Song for the 14th Korrika in 2005

It began on the 22nd of March in Karrantza (Bizkaia) and it finishes in Iruña (Nafarroa) on the 1st of April. The Korrika ("race") is an exhibition race held every two years in the Basque Country to celebrate and support the Basque language.

The race is organised by the AEK, the association for education in Basque, and usually it is scheduled to last two weeks. The first Korrika was held in 1980, and each one follows a different course, though they always try to cover a large part of Euskal Herria, the historical territories of the Basque Country: Bizkaia, Araba, Gipuzkoa (the "official" version of the Basque Country), Nafarroa (Navarra) and also Lapurdi, Zuberoa and Benafarroa (the French Basque Country).


Euskal Herria

The race proceeds continuously without even stopping at night, and about 60,000 people take part in it. In order to raise money to promote the Basque language, each kilometer of the race is "sold" to a particular individual or company who will lead the race as it passes over the purchased kilometer, and as race leader will carry the original wooden baton from the first Korrika, adorned with the banner of the Basque Country, the Ikurriña.


The Ikurriña

Directly behind the leader other participants will carry a banner with the slogan Euskal Herria euskalduntzen. Ni ere bai! (Spreading the Basque language in the Basque Country. Me too!). The race is conducted in an extremely jovial, uncompetitive spirit, accompanied by music and general fanfare, with roads thronged with spectators. During the period, a great many cultural activities are organised to promote the use of Basque, with the support of the Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language).

The special theme of the race's 15th edition, in 2007, will be a tribute to Basque women, and the unique role they have played in guaranteeing the language's preservation


The song for this year's Korrika, the 15th edition