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Bilbao won the title of "villa" in 1300, which would take immediately great importance. In fact, in 1310 when the Lord of Bilbao died, his nephew Maria Diaz de Haro, imposed a new regional force, which would become the sea loach in the cornerstone of the economy.

In fact, according to the forum all products from Orduña instead of going to Bermeo had to go through Bilbao necessarily, and not only that, when products went from Orduña to Vizcaya, products could only be sold in Bilbao. However, back then the estuary of Bilbao did not seem as it is nowadays. It only reached the neighborhood of "La Peña", full of sand and marshes, making it difficult to use.

Unfortunately, Bilbao estuary hygienic works did not begin until years later due to the Carlist wars. Between 1833 and 1840 took place the first Carlist war that created problems in the Spanish Succession. Liberals fought Carlist troops. Many Carlist were killed by the troops of General Zumalakarregi.

During the scuffles Zumalakarregi was killed, what made them lose popularity. As a result, liberals came to the forefront of the war and up to end the Carlist. The motto of Muñagorri (Peace and Forum) became famous for being the solution to end the war. In fact, the losers were released and facilities were given to them to carry out their military in the liberal army posts.

Once Carlist wars were finished the situation returned to his being, in 1533, works to enable the river began again, along with the creation of ports. Unfortunately, these efforts were not enough and many boats were not able to leave the port of Portugalete. Due to this fact, smaller vessels (barges and txalupas) who went to nearby ports or to merchant ships to bring products to the city were used. In some cases, they could not pass through the village "El Abra" and were also used to carry the products there. But it was usually difficult to continue the journey in these small boats so it was necessary to pull a rope that was on the floor to move. Zirgariz were those who fulfilled this function.

Development

The first official ropedockers appeared in 1796. Until that year, the consulate of Bilbao allow free towpath, what means, when the crew of the ships went to work, they needed the help of people and the strength of animals.

However, by that time, a company of oxen in Erandio, offered to the consulate an official service of their animals. It was accepted, and being regulated for the first time the ropedockers service.

With the new rules, a concrete amount of work was fixed and people hired the animals. Thus, these people were given money. In addition, they were given the ability to control the new regulations of the consulate from the port. To work towpath, animals and people were officially hired.

Although the rules were very much in favor of telling the truth, they were not believable because they needed to hire many people and all services needed to be controlled. So in 1889, they were steam ships and the towpath of the oxen disappeared because the ships replaced their job.

However, the new system of steam ships appeared in the Ria de Bilbao. Two ships left from El Arenal, called "Algorta" and "Socorro", each with an owner, a machinist, two blacksmiths, a sailor and two technicians.

This new system appeared in the age of working with iron. This material was suitable to use in Bessemer ovens as it was the iron Biscay because others did not have that kind of materiañ and therefore the demand increased. That, also made vessel traffic rise through the Ria (La Barbiera, 2006). In contrast, although the towpath of the oxen was also dissapeared, this, endured. When raising the number of ships coming up the river, more services were needed to bring the quantities of materials and this function could be made by ropedockers.

Most ropedockers were females and most of them were paid less. Furthermore, they could not be hired at that time, not as others were. The most common route for them was through the neighbourhood of Botika Vieja. The ships were carried to the old port district "Sendeja", and along Elorrieta because the course was difficult.

Thus, the goods ships also were carried by gondolas. These gondolas were called “ Carrozas” and to pass Portugalete, they needed to be moved by ropedockers at some point of the journey. Ropedockers were a labor association and they had their own guild. However, there is no preparation needed to work as it (the services were needed at the time) and the union did not protect workers that much. So, as there was much work as ropedockers, they were given the money at the moment and more and more women began to work. .

Curiosities

Although not many curiosities can be mentioned as to the ropedockers, one of them is that they had a derogatory nicknaame. They were called "earning breadboys" for their working conditions. The ropedockers did not received salaries, so often they use to work only to eat that day. That is why they are called like that, because they work for buying the everyday bread.

It is also important to cite their change of character. A long time ago, ropedockers use to be happy, clean and use to sing while they were working in the port. But, everything changed when their working conditions became worse and the demand increased. Working conditions and their character changed. They turn into bad temper, from being clean into dirty, in stead of having a good behaviour, they had a bad one.

To finish with, every year, ‘Gentil’ asociation, has the neeth of remembering in a teathre play the honor of ropedockers. This play was announced for the first time in 1879 in a magazine, because a ropedocker had an accident while he was working and a blacksmith that was also working there, was the one helping him. This dennounced the bad working conditions of ropedockers. On the play, songs and dances were also included.

Bibliography:

Barberia, I. (2006), Las sirgueras de la ría de Bilbao, Bilbao: BBK.

Zirgariak, una iniciativa del colectivo “Jentilak”, 2013.