Esteban Urkiaga, "Lauaxeta"

Who was Lauaxeta? Lauaxeta was a poet and journalist from the province of Bizkaia (Laukiz, 1905 - Vitoria-Gazteiz, 1937). His family moved to Mungia when he was a child, and he studied in Durango and Loiola. At Loiola he combined his study of classics amid much enthusiasm for Basque language and culture. When he was a priest, he went to Bilbao to run a Basque periodical, "Euzkadi", and won prizes at many Basque festivals and poetry competitions.

He was a fine orator, and went from village to village taking part in rallies and festivals.  He worked on complicated symbolist poetry, of which the major feature was the influence of modernism. His favourite topics were impossible love and the bitter aftermath, young people and youth, fatherland and freedom, the fleetingness of life, and social poetry.

Additionally, he wrote many articles in newspaper and magazines - collections such as "Olerkiak" (Poems - 1974), "Bide barrijak" (New routes - 1931) and "Arrats beran" (At sunset - 1935).