Voices of Basque Migration to the American West: Selected Quotations from Oral History Interviews (2020–2025)
Bizkaitarrak
1- Ramón
Zugazaga Agirrealespeiti - B01M
2 - Josu
Aldecoaotalora eta Pilar Muniosguren -
B02M
3 - Iñaki
Asueta – B03M
4 - Joxe
Churruca Laca – B04M
5 - Esti
Amorrortu Gómez – B05F
6 - Ana Mari
(Ozamiz) Arbillaga – B06F
7 - Maria
Jesús (Yturriaga) Narbaiza – B07F
8 -
Seberiana Erleaga Abaitua – B08F
9 - Jose
Mari Beristain Bengoetxea – B09M
10. Patxi
Txurruka – B10M
Nafarrak
1. Jesus
Goñi Tellechea, (Oronoz, Baztan, 1947an sortua) – N01M
2. Alfonso
Ygoa Michelena (Lesaka, 1941) – N02M
3. Seberiano
Lazcano Ustariz (Gaztelu, Nafarroa, 1942) – N03M
4. Isidro
Etxeto (Eugi, Esteribar) – N04M
5. Pedro
Coscarart Iparrea (Azpilkueta, Baztan) – N05M
6. Jesús Rey
Belza (Bizkarreta / Viscarret-Guerendiáin) – N06M
7. Nicolás Huarte Elía (Ardaitz
/Ardaiz) – N07M
8. Esperanza Dufur (Eugi, Esteribar)
– N08F
A. Migration
- Reasons for Emigration
- Journey to America
- First Impressions
B. Work
- Shepherding
- Ranch Life
- Construction
- Hotels and Restaurants
- Business and Entrepreneurship
- Other “professions” (or dedications), like
jai-alai player…
C. Family
- Family
- Women
- Childhood
- Education
D. Culture
- Basque Language
- Basque Identity
- Religion
- Basque Clubs, community
- Music, Dance and Mus
- Food
E. Looking Back
- Return Migration
- Memory
- America
- Advice to Future Generations
This thematic index is intended as a research tool.
Since oral testimonies often touch on several topics simultaneously, the same
quotation may appear under more than one category.
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A. Migration |
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Although most interviewees emigrated for economic
reasons, some younger generations arrived in the United States through
academic opportunities.
(B05F
– /// Esti
Amorrortu. 3. Mailan zegoela Eusko Jaurlaritza
luzatzen zuen beka bat zegoen Renoko unibertsitatera joateko baina ez zioten
eman. 5. mailan zegoenean berriro eskatu zuen eta orduan eman zioten, euskara
eskolak ematen laguntzeko Renoko Unibertsitatean. /// While in her third year, she applied for a
scholarship offered by the Basque Government to study at the University of
Nevada, Reno, but her application was unsuccessful. She applied again during
her fifth year and was awarded the scholarship, which enabled her to travel
to Reno to assist with teaching Basque language courses at the university.)
(N01M- Jesus Goñi EU: “Segitzak
Ameriketara hemendik, han duk dolarra, ta horrekin hobeki biziko haiz!” EN: “Go to America. That is where the dollars are, and with that you will live
better.”)
(N06M – Jesus Rey ES: Dice que se ganaba la vida
trabajando duro. Pudo comprarse un coche y así acudir a los bailes vascos que
se celebraban los fines de semana. EN: He recalls
making a living through hard work. He was able to buy a car, which allowed
him to attend the Basque dances held on weekends.)
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(N07M – Nicolás Huarte Elia ES: Mientras que los otros diez
jóvenes se marcharon tristes, incluso algunos llorando, el de Mezkiritz y
Nicolás iban cantando jotas en el autobús que los llevaba a Bilbao y luego a
Hendaya. EN: While the other young emigrants
left sadly, some of them even crying, Nicolás and the young man from
Mezkiritz sang jotas on the bus that took them to Bilbao and then to Hendaye.)
(N07M – Nicolás Huarte Elia ES: Al aterrizar en San Francisco
[...] Nicolás mencionó Ardaitz y el hombre le preguntó su nombre completo. Al
contestar Nicolás, el hombre dijo: «¡Si somos parientes!». Era Fermín Huarte,
dueño del hotel España en San Francisco. EN: When they
arrived in San Francisco, Nicolás gave the name of his village, Ardaitz. The
man then asked for his full name and exclaimed, “Why, we're relatives!” It
was Fermín Huarte, owner of the Hotel España.
(N08F – Esperanza Dufur ES: Su madre decía: «Allí, en
América, los que hablan el vasco están muy bien vistos». EN: Her mother
used to say: “Over there in America, people who speak Basque are highly
valued.)
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(B02M
– EU: 1975eko abenduan Las Vegasera joan ziren. Lehenengo aldia
zen AEBetan zeudena. Behetik hasi behar izan zuten. Aireportuan bertan
“tragaperra-makinak” zeuden eta horrek harritu zituen. Pilar hizkuntzekin
(tartean ingelesarekin) ondo konpontzen zen. EN: They went to Las Vegas in December 1975. It
was the first time they had been in the United States. They had to start from
the bottom. There were slot machines right there at the airport, and that
surprised them.)
(B07F
– María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Taxia eskatu eta Elko
hotelera joan zen segiduan, seme-alabekin. Cecilio joan zitzaion bila gero
Battle Mountain-era joateko. Gauez heldu ziren, dena
elurtuta zegoen eta etxe bi baino ez zituen ikusi. Hurrengo egunean, goizean
goizik jaikita, kalera atera eta “enbra eder bi ikusi zituen”. Nebari esan
zion ea bueltatxo bat emango zion ingurua ikusteko. Halaxe egin eta orduan
konturatu zen “bere” lekua topatu zuela Battle Mountain-en. EN: They arrived on May 25. To her surprise,
a heavy snowfall greeted them. After landing they took a taxi directly to the
Elko Hotel, where they waited until her brother arrived to drive them to
Battle Mountain. They reached the town
late at night. Everything was covered in snow, and María Jesús remembers
seeing only two houses. The following morning
she woke early and stepped outside. The first thing she noticed was "two
beautiful women." Curious to see more of her new surroundings, she asked
her brother to drive her around the area. As they toured Battle
Mountain, something unexpected happened. Almost immediately she felt an
extraordinary sense of belonging. "That," she
recalls, "was when I realized I had found my place.")
(B06F – Ana Mari Arbillaga EU: Nevadako desertua ikusi eta
triste iruditu zitzaion. EN: The Nevada desert struck her as
bleak and desolate when she first saw it.) .
(B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Hurrengo
egunean, goizean goizik jaikita, kalera atera eta “enbra eder bi ikusi
zituen”. Nebari esan zion ea bueltatxo bat emango zion ingurua ikusteko.
Halaxe egin eta orduan konturatu zen “bere” lekua topatu zuela Battle
Mountain-en. EN: The following morning she woke
early and stepped outside. [...] Curious to see more of her new surroundings,
she asked her brother to drive her around the area. As they toured Battle
Mountain, something unexpected happened. Almost immediately she felt an
extraordinary sense of belonging. “That,” she recalls, “was when I realized I
had found my place.”)
