This document summarizes the history and development of Basque literature, with a focus on the emergence of women writers. It outlines how Basque literature was limited for many years due to political and linguistic factors. It then discusses how women began publishing works in the 19th-20th centuries but were still underrepresented. The document highlights how since the 2000s, there has been a new generation of women writers born in the 1970s-1980s who are receiving significant attention and critical acclaim for their works across various genres and styles. It notes some perceptions of their literature but also emphasizes the diversity within this new generation of women authors.

1. The girls are
coming!
Gender, youth and the new
Basque literature
Katixa Agirre
University of Birmingham. Nov. 23, 2011.

2. Late but fast
• Political division.
• Diglossia, ban.
• Multiple dialects, lack of a unified euskara.
• Vindication of the language/national
sentiment.

3. A super brief history of
Basque literature
Linguae Vasconum Primitiae
Bernat Etxepare, 1545

4. Silbero, Silbia, Doristeo eta Sirena
Joanes Lazarraga (Circa 1567)

5. and after that, until 1879…
• Only 101 books will be published
• Of which only 4 can be considered literary 1
1 Sarasola, Ibon; Euskal literaturaren historia. Lur. Donostia. 1976

6. Towards a “normalized” literature?
• Basque Renaissance (1873-1876)
• Until the outbreak of the civil war (1936)
• 1970s: the emergence of the modern writer.

7. Any woman in the room?
• Milia Lasturkoren eresia (Dirge
for Milia from Lastur). (15th
century)
• Bizenta Mogel (1782-1854)
• Tene Mujika, Katariñe
Eleizegi, Julene Azpeitia, Sorne
Unzueta… (19th-20th)

8. Along with the “modern” writer…
• Arantxa Urretabizkaia
(born 1947). Novel.
• Amaia Lasa (born 1948).
Poetry.
• Mariasun Landa (born
1949). Children’s books.

9. The only woman in my textbook
back in the early nineties
Itxaro Borda (1959). Novel and poetry.

10. 2002: “Bost idazle/Five writers”

11. 2006: “Zortzi
unibertso, zortzi
idazle/ Eight
universes, eight
writers”.

12. And finally the girls arrive…
• Born in the 70s and 80s.
• Have first published very early.
• Get significant media attention
• Critical mass (around 15/20%)

13. Born in the 70s
Karmele Jaio, 2004
Jasone Osoro, 1998
Aitziber Etxeberria, 2004

14. Born in the 70s (II)
Garazi Goia, 2008
Irati Jimenez, 2006 Irati Elorrieta, 2008

15. Born in the 80s
Uxue Uxue Alberdi, 2007
Apaolaza, 2004.
Nora Arbelbide, 2007
Katixa Agirre, 2007
Iratxe Esnaola, 2010

16. Igartza grant for young writers
• 1998. Julen Gabiria, Connemara gure bihotzetan.
• 1999. Xabier Etxeberria, Egun denak ez dira berdin. Accesit: Jasone
Osoro, Korapiloak.
• 2000. Fernando Morillo, Ortzadarra sutan.
• 2001. Unai Elorriaga, Van't Hoffen ilea.
• 2002. Julen Gabiria, Han goitik itsasoa ikusten da.
• 2003. Asel Luzarraga, Karonte.
• 2004. Karmele Jaio, Amaren eskuak. Accesit: Peru Magdalena, Lile.
• 2005. Uxue Alberdi, Aulki bat elurretan.
• 2006. Jon Martin, Ero.
• 2007. Katixa Agirre, Habitat. Accesit: Irati Jimenez, Nora ez dakizun hori.
• 2008. Eider Rodriguez, Katu jendea.
• 2009. Uxue Apaolaza, Hiltzailea.
• 2010. Garazi Kamio, Gerizpeko panpinak.
• 2011. Goiatz Labandibar, Interrail.

17. Euskadi literary award
• 1998: Felipe Juaristi, Galderen geografia
• 1999: Anjel Lertxundi, Argizariaren egunak
• 2000: Lourdes Oñederra, Eta emakumeari sugeak esan zion
• 2001: Ramon Saizarbitoria, Gorde nazazu lurpean
• 2002: Itxaro Borda, %100 Basque
• 2003: Pello Lizarralde, Larrepetit
• 2004: Jokin Muñoz, Bizia lo
• 2005: Harkaitz Cano, Belarraren ahoa
• 2006: Iban Zaldua, Etorkizuna
• 2007: Xabier Montoia, Euskal Hiria sutan
• 2008: Jokin Muñoz, Antzararen bidea
• 2009: Xabier Lete, Egunsentiaren esku izoztuak
• 2010: Fermin Etxegoien, Autokarabana
• 2011: Ur Apalategi, Fikzioaren izterrak

18. A generation?
• “as following a formula, similar trends have strengthen: a
woman, her first book, a story set out of the Basque
Country...” Jon Kortazar / El País, 2007-03-26
• 16 tips to write Erasmus literature (Volgako Batelariak):
Love, consuming love, a lot of passion...
”set the fiction anyway abroad, a big developed city
preferably”
“Skip any political issue”
“include a homosexual character”
“Apply for the Igartza grant”

19. These girls, apparently…
• Sell more
• Have it easier to get
published
• Attract more media attention
than their male counterparts
• Write easy, “coolish”
literature.

20. Variety
• Of genre: poetry, short story, novel, children’s
books...
• Of themes: political, romance, civil
war, family, crime fiction, social problems...
• Of style: rough, naïf, baroquish…
• Some translated, some not.
• Some only one book, some very prolific.

21. Get a taste of it!
and thank you very much!
Eskerrik asko!