No summary at this time, please refer to the detailed index below.
Side 1
0-5:00 Both Dan’s mother and father were born in the United States. His maternal grandparents moved from Euskadi to Pikabo, Idaho, near Hailey. His maternal grandfather had worked as a sheepherder before moving back to Spain to marry Dan’s grandmother, they had one daughter while in the Basque country, Rosie Anchustegui (now Mallory). Dan’s grandfather moved back to the US soon afterwards, followed a few months later by his wife, now pregnant with her 2nd child (Dan’s mother). Dan’s 5 remaining uncles and aunts on this side of the family were born in Idaho. Dan’s maternal grandfather opened the Gem Bar in Hailey, across the street from which was their house. They rented out rooms in their home, turning it into a kind of boarding house; Dan’s mother still remembers the boarders really well (including people like Joe Cenarrusa), as they were like family. There were other hotels in Hailey at the time, but nothing like a Basque boarding house. The family kept the bar until about 1960. Dan’s mother came to Boise soon after she graduated from high school. Dan was born in 1959.
5-12:00 Dan’s paternal grandfather took a ship to New York before coming to Idaho to work, but returned to the Basque country to get married. The family returned to the US, and all of their 6 children (4 boys, 2 girls) were born on the Oregon side of McDermitt and various Idaho towns, beginning with Dan’s uncle Tony. Dan’s paternal grandfather had also worked as a sheepherder, but the family moved to Nampa, where he began work at a dairy. The family lived not far from the Jausoro’s boarding house. His maternal grandfather was from Ea and his maternal grandmother was from Ibarranguelua. Dan’s paternal grandparents were both from baserris outside of Ibarranguelua. Dan’s father played the accordion in Southeastern Idaho and Nevada, and he met Dan’s mother in Hailey, where he was playing at a party. Dan’s father and another accordion player named Jimmy were very goods friends, and at times they played together; eventually, Dan’s father switched to the tambourine and drums, and they formed a group. Johnny Arregui played the saxophone for them, and Jimmy (Lendhardt) played the trumpet. Dan’s parents got married in Boise when his mother was 20 and his father was 37; his mother worked for the State, and Dan’s father’s whole family moved from Nampa to Boise.
12-20:00 Dan’s grandfather never went back to the Basque country, but his father did; his Basque was still really strong since the family spoke it at home. Dan’s father quit school after the 8th grade (he had skipped 3rd grade), and worked as a sheepherder for a while with his brother Tony. He did this for about 3 years. Dan speaks about a program that sent him to the Basque country in 1979, respectively. He went when he was a sophomore in college, even though he spoke no Basque or Spanish, he went to BSU so he could afford the trip. He was more interested in figuring out the family tree and learning Basque than meeting his relatives, even though he greatly enjoyed meeting his mother’s family. Dan wanted to learn Basque for the same reason he liked Oinkaris; he’s a 3rd generation Basque who wants to be connected to the culture. Dan’s mother didn’t want to speak Basque at home because being different embarrassed her, even though his father kept up his Basque.
20-30:00 While studying in Euskadi, Dan worked really hard to learn Basque. He switched roommates so he could be with someone studying Basque (Mark Guerry). While in Oñati, Dan and his friends tried to mingle with Basque people as much as possible. He spent a lot of time with his mom’s aunt in Gernika; he had learning a “clean” (Gipuzkuan) Basque, and had to deal with a more vernacular (Bizkaian) Basque while in Gernika. Before Dan came to the Basque country, he had little idea about what the region was like, since his family had never really talked about it at home; all he knew was from his older sister and other friends’ experiences on the same program. He was a little disappointed by the dirtiness of public places and even people’s homes, and also by the graffiti. Dan was very impressed by the Basque culture; they were friendly (even if blunt). He was surprised by the fact that so many people didn’t speak Basque, but he did notice a sort of Basque renaissance t here, with the ikastolas all full. Dan was in Spain for the 1st free elections after Franco’s death, and he remembers how many parties were competing. He was surprised by the amount of American culture that had seeped into Euskadi; they knew more about politics in America (and Idaho) than Dan and his friends did!
