Bullen provides an overview of gender theory, then focuses on Basque women as agents of cultural transmission in the context of the nationalist movement, and in the diaspora. The myths surrounding Basque matriarchy and the extent of women's rule fixed in a mythical past are questioned. While the powerful mother figure has a vital role in handing down Basque language and culture, contemporary women are also breaking old stereotypes and carving out new niches for themselves, at times coming into conflict with the force of tradition. Distributed for the Center for Basque Studies.