Basque mythology is one of the richest in Europe, a small parnassus presided over by the Mother Goddess, Ama Lur, Amari, and inhabited by giants, lamias, elves, dragons, witches and a large number of fantastic beings.
Izena badu, bada (If it has a name, it exists)
MAGIC ROUTES
Caves, mountains, forests, rivers, had magical connotations for the inhabitants of our land. Also day and night, the sun and the moon, the light and the dark, the universe. Nature and life are intertwined in our mythology; fantastic human beings and characters, animals and plants create their own cosmology, which has survived to this day in the form of legends and traditions.
Delve into the magical routes designed by the writer Toti Martínez de Lezea accompanied by the illustrations of the prestigious illustrator Juan Luis Landa.
1. AMARI
Join us on this tour of the country of one of the few living reminiscences, if not the only one, of the European Mother Goddess, who represents the four elements of nature: Earth, Air, Water and Fire. Life and death, harvests, luck and misfortune depend on it, and it is related to fertility cults.
2. IRATXOAK
The little geniuses who wear red shorts and live in a pincushion in number of four, the galtxagorri, have an extraordinary strength that they use in the service of their owners and owners. In some areas they are also called familiarrak or mamarruak.
3. ERRALDOIAK
The giants are present throughout the Basque territory. In some places they appear as ferocious characters that feed on human beings; in others, however, they are kind and friendly. Both have enormous strength and assigned trades that reflect the primitive culture of our people, that is, they are shepherds, stonemasons, lumberjacks or millers …
SEE ROUTE SEE LEGEND
4. HERENSUGEAK
There are many dragons that populate the chasms of the Basque mountains, some terrible and dangerous; others, wise and protective. They have one, three and seven heads, with wings and without wings: almost all of them fire at their mouths, some have the shape of a dragon, others of a huge lizard, others are gigantic snakes. Her name in Basque is Herensugea.
5. SORGINAK
In Euskadi there are countless places where stories of witches are told. Come! Let’s take a tour of some of them!
6. LAMIAK
Lamias are characters that often appear in Basque oral literature under various names such as Lamiñaku, Amilamia or Eleilamia. His usual appearance is that of a beautiful young woman, with long blond hair that she combs with her golden comb, and her toes joined by a membrane like those of the ducks …
There are those who assure that by pronouncing the following spell aloud, you get the key to access this fantastic universe …
You dare?
Baga, biga, higa (One, two, three,)
Laga, vogue, sega, (four, five, six)
Zai, zoi, bele (seven, eight, crows)
Harma, shot, pun! (gun, shot, boom!)
Xirristi-mirristi (Xirristi-mirristi !,)
gerrena plat (grill plate)
Olio zopa (oil soup)
Kikili salda, (chicken broth,)
Urrup edan edo klik (drink suddenly or swallow …)
ikimilikiliklik (ikimilikiliklik)
Fuente: Turismo Euskadi
