No estamos seguros si nosotros, mis hermanos y yo, tenemos ocho apellidos vascos, pero sí tenemos siete. Mi amigo Pablo Álvarez, dueño de Vega Sicilia, es vasco, su apellido es Álvarez así que quizás somos de la pelicula. Alberto Santana, quien dirige la serie "La historia de Vasconia" que está en YouTube (no hay una palabra en euskera para YouTube excepto "You Tube"), me dijo que hay pocos hermanos que todos llevan nombres y apellidos vascos como los hijos de Enrique Aboitiz Moraza Yrastorza y Yrastorza y Maria Lourdes Mendieta Alvarez Aguirre Salafranca.

Continuo en Ingles para expansionar la participación de esta historia tan bonita—la de los Vascos en Filipinas. Nuestros antepasados Vascos vienen de una de las tierras mas preciosas de Europa donde hoy ofrece mesas únicas de marisco, pescado, carne y verdura con el Txacoli que es uno de nuestros fallos. Tenemos una alternativa—el tinto de un amigo mío perfeccionista—Fernando Remirez Ganuza, bodeguero de Alava.

Greetings to one and all, my fellow family members from all over the world and of the diaspora from Euzkadi and our unique mini-diaspora of Yrastorzas of Leyte.

We are a Basque family with Basque traits and values, which we may not appreciate as originally Basque and, plausibly, originally peasant in nature. We are among the oldest peoples in the world. There are traces of us in what was Vasconia in today’s France, that dates back 40,000 years in caves of intricate art. Where you can appreciate this, in digital style, is on YouTube. There are 22 episodes by a fabulous historian and friend, Alberto Santana, on YouTube. His 22 episodes entitled  ‘La Historia De Vasconia Pacifico Sur’ is about Cebu, the Philippines, Ynchausti, Ayala, and Aboitiz. Do start at Episode 1 and appreciate as you learn and enjoy who we are and who you may be married to.

Moses came out of Egypt thousands of years after the Basques invaded the caves of the Pyrenees. We are the original Europeans. We shared these caves with bison in Altamira and Santamamiñe 15,000 years ago. There is intricate art that has been scratched by bison as these abodes were used alternatively by, we guess, who was there first.

The most influential Basque in the world was possible “el Santo Iñigo de Loyola” from Azpeitia, which is a half-an-hour drive from Lequeitio. He founded the Society of Jesus in Paris on the 15th of August 1534 with Francis Xavier and a few others to become the “Mosad” of Pope Paul III to counter the reformation.

Few have converted more to Catholicism than the institution called the Jesuits. Their main weapon was education. They have been driven and guided by six values for almost 500 years.

1. Magis (“More”) – strive for excellence
2. Women and men for and with others – share, be just, and take care of your fellow man
3. Cura Personalis – care for the individual and respecting each person
4. Unity of Heart, Mind, and Soul – develop the whole person and integrate all parts of your life
5. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (AMDG) – for the greater glory of God
6. Forming and educating agents for change – teaching to reflect critical and deep thought and being responsible for actions on moral and ethical issues

The Jesuits were expelled continually and onward from the Venetian Interdict in 1606. The main reason they were kicked out and pursued was that they did not follow the advice of modern-day Alan Jacobs—the unintended consequences of learning to think is that you lose family and friends. Controlling universities through all of Europe were more than their saintly competitors—the Dominicans and the Franciscans—could handle; they preached love but the practiced envy and, perhaps, hate.

Juan Sebastian Elcano, born in 1476 in Getaria, Guipuzkua, is among the most famous of our fellow Basques. Getaria is among the most charming of towns on that Cantabric Coast. Perched on a hill, with the statue of Elcano on its left flank,  sits a charming restaurant called Kaia Kaipe where Igor, the owner, will serve you pescado y marisco beyond your expectations and without fail.  You will be severely challenged to improve on Igor. His 60,000-bottle cellar was built and well-supplied by his grandfather so it dates back very decently. His 5,000-liter salt water vats populated with crayfish et al are fed with seawater from the ocean.

Most of the Basque who formed today's Basque global village were from Guipuzkua—they were navigators, explorers, entrepreneurs, priests, among other professions. Today, to reform the greatest surviving institution in the world, the Roman Catholic Church, we fortunately have the first Jesuit head of the “Santa Side”, Pope Francis.

When Isabella, the Warrior Queen and first multinational venture capitalist in history, needed to conquer the world after “La Reconquista”, she turned to the Basque navigators so that her ships would not go up the Guadalquivir from Sevilla and end up in Cordoba instead of departing Sanlúcar de Barrameda to explore and change the world.

El capitán Juan Sebastián Elcano took Magallanes to Las Islas Filipinas in search for spices but, instead, found Cebu with nothing but souls to save. After the death of Magallanes, possibly caused by his sin of excessive arrogance, Elcano took command of the Victoria, found Mollucas, and returned to Sanlúcar, which, by the way, must serve from her salty marismas the best sole fish on can find. He, unfortunately, passed away at 40 years of age. For what reason, we are not sure but including the possibility of assassination. There is a suspicion that more was given to Magellan in terms of fame than Elcano as the powers that be feared Basque nationalism. We were the original terrorists of the time. We would not conform not to do things better because we were told so.

My aunt, Maitena Aboitiz, says that her husband and cousin Augusto Aboitiz would say that the reputation of Basques being hardheaded was not correct, it was not that we are hardheaded—it is that we are always right!!!!

Now, I introduce to you, Alberto Santana and the History of Vasconia on the Pacific Islands (links to the video at the bottom) talking about Cebu, Manila, Fort San Pedro, Intramuros, the Galleons, the Ynchausti family, the Ayala family, and the Aboitiz clan. We have all made a difference in the history of the Philippines that few others have.

The blood of Vidal Augusto Aboitiz Zobel de Ayala and Maria Luisa Zobel de Ayala Aboitiz has circulated in our country for about 200 years and will do so into Yraztorza 300 so long as we thrive on the oldest of all Basque traits - the timely ability to adapt to change.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Endika

P.S. Praise All Gods, Drink Wine & Let The World Be The World!!!!

Author's Note: What is written above may not be completely accurate. Much comes from my own outlook.

To watch the documentary episode, click the links below:
Castellano: https://vimeo.com/415890851
Euskera: https://vimeo.com/415891304
Password: signodigital