The cultural project Baskasetur recovers four centuries of shared history between Basque whalers and Icelandic communities (Autor: Mireia Ochoa)
In a remote corner of the North Atlantic, in the small town of Djúpavík, a unique space dedicated to the shared memory of Basques and Icelanders has emerged: the Baskasetur cultural center. This project seeks to recover and disseminate the maritime history that has united both peoples for more than four centuries, since Basque whalers regularly sailed to these northern waters in search of whales and other marine resources.
The center is located in a former herring processing factory, an industrial building converted into a cultural space. From there, the aim is to narrate the historical relationship between Basque sailors and Icelandic communities, a connection that dates back to the 17th century. Those whaling expeditions made Iceland a regular stop for Basque navigators, until the tragic episode of 1615 in which 32 Basque sailors died after the shipwreck of several galleons and a conflict with local inhabitants.
Baskasetur was born as part of the European project “Basque – Joint Basque Cultural Heritage in Iceland, Spain and France Revitalized by Sustainable Means,” promoted by the Basque Association in Iceland and partially funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe program. The initiative brings together various cultural institutions from both countries with the aim of revitalizing their shared maritime heritage and creating a permanent space for exhibitions and cultural activities.
Among the entities collaborating on the center’s development are organizations such as Albaola, dedicated to promoting Basque maritime heritage; the University Centre of the Westfjords (affiliated with the University of Iceland); and the Haizebegi cultural association. These institutions participate in the creation of museum exhibits, the construction of historical replicas of whaling vessels, and the development of cultural and educational programs.
The project is not limited to historical memory. Baskasetur also aspires to become a contemporary cultural meeting point, with exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and activities related to the sea and the environment. In this way, the center seeks to connect the history of Basque navigation with the current challenges facing coastal communities in the North Atlantic and to foster cultural exchange between the two regions.
Beyond its museum value, Baskasetur symbolizes historical reconciliation and cultural cooperation between two peoples separated by thousands of kilometers but united by the ocean. Located in a small Icelandic fjord, this cultural center has become a bridge between the Basque Country and Iceland, a reminder that Basque maritime history belongs not only to the Cantabrian Sea but also to the cold waters of the North Atlantic.