Pierre Lafitte Ithurralde
Encyclopedia
Pierre Lafitte Ithurralde (21 May 1901 – 23 February 1985) was a French Basque priest and author.
on 21 May 1901; orphaned at the age of seven, he was raised by his aunt and uncle in Ithorots
, where he went to the local school. From 1914 he continued his education at the seminary in Urt
from where he graduated in 1919. He was ordained on 13 July 1924 and taught at the Catholic University of Toulouse
for a number of years until returning to the Northern Basque Country
where he eventually settled in Ustaritz
for good. He contributed to many Basque and Basque-related publications, including Eskualduna and Gure Herria.
He was deeply involved in the Basque nationalist movement
, North and South
over many years and founded the first nationalist movement in the North. In 1949 he was called to sit on Euskaltzaindia
, the official institution regulating the Basque language
.
In 1982 he received an honorary degree
from the University of the Basque Country
. He died 23 February 1985 in Bayonne
(Labourd
).
He is known for several seminal works on the Basque language, including:
Narration
Essays
Anthologies
Theater
Poetry
Other works
Biography
Lafitte was born in LouhossoaLouhossoa
Louhossoa is a small village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-External links:...
on 21 May 1901; orphaned at the age of seven, he was raised by his aunt and uncle in Ithorots
Aroue-Ithorots-Olhaïby
Aroue-Ithorots-Olhaïby is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is located in the former province of Soule.-References:* -External links:*...
, where he went to the local school. From 1914 he continued his education at the seminary in Urt
Urt
Urt is a village in Gascony in the traditional province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-External links:...
from where he graduated in 1919. He was ordained on 13 July 1924 and taught at the Catholic University of Toulouse
Catholic University of Toulouse
The Catholic University of Toulouse is a Catholic university in Toulouse, France.-External links:...
for a number of years until returning to the Northern Basque Country
Northern Basque Country
The French Basque Country or Northern Basque Country situated within the western part of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques constitutes the north-eastern part of the Basque Country....
where he eventually settled in Ustaritz
Ustaritz
Ustaritz is a village in the traditional Basque province of Labourd, now a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is located some 13 km inland from Bayonne....
for good. He contributed to many Basque and Basque-related publications, including Eskualduna and Gure Herria.
He was deeply involved in the Basque nationalist movement
Basque nationalism
Basque nationalism is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or, chiefly, full independence of the Basque Country in the wider sense...
, North and South
Southern Basque Country
The Southern Basque Country is a term used to refer to the Basque territories within Spain as a unified whole.It does not exist as a political unit but includes the three provinces and two enclaves of the Basque Autonomous Community in the west, as well as the Chartered Community of Navarre to...
over many years and founded the first nationalist movement in the North. In 1949 he was called to sit on Euskaltzaindia
Euskaltzaindia
Euskaltzaindia is the official academic language regulatory institution which watches over the Basque language. It carries out research on the language, seeks to protect it, and establishes standards of use...
, the official institution regulating the Basque language
Basque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
.
In 1982 he received an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
from the University of the Basque Country
University of the Basque Country
The University of the Basque Country is the only public university in the Basque Country, in Northern Spain...
. He died 23 February 1985 in Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
(Labourd
Labourd
Labourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
).
Works
LinguisticsHe is known for several seminal works on the Basque language, including:
- Grammaire basque: navarro-labourdin littéraire (1944)
- Grammaire basque pour tous II - Le verbe basque (1981)
Narration
- Historio-misterio edo etherazainaren ipui hautatuak (1990)
Essays
- Koblakarien legea (1935)
- Mende huntako euskaldun idazleen Pentsa-bideak (1974)
- Pierre Topet-Etxahun (1970)
Anthologies
- Eskualdunen Loretegia. XVI-garren mendetik hunateko liburuetatik bildua. Lehen zatia (1645-1800) (1931)
Theater
- Hil biziaren ordenua (1963)
- Santcho Azkarra (1954)
Poetry
- Mañex Etchamendi bertsularia (1972)
- Murtuts eta bertze... (artho churitzeko zonbait ichorio chahar) (1945)
Other works
- Kazetari lan hautatuak (2002)