For years, Father Martxel Tillous was he Catholic priest assigned to cover the Basque communities across the American West. He was known simply as “aita,” or father, in the Basque language of Euskera. He died last year of cancer.

In honor of the beloved priest, the Seattle Basque Club will be viewing a video of a memorial Mass held last year for Aita Tillous on Saturday April 24 at 3 p.m. For more information, check out the club’s website.

Beginning in 1994, Aita Tillous drove thousands of miles in his van to celebrate Basque weddings, funerals and festival masses. His license plate said “Pottoka,” or a wild Basque pony.

With the onset of cancer, Aita Tillous returned to Europe, where he passed away in 2009.

A Chronology by Steve Bass

This is one in a series of chronologies on historic contributions of Basques featured in Euskal Kazeta. The previous chronologies include Basques in the Americas 1592-1692, Basques in the Americas 1692-1792 and Basques in the Americas 1792-1893.

Sculpture of Basque navigator Juan Elcano, first to circumnavigate the globe. Photo: www.CellarTours.com

Christopher Columbus

Not much is known of Christopher Columbus’ early life except that he was probably born in Genoa. However, his parents’ heritage is unknown, which has given rise to an interesting question: Was Columbus Basque? Supporting this theory, Spanish historian Fernando del Valle Lersundi argues that Columbus was from Nafarroa and, at one time, fought as a Basque pirate for his uncle, Admiral Guillermo de Casenove.

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Aita Martxel Tillous: Basque Priest from Euskal Kazeta Basque News on Vimeo.

Mitch Gariador writes about the forgotten Basque Benedictines of Sacred Heart Abbey, in Oklahoma

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