While Santa Claus (a Coca Cola reinvention after the Dutch Saint Nicholas figure) is rapidly taking over the world as the symbol for Christmas, in the Basque Country they hold strong to their Father Christmas: Olentzero.
According to Basque traditions Olentzero comes to town late
at night on the 24th of December to drop off presents for children. In some
places he arrives later, for example in Ochagavía – Otsagabia on the 27th and
in Ermua on the 31st.
There are many variations to the Olentzero traditions and
stories connected to him, sometimes varying from village to village. The first
written account of Olentzero is from Lope de Isasti in the 17th century: A la
noche de Navidad (llamamos) onenzaro, la sazón de los buenos.
One common version has Olentzero being one of
the jentillak, a mythological race of Basque giants living in the Pyrenees.
Legend has it that they observed a glowing cloud in the sky one day. None of
them could look at this bright cloud except for a very old, nearly blind man.
When asked to examine it, he confirmed their fears and told them that it was a
sign that Jesus will be born soon.
According to some stories, the old man asked
the giants to throw him off a cliff to avoid having to live through
Christianisation. Having obliged him, the giants tripped on the way down and
died themselves except Olentzero.
Other versions have the jentillak simply leaving, with only
Olentzero remaining behind to embrace Christianity.
Parts of Olentzero legend are reminiscent of a prehistoric
cult rituals surrounding the winter solstice, such as the involvement of ritual
"last meals" and sacrifices of rebirth.
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