Excellent article on Basque culture around the world. My N Irish heritage has its roots in Basque Country long ago, a discovery I made through research into theories about N Irish being originally from the Iberian peninsula, after several Basques in Idaho suggested that we were “cousins” and that I had a very Basque appearance. I have since begun learning Euskara Batua and I had the pleasure of working as a cook at Bar Gernika on the Basque Block, a place where I love to spend my time and soak in the culture.

I am fascinated with the notion that some Basque linguistic components are similar to Japanese and how Euskara has more in common with languages from distant lands than it does with its own neighbors in Europe. Perhaps Basques have had more influence on history than we know?