(N02M- Alfonso Ygoa EU: Ameriketara etorri orduko ideia era batekoa zen, baina etorrita beste bat
aurkitu zuen. “Solasin” edo hizketan ez jakiteak ere oztopatzen zuen Amerika
hobeto ezagutzen. Hemen zeuden zaharrek gazteei laguntzen zieten. EN: The idea he had before coming to America was one thing, but once he
arrived he found something else. Not knowing how to speak also made it harder
to understand America properly. The older Basques already there helped the
younger newcomers.)
(N03M – Severiano
Lazkano EU: “Ameriketara etorri eta arrantxoan suertea
izan zuen.” “Hemeretzi
urterekin bakarrik ibiltzea bereziki gogorra iruditzen zaio.” EN:“After coming to America, he was fortunate
on the ranch.” “Looking
back, he considers working alone at the age of nineteen particularly
difficult.”)
(N08F – Esperanza Dufur ES: Mi primera impresión de aquella
tierra fue que me gustó, me hallé enseguida y no pensé en volver atrás. EN: My first
impression of that country was that I liked it. I immediately felt at home
and never thought about turning back.)
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B. Work |
B04M – Joxe Churruca - Erakusten
dit argazki bat, artalde bat bertan ageri dela, eta galdetzen dit ea
kalkulatzen dudan zenbat buru dauden. Nik mila esaten dut eta berak hiru mila
eta bostehun. Berak zaindutako edo
“gobernatutako” artaldea zen hura. Saldua izatera zihoan artalde hura eta
aurreko egunean ateratako argazkia da. Biharamunean bildotsak “aparta” eta
kamioian sartzen zen artalde hura. 1976 urtean izango zen argazkia ateratako
urtea./// He then
points to a photograph of one of the flocks he managed and asks us to
estimate how many sheep appear in the image. We guess around one thousand.
Smiling, he replies that there were actually about three thousand five
hundred. It was the flock under his care, photographed the day before the
lambs were separated from their mothers and loaded onto trucks for sale. The
picture was probably taken around 1976.
(B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Hoteleko lanak ez zuen “kontizatzen” eta eskolako
lanak bai: orain eskolak emandako erretiroari esker ederto bizi da. EN: Her hotel work did not count
toward retirement, whereas her school job did; as a result, she now lives
comfortably thanks to the pension provided by the school system.)
(N01M – Jesus Goñi EU: Gaztetxotan etxeko ardiekin
ibiltzen zen, bazka ematen eta jezten. EN: As a boy, he worked with the
family sheep, feeding them and milking them.)
(N04M – Isidro Etxeto EU: Guztira bost
urtez egon zen bildotsak hazten. Mendi aldean udan eta neguan arrantxora
etortzen ziren erditzera. Udaberrian bildotsekin ateratzen ziren arrantxotik.
Mendian zeudelarik kanpadendekin egoten ziren eta astoaz baliatzen ziren
oihal etxolak lekuz aldatzeko. EN: For a
total of five years he worked raising sheep. In summer the flocks were in the
mountains and returned to the ranch in winter for lambing. In spring they
went back out with the lambs. In the mountains they lived in tents, using
donkeys to move the canvas shelters.)
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B10M – Patxi Txurruka. Lehenengoz San Franciscora etorri ziren, lana bilatzera. Gero
Kaliforniako arrantxo batean lan egin zuten, gizonak (Patxi) ardiekin eta
berak arrantxoko sukaldean eta garbiketa kontuetan. /// They first went to San Francisco in search of work. Later they found
employment on a ranch in California. Patxi worked with the sheep, while
Begoña worked in the ranch kitchen and took care of the cleaning.
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(B02M
- Josuk pilota 1984an utzi zuen, ez zuen Floridara joan nahi: 36 urte
zituen sasoi hartan. Zesta hormako untzean zintzilikatu eta “a otra cosa”.
“Empezar de nuevo”, berriro hasi egin behar izan zuen. Kondadoan hasi zen
lanean. Elkarrizketa egin zioten hasieran, hiru pertsoneko tribunal baten
aurrean. Bere ingelesa orduan eskasarekin hasi zen elkarrizketa.
Tribunalekoei esan ei zien: “polizia batek gelditzen banau eta eskatzen badit
paperean zerbait betetzeko, ez dut jakingo. Baina nire eskuetan ipintzen
baduzu erreminta bat maneiatzeko orduan nik lan egingo dut”. Orduan, baietz,
“noiz hasi nahi duzu lanean?” eta elkarrizketa egin zenetik bi egunetara hasi
zen lanean. ///
Josu left pelota in 1984;
he did not want to go to Florida. He was 36 at the time. He hung up his cesta
and moved on to something else. He had to start over from scratch. He began
working for the County. They interviewed him first, before a three-person
panel. His English was still poor at that point. He told the panel: “If a
police officer stops me and asks me to fill something out on paper, I will
not know how. But if you put a tool in my hands, I will work.” Then they said
yes: “When do you want to start?” and he began work two days after the
interview.) (B02M - Gaixotasunagatik sekula ez du hutsik
egin lantokian, eta harrotasunez eta “ixilik”: ez zeukan aitzakiarik
kexatzeko. Berak izandako nagusiak (amerikarrak denak) denak onak izan omen
dira. Elkar errespetatzen jakin izan dute azkeneko urteetan, “hasta la muerte,
eh?”. Seme alabei esaten die: “se bueno y trabajador y no saques la mierda de
nadie. Tu haz lo tuyo, y te apreciarán”./// He has never missed work because of illness, and he
says this with pride and quietly: he had no excuse to complain. The bosses he
had, all of them Americans, were good, according to him. They have known how
to respect one another in recent years, “until death, eh?” He tells his
children: “Be good and hardworking and do not talk badly about anybody. Do
your own thing, and people will appreciate you.”)
B10M –
Patxi Txurruka. Gero senarra Patxik lanpostu bat lortu zuen
eraikuntzan. Eskaintza euskal pic-nic batean egin zion ezagun euskaldun
batek. 1977an, beraz, trailer-house batean bizitzen hasi ziren
(eraikuntza enpresako nagusiak haientzako eskainia). Renora joan ziren
bizitzera, Patxik erretiroa hartu zuen arte. /// Later, Patxi found a job in the
construction industry. A Basque acquaintance offered him the position during
a Basque picnic. In
1977 they moved into a trailer home that Patxi’s employer provided for them.
They settled in Reno, where they remained until Patxi retired.
(B04 – Joxe Txurruka - Renon zeukaten beste etxea erakusten dit argazkian:
batez ere teilatuko argazkiak ditu erakusteko eta esaten dit teilatua osorik
berak egin zuela, inongo langileren laguntzarik gabe. Erretiratu ostean
holako lanak egiten ibili da, bera bakarrik (“inork mailua leku batetik
bestera mugitu barik”, ezta hori ere). San Rafael parkean, alde horretan
zeukaten etxe hura. 1700 foot edo zeuzkan. ///Joxe also shows us
photographs of another house he once owned in Reno. He is especially proud of
the roof, which he built entirely by himself after retiring, without the help
of any workers. He jokes that "no one even had to hand me the hammer."
The house stood near San Rafael Park and measured approximately 1,700 square
feet.) (B09M – Jesús Mari Beristain EU: Las Vegasen Igerilekuen eraikuntzan egin zuen lan eta 44 urte eman ditu
horretan. EN: In Las Vegas he worked in swimming-pool construction and spent 44 years
in that trade.)
