Nongoa da Kirmen Uribe? On the Belonging of a Basque-language Writer

CLAESSON, CHRISTIAN; CLAESSON, CHRISTIAN

doi:https://doi.org/10.3828/bhs.2019.46

CLAESSON, CHRISTIAN

Bulletin of Hispanic Studies (2019), 96, (7), 763–780.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3828/bhs.2019.46
Language: English
Pages: 18

Abstract

My article studies the place of Kirmen Uribe, one of the most read and celebrated Basque-language writers today, in relation to Basque, Spanish and world literature, and what his novels have to say about belonging, in the Basque Country and beyond. My starting point is the first sentence of the Wikipedia pages (2017) on Kirmen Uribe in five different languages, which all relate to Uribe’s belonging in separate ways. Since Uribe is a writer who often reflects on belonging and the place of the Basque Country in the larger world, I also contrast his novels, Bilbao–New York–Bilbao (2009) and Elkarrekin esnatzeko ordua (2016) with the dynamics of publication, reception and location. One of the conclusions is that Uribe, as an ambassador for Basque language and culture, often addresses the non-Basque reader.

Mi artículo estudia el lugar de Kirmen Uribe, uno de los escritores en euskera más leídos y celebrados en la actualidad, en relación con la literatura vasca, española y mundial, pero también acerca de lo que dicen sus novelas sobre la pertenencia, en el País Vasco y más allá. Mi punto de partida es la primera oración de las páginas de Wikipedia (de 2017) sobre Kirmen Uribe en cinco idiomas diferentes, que se relacionan con la pertenencia de Uribe de distintas maneras. Dado que Uribe es un escritor que a menudo reflexiona sobre la pertenencia y el lugar del País Vasco en el mundo en general, también contrasto sus novelas Bilbao–New York–Bilbao (2009) y Elkarrekin esnatzeko ordua (2016) con las dinámicas de publicación, recepción y ubicación. Una de las conclusiones es que Uribe, como embajador del euskera y la cultura vasca, a menudo se dirige al lector no vasco.

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