News From Oñati

[S. Lorenzo Times]

Oñati's Chinese restaurant is in the restaurant that formerly belonged to Jesus Alcelay, the Goiena. I remember Jesus and Tammy's son Aitor working behind this very bar.

A recent edition of Oñati's Basque language magazine, Kontzejupetik, carries this article about Chinese in Oñati. In our student days thirty plus years ago we were forced to travel to Bilbao to find a Chinese restaurant, and visits to Madrid or Barcelona often included a Chinese meal as well. I asked Bea to translate the text so I could share it with the San Lorenzo Times community.

Esmeralda Voong. The first Chinese person to arrive in Oñati.

“Chinese people are not the type who demand special concessions from the administration”

Chinese all over the world celebrated their New Year. According to the Chinese Calendar February 14 marks the beginning of the year 4709, the year of the Tiger, an ideal year to meet new challenges, but not the
best for getting married or to have children, according to the Chinese
horoscope. Esmeralda Voong, was one of the first Chinese people to arrive in
Oñati. She has told us how she celebrated the New Year and how life is for the
Chinese community in Oñati.

- Did you celebrate New Year’s Eve in any special way?

- Other than a small special dinner, I didn’t do much.  There was a special gathering of Chinese people from the whole province in Donosti (San Sebastian), and about 2,000 people attended, but we didn’t go; I have small children, and my husband
was in China.

- Do you have any special traditions for that day?

- We usually eat duck and chicken in tribute to our ancestors, and we drink a homemade white wine made from rice.

            For the dinner of New Year’s eve we wear something new, and according to tradition
people are supposed to carry some pocket money.

            On New Year’s day we go to visit our relatives, and children receive a red
envelope with money to buy anything they want.

- How many Chinese people are there in Oñati?

- There are about 16 of us.

- You were one of the first ones to arrive in Oñati. Tell us about it.

- I arrived in Madrid in 1979 with my parents and six siblings when I was four years old, thanks to the political asylum granted by the Government. My family worked in a restaurant so
I started working there as well. Later, I spent two years each in London and
Canada, and about five years ago when I went to Eibar on a visit, I saw an
opportunity to open a store in Zumarraga.

            About four months after I opened that store I arrived in Oñati. First, I opened the
store in Kale Zaharra, and soon after that the one in Kale Barria. I also took
over the lease of the Goiena restaurant, but when my two children were born I
transferred the duties of the bar to my sister in law. Another person who had
worked with me in the store opened a candy store in the plaza.

- Do you like Oñati?

- Before we got here we had heard that [Oñati] was a unique town, but I don’t think so; I think it is very traditional if anything, but we like it. The businesses here don’t do as well as in other towns, but we are making progress little by little. The town itself
is very beautiful and pleasant to live in. We haven’t heard any bad comments,
people in general are very nice.

- Do you have any special requests?

- No. Chinese people are not the type to demand special concessions from the administration. We have come to work, to make a living, respectful of everyone, and that is all we ask in
return, respect.

- China’s economy is growing, the country is positioning itself to become the second largest economy in the
world.

- Yes, but there are two China’s; the wealthy one and the poor one. With such a large population, the government cannot help all the people.

-Do you plan to return to your native land?

- Who knows what will happen when I get older, but not for now. People are not from the place where they were born, but from where they grow up. My two children, Jiawan and Aaron, were
born here, therefore my life is here.

- Would you like to bring more Chinese people to Oñati?

- If we find work opportunities, we do our best to bring our relatives, but it is difficult; the laws have changed, besides, the situation here is not so good either.

Kontzejupetik. 193th edition. City Hall of Oñati

March 2010