euskalkultura.eus

Miren Perez Eguireun/Traveler.es. [The original article in Spanish, here] The state of Idaho is a sort of American version of "Teruel exists" homeland. Famous for not excelling in anything in particular, except perhaps for being the largest producer of potatoes in the United States, a scene of "The Counsellor"demonstrates the place this state has in the American collective imagination. When Penelope Cruz and Michael Fassbender discuss the safest place to meet in secret, she did not doubt: what better place than Boise (capital of Idaho).  Why?  Stunning natural landscapes barely exploited, authentic country feeling of the American West and the innate and unassuming friendliness of its inhabitants: and fully integrated in this land of cowboys eminently republican, an active and influential Basque community.

HOW THE BASQUES CAME TO IDAHO

The Basque immigrants first came to Idaho in the late nineteenth century after the California Gold Rush, and found in the countryside their way to make bread.  The figure of the Basque sheepherder soon became associated with the values of honesty and hard work among local farmers.  The pull effect did the rest, and not long after a line of migration between Idaho and the Basque Country was established, particularly those of central-eastern counties Vizcaya (in fact, since 1993 the town of Gernika is sister city with Boise).  Today, according to U.S. Census data that since 1980 one has the ability to select "Basque" in the section for descent, the Basque population is less than 1% of just over a million and a half inhabitants of state.

THE RITE OF THE BASQUES

The Idaho Basque-Americans are not exactly a silent minority. There are many reasons, but the most noticeable will surely be, in the heart of Boise (capital and principal city of Idaho, 200,000), an entire block dedicated to honoring the history, culture and Basque identity.  And the food, of course. The Basques are people of good food as much as they are third-generation.

Two restaurants (Bar Gernika - Basque Pub & Eatery and Leku Ona - Fine Basque Dining ), a grocery store, never better, that serves as the tasting bar (The Basque Market), a museum (The Basque Museum and Cultural Center), a pediment, and the socializing and meeting point par excellence of the Basque community, the Basque club (The Basque Center) make up the Basque Block.  Staves officially named with Basque music and lyrics of popular songs, huge lauburus and rosettes with the surnames of immigrants who came to Idaho decorate the pavement of Groove Street between Capitol Boulevard and 6th Street.

While visitors can stay with the idea that the Basque Block responds to a display of Basque swagger, the degree of mobilization and involvement of the community indicates that, beyond the outer image, there is a sincere effort to preserve the culture, Basque history and identity.  And the work of each of the entities that make up the Basque Block is essential for this.  Three different levels of Basque classes in the museum, weekly tests of different groups of Basque dances, monthly dinners at which brings together about 300 people in the Basque club, tournaments on the pediment ... The Basque Museum is driving the Boiseko ikastola, a nursery that offers its curriculum in Basque.

Belonging to or having belonged to Oinkari, the main group of Basque dances, is a sign of distinction of the Basque-American community.  The World Expo 2010, held in Shanghai, the Oinkari, invited by the Basque Government, were responsible for the display of Basque folklore in the flag of Spain.  An offer that perhaps not all groups of Basque dances of the Basque Country have accepted.  If there is a difference of Basque realities on either side of the Atlantic it is, with specific exceptions, uneven politicization.

Around July 31, the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, patron saint of Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, Boise held its own St. Inazios.  Wreaths ikurriñak interspersed with American flags decorate the Basque Block during a weekend in which the Basque community of Idaho and much of the western U.S. meet in Boise, including a festival of Basque pop classics, by the local group Amuma Says No.

Every 5 years, on the same dates, occurs Jaialdi, International Basque Cultural Festival; grand party of Basque pride.  For one week, Boise becomes the Mecca of Basqueness, exalted in the form of a cultural event (dances, crafts, sports rural, music …), food and alcohol; and that captivates an audience on pilgrimage to Boise from not only the Basque-American community, but also the Basque Country and even other sources in the Basque diaspora (from Argentina to Australia).  Altogether, more than 40,000 attendees, when the Basques in Idaho are counted just over 6,500.

