A unique story for a unique language
- Basque
- 2025 Sep 02
Over 2,000 years ago, in a house in an ancient settlement in what is now Mount Irulegi (Navarra), someone left more than an object: they left a message. A bronze hand, meticulously crafted, which when viewed today speaks to us from the past.
What’s written on the Irulegi hand?
The hand, with its detailed shape and a hole in the wrist, suggests it may have been placed at the entrance of a home as a protective amulet, intended to bring good fortune to the household. On its surface, an inscription that has defied time.
When it was discovered in 2021, the find shocked those who saw it for the first time. It was not just an archaeological piece; it was proof that our language, Basque, was already being written when the world was still changing. Among its lines, one word stood out above all: SORIONEKU, meaning blessed, fortunate. The first word our ancestors bequeathed to us did not refer to anything material. It referred to a feeling, an emotion.
Where Basque is spoken
Now, Donostia carries on that legacy. Because being Basque has always meant more than simply living in a certain place. The term euskalduna, as it is said in our language, means “euskara duena,” which translates as “one who has Basque.” Therefore, an euskalduna is not someone who lives in the territory but someone who speaks Basque, regardless of where they come from.
Being euskalduna is a way of living, feeling freely and sharing. It’s the sound of Basque in every corner, the pride of an inspiring history that continues to pulse and makes us feel at home, the joy of watching the sun set over the Cantabrian Sea, and knowing deep down that some things transcend time.
The Irulegi hand reminds us that history is not measured only by battles, but by words that endure. And Donostia, with its beauty, culture and people, continues writing its history every day. Our city, like the Irulegi hand, is a living testament to a history woven with words, feelings and aspirations that still beat in our hearts.
And how does Donostia make you feel?
We like to think that cities, beyond their architecture or landscapes, influence how their visitors feel.
And many of them say Donostia makes them feel at home.
"ETXEAN". AT HOME
A HOME with the door open to a unique culture, with a unique language: Basque.
