See index summary below.
Side 1
0-13:00 The tape opens with Mark, John, and Julie reminiscing about taking Basque classes together. The subject changes to Julie’s childhood. Julie was born on 6 January 1946 (see minute 28) and raised in Homedale, Idaho. Both of her parents were born in the United States. Her mother was an Eiguren from Jordan Valley, her father was born in Boise. Julie talks a little bit about her grandparents (her father’s parents) from Lekeitio. She also mentions her father and uncle, both of whom misbehaved frequently. She remembers visits from her mother’s parents who lived in Jordan Valley, and hearing Basque at home whenever her grandparents came to visit. Her parents met in Boise while her mother was living with her sister (Julie’s aunt) in town. They married and moved to a farm Homedale that had once been part of Julie’s grandfather’s (her father’s father) sheep ranch. Both sides of Julie’s family are from Lekeitio, both parents spoke Basque (see minute 17). Julie is the youngest child in her family.
13:00-25:00 Growing up in Homedale, she remembers making weekly visits to other Basque families. These visits were important social events. Julie mentions several families by name. She remembers how similar all the visits were, even down to the types of food each family would prepare to welcome their guests. On the family farm, Julie and her sister would hoe beets after school. On the subject of language, her father encouraged the girls to speak English. In fact, he preferred for them to speak English over Basque. Her mother also hid her Basque. She did not want others to know she spoke another language. It was a difficult balancing act, for even though the girls were raised with a strong sense of Basque pride, they were taught to try not to stick out. Things changed after her father died while Julie was in the seventh grade (7 June 1959: see side 2, minute 23). She started to dance with the Oinkaris and take jota lessons, becoming a little more involved in Basque events.
25:00-30:00 Growing up, Julie does not recall any discrimination toward Basque people. The Mexicans were looked down upon, but her father employed them on the farm and helped them in several instances, treating them as people. Julie and her sister played with the Mexican children as they played with anyone else. Julie remembers that being Basque was something that was always “just there.” It was something that she never had to wonder about.
Side 2
0-8:00 Julie planned to become a nurse, and went to Idaho State University to study nursing. Studying was easy for her, she earned good grades without having to study very hard (she backs up and talks a little about grade school). Julie originally wanted to study at Carroll, but her mother was against the decision and pressured Julie to choose Idaho State instead. Julie mentions others Basques at ISU by name (the Gamboas, Pablo Aramburu, Dan Pagoaga and others). There was no Basque club or organization at the university. She started dating her future husband, Julio, during this time, but the fact that he was Basque did not mean anything to her (even though he was looking for a Basque girl).
8:00-19:00 Up through university, Julie did not have any real desire to visit the Basque Country. Moving to Pocatello to go to school was a big enough change. She knew she had relatives in the Basque Country, but she had never communicated with them. Julie remembers going to sheep herders’ dances in high school and college. She talks about how she named her first daughter, Josie, and an amusing story about how she went into labor with Josie. Julie describes how her next two daughters, Anita and Amaia, were named.
19:00-21:30 Julie, her mother, and her sister visited the Basque Country in 1983. She enjoyed the three-week trip immensely. She had taken Basque language classes and wrote chistu music for her children, partly because she enjoyed it and partly because it was important to her husband.
21:30-30:00 Julie and her family went to church every now and then until her father died. After his death, they started going every Sunday. Julie talks about how she raised her children with a strong sense of being Basque. She reminisces about taking her children to Basque festivals and teaching them Basque songs to instill them with a sense of pride in their heritage. Julie has noticed a difference between Basques in Homedale and Basques in Boise. She has often felt like an outsider among Boise Basques. Her husband is an important influence in her sense of being Basque, because he stressed the need to work at being Basque. It was never something to be taken for granted. It was, and is, something to work at.
NAMES AND PLACES
NAMES:
Amaia Bilbao – Julie’s youngest daughter.
Anita Bilbao – Julie’s middle daughter.
Josie Bilbao – Julie’s oldest daughter.
Julio Bilbao – Julie’s husband.
Eiguren – Julie’s mother’s maiden name.
Oinkari Basque Dancers – Julie became involved with them after her father died.
PLACES:
Boise, Idaho – Julie now lives here with her family.
Carroll (College) – school in Montana where Julie’s husband earned his bachelor’s degree.
Homedale, Idaho – Julie’s hometown.
Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho – Julie earned her bachelor’s degree at this school.
Jordan Valley, Oregon – her mother’s hometown.
Lekeitio – both sides of Julie’s family are from this town in the Basque country.
THEMES:
Clubs and Organizations
Language