Joan Mari Torrealdai Nabea was a Basque writer, journalist and sociologist. He was a member of Euskaltzaindia.
Career
He has carried out bibliographic work on books published in Basque annually since 1977, with two main features:
Book production is understood as an indicative of our society. In 1993, Torrealdai published sociological research on Basque language writers: Euskal idazleak gaur ; in 1997, he published further sociological research into the situation of culture produced in Basque: Euskal kultura gaur. This study is given across 30 numbers of the Jakin magazine.
The general catalogue of all the books written in Basque during the twentieth century was completed with bibliographic cards. With all this information he intended to elaborate the Observatory of the Basque Book.
Torrealdai conducted his research into Basque language and culture with an aim to foster the use of this language, and to catalyze its cultural production, in order to make it survive. In 1967 Torrealdai became editor of the Jakin and Anaitasuna journals. In 1985, he presented the first degree dissertation done in Basque in the University of the Basque Country on Basque Public Television and its use of Basque language. In 1990, he joined the Administration Council of Euskaldunon Egunkaria to create and manage the first modern Basque newspaper; he was later elected president of its Administration Council. In 1993, he compiled a catalogue of 20th-century Basque books. In 1998 he published El libro negro del euskeradealing with the attacks endured by the Basque language over the centuries. In 1998, he wrote a biography of Martin Ugalde, the first President of the Administration Council of newspaper Euskaldunon Egunkaria: Martin Ugalde. Andoaindik Hondarribira Caracasetik Barrena. In 1998, he wrote La censura de Franco y los escritores vascos del 98. In 2003, he was arrested and tortured by the Government of Spain in a campaign against the newspaper Euskaldunon Egunkaria. In 2007 he was appointed as a full member of the Royal Academy of the Basque Language. In 2011 he took charge of the Azkue Library of the Academy. In 2010, he was acquitted of all charges, along with all his companions, including Txema Auzmendi, Martxelo Otamendi, Xabier Oleaga and Iñaki Uria. From 2015–2017 he served as Chairman of the PuntuEUS Foundation.
Prizes
Among others, he has received the following prizes:
Euskadi Silver Prize, for the most sold book being in the Market of Book Day celebrated in San Sebastian. Euskal Kultura gaur. Liburuaren mundua.
Euskadi Silver Prize, for the most sold book being in the Market of Book Day celebrated in San Sebastián. El libro negro del euskera.
Irun City Literature Award, in the category of essay for the work, “La censura de Franco y el tema vasco”.
Honorific mention, in the XIXth Rikardo Arregi Journalism Prize.
Lauaxeta Prize, given by the Chartered Provincial Council of Bizkaia for his work to explore and promote the Basque language.