(N02M
- Alfonso Ygoa EU: Artzain lana egiteak aukera ematen du egunaren
parte batean “siesta ematen” egoteko. Goizean goiz artaldea gobernatu eta
arratsalde partean ere artatu behar da, agian beste mendi-bizkar batera
eramanez bazka jaten jarrai dezan. EN: Shepherding gives you a
chance to rest during part of the day. You have to manage the flock early in
the morning and again in the afternoon, perhaps moving it to another ridge so
it can keep grazing.)
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(B01M - Ondoren,
lanbidez aldatzea erabaki zuen. Ramonek sukalderako zaletasun handia zuen,
bere amagandik jasoa. Horrela, Star Hotelean sukaldari moduan ibili zen hamar
urtez, eta gero, bere taberna propioa zabaltzea erabaki zuen /// After completing his years as a
sheepherder, Ramón decided to pursue a different career. He had
always enjoyed cooking, a passion inherited from his mother. He
worked as a cook at the Star Hotel for approximately ten years before deciding to open his own
business.)
(B03M – Iñaki Asueta) 1982an ezkondu zen, Filipinetan. Handik Renora
itzuli zen, eta kasino bateko tabernan hasi zen lanean, “kantinero” bati laguntzen. Gero Las Vegasen kontratu bat eman zioten. /// He got married in 1982, in the Philippines. After that he
returned to Reno, where he started working in the bar of a casino, helping a
bartender. Later he was given a contract in Las
Vegas.
(B04M – Joxe Churuca) Erretiratu
orduko (eraikuntzan zebilela), jada ibiltzen zen pultso txapelketetan
(arm-wrestling) parte hartzen, lagun batek berotuta. 50 urtetik gorako mailan
aritzen zen eta hainbat txapelketetan parte hartu izan du, Ameriketan eta
Europoan: Manchesterrera egin zuen bidaia gogoratzen du, 66 urte zeuzkan
orduan, kontrarioak gazteagoak ziren bitartean, baina 50 urte baino
zaharragoak. Ameriketako federazioko batek deitu zion eta proposatu zion
parte hartzea, eta bidaiak eta bestelakoak euren esku gelditzen zirela.
Gogoratzen ditu beste “arm-wrestling-ekoak”. West coast-en ibili da AEBari
dagokionez. Manchesterrekoa izan (agian 2006) eta beste sei urtez jarraitu
zuen (2012ra arte agian). /// Even
before retiring, a friend encouraged him to begin competing in arm wrestling. He entered the
over-fifty category and went on to participate in numerous tournaments
throughout the United States and Europe. One of his fondest memories is
travelling to Manchester, England, when he was sixty-six years old. Although
all of his opponents were younger than he was, they still belonged to the
same age category. A representative of the American federation personally
invited him to compete and covered all of his travel expenses. He continued
competing for another six years, mainly in tournaments along the West Coast
of the United States.) (B06F – Ana
Mari Arbillaga EU: Borregeroak
etortzen zirenean han goian “camarak” edo kuartoak egoten ziren eta han
geratzen ziren (Nevada hotel-i buruz ari gara), “between 12 or 15 men”, hori
zen zeukaten “kapazitatea”. Haientzako janariak prestatu eta kanpoko
jendearentzat ere bai. EN: At that
time the Nevada Hotel regularly accommodated Basque sheepherders. Between
twelve and fifteen men could stay there at once. Ana Mari helped prepare
meals both for the shepherds lodging upstairs and for the restaurant's
regular customers.) (B06F – Ana Mari
Arbillaga EU: “Horregaz
emakumeagaz” hogeita bi urte egon zen guztira [...] Gero restaurantea
italiano batzuei saldu zien. [...] Haiekin [...] beste hogei urte egon zen
lanean. EN: She
remained working alongside that woman for twenty-two years, until
approximately 1983, when the restaurant was sold to an Italian couple. [...]
Ana Mari continued working for the new owners for another twenty years.) (N06M – Jesus Rey ES: En 1974 su amigo Carlos Iribarren le
propuso comprar un restaurante en Gardnerville. Se llamaba Carson Valley
Country Club, y llevaron el negocio juntos durante veintinueve años. EN: In 1974 his friend Carlos Iribarren suggested that they buy a
restaurant in Gardnerville. It was called the Carson Valley Country Club, and
they operated the business together for twenty-nine years.)
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(N03M – Severiano Lazkano EU: “Lau lan klase egin ditu: artzain,
harategian, lorezain eta jatetxean.” EN: “I've had
four different professions: shepherd, butcher, landscaper, and restaurant
owner.”)
(N03M – Severiano Lazkano EU: “Elkon jatetxean negozioa egiteko, bere
ustez, Elko leku ona da. Mineria edo meategiak daude eta langile asko: beraz,
demanda handia.” EN: “In his opinion, Elko is a good place to
run a restaurant. There are mines and many workers, so there is a strong
demand.”)
(N04M
– Isidro Etxeto EU: 1980an eskabadora erosi
eta 1981en lizentziak lortu zituen traktorea erabiltzeko. Bere kabuz lan
egiten aritu zen (autonomo edo entrepeneur), bere zerbitzuak bertako telefono
konpainiarentzat emanez hogeita sei urtez. EN: In 1980 he bought an excavator and in 1981
obtained the licenses required to operate heavy machinery. He worked
independently for twenty-six years, providing services to the local telephone
company.)
(N05M – Pedro Coscarart ES: Ha tenido inquietud por hacer
cosas nuevas y sacar sus negocios adelante. Le motiva trabajar para él y no
para otros. El nombre de la calle donde está su local se conoce como Basque
Way. Fue una iniciativa suya, la propuso al City Hall. EN: He has
always been eager to undertake new projects and make his businesses succeed.
He is motivated by working for himself rather than for others. The street
where his restaurant stands is called Basque Way, a name he himself proposed
to City Hall.)
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(B03M –Iñaki Asueta. 18 urterekin Bartzelonan debutatu zuen. Han urtebete egin zuen. Han
jokatzen zegoela, Floridara joateko kontratua eskaini zioten. 19 urte eginda
Floridara joan zen. “Hori zen gure gauzie”, holgetan ibiltzen ziren
jokalarien “ilusinoa” edo ametsa hori zen, besteak beste, ondo irabazten
zelako. […] Newport-en kontraturik gabe geratu zen eta Renon kontratu bat eman
zioten, Renon frontoi-ireki berria zegoelako. Renon zegoen intendentea
Floridan ezagutu zuen eta, edadekoa zenez, kirola utzi eta intendente
izendatu zuten Renon. 1978ko maiatzaren lehenean inauguratu zen Renoko
frontoia. Iñaki Renoko frontoian zarratu arte egon zen, baina denbora gutxi
iraun zuen, bi urte eta erdi pasatxo gutxi gora-behera. 1980an (azaro partean
agian) zarratu zen. /// He made his debut in Barcelona at
eighteen. He spent a year there. While he was playing there, he was offered a
contract to go to Florida. He went to Florida at nineteen. “That was our
thing”; for players who spent their time idling around, that was the dream, among other
reasons because the money was good. […]He ended up without a contract in
Newport, and they gave him a contract in Reno because the fronton there had
just opened. The man who was manager in Reno had met him in Florida and,
because he was older, stopped playing sport and was appointed manager in
Reno. The
Reno fronton was inaugurated on 1 May 1978. Iñaki stayed there until it
closed, but it lasted only a short time, a little more than two and a half
years. It closed in 1980, perhaps around November.
