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Basque Oral History Project Index Interview Tape Index
NAME: Maria Luisa
Idarra Otazua
TAPE MINUTE SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Tape 1
Side 1
0-14:00 Maria was born in a baserri called Olalde in 1929. She has and older sister named Mari Carmen, an older brother named José Luis (who has since passed away), and 2 younger twin sisters, Jenarita and Maria Victoria. Her mother, Ana Ibaibarriaga, was on only child, and was determined to have a large family; it took 2 years after her marriage before her 1st child was born, a fact that worried her. Both of Maria’s parents worked in the village, so the children stayed home with her grandmother to do the cooking and the housework. When her older sister was 14, she went to nearby Gernika to study, and when she was 5, Maria herself went to school herself, but in town; she used to call herself “Marluza”. When she got older, she was told she had to go to Gernika to study as well, even though she wanted to stay home and sew. She worked around the farm a lot, but never had to go to work in other people’s houses. Maria went to Bilbao to work as a seamstress and to learn to cook; she had always been her sewing instructor’s favorite apprentice. She describes learning how to cook with a great woman who worked in a restaurant. Maria’s father, Teodoro, always supported his children, since he wanted them to go as far in life as possible. He got bad bronchitis (his only vice was smoking), and had to go to Bilbao for the doctors to care for him. Maria’s parents worked hard to make enough money for her to live in Bilbao, since she wasn’t making much money at the restaurant.
14-23:00 Maria loved learning in the restaurant and sewing, but she had to come home after 5 months to help out her parents. She began sewing full-time, and also helped out with the chores, but was soon married at the age of 23. Her older sister’s education required a great sacrifice by the rest of the family, but they did it willingly. Maria was so good at sewing that her teacher insisted she go to Gernika to learn more; she describes all the juggling she had to do to help out at home, study, and sew at the same time.
23-30:00 Maria had no indoor plumbing at the baserri, and they did all the washing by hand. She remembers what a fantastic cook her grandmother was, and how they made their own sausages and other foodstuffs. Food was very fresh then; she recalls the sardine woman who walked from house to house with a basket of fish on her head. The Basque culture at that time was one of respect. Maria never liked to study much, but enjoyed working; she remembers seeing gypsies on the way to school, something that bothered her. She and her brother frequently skipped school to go crayfishing.
Side 2
0-12:00 Maria remembers her schooldays: she had a satchel full of books and bread (to sell) was always wary that the caravans of transients would rob her. Her mother told her not to worry, because her brother would look after her, but he was always off crayfishing. Maria didn’t go to school much, since she had to stay at home a lot to work much of the time. (***Mother’s last name). Her childhood wasn’t so bad—she has a lot of happy memories—but it wasn’t easy. She sewed all the clothes for everyone in her family, including her older sister’s wedding dress. Maria talks about her sister’s wedding (1 year before her own 1962 wedding), and her sister’s baby, which was born 1 year before her own baby, born in 1963. She talks about her son: he went to BSU and had a Basque roommate.
12-22:00 Maria discusses her marriage to Victor Otazua, when she was 23. Her father had died 7 months before ( her brother had died before him), and Maria’s mother didn’t want her to wear a white wedding dress or to have a fancy wedding. Her sister had had a beautiful wedding dress and a lovely wedding when she married Juan, but Maria wore black and had only a small dinner with family in a Bilbao restaurant. The couple had been dating for quite a while before marrying, which she describes. They used to go dancing a lot in nearby towns, even though Maria had to be back home very early. They didn’t have much money, but they had a lot of fun buying little things like doughnuts (after they had spent all their money on this, they had none left to buy water to wash it down!). After they were married, they lived in Basauri, where Victor worked in a factory; he bought a motorcycle to go to work. Maria’s brother- and sister-in-law lived and worked in the same town.
22:30-30:00 Before she was married, Maria and her sister lived in an apartment together and took care of their mother. Maria was pregnant soon after her wedding, and was constantly ill and vomiting. Her husband and brother-in-law Juan left for America without knowing she was pregnant, and didn’t return until the child was almost 4. She remembers accompanying her own child through the gypsy camps so he wouldn’t be bothered. Maria didn’t work while Victor was away, since he sent most of the money he made. She made most of her son’s clothes.
Tape 2
Side 1
0-15:00 Maria had no telephone contact with her husband the entire time he was in the US working as a sheepherder. They communicated by mail, but it was slow and expensive. When Victor returned to the US, he wanted to open a restaurant, but a doctor told him that even though he was only in his early thirties, it would be best for his body not to work too hard. Victor had to work to support his family, however, and decided the US would be a better place to make money. Maria came to the US by plane in 1968, when her son was 5, and describes how different the food was; she missed the wine and the fresh fish of Euskadi. She describes some of the 1st English things she learned, singing a version of ‘London Bridge Is Falling Down’, and counting to 10. The plan was to stay only 3 years in America. Maria’s father had also been to America before returning to the Basque country, working as a construction worker in Idaho, and she thinks he would like to know that she also ended up there. She took a train from Bilbao to Madrid, then flew to New York, Salt Lake City, and finally to Twin Falls. The trip was very long—she didn’t realize she was going that far away from home.
