Junes Casenave Harigile

Santagrazi,

Santagrazi (Zuberoa), 1924

He used to be a Classics teacher and gave French, Latin and Greek lessons. He has had several other jobs besides teaching: he was headmaster of the Etxekopar School in Donapaleu (St. Palais-le-vieux, Lower Navarre), the person in charge of the ongoing training of teachers, the pedagogical adviser and a teacher of Basque with the AEK (organisation which runs Basque language and literacy courses for adults).

He currently lives in the village of Altzai (Zuberoa) and is the local parish priest.

He has written and directed the following pageants: Santa Grazi (1976), Ibañeta (1978), Pette basabürü (1982), Maitena Basabürü (1982), Zumalakarregi (1989), Santa Kruz (1992), Agota (1992) and San Mixel Garikoitz (1994).

He has also produced other kinds of works: a translation of Bible texts Egün oroetako irakurgeiak; a hagiography of Ximun Gimon-Zetegiet; an essay Amikuze; and the short story Altzaiko Herensügea; he has also compiled Basque-French and French-Basque dictionaries.

He won the Toribio Alzaga drama award of the Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language) in 1980 and 1992.

He has been an associate member of the Euskaltzaindia since 1982; he was made an honorary member of the EIE (Basque Writers' Association) in 1995.