(B03M. Iñaki Asueta. Urrea eta
zilarrezko (“urria eta zidarrezkoa”) mina edo meategi batean hasi zen lanean,
Renotik 30 mila ingurutara. “Zuluan” bajatzen ziren, 300 metro inguru.
Tunelen barruan, kasko bat eta argi batekin egiten zuten “biharra”[1]
edo lana. Urtebete inguru egon zen. Hasieran inpresioa ematen zuen. Kaxa
moduko batean jaisten ziren urre eta zilarraren bila. Berarekin baziren beste
nafar bi, bere lagunak (“horreek eiabien berba nagusiakin…”). Bata sen Pedro
Eizagirre (sunbildarra, hilda) eta bestea Juan Mindegia da. /// He
started working in a gold and silver mine about 30 miles from Reno. They went
down into the shaft, about 300 metres underground. Inside the tunnels they
worked with a helmet and a light. He was there for about a year. At first it
was intimidating. They descended in a box-like cage in search of gold and
silver. With him there were two other Navarrese men, his friends (they said
the elder one did most of the talking…). One was Pedro Eizagirre, from
Sunbilla, now deceased, and the other was Juan Mindegia.
(B03M. Iñaki Asueta. Mina edo meategiaren ostean “kontrukzinuen” edo eraikuntzan hasi zen
lanean. Gehienetan tuberiak “ipintzen” ibili izen, ura, gasa,
elektrizitaterakoak… Hogeita bost urte eman zituen langintza horretan.
“Uniñoa” (union, sindikato) zeukan eta baldintza batzuk beteta sindikato
horretatik kobratzen du pentsio bat eta gazteago erretiratu zen. /// After
the mine, he began working in “construction.” He mostly worked on installing
pipes for water, gas, and electricity. He spent twenty-five years in that
trade. He belonged to the union, and once he had met the required conditions,
he began drawing a pension from it, so he retired relatively young.)
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C. Family |
(B02M – Josu Aldecoaotalora. Gurasoak (Josurenak) Ameriketara Josuk ekarri zituen. Sasoi hartan Las
Vegasen bizi ziren eta emazteari esan zion gurasoak ekarri nahi zituela.
Hegazkina Sondikan hartu zuten, eta tinko-tinko emazteari (Josuren amari)
esan zion: “Ama, aurrera begitu!”. Sondikatik Madrilera egin zuten. Madrilen
7x4x7 hegazkin handia hartu zuten, Ameriketara joateko. Aitari esan zion:
“Aite, hauxe abioia hartubiu Ameriketara jueteko”. Aitak erantzun: “Etxera
jueteko gogue daket!”. Sekula horren hegazkin handirik ikusi barik zegoen eta
ez zuen uste horrek gora igotzeko gaitasuna zuenik. Momentu hartan aitari
esan izan baliote norbait dagoela etxera, baserrira eroateko, agur, hortxe
gauza guztiak utzi eta baserrira joango zen. Las Vegasera etorri eta eurena
zen etxean neguan berogailu “zentrala” zuten, etxe osoan tenperatura
berberarekin. “Aite, kalifaziño zentrala dau, etxe guztixen iguala” esan zion
Josuk. Aitak ezin zuen sinetsi. Aitak Levis batzuk, panazkoak erosi zituen.
Horiek jantzi eta ez zituen kendu hamabost egunetan. Siloian jezarri, hankan
mahaiaren gainean ipini eta hortxe egoten zen. Erosketak egiteko esaten
ziotenean, “zu juen!”, ez zuen nahi. /// Josu brought his parents to
America. At that time they were living in Las Vegas, and he told his wife
that he wanted to bring his parents over. They took the plane in Sondika, and
he firmly told Josu’s mother: “Ama, aurrera begitu!” [Mother, look ahead!].
They flew from Sondika to Madrid. In Madrid they boarded a large 7x4x7
aircraft to go to America. He told his father: “Aite, hauxe abioia hartubiu
Ameriketara jueteko” [Father, we have to take this plane to go to America].
His father replied: “Etxera jueteko gogue daket!” [I feel like going home!].
He had never seen such a large plane and did not believe it could actually
get off the ground. At that moment, if someone had told his father that there
was somebody waiting to take him home, back to the farmhouse, he would have
left everything there and gone back to the farm. When they arrived in Las
Vegas, the house that was theirs had central heating in winter, with the same
temperature throughout the whole house. “Aite, kalifaziño zentrala dau, etxe
guztixen iguala” [Father, there is central heating, the same all through the
house], Josu told him. His father could not believe it. He bought some Levi’s
trousers, made of corduroy. He wore them and did not take them off for
fifteen days. He would sit in the silo, put his leg up on the table, and stay
there. When they told him to do the shopping, “you go!” he did not want to.)
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(B05F – Esti
Amorrortu. Berak ez du uste emakume izateagatik zailtasun gehiago
izan dituenik, emakumeen presentzia bere sasoian nabaria zela gogoratzen
du./// She does not feel that being a woman created additional obstacles during
her academic career, recalling that women already had a strong presence in
the university environment during those years.),
(B06F – Ana Mari
Arbillaga EU: “Horregaz
emakumeagaz” hogeita bi urte egon zen guztira [...] Gero restaurantea
italiano batzuei saldu zien. [...] Haiekin [...] beste hogei urte egon zen
lanean. EN: She
remained working alongside that woman for twenty-two years, until
approximately 1983, when the restaurant was sold to an Italian couple. [...]
Ana Mari continued working for the new owners for another twenty years.)
(B06F – Ana
Mari Arbillaga EU: 1969an bertan hasi zen umeei
“jantzak” erakusten. Ehun ume eukitzeraino heldu zen. [...] Hemezortzi urtez
jarraian egon zen horretaz arduratzen, bera izan zen “jarraitu” zuen bakarra. EN: In 1969, she also began teaching
Basque dancing to children, an activity that would become one of the defining
contributions of her life to the Basque community in Elko. At its height,
nearly one hundred children participated in her classes. [...] She remained
responsible for the dance program for eighteen consecutive years.)
(B06F – Ana
Mari Arbillaga EU: Berak lana ez du kobratzen, baina materiala
(oihalak, eta abar) eurek ordaintzen dute. Jantzi gehienak Basque Club-en
gordetzen dira, baina erabiliak diren batzuk berak garbitu, “siketu”,
plantxau (lisatu) eta bere etxeko beheko kaurtoan (basement) berak
gordetzen ditu. EN: She never charges for her labor;
the families pay only for the materials. Most of the costumes are stored at
the Basque Club, although those that have recently been used are taken home,
where she washes, dries, irons, and carefully stores them in the basement of
her house.) (B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Andrea (María Jesús) eta hiru seme-alabak Ermuan
geratu ziren: ez zuten apenas aita ezagutzen. Kartaz komunikatzen ziren eta
karta zein argazki haiek guztiak maleta batean sartuta zeuden Ereñoko
baserrian. Maleta hura, baina, desagertu egin zen. EN:
Meanwhile, María Jesús remained in Ermua with their three young children.
Because of the long separation, the children scarcely knew their father.
