Community gathers during Basque picnic

Members of the Oinkari Dancers highlight elements of the Basque culture.

Photos by Brian S. Orban

The audience began clapping and cheering as Michael Lejardi stood before the crowd that gathered in the community park. His hands held onto a flag featuring white and green stripes emblazoned on a field of red.

Lejardi took to one knee while other members of his group dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in reverence. He then took the flag representing the homeland of one of the world’s oldest democracies and swung it overhead in honor of a region nestled between France and Spain.

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