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Basque Oral History Project Index Interview Tape Index
NAME: Frank Oneida
TAPE MINUTE SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Tape 1
Side 1
0-13:00 Frank remembers that his grandfather read at least 2 newspapers per day, and was surprisingly fluent in English, while his grandmother spoke little English, but could communicate in Spanish. His grandfather came to the US in 1911 with his brother Ben and his brother-in-law, José Mari Goitiandia, and his grandmother came in 1916, with the couple’s 4-year old son, Joe. Benita lived to be 92, and Francisco lived to be 83—Frank thinks they came from Aulestia. Francisco had emigrated to make a better living, beginning as a sheepherder in Shoshone. Francisco family name was originally Oneindia, but was changed when his first paycheck was written Oneida. He later bought his own sheep with his brother (the Oneida Sheep Company had 6000 sheep at its peak), and constructed the Palace Pool Hall in Shoshone. The company became Oneida incorporated after WWII. Frank remembers hanging out at his grandfather’s sheep operation as a child; he loved fishing, swimming, and helping out. Francisco had 2 accordions, and although he was largely self-taught, he was quite good. He always dreamed of going to Chicago to take professional lessons, but it never worked out. Benita had a boarding house in Shoshone where music was always popular—in fact, this is where Frank met accordionist Jimmy Jausoro. [Frank explains a panoramic photo of Shoshone and the house]. The Pagoaga, Beitia, Berriochoa and Soloaga families all had boarding houses in the same area of town.
13-16:30 Frank’s dad is Anastacio (wed a non-Basque, Violet Howard), whose siblings were Ben (married to Julia Anchustegui), José “Joe” (wed non-Basque Marion), Pete (wed non-Basque Dolly), Martin (wed non-Basque Garnet), and Mary. Joe and Pete are still living. Frank does not recall when his parents bought their boarding house, but Benita ran it until about 1966, when Pete and Dolly took over for a few more years, at which point the residents were mainly retired Basques. Frank knows his grandparents had the house when he was born in 1929, so it was possibly purchased around 1925.
16:30-30:00 Frank’s mother Violet was born in Mackey in 1909. Her mother was a Hearse (Welsh, family came to the US in the 1890s) and her father a Howard (English, came when he was 6), who was a cattleman. Frank was born on December 4, 1929, the first grandchild to Francisco and Benita. His brother is John Luis, who is currently a civil engineer in Fresno and who has lived in Saudi Arabia for 5 years and worked in Pakistan and Indonesia for 5. Frank’s parents were married in July of 1929 in Challis. This was back during Prohibition, and Frank recalls that the Basques found ways to circumvent the temperance laws. He describes what it was like growing up in a mixed Basque/non-Basque family. He had a great time, but his parents and uncles decided that since they were now Americans, they would only teach their children English. Frank only spoke Basque with his grandmother (who spoke no English), and used to help her out with errands. As he started school, he remembered less and less of the language, but could still understand quite a bit (he recalls arguing with his aunt over a name she called him in Basque once). Frank regrets having lost this connection to his past. He had a consciousness of this “blank spot” from an early age. His dad graduated from Shoshone High School in 1928, and never had any problem with English or with American sports. Frank grew up in his grandparents’ boarding house, moved to the family ranch outside of town at the age of 13 for 3 years, and then moved back into town. As a youngster, Frank worked at a bowling alley, as well as around the family ranch. There was also a lot of time for fun, including an annual Basque picnic near Ketchum, frequent Basque dancing, and Mus games.
Side 2
0-13:30 Frank’s grandmother used to take him around to visit all the Basque families in Shoshone, and he lists a few of the area Basque children he knew. There was always a closeness with these area Basques, and there was an annual Basque dance that drew people from towns all over the area. People rarely drove to Boise when Frank was a youngster, and so pretty much stayed in his community. When he did come to Boise, he didn’t know very many Basques. Basques in general are a very inclusive bunch. He lists some of his friends as a child: Lucy Zabala, Marie Teresa Berriochoa, Johnny Beitia, and others. Many Basque girls from Shoshone came to Boise to become nurses, including Marie Garmendia and Alicia Lete. There were not many young Basque boys in the area when Frank was growing up. He talks about the Anchustegui family, who had a boarding house in Boise.