Communication depended almost entirely on letters, and the family carefully
preserved both the correspondence and photographs in a suitcase kept at the
farmhouse in Ereño. Sadly, the suitcase later disappeared, and with it an
irreplaceable record of those years apart.)
|
|
(B09M – José Mari Beristain EU: Ingelesa
eskolan oso azkar ikasi zuten hirurek eta lagunak ere erraz egin zituzten. EN: The
three of them learned English very quickly at school and made friends easily.)
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D. Culture |
(B02M
- Josu Aldecoaotalora Euskaraz Euskal Herriko ilobekin bizkaieraz (edo etxeko
euskaraz) hitz egiten du, baina Josu kontzientea da haiek hango “eskola”
dutela, euskara batua erabiltzen dutela, eta batua ez duela bat ere ulertzen
esaten du. Anaia batek Arantzazuko “kalendarixua” bidaltzen dio, euskaraz.
Arantzazuko orriak irakurtzea kostatzen zaio, hiru-lau biderrez irakurtzen du
eta harrapatzen hasten da. Interesatzen zaiona gordetzen du.
/// He speaks to his nephews and nieces in the Basque Country in Bizkaian, or
in the home variety of Basque, but Josu is aware that they have their own
“school” there, that they use Batua (standard version), and he says he does
not understand standard Basque at all. One brother sends him the Arantzazu
calendar in Basque. He finds it hard to read the Arantzazu pages; he has to
read them three or four times before he starts to understand them. He keeps
whatever interests him.)
(B04M
– Joxe Churruca) Hegazkina San Franciscora heldu zen eta handik
Sacramentora joan omen ziren. Sacramentora bere nagusiaren maiordomoa
(“euskaldun-frantsesa”, Goihenetche) joan zen bere bila. Zeharka esaten digu
haien euskara (Iparraldekoa) zeharo ulertzera ailegatu zela eta eurekin
mintzatzen zela normaltasun handiz (euskaraz)./// Joxe's flight landed first in San Francisco before continuing to
Sacramento, where Goihenetche, the French Basque foreman from the ranch, came
to meet him. He explains that, after spending time with French Basques, he
eventually learned to understand their dialect perfectly and was able to
converse with them naturally in Basque.
(B03M –
Iñaki Asueta) EU: Gehiena euskaraz egiten du bere Renoko lagunekin,
zerbait ingelesez egiten duen arren. Pixka bat “nahasi” egiten duelako
kontzientzia dauka, gura barik, hainbeste urte pasa eta gero (berrogeitaka
urteak), haiekin jardunda. EN: He
speaks mostly Basque with his friends in Reno, although he does use some
English. He is aware that he mixes the two a bit, without meaning to, after
so many years—forty-odd years—of being around them.) (B04M – Joxe Txurruka) “Frantses-euskaldunekin”
asko ibilitakoa da eta haien euskara ondo ulertzen du. Bere azalpena da Joxe
txikitan eta gaztetan “giputzekin” asko ibiltzen zela, asko mintzatzen zela
eta asko gustatzen zitzaiola hango euskara, bera bizkaitarra den arren. Beraz,
beste euskalkiak ezagutzeko joera izan du beti./// Because he
spent so much time among French Basques, he became thoroughly familiar with
their dialect. He believes this ability was helped by the fact that, even as
a young man in Bizkaia, he enjoyed speaking with people from Gipuzkoa and had
always been curious about the different varieties of the Basque language.
(B06F –
Ana Mari Arbillaga EU: Eskolan ere
egoera gogorrak pasatu zituen: 6 urterekin hasi zen eta ez zekien
gaztelerarik. [...] “Ez gendun euskera egiten ahal eskolan”. Elizan dotrina
euskaraz ikasten zuen, eta bitartean eskolan, dotrina baita ikasi baina
“españolez”. Otoitzak hizkuntza bietan ikasi zituen. EN: School
itself was also a difficult experience. She entered at the age of six without
knowing any Spanish. [...] “We weren't allowed to speak Basque at school,”
she recalls. Ironically, she learned Christian doctrine in Basque at church
while studying exactly the same catechism in Spanish at school. As a result,
she memorized all of the prayers in both languages.) (B06F – Ana Mari Arbillaga EU: Umeak hasi zirenean eskolan,
agian euskaraz hitz egin eta eurek gaztelaniaz erantzun, edo espainolez hitz
egin eta eurek ingelesez erantzun egiten zuten. Berak uste du bere euskara
“nahastauta” dagoela, eskolan ere, txikitan derrigortuta egon zelako gaztelaniaz
hitz egitera: “halakoxe euskera dekú”. Amoma ezagutu zuen eta harek
gaztelaniaz berba bat ere ez. EN: When
their children were young, the family often shifted naturally between three
languages. Sometimes the parents spoke Basque while the children answered in
Spanish; at other times the parents used Spanish and the children responded
in English. She believes that her own Basque became somewhat mixed over the
years because, from childhood onward, she had been repeatedly forced to
switch between Basque and Spanish. “That's the kind of Basque I speak,” she
remarks with a smile. She remembers that her grandmother never learned a
single word of Spanish.) (B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Andrea (María Jesús) eta hiru seme-alabak Ermuan
geratu ziren: ez zuten apenas aita ezagutzen. Kartaz komunikatzen ziren eta
karta zein argazki haiek guztiak maleta batean sartuta zeuden Ereñoko
baserrian. Maleta hura, baina, desagertu egin zen. EN:
Meanwhile, María Jesús remained in Ermua with their three young children.
Because of the long separation, the children scarcely knew their father.
Communication depended almost entirely on letters, and the family carefully
preserved both the correspondence and photographs in a suitcase kept at the
farmhouse in Ereño. Sadly, the suitcase later disappeared, and with it an
irreplaceable record of those years apart.) (B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU:
“Ez gendun euskera egiten ahal eskolan”. EN: “We weren’t allowed to speak Basque at school.”)
(B08F – Seberiana Erleaga EU: Ingelesik ez zekien
Ameriketara ailegatzean, baina praktikarekin eta telebistarekin ikasi zuen. EN: She did not know any
English when she arrived in America, but she learned it through practice and
by watching television.)
(N01M
– Jesus Goñi EU: “Aritzen bazara Baztango euskara hutsekin
bizkainoek ez dute ulertuko […] Dena nahasiak ikasibiozu gero denak
konplazitzeko”. EN: “If you speak only the Basque of Baztan, people
from Bizkaia will not understand you […] You have to learn to mix everything
so that everyone is satisfied.”?
(N02M
– Alfonso Ygoa EU: Seme-alabekin euskaraz aritzen zen. Seme
nagusiak ez zuen ingelesa erabiltzen hamabi urte bete arte: ordura arte
gehiena euskaraz. “Tonight” eta “Last night” eta horrelakoak bakoitzak bere
modura erabiltzen zituen. Andreak laguntzen zion asko. EN: He spoke Basque with his children. His eldest
son did not use English until he was twelve; until then, most of it was
Basque. Words like “tonight” and “last night” were used in their own way, and
his wife helped him a lot.)