Side 2
0-13:00 While studying in Oñati, Dan was disturbed by the bad American music playing in the bars. He was treated wonderfully by everyone; the fact that he was studying Basque made them a lot warmer. A friend named Ben (Berriochoa) was studying Spanish there at the same time, and was chastised a little for not making the effort to learn Basque. The best part of the trip for Dan was learning Basque, and he has been back to Euskadi 3 times, where he was able to rendezvous with other former program participants. The hardest part of the trip was the little squabbles in the dorms, but those weren’t really a big deal. Now, Dan wishes that he had studied even harder. He didn’t really suffer from reverse culture shock coming home, because he missed home quite a bit. Dan felt he grew up a lot while in Euskadi. He jokes a bit about his mongrel Basque skills. Dan never would have opened up the Bar Gernika if it hadn’t been for his trip. He then discusses how the program filled a need in the Boise area.
13-18:30 Dan discusses what it means to be Basque, and talks a bit about his trips to the Basque country. He saw an old accordion player while on a trip, and has since purchased his own button accordion. He went to Euskadi to take lessons from Joseba (Tabi) while living in the towns of Azpeitia, Donosti, and Lasarte. Dan loves to play the accordion at home now every once in a while.
18:30-30:00 Dan modeled the Bar Gernika from drawings he had taken from bars in the Basque country (he jokes that there’s not an original idea in the whole place!). He compares bars here and in Euskadi: here, we go to meet new people and drink; in Spain, they go to bars to socialize with old friends, and drinking is secondary. A few years after he had finished his degree, Dan opened up the bar; it was something he had always wanted to do. The 2nd or 3rd year that Dan had taught at St. Mary’s, he created a list of possible names for his bar, and asked his students to read them off; he chose ‘Bar Gernika’ because it was easy for non-Basques to pronounce (this was before Oñati was open; Oñati was the most frequently-butchered name) and because there’s a Bar Boise in Gernika. ‘(Ametza)’ was the working name for a while, as was ‘Shepherd’s Son’—but this sounded too religious when he considered that the mission was close by. He laughs about some of the names that other people suggested. Dan is happy by the success his bar has had; people are intrigued by the food, ambience, and intimacy, and keep coming back.
NAMES:
(Lendhardt), Jimmy: played the trumpet
(Tabi), Joseba: taught Dan how to play the accordion
Ansotegui, Tony: Dan’s uncle
Arregui, Johnny: saxophone player
Berreachoa, Ben: studied Spanish in Euskadi
Cenarrusa, Joe: a boarder at Dan’s grandfather’s boarding house
Guerry, Mark: studied Basque with Dan
Jausoro family: owned boarding house in Nampa
Jausoro, Jimmy: an accordion player
Mallory, Rosie Anchustegui: Dan’s aunt
Oinkaris: Basque dancers
PLACES:
Azpeitia: town where Dan stayed in Euskadi
Bar Boise: bar in Gernika
Bar Gernika: Dan’s bar
Boise State University
Boise, ID
Donosti: town where Dan stayed in Euskadi
Ea: original home of Dan’s maternal grandfather
Gem Bar: Dan’s grandfather’s bar
Hailey, ID: town where Dan’s grandfather ran a bar and boarding house
Ibarranguelua, Spain: original home of Dan’s paternal grandparents and maternal grandmother
Lasarte: town where Dan stayed in Euskadi
McDermitt, OR: town where Dan’s father was born
Nampa, ID
Nevada
New York: port of entry into the United States
Oñati, Spain: town where Dan Studied Basque
Oñati: Basque restaurant in Boise
Pikabo, ID: town where Dan’s mother was born
St. Mary’s: school Dan taught for
THEMES:
Immigration
Language
Restaurants
Schools
Sheepherders