New translations of Basque literature now available

Despite 2020 being a difficult year for literature, creativity has not stopped. The results of so much hard work are gradually seeing the light of day, including new publications of Basque translations funded in part by the Etxepare Basque Institute. So far, five publications have reached bookshops and the sixth is on its way. Last year, the Institute granted a total of 64,913 euros to fund 28 Basque works.

A wide range of material has been translated from Basque, including poetry, novels, short stories and essays. Among the works already published are the multilingual poetry book ‘En las ciudades. Nas ciudades. Hirietan’ by Beatriz Chivite and translated by Isaac Xubin; ‘Nika Vekilanka’, Slovenian version of the story ´Rita gigante´ by Mikel Valverde, translated by Zalozba Malinc; ‘Atãria’, written and translated into Spanish by Yolanda Arrieta Malaxetxebarria; and ‘Armoniskuja’ by Joxemari Iturralde (‘Perlas, golpes, besos y traiciones’), published by Lurra Editions in Finnish.

Kirmen Uribe´s book of poetry book ´19 segundos´ has been translated into Spanish by Gerardo Markuleta Gutierrez. And Katixa Agirre´s novel ´Atertu arte itxaron´ (´Esperar a que pare´ in Spanish), will soon be published in German by Edition Converso.

The list of books to be published this year also includes ´Etxeak eta hilobiak´/´De casas y tumbas´ by Bernardo Atxaga, ´Miñan´ by Ibrahim Balde and Amets Arzallus, ´Amek ez dute´/´Las madres no´ by Katixa Agirre and two Basque poetry anthologies.

Supporting the translation of works into Basque has been one the Etxepare Basque Institute’s main lines of work the since beginnings. Every year Etxepare awards grants for the translation of works by Basque authors into foreign languages, as well as overseeing other activities that promote translation, such as the Etxepare - LABORAL Kutxa Translation Prize.