(N04M
– Isidro Etxeto EU: Bere lexikoan badira zenbait
hitz eta esamolde baxenafarren kutsukoak [...] eta agian baxenafarrekin
izandako ahozko komunikazioagatik izan zitekeen. Zoritxarrez, Winnamuccan
gero eta gutxiago gelditzen dira euskaraz mintzo direnak, apurka-apurka
hiltzen joan direlako. EN: His vocabulary includes a
number of words and expressions influenced by Lower Navarrese Basque, perhaps
as a result of his years of oral communication with Lower Navarrese speakers.
Sadly, fewer and fewer Basque speakers remain in Winnemucca, as the older
generations have gradually passed away.)
(N08F
– Esperanza Dufur ES: Las niñas pequeñas hablaban vasco hasta ir a la
escuela, allí se les enseñaba castellano y después ya no querían hablar vasco
porque las mayores se reían de ellas. En las casas sí se hablaba vasco. EN: Young girls spoke Basque
until they entered school, where they were taught Spanish; afterwards, many
no longer wanted to speak Basque because the older girls laughed at them.
Basque, however, remained the language of the home.)
|
(B06F
– Ana Mari Arbillaga EU: “Geu be ez
gara amerikanuk, baia hementxe gauz”, esaten du irribarrez. EN: Smiling, she concludes with a
comparison to her own life: “We're not Americans either—but this is where we
live.”) (N01M – Jesus Goñi EU: Gaur egungo batuan, berriz, ez da eroso sentitzen, hitz asko ez baititu
ulertzen. Berak “euskara zaharra” darabilelako inpresioa dauka. EN: He does not feel comfortable with Standard Basque today because he does
not understand many of its words. He feels that he speaks “old Basque.”)
(N03M – Severiano
Lazkano EU: “Hona etorri,
hori bai, eta lehendabiziko urteetan beti zeukan buruan herria eta hara
joateko gogoa. Urteen buruan gero eta gehiago integratu da ‘pais hontan’ eta
‘hemen gara’, esaten du.” EN: “During his
first years in America he constantly thought about home and dreamed of going
back. Over time, however, he became increasingly integrated into American
life: ‘Now, this is where we are.’”)
(N04M – Isidro Etxeto EU: Winnemucca-ko
euskal club-ean, adibidez, ez dago “zu bizkainoa zara, ni naparra”; alegia,
ez dago “argumentuik”, ez eztabaidarik edo bereizketarik jatorria dela-eta.
Denak “euskal” edo “basque” izenaren pean ez da bereizketarik egiten. EN: In the
Winnemucca Basque Club, for example, there is no “you are Biscayan and I am
Navarrese”; there are no arguments or divisions based on origin. Everyone
comes together simply under the name “Basque.”)
(N06M – Jesus Rey ES: Los bailes vascos son el
elemento que une las raíces de los vascos y/o navarros de cualquier lugar, y
él acepta naturalmente esta «vasquidad». EN: For Jesús, Basque dances are
what unite the roots of Basques and/or Navarrese people wherever they come
from, and he naturally embraces this sense of being Basque.)
(N07M – Nicolás Huarte Elía ES: Su mejor amigo era un vizcaíno,
Fernando Eskibel, con el que conectaba muy bien por su carácter: trabajador,
católico, una persona que sabe disfrutar de las cosas sencillas, su apego a
la familia y las costumbres. EN: His
closest friend was a Biscayan, Fernando Eskibel, with whom he connected
through shared qualities: hard work, Catholic faith, an appreciation of
simple pleasures, attachment to family, and traditional customs.)
(N08F – Esperanza Dufur ES: “Ahora no hay nada, ya terminó
todo”, sentencia. EN: “Now there is nothing,” she
concludes. “It is all over.”[2])
|
(B06F –
Ana Mari Arbillaga EU: Eskolan ere
egoera gogorrak pasatu zituen: 6 urterekin hasi zen eta ez zekien
gaztelerarik. [...] “Ez gendun euskera egiten ahal eskolan”. Elizan dotrina
euskaraz ikasten zuen, eta bitartean eskolan, dotrina baita ikasi baina
“españolez”. Otoitzak hizkuntza bietan ikasi zituen. EN: School
itself was also a difficult experience. She entered at the age of six without
knowing any Spanish. [...] “We weren't allowed to speak Basque at school,”
she recalls. Ironically, she learned Christian doctrine in Basque at church
while studying exactly the same catechism in Spanish at school. As a result,
she memorized all of the prayers in both languages.)
(B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Ameriketan sinismena askatasun
gehiagorekin bizitzen da eta mezatara joateagatik edo ez joateagatik ez diete
ezer esaten. [...] Eurak euren errezu eta otoitzak egiten jarraitzen dituzte:
gogoratzen da gaztetxotan baserrian artoa zuritzen zeudela errosarioa
errezatzen zutela egunero-egunero. EN: María
Jesús adds that religious life in America is generally lived with much
greater freedom than in the Basque Country. People are not criticized for
attending—or failing to attend—church. [...] They continue to pray together
regularly. One of her strongest childhood memories is shelling corn at the
family farmhouse while praying the rosary every evening.)
|
(B02M - Josu Aldecoaotalora Las Vegasera doazen bakoitzean, Pilarren lehengusua
bisitatzeko (Elizburu Muñazguren), Josuk dio ez duela ezagutzen, kotxean
galduta bezala ibiltzen da. Eurak ailegatzean eraikuntzarik handiena MGM
hotela zen, 2000 logelekin. Orain MGM hotel berriak 5000tik gorako gela
baditu. “Lagun onak” delako euskal zentroa sortu zuten. Pilar idazkaria zen,
eta presidentea Jose Mari Beristain (Josuk Ondarroakoa dela dio). San Inazio
egunean euskal festa antolatzen zuten. 80 hamarkadaren hasieran hasi zen.
Argazkiak ba omen dituzte. Txorizoak saltzen ziren, dantzariak Elkotik,
Kaliforniatik eta etortzen ziren. Gero txikiak ere hasi ziren
dantza-taldeekin. Jose Mari Beristainen alaba (Amaia) euskal dantzak ikasten
hasi zen. Janariak leku handia du: patata-tortilak, txorizoak, eta ardaua.
Errioxakoa baloratzen dute. Euskal meza izaten zuten: Kaliforniatik fraile
euskaldun bat etortzen zen. Festa irekiak izaten ziren (amerikarrek ere parte
hartzen zuten), komeni zitzaielako jendeak kontsumitzea gero euskal klubaren
gastuei aurre egiteko. Amerikarrek festa hori ikustean (musika, txistua,
janariak, dantzak…) gustatuta geratzen ziren. /// Every time they went to Las Vegas, to visit Pilar’s
cousin Elizburu Muniozguren, Josu says he did not know his way around and
felt lost in the car. When they arrived, the biggest building was the MGM
hotel, with 2,000 rooms. Today the new MGM hotel has more than 5,000 rooms.
