Basquelandia

The Basque province is the northernmost region of the Spanish mainland, and is extremely picturesque with misty green fields and simple shepherds watching over their pastoral lands. It is a bit of an isolated province--because it falls precariously between the once competing countries of France and Spain, in the more challenging landscape of the Pyrenees Mountains.

The Basque people floundered between Spanish, French and self rule for centuries, and often enjoyed unique privileges of self-government which eventually drove a bit of a wedge between the Basque people and the rest of  Spain who eventually took control of this distinct province. While they celebrated a unique culture and language in their isolation, this special privilege led to mistrust and dislike by the surrounding Spanish provinces and overarching government.

My fascination with the Basque region of Spain began in college. It was during an art history course I took, while studying in Sevilla, that the unique people and culture of this area really captured my attention. I've read more on their tragic placement in Spanish history in recent years, and it's a powerful story, full of the complexities and drama that frequent a strong sub-culture set within a larger one.

Picasso, infamous for his dramatic and misshapen portrayals of people and things, created an unforgettable scene with his painting Guernica. In it, he describes the deep betrayal, prejudice and atrocity against the Basque people during the Spanish civil war in 1936. It is a response to the bombing of Guernica (a Basque village) by German and Italian warplanes at the request of the Spanish Nationalists. Pablo Picasso, a Spanish artist, called attention to the horrific act by having Guernica displayed at the 1937 World Fair in Paris and around the world, and his black and white mural became one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history.

Ironically, Picasso--already a world-famous artist, had been hired by the Spanish government to create a mural for the World Fair. That he chose to use such a platform to call out the harshness of Franco and the Spanish Nationalist leadership shows courage and integrity on his part while bringing shame to the rising power that ultimately strangled Spain for the following four decades.

While Franco's regime may be credited with unifying the country of Spain, he passed harsh laws aimed at wiping out the unique cultures and languages of minorities like the Basques. His treatment of these "traitor provinces" essentially abolished any remaining autonomy they had.

Because Guernica had left a mark on me at a young age, and because I have enjoyed and celebrated Spain and its rich culture and language for over 20 years, I was excited to learn that there is a strong Basque presence in Boise. The largest, in fact, of any other state or city in the United States. So, Scott and I immediately set out to experience a little taste of this presence. Yesterday, we visited the Basque Market in downtown Boise for fresh paella at high noon. Every Wednesday, the market cooks a pan of fresh paella--a smoky, rich dish of rice, an assortment of seafood and other savory meats, and vegetables--on the patio. They also serve a variety of tapas inside; a smorgasbord of small Spanish-inspired dishes.

Originally, I had imagined that this unique Basque utopia had been born out of the migration that would have likely occurred after the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. However, I now know that the Basque immigrants who came to California and Idaho in droves were coming mainly in the early 1800s in search of silver and a fresh start.