«Estaba entre montes. Increíble, la verdad,» said Javier Zabala, as El Correo reported that the Cuatro y Medio finalist visited his family’s ancestral home in Abadiño last October.
The pelotari made the trip during a tournament trip to Durango, where his father guided him to the Mendiola neighborhood near the Atxarte quarries. That land was the birthplace of his great-grandfather, Martín Zabala Etxegibel.
«Siempre es especial volver a tus raíces,» Zabala told El Correo of the visit to the Ibarra Gainekoa farmhouse. The historic homestead now operates as a rural dwelling bearing the enclave’s name.
«Fue curioso encontrarnos justo allí. En el punto donde empezó todo,» said the Aspe forward, after running into relatives who still tend livestock on the surrounding slopes. Javier Zabala’s father said that other cousins maintain homes in nearby Mañaria.
Martín Zabala Etxegibel left Abadiño around 1916 alongside two companions to work as a stonecutter in the Riojan municipality of Anguiano. He arrived to construct a masonry canal without speaking the language.
«Sin saber prácticamente una palabra de castellano,» the finalist recalled of his ancestor’s relocation. Martín settled in Anguiano, marrying Felipa Díez and raising a family of one son and seven daughters.
The player’s father preserved the connection with the Vizayan relatives across decades. «Les tiene mucho cariño a todos,» the Aspe forward told El Correo regarding his father’s dedication to keeping the family ties active.
Local relatives frequently travel to watch his matches in the region. They previously attended his matches at the Olazar tournament in Zaldibar and the Comarcal tournament in Lezama.
«Nos juntamos bastantes y manteniendo bonos recuerdos,» Zabala told El Correo, noting that family members routinely forward Basque press clippings and translate articles written in Basque for his father.
Family members traveled to watch his semifinal match at the Ogueta fronton in Vitoria. They also supported his appearance at the Miribilla venue during his previous championship bid in the acotado division.
«Creo que también irán porque son ocasiones que se presentan pocas veces en la vida,» Zabala’s father told El Correo ahead of upcoming fixtures.