They founded the Basque center called Lagun Onak. Pilar was the
secretary, and the president was Jose Mari Beristain, whom Josu says was from
Ondarroa. They organized the Basque festival on St. Ignatius Day. It began in
the early 1980s. They apparently have photographs. They sold chorizos, and
dancers came from Elko and California, among other places. Later children
also began to participate with dance groups. Jose Mari Beristain’s daughter,
Amaia, began learning Basque dancing. Food plays a major role: potato
omelettes, chorizos, and wine. Rioja wine is especially valued. They had a
Basque Catholic Mass: a Basque friar came from California. These were open
festivals, with Americans taking part too, because it was convenient for them
that people consume and thus help cover the Basque club’s expenses. When
Americans saw that festival —music, txistu, food, dances, and so on— they
enjoyed it.) (B06F – Ana
Mari Arbillaga EU: Berak lana ez du kobratzen, baina materiala
(oihalak, eta abar) eurek ordaintzen dute. Jantzi gehienak Basque Club-en
gordetzen dira, baina erabiliak diren batzuk berak garbitu, “siketu”,
plantxau (lisatu) eta bere etxeko beheko kaurtoan (basement) berak
gordetzen ditu. EN: She never
charges for her labor; the families pay only for the materials. Most of the
costumes are stored at the Basque Club, although those that have recently
been used are taken home, where she washes, dries, irons, and carefully
stores them in the basement of her house.) (B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Battle
Mountainera itzulita, euskaldunen artean laguntza zegoela gogoratzen du.
Tramite administratiboetarako “interprete” lanak egin dituzte, Gabonetan
etxera gonbidatu, norbait hiltzen zenean gorpua edo “errautsak” “Espainara”
bidali… hainbat gauza egin dituzte eta egiten jarraitzen dute, “dan-danak”
laguntzeko prest. EN: Back in
Battle Mountain, María Jesús remembers the remarkable solidarity that
characterized the Basque community. Whenever newcomers needed help with
official paperwork, someone volunteered as an interpreter. Families invited
people who were alone to share Christmas dinner. If a Basque immigrant died,
community members organized the transportation of the body—or later the
ashes—back to Spain. [...] “We've always tried to help everyone,” she says.) (B08F – Seberiana Erleaga EU: Musean, euskal musika tresnak jotzen,
euskal dantzak, euskal jakien postuak jarriz, jaiak ospatzen zituzten. EN: They played mus, performed Basque music,
danced Basque dances, set up stalls with Basque food, and celebrated
festivals.)
|
(B03M - Iñaki Asueta Ez zen “gatxa” lana topatzea
eraikuntzan. Bizkaitarrak, nafarrak eta “euskaldun-frantsesak” baziren.
Zaharrenak 84 urte egingo du laster. 76-78 urtekoak ere geratzen dira
(eraikuntzan lan egindakoak). Haiekin
biltzen da ostegunero, Louis Basque Cornerrean. Elkartzen direnean, bazkaldu
aurretik pare bat trago, bazkarian Euskal herriko kontuak, egunerokoak, “zer
etorten dan burutara”, musean ez dute asko jokatzen, dolar bat edo, baina “a
cara de perro” ibiltzen dira. Desiatzen egoten da osteguna etortzeko. /// It was not difficult to find
work in construction. There were Biscayans, Navarrese, and “Basque-French”
men. The oldest of them will soon be 84. There are also some 76- to
78-year-olds still around who worked in construction. He meets with them
every Thursday at Louis’ Basque Corner. When they get together, they have a couple of drinks before lunch,
then during the meal they talk about things from the Basque Country, everyday
matters, whatever comes to mind. They do not play much mus—maybe a dollar or
so—but they play hard. He is always eager for Thursday to come.)
(B06F –
Ana Mari Arbillaga EU: 1969an bertan hasi zen umeei
“jantzak” erakusten. Ehun ume eukitzeraino heldu zen. [...] Hemezortzi urtez
jarraian egon zen horretaz arduratzen, bera izan zen “jarraitu” zuen bakarra. EN: In 1969, she also began teaching
Basque dancing to children, an activity that would become one of the defining
contributions of her life to the Basque community in Elko. At its height,
nearly one hundred children participated in her classes. [...] She remained
responsible for the dance program for eighteen consecutive years.)
|
(B03M –
Iñaki Asueta) Sukaldean ikasi du gehien Euskal Herrian, amari
begiratua. Bertan, pelotari batzuengandik ikasi du. Familikoek estimatzen
dute nola kozinatzen duen. Paella, gisatua, indabak, porru-patatak, edo
garbantzuak, haragi piper batzuekin, “gure estilora” egiten ditu eta
ingurukoak “kontent” egoten dira. Etxean batzuetan hogeitik gora elkartu izan
dira. Urtebetetzeetan ere bat. Etxean egiten du sukaldaritzan. /// He learned most of his cooking in
the Basque Country, by watching his mother. He also learned from some
pelotaris there. His family appreciates how he cooks. He makes paella, stews,
beans, leek-and-potato dishes, chickpeas with meat and peppers, “in our style,”
and people around him are pleased. At home they have sometimes gathered more
than twenty people. They also do so for birthdays. He cooks at home.)
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E. Looking Back |
(B01M. Inoiz
ez du Euskal Herrira bueltatzea pentsatu, bertan ezkondu eta familia izatean
bertakotu egin dela dio, hala ere lau urterik behin Euskal Herrira bidaiatzen
dute bisitatxoa egitera./// He has never seriously considered returning
permanently to the Basque Country. After
marrying and raising a family in the United States, he feels that America has
become his home. Nevertheless,
he and his family travel back to the Basque Country approximately every four years to visit relatives and maintain
their connection with their place of origin.)
(B03M – Iñaki Asueta. Ia urtero joan izan da Euskal
Herrira. Durango zeharo aldatuta ikusten du, asko eraiki delako bere herrian
(frontoitik bere etxera apenas ez zegoen ezer eta orain dena dira etxeak).
Eroskiren egoitza handi bat bere barrioan egin zuten[3].
Emazteak beste leku batzuetara
joatea nahiago izaten du, baina bera gusturen Durango bueltan egoten da,
hantxe disfrutatzen du gehien: goizetan mendira, gero lagunekin… Bera
bakarrik joaten denean ez da urrun joaten. /// He has gone back to the Basque Country
almost every year. He sees Durango as completely changed, because so much has
been built in his town: there was hardly anything between the fronton and his
house, and now it is all houses. A large Eroski headquarters was built in his
neighbourhood. His wife prefers to
go to other places, but he is happiest in Durango; that is where he enjoys
himself most: in the mornings he goes to the mountains, then spends time with
friends… When he goes alone, he does not go far.)
(B04M – Joxe Churruca. Renon
zeukaten beste etxea erakusten dit argazkian: batez ere teilatuko argazkiak
ditu erakusteko eta esaten dit teilatua osorik berak egin zuela, inongo
langileren laguntzarik gabe. Erretiratu ostean holako lanak egiten ibili da,
bera bakarrik (“inork mailua leku batetik bestera mugitu barik”, ezta hori
ere). San Rafael parkean, alde horretan zeukaten etxe hura. 1700 foot edo
zeuzkan. /// Joxe also
shows us photographs of another house he once owned in Reno. He is especially
proud of the roof, which he built entirely by himself after retiring, without
the help of any workers. Laughing, he says that "no one even had to hand
me the hammer." The house, located near San Rafael Park, measured about
1,700 square feet and remains one of the achievements of which he is most
proud.
(B05F – Esti
Amorrortu) Argi zeukan doktoretza egin eta jaioterrira bueltatuko zela. Ikasleak
doktoregoa bukatu eta lan bila hasten ziren, Esti ez zen ahalegindu ere,
buruan argi zeukan Euskal Herrira bueltatuko zela, /// From the very beginning, she was determined to return to the Basque
Country after completing her doctorate. While many of her fellow doctoral
students remained in the United States to look for academic positions, she
never seriously considered staying.
