See index summary below.
Tape 1, side 1
0-8:15 Julio was born in 1943 in Emmett, Idaho. His father had worked on a ranch or two and later in a sawmill. The family moved to Cascade, Idaho when Julio was 2 years old so the father could work in the sawmill there to provide wood for the dam that was being built. He remembers how busy his parents were in Cascade. His father worked long hours in the sawmill, and life seemed to revolve around the sawmill, boarding house, bar, and hotel. There was little time for family, and they had little or no privacy. He remembers life in the hotel, where the family lived. Julio is the middle child, with and older sister (Dolores), and younger brother (Frank). Interesting story about the hotel’s history and the wild country-western dances they hosted in the bar downstairs. Remembers how hard his mother worked (bartending, cooking, taking care of the hotel, cleaning).
8:15-10:30 Anecdote: During Julio’s sophomore year in high school, he took a history/government class from his football coach. Discussed influence of environment on a person’s character. Coach paused at one time to remark on how the Bilbao boys were so well behaved, despite the fact that they had grown up in a rough neighborhood (Main Street) and right next to a bar. Julio remembers how strange the remark seemed at the time.
10:30-15:00 Remembers more good times from growing up in the hotel. Got along well with the patrons of the hotel, grew very close to some of them.
15:00-24:30 Language: grew up speaking English, not speaking Basque but understanding a lot of the Basque spoken to them. Father and mother spoke English to the children, but the father blamed the mother for not teaching the children Basque. In his opinion, it was the mother’s responsibility to teach the children. Julio remembers the mix of languages at the hotel and boarding house. Basque was the preferred language among sheepherders, but whenever Spaniards were around the Basques switched to Castilian out of respect and politeness. In the 1940s and 1950s there was not much friction between Spaniards and Basques yet, and everyone got along well. Most of the boarders the Bilbao’s had were not sheepherders. They worked in the sawmill, as loggers, or on the road crews in charge of clearing new roads into the backcountry. Julio’s father helped many young men find work in the area. Some of them were deported because so many were illegal immigrants.
24:30-30:00 Julio remembers some discrimination against foreigners while he was growing up, and his sister remembers being called a “black basco.” Basques were an easy target because they tended to stick together. They were also competitive, which often made them a threat to certain people. In the Bilbao community, however, Julio’s father very wisely contributed Basque laborers for civic projects (ex. Cascade’s first swimming pool) and thus engendered good feelings between Basques and non-Basques in Cascade. Julio never felt any discrimination.
Tape 1, side 2
0-10:15 Being Basque was something that was simply understood, the father never made it a point to educate the children about their roots. Nevertheless, Julio’s father always taught them to be proud of who they were. Not being proud of being Basque necessarily, but be proud of being who they were as individuals. Father and mother insisted they go to church mostly as a form of self-discipline. Julio remembers how strict his father was, especially with Dolores. The family kept abreast of current events in Spain and the Basque Country mostly by mail. They received a steady flow of letters from friends, relatives, and people interested in coming over to the US to work.
10:15-16:20 Julio never got the impression that his father wanted to move back to the Basque Country. He probably would have liked to visit, but his parents were very clear that the opportunities were in the US, not in the old country. Julio remembers the values with which he was raised (honesty about who you are, fairness, not letting people take advantage of you, value of hard work, self-improvement, loyalty). Side story about a writer, Chris Crutcher.
16:20-30:00 Sports: any work was competition. Basques took work as a form of competition, a way to establish yourself and something in which to take pride. Julio went to Carroll College in Montana because he wanted the inspiration of a Catholic college and wanted to play football. Julio fondly recalls his college days. Parents fully supported going to college and expected the children to go, because they saw education as the best way to create opportunities for oneself. Julio graduated from college in 1966. Went from there to Idaho State University, earning a masters degree in teaching (history). Met wife Julie at ISU. This was wartime, and after Julie and Julio were married for 2 ½ months, Julio was drafted. He found out his wife was pregnant and mentioned this to his recruiter, who gave him exempt status because the military had a policy of not drafting anyone who had dependents. Julio was consciously seeking a Basque woman to marry because he felt that only a Basque woman could understand who he was and what was important to him.
Tape 2, side 1
0-15:00 Frank was a junior at the University of Nevada when Julio graduated from Carroll. Father’s mother was 90 years old at the time (1966), and their father wanted the children to meet their Amuma back in the old country. Julio and Frank spent the summer of 1966 in the Basque country with their Amuma. (During the other summers of Julio’s college career and afterwards, Julio worked as a smokejumper and was stationed in Idaho City. In 1970, the station moved from Idaho City to Boise. Julio moved to Boise when the stationed moved, and has lived there ever since.) He vividly remembers the trip to the Basque country and how the experience changed and moved him. He was nervous about how they would be received (they ended up being received very well). The landscape was more beautiful than he could have imagined. The visit piqued his interest in Basque culture and his sense of pride, and gave him a new, deep sense of family.
15:00-23:00 After teaching for three years, Julio took a year-long leave of absence (1970-71) to study with Bill Douglass at the University of Nevada in the doctoral program (history department). Wrote the article “Basques in Idaho” right before leaving for the University. Returned to Boise after the year. Worked to create the Basque studies project along with Bill Douglass, Pat Bieter and Al Erquiaga.
