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Nabarralde | Nabarra Papers
Navarrese
historian Jimeno Jurío dies,
leaving lasting legacy
On Thursday October 3,
2002, Navarre suffered a great loss. José María Jimeno Jurío,
a historian, ethnographer and writer, died at his Iruñea (Pamplona)
home at the age of 75.
Historian
Tomás Urzainqui Mina called Jimeno Jurío the Teacher of
Navarre. "[Navarrese] society, even with great difficulty, wants to
discover the truth about itself and is doing it thanks to the titanic
work of Jimeno Jurío", he said.
By sunrise, news of
his death had spread across Navarre, prompting a profound sense of grief
for a man who many people say represents the heart and soul of our nation.
Jimeno Jurío's
rich legacy to the Navarrese people, his works about the history of
Iruñea and Navarre helped to pave the way for the recovery of
the historic memory that the occupying powers have kept hidden.
Beyond his mark on the
historical landscape, Jimeno Jurío also left a prolific cultural
legacy as an ethnographer. His research findings on the language of
Navarre is a turning point in the study of Euskera in our country.
In 1991 he was named
vice-president of the Society of Basque Studies, Eusko Ikaskuntza, in
Navarre, and an honorary member of Euskaltzaindia, the Royal Basque
Language Academy. In 1998 he was granted the life achievement award
by the Sabino Arana Foundation, and received the first Manuel Lekuona
award from the Society of Basque Studies. In 2001 he was granted the
Manuel Irujo award for his work in favor of the Euskera language.
Jimeno Jurío
was a historian, ethnographer and writer but also a remarkable human
being who left an indelible impression on so many of us. He was a man
committed to his country and someone whom many of us will long remember
not only for his professional contributions, but for his personal warmth
and his generosity of spirit.
Today we mourn José
María Jimeno Jurío's death with great sadness. But in
the days to come, I know that we will remember his life with gratitude
and with joy.
Services for José
María Jimeno Jurío were held in his hometown of Artaxona.
He is survived by his wife, Elena Aranguren, and son, Roldán
Jimeno.
4
October 2002
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