(B06F – Ana Mari Arbillaga EU: Gero loba
batek bukatu zuenean bere karrera (ingeniaria edo), ez zeukan “plazarik” eta
esan ei zion: “joan horra eta hasi zaitez platerak garbitzen, harik eta plaza
lortu arte!” [...] Bere denboran ez zegoen horrelakorik (alegia, ahal zena
hartu eta lanean hasi). EN: She
recalls advising one of her granddaughters, who had completed an engineering
degree but was unable to find employment: “Go there and start washing dishes
until you find a position in your profession.” [...] Ana Mari sees this as
one of the major differences between generations. In her youth, people
accepted whatever work was available.)
(B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU:
“Hemengoagoa” sentitzen da hangoa baino. Itzultzeko “sasoia” denean, etxera,
Battle Mountain-era etortzeko gogoz egoten da, hemen bizi baita “trankil”,
“pozik” eta hau delako bere egoteko lekua, “hauxe da neure etxé”, dio. EN: After
nearly half a century in Nevada, she now feels more at home there than in the
Basque Country. Whenever the time comes to return from a visit to Spain, she
finds herself looking forward to going back to Battle Mountain. “I live
peacefully here,” she says. “I'm happy here. This is my home.”) (B08F
– Seberiana Erleaga EU: “gizon batek eraman zuen hara
eta beste gizon batek ekarri zuen bueltan”. EN: “One man took her there, and
another man brought her back.”)
(N01M
– Jesus Goñi EU: Ameriketan aberastu ez, baina
sakelerako dirua egin eta bankurako ere egin du, eroso bizitzeko lain. EN: He did not become rich in
America, but he made enough money for his pocket and for the bank—enough to
live comfortably.)
(N02M
– Alfonso Ygoa EU: Ameriketan aberastu ez, baina
sakelerako dirua egin eta bankurako ere egin du, eroso bizitzeko lain.
Ameriketan hainbat aukera daudela konturatzen da. Zorteduntzat du bere burua
eta Euskal Herrian izan ez duen “zortea” izan du Ameriketan, bere ustez. EN: He did not become rich in
America, but he made enough money for his pocket and even for the bank—enough
to live comfortably. He has come to see that America offers many
opportunities. He considers himself lucky and believes he found in America
the luck he had not had in the Basque Country.)
(N07M
– Nicolás Huarte Elía ES: En 1964 regresó en barco con un amigo vizcaíno,
Fernando Eskibel, de Busturia. Tenía el deseo de volver a Estados Unidos,
pero desde 1964 no ha regresado. Durante su estancia en América envió dinero
a sus padres, con el que pudieron comprar una casa en Burlada. EN: In 1964 he returned to Spain
by ship with his Biscayan friend Fernando Eskibel. He intended to return to
the United States, but never did. During his years in America, he sent money
to his parents, enabling them to buy a house in Burlada.
|
(B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Euskal Herritik Battle
Mountain-era goadaña (sega), zorroztarria eta pikamailua ekarri zituen. [...]
Arrastrillko edo eskuarea ere ekarri zuen, egurrezkoa. EN: When she
emigrated from the Basque Country, she also brought several traditional
farming tools with her: a scythe, a whetstone, a pickaxe, and a wooden rake.
Having grown up using them, she found them useful for cutting hay and feeding
horses in Nevada.)
(B09M- Jose Mari
Beristain EU: “Pago de
combates” ematen zioten, eta soldadutzatik irten zenean, irabazitako
diruarekin, Markina eta Ondarrura joan zen sei hilabeterako: “los seis
mejores meses de mi vida” izan zirela dio. EN: Whenever he managed to survive an ambush, he felt an overwhelming sense
of relief. Because he served in a combat zone, he received combat pay, an additional
allowance granted to military personnel serving under dangerous conditions. When he completed his military service, he used the money he had earned
to spend six months in Markina and Ondarroa. Looking back, he describes that visit as “the six best months of my life.” Ten years had passed since he had left his homeland.)
|
(B05F – Esti Amorrortu) Esti ez zen
ahalegindu ere, buruan argi zeukan Euskal Herrira bueltatuko zela, nahiz eta
lan baldintzak han hobeak izan […] /// Although professional opportunities and working conditions may have been
better in the United States, she had always intended to return home.)
(B05F – Esti
Amorrortu. Ameriketara joan izan ez balitz
mundua beste modu batera ikusiko lukeela dio eta ez du uste emakume
izateagatik zailtasun gehiago izan dituenik, emakumeen presentzia bere
sasoian nabaria zela gogoratzen du. /// Looking back, Estibaliz
believes that had she not lived in the United States, she would view the
world very differently. She does not feel that being a woman created
additional obstacles during her academic career, recalling that women already
had a strong presence in the university environment during those years.)
|
(N01M – Jesus Goñi EU:
Bertsolariak “ateratzeko” edo bertsozalea izateko behar da euskara ondo
jakin. EN: To
produce bertsolaris—or even to be a bertso enthusiast—you need to know Basque
well.)
(N05M – Pedro Coscarart EU: Aitortzen du
asko oroitzen dela bere lurraz eta bertako ohiturez: txerri hiltzeaz, etxean
ogia egiteaz… Bere mezua da bere herritarrek tradizioekin eta euskararekin
jarraitzea, eta umeei “vasco” erakustea. EN: He admits
that he often thinks of his homeland and its customs, such as slaughtering
the family pig and baking bread at home. His message to his fellow Basques is
to preserve their traditions and language and to teach Basque to their
children.)
|
(B05F – Esti Amorrortu) Renon eta
Los Angelesen bizimodua oso ezberdina dela dio. Renon giroa oso babestua da
eta komunitate euskalduna dago bertan; horrek erraztu egin zion bertako
egonaldia. Los Angeles, ostera, hiri gogorra da, latza, tentsio sozial
handikoa, kontuz ibiltzeko lekua. Bere esperientziek batean eta bestean ez
daukate zerikusirik./// According
to Estibaliz, life in Reno and Los Angeles could not have been more
different. Reno offered a close-knit environment with a well-established
Basque community, making it easy to feel supported and integrated. Los
Angeles, by contrast, was a much harsher city, characterized by significant
social tensions and requiring far greater caution in everyday life. As she
explains, her experiences in the two places were completely different.
(B07F – María Jesús Narbaiza EU: Urte batzuetan “Palamonten”
(Battle Mountain-en) Ereñon zegoela begitatzen zitzaion, horrenbeste
euskaldun eta horrenbeste euskara entzuten zen kaleetan. EN: For many years, Battle Mountain reminded her of Ereño (her neighborhood).
There were so many Basques and so much Basque spoken in the streets that it
often felt as though she had never left home.)
|
[1] Bera konturatzen
da “beharra” eta “lana” baliokideak direla, nahiz eta zalantza duen “gaurko”
euskaran zein hobesten den.
[2] Es una cita muy expresiva
para contrastar la vida comunitaria de su juventud en Eugi —baile, plaza,
música, pelota— con la percepción de pérdida de esa sociabilidad décadas
después.
[3] Hemen “egintzuten” esaten du, eta ez “egiñeben”.
Bere lagun nafarren eragin linguistikoa antzematen da.
