Basque Spiritual Traditions and Mythology
Etxe: The Sacred Basque Home
The Etxe, or traditional Basque dwelling, is deeply intertwined with its physical location; it is also home, a traditional dwelling. In traditional culture, the house is earth, temple, cemetery, hostel, and is also home to the community of the living and the dead. For Basques, it means more than just housing, as it is where inhabitants connect with their ancestors.
Within the house, there is symbolism that protects it as a holy place, including elements like laurel, the fireplace, thistle, and the ax and sickle.
A special feature of the house is the jarleku, which is an extension of the house into the church.
Basque Deities and Mythological Figures
- Mari: The main female deity or genius. Generally presented elegantly dressed, she may also appear as a woman with goat’s legs and bird of prey claws. She can have geomorphic representations and lives in underground areas or in caves (Amboto, known as a “den of Mari”). She is married to Maju / Sugar and has two children: Mikelats (bad) and Atabarri (good). She controls Eguraldia (the weather), spins gold rings, and is said to have kidnapped a girl. If one enters her cave, one must leave the same way and never sit down, or risk never leaving.
- Lur: The mother of the sun and moon. She embodies the force for livestock and lives in the underworld, where she also holds hidden treasures.
- Eguzki: Considered a feminine figure, she is believed to drive away evil spirits, similar to the protective function of dolmens and Basque houses (linked to the fire cult of St. John). Represented by the lauburu symbol, she is often found on farmhouse doors to ward off evil.
- Ilargi: A female deity, she illuminates the dead when they come to the surface. Virtues are attributed to plants and animals under her influence.
- Lamia: A woman with bird feet, a fish tail, or bird claws. She lives in wells, lakes, caves, or abandoned castles, where she combs her long hair with coveted golden combs or washes clothes.
- Basajaun: He lives in forests and caves. He has a human form, his body covered with hair and a very long mane. He protects forests and herds.
- Tartalo: An evil genius, he represents a Cyclops. Large and with one eye, he eats people and lives in the mountains.
- Galtxagorri / Mamarrosa: Young geniuses who wear red trousers and help people. They are said to live in pincushions.
- Herensuge: An underground genius with evil and destructive ways, depicted as a dragon or a seven-headed snake.
- Aker / Akerbeltz: The head of other geniuses, he controls Eguraldia (the weather). This underground genius protects against disease and evil spirits.
Secularization and Modern Religious Trends
Secularization is a process where religion and its institutions lose influence, allowing other areas of knowledge to take their place. This shift is often characterized by:
- Homocentric-utilitarianism
- Rationality and individuality
- Deinstitutionalization
Religions no longer hold a monopoly on the sacred, nor do they exclusively define a religious vision. This increased religious tolerance, where “anything goes,” can sometimes lead to the appearance of radical groups seeking absolute truth (e.g., Opus Dei).
Despite these changes, myth is understood as a living reality, far from being merely a fable.