Such pastimes foster a sense of community and lifelong connections, agrees Julia Etchart, the society’s president. “For me, [the card game Mus] has just kept a connection to the culture,” she says. “It’s opened doors and built relationships with other Basque clubs and members across the world.”

With the theme of “pastimes in past times,” Heritage Week (Feb. 17–23) in B.C. celebrates the vibrant ways in which hobbies – such as a Basque card game, Gaelic football and Japanese flower arrangement – have preserved culture throughout B.C.’s history.

An unexpected glue

Mike co-founded the organization in 1993 with hopes of connecting with the Basque Country and forming a unified Euskaldunak community in B.C. As this year is the 30th anniversary of the Basque government’s official recognition of the club, members reflect on the important role of Mus in preserving their heritage and building community – a role that was even unexpected for the Basque government.

“You know, up until recently, the Basque government didn’t consider the card game Mus as very important,” adds Frank Etchart, a senior board member. “But we find that for small communities like ours, Mus was actually one of the glues that held us together.”

A four-player betting game using Spanish playing cards, Mus is played with fixed partners who place bets on the cards – from highest to lowest and lastly to pairs – in a counterclockwise order. The goal is to achieve jokua, a combination of cards adding up to any number between 31 and 40, with 31 being the most desirable outcome. If jokua is not achieved, players compete for puntuak, the highest points. By using the approved signs, players can also secretly convey their hand to their partner.

“Sticking the tongue out a little bit means that you have two aces,” Mike adds. “If you bite your lip, it means that you have two kings; if you close your left eye, you have 31.”

As a part of the North American Basque Organizations (NABO), the Zazpiak Bat Society participates in the annual Mus tournament with players from all over the world. Although the number of members has dwindled over the years, weekly meetings for Mus are open to everyone. Julia hopes to continue fostering a sense of community and connection within and beyond the BC Basque community.

“We welcome everybody that wants to learn or come play,” she says. “Our hope is to start up events again and have more of an active community.”

More than sports

Celebrating its 51st anniversary this year, the Irish Sporting and Social Club (ISSC), home of Vancouver Gaelic Athletic Association, was formed in 1974 by Irish immigrants seeking to connect the local Irish diaspora. Their goal was to promote the Gaelic games of football, hurling and camogie – sports that are invaluable in preserving their culture.

“[Gaelic games] are a central part of every single town and village and city,” says Louise Gavin, ISSC’s public relations officer. “You don’t just join any club, you play with the town that you’re born into and if you’re good enough, you get to represent your county and play at a higher level.”

Gaelic football is a blend of soccer, rugby and basketball, featuring 15 players on each team. To score as many points as possible within an hour, players can use their hands and feet, but they must follow complex rules.

“You can bounce it, but you can’t bounce it twice in a row,” Gavin explains. “You also have to run with the ball in your hand, but you can’t run with the ball more than four steps.”

Gavin compares hurling and its female version, camogie, to field hockey and lacrosse, with players using hurleys – sticks made of ash wood – and a small ball called a sliotar to score as many points as possible. She explains that while camogie tends to be slower in pace, they are more technical.

“[Hurling] is one of the most barbaric games you could ever see,” she adds. “It’s actually the fastest grass sport in the world, [requiring] a lot more skill [than football] because the ball is smaller, and you have a stick…so you can imagine how crazy that is.”

Gavin says Gaelic sports are everything to the Irish community. She notes that sports and the ISSC, continue to provide opportunities for community building.

“You join for the community, to meet friends,” Gavin adds. “It’s something that everyone is really proud of, and it brings everyone together.”

A natural joy

Believed to have originated from Buddhism’s introduction to Japan around the 6th century, Ikebana – also known as Kado (“the way of flowers”) – is the art of flower arrangement. For Kimberly Cooke, former president of the Vancouver Ikebana Association (VIA), this artistic practice is rooted in the Japanese appreciation of nature.

“[Ikebana] is a way to incorporate beautiful natural things into your own home, bringing those things inside,” says Cooke.

Marking their 60th anniversary this year, the VIA (est. 1965) strives to share ikebana with the public while preserving Japanese culture in B.C. The organization holds workshops, participates in cultural festivals and even works with the B.C. consulate of Japan to teach ikebana to children through school events.

This summer, some of their members will hold a small ikebana exhibition and workshop in New Denver, where many Japanese Canadians were interned during the Second World War. VIA hopes to reach out to the local community to ensure the history of ikebana is not forgotten.

“There’s so much Japanese culture rooted in the area, but the practice of ikebana is not well known,” she adds.

There are currently five ikebana schools in B.C. specializing in their own unique styles and practices: Ikenobo, Sogetsu, Sangetsu, Kado-Sumi and Ohara. Although each school’s rules may vary, simplicity and harmony are at the core of this art form. Sangetsu schoolmember Cooke says that their philosophy is to take things that are natural and in season, always starting their arrangement with a strong branch.

“We take something that harmonizes with the container that we’re using [and] with the other flowers that we’re using,” she explains. “And we use that as a solid framework.” VIA hopes to continue preserving ikebana and its history, creating curiosity and joy in all who are curious about this Japanese art form.

“Really, [ikebana] is just about embracing nature, finding peace within, and it’s about the joy,” adds Cooke. “It’s really about the joy.”

For more information on Canadian Heritage Week in B.C., see: www.heritagebc.ca/events-activities/heritage-week.

For more information on the Zazpiak Bat Society, see: www.facebook.com/euskaletxeavancouver

For more information on the ISSC Vancouver GAA, see: www.instagram.com/isscvancouvergaa

For more information on the Vancouver Ikebana Association,  see: www.vancouver-ikebana.ca