This article was translated by John R. Bopp
We’ve spoken a lot here about the influence Basques have had on the world, which can be seen in full energy when we speak about the Basques in the US, as we found out reading the reports on the Basques in that country that we’ve gathered on our website.
We know full well how fundamentally important the Basque Community is throughout all Latin America: its weight, its political, economic, intellectual, and social influence, etc. However, when we think about the Diaspora, we often think of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, or Mexico, but north of the Rio Grande, we know that the relatively minuscule colony of Basques in the US and Canada has been able to maintain its traditions and identities, and, more importantly, be recognized and respected by the communities they now live in.
That doesn’t mean they ever stop surprising us. Today, that surprise came from Johnson County, Wyoming, with its seat at Buffalo.
It turns out that this year, they’re celebrating the 100th Wyoming State Fair. For such a special occasion, all the cities and counties throughout the state were asked to send their flag so it could be shown all the days of the event. Johnson County decided to buy three new flags: one for the Fair, one for the county seat at Buffalo, and another one for the town of Kayce, a small town located 45mi/70km south.
So, why are we mentioning all this? Simple: the flag brings together all the basics of the county, its patrimony from its ancestors, which is why the base of the Johnson County flag is the ikurriña!
Thanks to Ion Gaztañaga for bringing this to our attention
Extension: we’re including a reference to a highly recommended blog called Basque Identity 2.0, which has published its own very interesting blog on the matter
Sheridan Media – 4/4/2012 – USA
Commissioners Approve Purchase Of Johnson County Flags
Johnson County will have their official flag flying in Douglas this year during the Wyoming State Fair August 11th through the 18th. The State Fair Board had requested cities and counties submit their flags for a special 100th Anniversary celebration at this year’s fair, and Johnson County will be represented during the celebration after the county commissioners approved the purchase of three flags.
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Basque Identity 2.0 – 4/8/2012 – Euskadi
The Flag
Within this grand introduction to the singular history of the Johnson County in the State of Wyoming, surrounded by wild beauty and its frontier origins, lie the story of the Espondas from Baigorri; the Harriets, the Etchemendys, the Urrizagas, and the Caminos from Arnegi; the Iberlins from Banca; the Ansolabeheres, the Iriberrys, and many others. These pioneer Basques all came from the tiny province of Nafarroa Beherea (approximately 0.5 square mile), in the Department of the Atlantic Pyrenees in France, and with a current population of 28,000 people. On the other hand, Johnson County, established in 1879, and its main city Buffalo, has a population of over 8,500 people on an area of 4,175 square mile.
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Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country