15-30:00 She was met by a family friend and his wife at the Twin Falls airport, Salvador and Maria Arrien. These two became very good friends of Victor and Maria, taking them under their wing for while, and providing a link to Euskadi by speaking Euskera. To this day, Maria and her husband take care of their graves. Maria and Victor spent a week in a hotel, and ate several meals a week with their new friends, but did not want to impose themselves as houseguests. She met many Basque speakers in Twin Falls, which made her happy, since she had problems with English. Maria began cooking for the sheep camp her husband worked at. She talks about the different kinds of people she came in contact with, from several nationalities and varied family situations. She discusses the parenting strategies that produced her nephews and nieces, and those she prefers. Maria says that more people of today’s generation should adopt the scruples and the work ethic of her own generation. She describes the work she did as a cook.
Side 2
0-11:00 Maria remembers that at the sheep camps, the men bunked together in large dormitories, and she stayed in a trailer. She made breakfast, lunch, and dinner for many men, and they were very grateful. Since she spent all her time with Basques, she learned very little English for the 1st few years she was in the US. Maria remembers going to the Stanley Basin during the summers, when the sheep had to go to the highlands, at which point she had to cook in a Dutch oven. The caravans reminded her of all the gypsies she had dealt with in Spain; she jokes they will haunt her all her life. Maria kept up correspondence with her family in Euskadi, especially with her sister. Having been born and raised in a small village, the hills and rural areas of Idaho weren’t too much of a shock for her. The sheepherders loved Maria because she made 2 huge flans every Sunday. She describes the types of food she prepared: beans, pork, potatoes, chicken, fruits and so on.
11-21:00 Maria always did the best she could at the sheep camp, and always felt appreciated. She speaks more about food and reminisces about those times. She worked as a cook for 7 years, at which point she decided to stay at home to take care of her family. They didn’t return to Euskadi to visit for 17 years, but sent a little money there when the country was in an economic slump. She remembers the huge change she saw when she returned, which, when coupled with the new friends she had made in Idaho, made her want to stay in America. She talks about an experience she had taking care of a doctor and his wife for 2 weeks in San Sebastian; they had asked her to accompany them and then to stay, but she had a family at home.
21-30:00 Maria discusses the social aspects of life in Euskadi. While growing up there, she had been forced to speak Spanish in schools, so once she moved to the US, she was able to speak both Spanish and Basque at home. She has helped out Mexican immigrants who come to Idaho and don’t speak English. There are 2 Catholic churches in Twin Falls, and Maria always insisted that the family go to mass. She and her husband never became US citizens, but have remained residents all these years. Maria explains that she has had many wonderful experiences in her life, then talks about the experiences of other Basques who have moved to the US.
Tape 3
Side 1
0-11:00 Maria is glad that modern immigrants to the US are more experienced, know more about the world, and speak some English before they come. She talks for a while about such a friend of hers, named Edurne. She questions Begoña about whether or not she would ever move here (the answer—she’s not sure where she’ll end up). Maria praises the medical system in the US; it’s fast and efficient, which is important as one get older. Her sister-in-law in Euskadi often has to wait a long time to see a doctor, who calls her in whenever he has room.
11-20:00 Maria and her husband kept a pretty little apartment in the Basque country, thinking they were going to move back there after a few years. They sold it a little while ago, and even though it has been many years since they’ve lived there, it was a sad decision to make. She has been told that, now, her beautiful apartment has been allowed to get run down. She is still not sure if she will ever return to Euskadi to live, since her son is married and lives here, and since she has so many friends in Twin Falls. She mentions her husband’s brothers, some of whom lived in the US but moved back to Euskadi, and some of whom are still here. Maria has lived in her current house for 6 years, and has been back to the Basque country only twice.
20-30:00 Maria volunteers for the Basque dinners and many other activities at her church, and also helps out with Basque dances. She does a lot of fundraising, and raised $8000 with the last one she did. Her masses used to be given in Spanish by a Basque priest named Juan Garatea (until he moved to Burley), in order to accommodate the Mexican laborers in Twin Falls. She discussed other functions her church has, including a cowboy dinner and a harvest ball, for which she cooks a lot. She lambastes all the women who have more time to volunteer than she does, but who don’t participate.
Side 2
0-12:00 Maria talks about the 5 big ovens she and other women in her church use to make the special dinners. She keeps in a box all the thank you notes she receives from parishioners. She has a bit of a heart condition, and must go to a specialist every week; she gets very tired at the end of the day. Maria discusses how the fundraisers she does help her priest to pursue charitable endeavors. She then mentions she has just been to Basque picnic in Gooding. She reads a card she and her husband received for being such active members of the Twin Falls Basque community, then another card she got for baking bread for the Basque picnic.
12-25:00 Maria talks about the death of a good friend in Gooding, Miren Arriaga, then speaks about this woman’s children for some time. Since she is not a citizen, Maria cannot vote, which bothers her. She still pays taxes, but cannot have a say in what is done with the money. She also worries that she won’t get much help from the government if she ever needs it. Maria describes what it takes to become a citizen, and wonders why it isn’t possible to have dual citizenship.
25-30:00 Maria doesn’t go out to movies or restaurants much, but she loves to socialize with friends, most of which come to her house. She also goes to California to see her little brother, and to weddings and funerals. Her brother works at meat packaging plant in Fresno. Maria likes to walk outside, but usually does so when she has something else to take care of. She explains why she dislikes shopping malls.
NAMES AND PLACES:
NAMES:
Arrien, Salvador and
Maria: Maria’s 1st friends in Twin Falls PLACES:
Basauri, Spain: town
where Maria lived after she was married THEMES:
Citizenship
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