Records

Records

Satrustegi

SK-009b

  • Title:
  • Recording date: 1973-04-24
  • Owner: Euskarabidea-mediateka
  • Informant: J. M. Barandiaran.
  • Researcher: Jose Maria Satrustegi
  • Main theme: Belief of the first humans.
  • View allowed: Free
  • Publication allowed: Limited
  • Sound quality: Normal
Town Dialects Maps
Piece Length Temas Sumario
A01 00:00:00
00:31:41		 cave, cave painting, prehistory, religion Perhaps the base for the religious beliefs lies there. The reasons for relating the drawings to the hunt.Names and characteristics of the caves where the paintings are:In Zuberoa: Etxeberri, Sasiseroaga.The drawings are made in places which are difficult to get to, so that they were not made to be seen but rather had some other purpose.Isturitze, between Zugarramurdi and Urdazubi, Atxerri (in the village of Aia), Ekain (in Zestoa), Goikoa (in Berrio), Santimamiñe, Laperra ( in Arantza).The reason for doing things in those places: some said it was a magic ritual, they would draw the animal that they wanted to capture and the drawing helped bring the animal to them. This opinion has been around a long time. Others said that it was a Totem. That is to say, they would do the drawing from where it had come from. But why hide it so much?Now it is believed that it had a religious base; related to some God or other, signs of praying…As a young man he used to call these drawings “holy ones”. In his opinion the root of the religious beliefs of those times lie here, they are images of Holy Things. Something directed towards the humans and their first needs. The age of the Megalithic occurred around 5,000 years ago. It was the age of stone. What has survived from that period are the graves. It would seem that the dwelling-place of the dead was more important than that of the living (perhaps because of the duration of one and the other). In Euskal Herria there are many dolmens. The Cro-Magnon Man turned into the Basque race. In his opinion the Basque race originated in Euskal Herria. According to the bones found in one of the caves, the bones of the cranium from 7,000 years ago were Basque. Cro-Magnon lived here and evolved in time. Consequently, instead of asking where the Basque race came from, we should ask ourselves why the race emerged in this area. The environment changed, the ice receded and Euskal Herria expanded. When the environment changed man was able to start living outside the caves. The need for living from hunting lessened as animals became domesticated and land began to be cultivated for cereal and fruit. A new background, new locations, new food and an improved condition. All this brought about evolution in mankind. Drawings were made from the same characteristics from about 35,000 years ago to 12,000 years ago. Does that mean that the same beliefs were there during all that time?Possibly so. Evolution took place but some things would have continued the same.
Pista Hear file Length
SK-009b-B 31:42