Basque Museum: “From Euzkadi to Idaho”. Remembering People

This article was translated by John R. Bopp

The Basque Museum and Cultural Center of Boise has just published an online article telling us the most important stories of the emigration, those of the people.

This is a virtual book collecting the images of hundreds of Basque emigrants who reached that part of the US and received the help of Bonifacio Garmendia.  It was he who created this collection of photos with each Basque immigrant he helped, from getting papers to learning the language and settling down in Idaho.

He framed these photos and had them hanging in his office.  After he passed, the collection was deeded to the Basque Center, who later passed them on to the Basque Museum.

The story of the Basque presence in the world is one of people, families, dreams, hopes, struggles, successes, and failures.  It’s the story of us.  Really, it’s our story, made more real with names and faces.

We need more actions like this, recovering, as far as possible, the memory of those who, with their hard work and determination, sewed the seeds of the Basque spirit around the world.

A few days ago, we blogged about a similar initiative, that of Jazoera, which tells the story of the Basque exiles who arrived in search of refuge to Venezuela 80 years ago.

Basque Museum – 7/2019 – USA/Euskadi

From Euzkadi to Idaho: Bonifacio Garmendia Collection

For many years, a collection of photographs featuring Basque immigrant men hung in the Basque Center card room in Boise, Idaho. The photos reflected a shared history among those who gathered regularly at the Basque Center – a story of immigration and new beginnings in Idaho.

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Last Updated on Dec 20, 2020 by About Basque Country