23:00-30:00 Julio had gone back to the Basque country in 1970 for another visit. Upon returning to the US, he was angry with the Basque community in Boise because the Basque Center was apolitical. Julio felt that by being apolitical, they were neglecting a major part of what it meant to be Basque, for by 1970 there was a great deal of tension between the Basque underground and Franco’s government. Julio felt that the refusal of the Basque Center in Boise to support Basque history and language classes and other politically oriented activities showed a lack of support for what the people in the old country were enduring. The Basque Center saw many of the programs (txistu classes, history project, and language classes) that Julio and others were trying to create as too political and volatile.
Tape 2, side 2
0-10:30 Talks about Justo Sarria and Anaiak Danok, another Basque group in Boise, recalling how vocal, controversial, and fearless Justo was in supporting the Basque cause overseas. After about three years of running the Basque studies program, Julio and Pat Bieter were burnt out and asked if anyone else would take over. No one did, at least for another 10 years or so.
10:30-13:00 Family. Julio has tried to raise his children with a sense of what it means to be Basque, tried to instill a sense of pride in them. He is confident that a sense of pride and affinity will lead his daughters to learn about the Basques in their own way. His daughter Josie, for example, has taken her pride and pursued the Basque culture with great interest.
13:00-21:00 Growing up, Julio had some contact with the Boise Basques. Mostly when they would pick up and drop off recent immigrants. Went to first sheepherders ball after graduating from high school, first real contact with the Basque community in Boise. Was impressed with their ability to have a good time. Wished he could have been involved in Basque dancing, was impressed with the pride they showed in their dancing. Talks about his visit to the Old Country and seeing his father’s house. Finally realized the abject poverty and desperation his father grew up with – the single-minded focus and intensity his father exhibited.
21:00-30:00 Julio has been much more interested in Basque culture than his siblings have. There is no particular reason for this, may just be circumstantial. Gives credit to younger people who have stepped up to take charge of Basque organizations, as well as the Basque Center (Euskaldunak) who are working hard (the Center is doing so grudgingly) to advance the culture and initiate new programs. Still harbors negative sentiments for the Basque Center, however, for he sees them as a “little clique of socialites”. Is very interested in the future of the Basque community in the US, but sees the question of where the Basque community will be as a very difficult one to answer. Argues that we here in the US still look at Basque issues the way Basque immigrants did decades ago, whereas Basques in the Basque Country have a much more modern, evolutionary, European way of approaching the issues. Recognizes the divergence between the Basque-
American way of seeing issues on the one hand, and the way Basques in the Basque Country see them on the other.
Tape 3, side 1
0-9:30 Talks about how those values he was raised with seem to be held in common by all Basques, to greater or lesser degrees. Talks about how the younger generations still show those characteristics, but in a different way. Especially in male-female relationships, for example between husband and wife. Says that Basque women have historically been dignified, although often subjugated, more than in other cultures. That his daughters, Josie, Anita, and Amaya marry Basque men is not a concern for him. If they did, it would be all the better, but if not, it does not matter.
9:30-16:00 How do you define yourself? Julio says he is more Basque than American in his values, and more old world than anything. American values have changed a great deal and Julio has trouble connecting with them. Says that the most important part of your culture is your value base, not your language. This is contrary to what Basques say who see language and culture as inextricably tied. Julio contends that cultural values can exist even without the language. Says that a strong, core set of values is what holds Basque communities together and gives them their strength. Argues that the Catholic faith (the Basque Catholic Church) reinforces values.
NAMES, PLACES, AND THEMES
NAMES:
Pat Bieter – taught Basque and was a leader in the Boise Basque community.
Amaya Bilbao – Julio’s youngest daughter.
Anita Bilbao – Julio’s middle daughter.
Dolores Bilbao – Julio’s older sister.
Frank Bilbao – Julio’s younger brother.
Josie Bilbao – Julio’s oldest daughter.
Julie Bilbao – Julio’s wife.
Chris Crutcher – friend of Julio in Cascade, grew up to become a well-known writer.
Bill Douglas – Julio studied, worked, and corresponded with Bill on several occasions.
Al Erquiaga – helped, along with Bill Douglas, Pat Bieter, and Julio to create the Basque studies program and subsequent programs.
Justo Sarria – fearless and controversial leader in the Boise Basque community, led Enayak Danak.
PLACES:
Basque Center, Boise, Idaho.
Carroll (College) – school in Montana where Julio earned his bachelor’s degree.
Cascade, Idaho – Julio grew up in this town.
Emmett, Idaho – Julio’s birthplace.
Idaho City, Idaho – Julio was stationed in this town as a smokejumper during his undergraduate and graduate years.
Idaho State University – Julio earned a master’s degree here, met his wife at ISU.
University of Nevada – brother Frank earned a bachelor’s degree here, and Julio studied here with Bill Douglas for a year.
THEMES:
Basque Cultural Values
Definition of Culture
Discrimination / Ethnic Relations
Language
Religion (Catholic Church)
Spanish-Basque Relations
Sports