The culture of the Iladurarrak is similar to the culture of other Aquitanian tribes. Anthropologists remark about the shared cultural features that can be found all across the continent - for thousands of years.

Please remember that it is impossible to capture the essence of a culture and spirituality with words. This is just a brief introduction into our historical way of life and surviving beliefs.


Su eta Exte - Clan Fire and Home

Su, our sacred clan fire is honored as the symbol for family and tribal unity. In a similar sense, Exte - the home, also plays a central role in sustaining health and well-being. Historically, Iladurarrak homes were wigwam style with reindeer skins called txolas (similar to the picture on the right). Winter homes were generally sunk into the ground with log, mud, and reed mat walls. Temporary summer shelters were simple and portable.

Other tribes used mammoth bones covered with mud and woven mats, while people in Britania created beautiful huts of woven reeds and rushes.

On special occassions, tribes from a large area came together to trade goods and crafts, talk of important matters, and share ceremony. These gatherings usually occurred in sacred groves with a long history of gatherings.



Ohitura Euskera - Traditional Language

All people of European heritage owe a tremendous debt to the Basque people for keeping alive a remarkably true form of the Indigenous language of the continent (called Aquitanian by many linguists and anthropologists).

Despite loan words from 'modern' languages, Euskera remains a treasure of Aquitanian words and concepts. Words like ur (water), zur (wood) and haitz (rock) speak from antiquity.

Ohitura Iladurra - Language Restoration

Restoring the Iladurra dialect is a crucial part of our efforts. There are some words within our dialect which have not survived as words within Basque. For example, our traditional greeting of "Ematezu" did not survive until reawakening.

Also, over the millenia newer words have come to express older concepts. A good example of this is Basajuan (Lord of the Wood) which has come to represent the wood spirit, whereas the original word is closer to Zuberoa(k) and means Wood People or Tree People.



Ohitura Aroa - Seasonal Calendar

We have sacred words that when translated mean, "The Great Hoop is made up of circles..." This phrase describes the importance of natural cycles in the lives of our tribe and with all living beings to which we are related. Following each of these natural cycles as the great hoop of the year progresses, brings us back to the same point in the next year. Our calendar is the whole of these cycles.

Our yearly calendar is based on the lunar cycle, and begins on the full moon following the winter solstice. Each month begins on the full moon, called ilabete. Because lunar months are shorter than solar months, historically we used a special sky map that would tell us when to add a thirteenth month to align the lunar and solar cycles.

Because our sense of time is based on Grandmother Moon, each day begins at sundown, and ends at the following sundown. We always sing to the setting sun each afternoon, and to the rising moon in the evening.



Zahar Ohiturak - Traditional Customs, Beliefs, and Ceremonies

Traditional Iladurarrak beliefs nurture relationships with all living beings. Our spirituality is based on the belief in multiple Spirits (polytheism) and the ability to connect directly to the Spirit World. Unlike some native cultures which have a Great Spirit (usually in the Sky), we instead hold the spirit of everything to be in Amalur or Mother Earth who also holds the sky.

The well known cave art of Europe shares sacred stories and connections and is among our sacred places. They should be respected and protected from further degradation. Certain mountains and hills; pools and springs; and groves were considered 'olas' - the places where things are done, ie. sacred sites and doorways to the Spirit World.

Our creation story tells of how the Iladurarrak were created on a mountainous island that rose from Itsaso, the Sea. Because humans were so helpless, the Animal People gave man the tools needed to survive. The Zuberoa is one spirit who taught humans the sacred ritual of picking and hunting caribou. The Zalzaval or "horse-man" is said to have given humans other tools to survive.

Our deceased are given the proper burial ritual involving red ocher and after three days travel through Amalur to the spirit world where they rejoin the Ancestors in Amalur's daughter Ila (the moon). Euri, the Rain Goddess, falls from the sky and our Ancestors are reincarnated as part of everything in a cycle that repeats itself forever.

The Iladurarrak honor the magic of the feminine, masculine, and two-spirit gender roles. Every person is sacred and has a role to play.

Ceremonies are the way we celebrate our journey on the calendar, special times and places, as well as the sacred relationships we share with Amalur and with all living beings including Spirits.

Some ceremonies for the Iladurarrak are Summer and Winter Solstice; Coming of Age ceremonies; Time-to-Travel ceremonies (Spring and Fall); ceremonies for life, death and honoring our Ancestor's journey; seasonal ceremonies such as honoring Iparmen and Eluri at the onset of winter, and ceremonies to honor our relations such as the Animal and Plant people.



Cultural Respect