Rufino was born 4 December 1931 in Nabarniz, Bizkaia, to Bonifacio Isaguirre and Maria Zubizareta. His father worked in Nevada throughout Rufo's childhood. He describes growing up on the baserri, and recalls his school days and the roaring of the planes before Gernika was bombed.
Rufo helped his parents on the farm until he was 19, at which point he entered the Spanish navy. He was soon ready to go the US, and when his brother offered to get him a job, he flew to Idaho in 1960. He worked at a sheep ranch for several years before switching to a ditch company, where he stayed until his retirement.
Rufino married Felisa Echevarria in 1965, and the couple had a daughter. Felisa passed away a few years later, and Rufino remarried Margie Lou Pegrun in 1971. Today, he is a member of the Homedale Basque Club, and loves to participate in cultural events. He has been back to visit the Basque country, and considers himself both an American and a Basque.
TAPE MINUTE SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Tape 1
Side 1
0-9:00 Rufo’s parents, Bonifacio Isaguirre Zubizareta and María Zubizareta Landeta, were from Arazua and Nabarniz, respectively. They were not related, and it is not clear how they met. They were married in 1928 and, shortly after, Bonifacio moved to Nevada where he stayed for ten years before returning to the Old Country. Rufo was born on the baserri in the house named Ardanza on December 4th, 1931. His one brother, Genaro, was born on April 11th, 1929. The baserri was small, but large enough to raise four to five cows, some chickens, apples, corn, and beans. The children would sell the grain, chickens, and eggs in the open market in Gernika. On a given day, the two brothers would gather water, feed the chickens, walk the mile to school, and help their parents with other odds and ends.
9-19:00 Rufo started school at age six in Nabarniz, and the boys and girls were separated into two different buildings. The students would get punished if they spoke Basque—even while in the school yard—and were often whacked on the knuckles with a big stick. In general, the students didn’t like the teachers and the townspeople only tolerated them. Rufo would play soccer and pelota for fun, and Nabarniz had its own frontón where the kids spent a lot of time. He finished school at age 14 and then attended the convent Santurze near Bilbao for seven months to learn Spanish and some math. He helped his parents on the baserri until he was 19, at which time he joined the navy. He remembers hearing the planes roar over Nabarniz on their way to bomb Gernika. He shares an anecdote about corn bread and food rationing.
19-29:00 So Rufino helped his parents on the farm until he was 19, when he had some papers fabricated to say that he had been a fisherman—something he had never been—so that he could join the navy instead of the army. His ship, Canarias, traveled to the African coast, Barcelona, the Canary Islands, and Galicia. His term lasted 22 months, and he has mixed feelings about serving in Franco’s navy: on the one hand he didn’t want to, but on the other, he didn’t have any choice. He discusses the anger of some of his uncles at having to go back. When he returned to the Basque Country he contacted some uncles in the US about working overseas, but there were no jobs available, so he bought a truck and started working in timber. Later on, his brother—who was already in the US—set him up with a job in America. His brother paid the $700 plane ticket. Rufo took a train from Bilbao to Madrid and then flew to New York, Denver, Salt Lake, and then finally to Boise.
29-33:00 Rufo didn’t speak any English, but his boss, MitchellQuintana, spoke Basque and met him at the airport on December 22nd, 1960. Rufo was excited to be there, because his brother and father had always spoken very highly of the US. Every time the two talked, it was always America, America, America. He recalls the novelty of the blanket of snow and fog that covered the area. Quintana’s ranch operated out of Homedale and Rufo spent 31/2 years there before he returned to Spain for six months. Quintana rehired Rufo, who returned to the US to work sheep for another year and a half.
Side 2
0-6:30 Rufo’s first year at the ranch was spent tending at the ranch, and the next couple years were spent hauling water and tending sheep. He had to return to Spain, but always had the intention of returning to the camp because he had a sure job. Rufo married Felisa Echevarria—originally from Cascade–in 1965, which also helped Rufo obtain a green card. Rufo then worked for a ditch company for 28 years operating caterpillars and doing a lot of shoveling. Since retiring eight years prior to this interview, Rufo has been growing hay on 128 acres of land and has about 100 head of steer. Felisa died in 1971, and Rufo married Margie Lou Pegrun in 1972.
6:30-12:30 In 1962 Rufo received his citizenship papers. He likes America and, unlike many Basques who felt like they had to stay in the US, he is glad to be here. Margie and Rufo speak in English, but she is familiar with Basque culture. Rufo had one daughter with Felisa in 1966, who is now married and named Josie Lance. Margie had two children from a prior marriage—Rick and Jonah—but they were pretty much out of the house by the time Rufo and Margie were married. Josie has participated actively in Basque events, and has even been to Spain for a time.
12:30-21:30 Rufo has remained active in the Homedale Basque Club: selling tickets to events and donated lambs and other things. He discusses some events and involvements he has had with the new Basque Club, and mentions some people in the area who have relatives from his hometown. After his first return to the Basque Country, he has never been back. He has mentioned the idea to his wife, but she is afraid of flying. He would like to travel back there, but notes that he has lost contact with most of the people he once knew there. He tells of how the roads in Bizkaia were narrow and curvy and how he had to honk his horn all the time as he sped his lumber truck from town to town.
21:30-24:30 Rufo explains that nobody can take the Basque out of his blood, but that he is also American because he chooses to be and likes it here. Apparently, foremen in Spain will laugh at those who don’t speak Spanish or Basque well, but in America they are nice to those who are learning English. He felt welcome from the beginning. He also appreciates that he can speak any language he want to in America without being laughed at. That, and business has been good here. Over all, he can’t complain.
NAMES AND PLACES
NAMES:
Canarias; name of ship
Echevarria, Felisa; first wife
Homedale Basque Club
Isaguirre, Bonifacio Zubizareta; father
Isaguirre, Genaro; brother
Isaguirre, Josie; daughter
Isaguirre, Rufino
Quintana, Mitchell; sheep ranch owner
Pegrun, Margie Lou; second wife
Santurze; convent near Bilbao
Zubizareta, María Landeta
PLACES:
Africa
Arazua, Bizkaia
Ardanza; Rufo’s childhood baserri
Barcelona
Bilbao
Boise, ID
Canary Islands
Chicago, IL
Galicia
Gernika, Bizkaia
Homedale, ID
Madrid
Nabarniz, Bizkaia
New York, New York
Salt Lake City, UT
THEMES:
Bombing of Gernika
Food Rationing
Serving in Franco’s military
Basque farm life
Strict teachers
Becoming an American citizen
Raising a Family
American farm life
Basque-American Identity