CELEBRATE, EDUCATE AND PERPETUATE

No one who grew up in Boise can escape of the undeniable fact that, when it's time to have fun, Basques take the cake.  PJ Mansisidor, second generation Basque, former member and president of the Basque dance group and a regular at the jai alai, reveals the secret: "It is not the party for the party, but holding something that is important to us.  Our ancestors arrived as immigrants and based on their loyalty and work Basques earned a good reputation that today we continue to benefit from.  Personally, that is the heritage I celebrate, and it is much more intense than a party that lacks a similar component. "

Mansisidor recognizes that Basque pride is both a privilege and a responsibility.  It is considered lucky because, compared with other ethnic groups that also have particular historical ties and differentiating features, in the case of Basque-Americans that heritage is not lost, is still alive.  "Do you know how many times Americans have told me they'd like to be Basque?"-this engineer boasts, three of whose four grandparents were born in the Basque Country (maternal grandmother was born on U.S. soil days after her parents entered the country for the first time).  But this privilege comes with a duty of preservation: "Call it  Basque stubbornness, but we are not willing to disappear into the annals of history.  Satisfaction derived from contributing to the preservation of our identity, that pride, to the individual and collective, is priceless.  And it is worthy of celebration".

This 2014 marks 10 years of existence of the Basque studies program at Boise State University, the leading university in Idaho.  John Ysursa, second generation Basque and Doctor of History, is the current director of the Basque Studies Consortium.  Interestingly, the majority of students enrolled in the courses is of Basque origin.  For Ysursa, the festive component is sufficiently established, but considers it important to continue working in education as a condition for the preservation of Basque identity. "Celebrating plus education equates to perpetuate," is repeated several times.

But what justifies the existence of a curriculum of these features, running as part of the faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, at an American university? Ysursa doesn't doubt: "In today's society universities play a key role.  If we want to be taken seriously, we have to be present in the field of higher education". Without going much farther, in the neighboring state of Nevada, third largest state in Basque population, the University of Nevada Reno also has a center of Basque studies.

EL "LOBBY" VASCO

In this campaign for the promotion and preservation of Idaho Basque heritage, many children of Basque immigrants who moved up the social ladder to reach some of the controls of politics and the economy in Idaho also played a significant role.  There are a few politicians, bankers, businessmen and lobbyists of Basque origin, who from their influential vantage point spread the mark of the Basque Country.

Boise mayor himself, David Bieter, second-generation Basque, to be exact, is the only Basque-speaking U.S. mayor.  At a meeting of the Democratic Party in Boise in 2008, the mayor made the entire audience chant "Gora Obama!" (Long live Obama!, in Basque).

Dave Bieter - Gora Obama! from Guillermo (Bill) Yriberri on Vimeo.

But if there is someone who has stood out for his contribution to the preservation of the Basque identity in Idaho, it would be Pete Cenarrusa.  Died late last September, Cenarrusa, son of Basque immigrants, was the elected official who served longest in the history of Idaho- 52 years, 36 of which he occupied uninterruptedly, as Secretary of State.  Prominent and respected Republican leader, Cenarrusa used his influence to advance the cause of freedom of the Basque people, in which he firmly believed.  In 1972, after his first visit to the Basque Country, he prompted a statement that the Idaho legislature unanimously passed condemning Franco's dictatorship and demanded amnesty for Basque and Spanish political prisoners.

In 2002 Cenarrusa promoted another statement calling for an immediate end to violence in the Basque Country, condemned all acts of terrorism and recognized the right of self-determination of the Basque people.  The text was approved unanimously by the legislature of Idaho, despite the diplomatic incident that originated with the Spanish Embassy in the United States and required the intervention of Condoleeza Rice, then National Security Adviser under President George W. Bush.  Basque, formerly Republican, Cenarrusa was also patron and supporter of the implementation of the above program of Basque Studies at Boise State University.

The survival of the Basque identity and culture in the United States specifically, the homogeneous origin and dominant cultural model par excellence may seem utopian, but in view of the level of community involvement, it seems that conservation is guaranteed by now.  Contributing to this is also that this diaspora has never questioned its identity in exclusive terms: they feel both American and Basque at once.