean)
XIII. ENTERING THE MARITAL HOME. ETXE-SARTZEA
Wedding cart and chattels
The wedding cart in old ethnographic texts
The wedding cart in the Etniker survey
Other ways of transporting the bride's chattels
Driving the non-local spouse to the marital home
Rites when entering the new home
Inventory and displaying the chattels
XIV. THE WEDDING RECEPTION. EZTEIAK
Guests to the reception
Involvement of young people in the wedding
Length of the wedding celebrations
Celebrations of over two days
Two-day celebrations
Celebrations of just one day
Celebrations without a wedding reception
Large receptions
Venues
- Home receptions
- Receptions outside the home
Preparing the venues
Preparing dishes and service
Paying for the reception
Composition of the reception
Seating of the guests at the table
- Home weddings
- Weddings outside the home
Rituals during the wedding reception
- Rituals at the start of the reception
- Rituals during the reception
- Dancing
- Singing
- Gifts to the guests
Other customs related to the wedding reception
Wedding night customs
XV. POST-WEDDING OFFERING AND CELEBRATIONS
Honeymoon
The couple's departure
Short trips
Visiting relatives
Long trips
Post-wedding offering
Propter nuptias funeral offering
- Gipuzkoa
- Bizkaia
- Alava
- Navarra
- Northern Basque Country
Contemporary transitions
Post-wedding meals
Appendix: Descriptions of weddings in the different areas of the Basque Country
La noce au Pays de Soule aux années 20
Gipuzkoako Elosuan 1932.ean egin ziren ezkontza-eztei batzuen berri
A wedding in the town of Sara in Labourd in 1943
A wedding in the town of Moreda in Álava in 1991
Bizkaiko Ajangizen 1993.ean egin ziran ezkontza-eztegu batzuren barri
XVI. UNMARRIED STATUS AND CELIBACY. MARRIAGE OF WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS
Unmarried status
Reasons for being unmarried
Resistance to the rural way of life
Integration of unmarried people in the home
Social standing of unmarried people
Marriage and procreation
Religious celibacy
Rite of Religious Progression
Ecclesiastical career
Marriage of widows and widowers
Cencerradas - banging on pots and pans
- Northern Basque Country
- Gipuzkoa
- Bizkaia
- Alava
- Navarra
Reaction to the cencerradas
Church and civil prohibitions