Juan María Lekuona Berasategi ( Oiartzun, Guipúzcoa, 1927 - Donostia, 5 December 2005) was a Basque poet in euskera.
He was Manuel Lekuona's nephew. In 1953 he became a priest. After his residence in Rome, where he defended his thesis, he worked in Añorga, near Donostia. He read Gabriel Aresti's books in those years and that is why his work was very orientated to social fight in the beginning, as we can see in Mindura gaur, his first book.
He was the first president of EIZIE in 1987.
His studies about bersolarism (oral Basque tradition) are very important and he became a member of Euskaltzaindia in 1988. He won several prices in life, like two Premios Euskadi de Literatura, in 1979 and 1990.
Background
He pursued theological studies and conducted his first Mass in Oiartzun in 1953. In the same year, he traveled to Rome to study Spiritual Theology and presented his thesis there titled "Ideario ascético-pastoral de Fray Bartolomé de los Mártires" (Ascetic-Pastoral Ideals of Fray Bartolomé de los Mártires) from 1514 to 1592. While in Rome, he wrote his first poem in Basque called "Mindura gaur" (Today Mindura). Juan Mari Lekuona developed a passion for literature from a young age, finding joy in writing and choosing to write in Basque due to the challenging state of Basque culture, with the intention of serving the language and the community. He, along with Orixe, Lauaxeta, and Lizardi, were the pioneering young poets of their time. After an eleven-year hiatus from writing, Lekuona entered a new phase and encountered poets like Aresti, whose influence led him to delve into social and existential poetry.
During the early years of his writing career, he collaborated with magazines such as "Zeruko Argia," "Olerti," "Egan," and "El Bidasoa." In 1968, he published his doctoral thesis titled "Ideario ascético-pastoral de Fray Bartolomé de los Mártires, O.P., 1514-1590" (Ascetic-Pastoral Ideals of Fray Bartolomé de los Mártires, O.P., 1514-1590). However, his significant contributions lie in the field of poetry.
His first poetry book, "Mindura gaur," was published in 1966, and he later included it in the collection "Muga beroak" (Hot Borders) along with two other books in 1972. He received the Spanish Poetry Prize in 1981. Lekuona's poetry explores existential issues of the individual, blending modern influences with the traditional verse of bertsolaritza (improvised Basque oral poetry). His poetry, which developed and deepened over the years, marks significant milestones in various periods of Basque literature. Notably, his poem "Errota Zahar" (The Old Mill) stands out. Additionally, he has written articles on oral literature. Since 1987, he has been a full member of Euskaltzaindia (Royal Academy of the Basque Language), serving as its president from 1989 to 1995 and heading the Literature Committee. Furthermore, he held the presidency of EIZIE (Association of Translators, Correctors, and Interpreters of Basque) from 1987 to 1990.
