Vaca

The narrative spans four historical moments: the Third Carlist War frontlines in 1875, rural conflicts in 1905, the interwar decade around 1915, and the Civil War shadows of 1936. Each period highlights shifting loyalties, social codes, and the costs of courage or fear within Basque communities. Together they map how history threads through family, tradition, and land.

The story unfolds across the Basque countryside, with mountains, forests, and small frontier villages as the backdrop. The rugged terrain of Biscay and Guipúzcoa frames generations of families whose feuds and loyalties shape their destinies. The landscape acts as a silent witness to memory, pride, and the enduring craft of the Basque people.

⚔️ War & Memory

War leaves scars that echo across generations. The 1875 frontline event, and Manuel’s ensuing shame, indelibly shape the families’ choices. Memory is a quiet, stubborn force—able to sour friendships, fuel feuds, and redefine honor long after the guns fall silent. The landscape itself bears witness to these memories, turning everyday life into a negotiation with the past.

🏚️ Family Feud

Two rival lineages—Mendiluze and Iriguíbel—carry a long-standing grudge that governs marriage, work, and reputation. Feuds are reinforced through public challenges and secret loyalties, pulling younger generations into the conflict. Pride and pain intertwine as competitive ambitions threaten family stability and future happiness. The feud becomes a lineage’s fate as it travels through time.

💘 Forbidden Love

Love crosses borders of clan and era, bringing Catalina and Ignacio together despite deep-seated rivalries. Their affair and the child Peru complicate loyalties, echoing the moral tensions that govern Basque society. The romance is both a source of hope and a perilous trap, threatening to unravel centuries of tradition. It shows how desire can challenge duty and redefine family bonds.

🪵 Craft & Identity

Aizcolari wood-cutting is more than a craft; it’s a marker of Basque identity and pride. The skills link generations and provide a lifeline amid conflict, poverty, and change. Craft becomes a language through which families articulate honor, resilience, and continuity. The pursuit of wood-cutting shapes choices and fuels both competition and collaboration.

🌍 Migration & Frontier

The prospect of leaving for America threads through the later generations, offering a path to escape and possibility. Catalina and Ignacio’s plan to take Peru to a new land reframes loyalty as a choice between staying for family or seeking a new horizon. Migration becomes a test of faith, sacrifice, and the willingness to redefine bloodlines in a foreign soil.