13:30-25:00 Basques and non-Basques mixed well in Shoshone, since the community had been there a long time. Frank does remember being the victim of a racial slur from a drunk woman once, but this type of discrimination was the exception. At the time, there were also a number of well-respected Mexican immigrants in Shoshone, one of whom was an excellent cook. The Manhattan Café and the Boston Café were run by Japanese immigrants to Idaho, and Frank is friends with some of these people to this day. Shoshone townspeople were a little disturbed by a cantankerous old German man who put up the swastika during WWII, and the sheriff made him take it down. While Basques wanted to integrate, however, many other ethnic groups were content to stay within their own cultural circles.
25-30:00 Frank graduated from high school in 1947 (his class had 25 students). There were few jobs for kids in town at the time, but plenty of unpaid chores at home! He talks about how difficult field labor was, including mucking lambing sheds, corralling horses, pitching hay, and so on. This was mostly summer work, since Shoshone winters were very harsh (which allowed, nevertheless, the annual construction of an ice-skating pond). Once he graduated, Frank worked for the State Highway Department for 1 year, then at Grange Wholesale (selling combines, etc.) for a few years.
Tape 2
Side 1
0-10:30 Frank surveyed and drafted for a conservation service for a few years, and passed up the chance to work in California, Washington and Hawaii for a semester at Idaho State University, at which he got his draft call. He wanted to volunteer for the Air Force, but there were no recruiters in Twin Falls where he had gone, and so Frank ended up being drafted into the Korean War in 1951. he got out in February of 1953, and went to Idaho State University on the GI Bill. He stayed there for a year, joining the swim team, but was unhappy with engineering, so he decided to pursue geology at the University of Idaho. He graduated in 1958, and began working for the Idaho Transportation Department in Shoshone right away. He designed roads, found resources and helped with bridge foundations before moving to Pocatello, where he worked until 1983. He transferred to Boise, where he worked until his retirement in 1991. His wife Mary Nadine (maiden name Williams) worked at the Boise State University library until her retirement, at which the couple began square dancing (Mary is a cues now!). Mary, though 4 years younger than Frank, also grew up in Shoshone. The couple celebrates their 49th anniversary this year; his brother and cousin married the same year. Mary has is not of Basque descent (she’s mostly Welsh, and her family has been American for a long time), but Frank never felt any pressure from his family to marry a Basque (his mother was all for it, and his paternal grandparents had always accepted his mother). Mary enjoys Basque food
10:30-17:00 Frank’s oldest son Gary Frank was born in Moscow in 1954, the second, Arlen Dean, was born in Jerome in 1958, and youngest Patrick Lynn was born in Jerome in 1963. He discusses their careers and marriages (one spouse is working on the Heritage Theater now). Frank has met Anthony Hopkins twice through this drama connection. Frank even met and talked to Hemingway in Sun Valley several times (“about as nice a guy as you ever wanted to see in your life”), and once saw actor Gary Cooper in the Manhattan Café in Shoshone. Frank remembers the building of Sun Valley, and had no idea what it would turn into. Basques were important early residents of the area.
17-30:00 Frank discusses his children’s involvement with the Basque community. One of them enjoyed Basque dancing, but quit soon after. The others live in areas where there aren’t any real Basque organizations. The boys never really got into the culture, mostly from lack of exposure in the communities they lived in. Frank’s family has gone to a few Basque dances, though. Frank has never visited the Basque country, partly because his wife gets very airsick (which she discovered on a trip to New Orleans). [Mikel announces that Mary has joined the group]. Frank is a member of the Basque Museum, though, because his children and grandchildren always want to visit this institution when they visit. Frank identifies himself strongly as a Basque, but considers it as almost a split personality. He talks about Basque athletic prowess during high school. His family is the main reason Frank feels so Basque.
Side 2
0—10:00 Old Basque herders that Frank knew from his toddler days in the boarding house always seemed like part of his extended cultural family. Celebrating traditions, and even good-natured arguing between people is a good way to get attached to an identity. His grandmother’s boarding house was well-known for it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, and 3 Kings festivities—one of the few places in Shoshone where dancing and fun was very common. Frank says that when it comes right down to it, it’s a waste to throw away one’s heritage.
10-13:00 Whatever race or nationality one is born with, it always remains a part of that person, regardless of other identities like a US citizenship.
NAMES AND PLACES
NAMES:
Anchustegui family
PLACES:
Aulestia, Spain
THEMES:
Boarding houses |
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