Basque witchcraft

The Basque Country is land of witchcraft and paganism, just look at the fact that here in Christmas the person bringing presents is a Gentile from ancient times. The sorgina is one of the most featured characters of this cultural heritage of ours.

Although at first is tempting to translate “sorgina” simply as “witch” in Basque, this is wrong. While the witches in european folklore are dak characters and certainly evil, that at the same time poison an apple or want to eat you in their chocolate house, the sorginas have a more positive background. Back in their time they were the midwives and healers of rural world, in fact sorgina can be translated as “creator”, and is accepted that they had a good relationship with the goddess Mari. They used to punish the liars, the evil and the perjured.

The sorgiña is an essential part of our folklore

So you know, be good. As our friends the Galicians say: “I don’t believe in witches, but there are”. The same can be applied to our sorginas!