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Forging a Link: The North American Basque Organizations, Inc. by Darlene Ammons and Janet Inda North American Basque Organizations, Inc., commonly known as NABO, is in its ninth year of existence. We felt that our readers would be interested in the history and activities of this important association. With a few exceptions Basque clubs in the United States are of recent vintage. Most began to function within the last twenty years as Basque-Americans expressed renewed interest in their ethnic heritage. The activities of each club were, however, localized. The group might found a dance group, organize members' picnics and dances, as well as mus and handball competitions. In some cases, the club sponsored an annual festival open to the general public. The festivals facilitated communication between Basques of the American West, since people traveled great distances to attend one another's events. However, until the creation of NABO there was no formal mechanism to assure regular contact and cooperation between the clubs. In an effort to bridge these gaps and unify Basque Americans, representatives from several clubs met in Reno in March, 1973 to form a federation and create a network within the larger Basque community here and abroad. Delegates from the following clubs made up the steering committee: Los Banos and San Francisco, California; Boise and Emmett, Idaho; Elko, Ely and Reno, Nevada; and Ontario, Oregon. It was decided that NABO would be run by a board of directors made up of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and delegates from each club or community. Al Erquiaga was elected acting president and Miren Artiach acting secretary. Both represented Boise. Attorney Bob Goicoechea, member of the Elko club, was asked to draw up by-laws. The group met in Reno again in June and resolved that NABO should function as a service organization to member clubs without infringing on the autonomy of each. NABO's prime purpose was to be the preservation, protection, and promotion of the historical, cultural, and social interests of Basques in the United States. The new organization was to sponsor activities and events beyond the scope of the individual clubs. It was also to promote exchanges between Basque-Americans and the Basque Country. The three major efforts by NABO to date include sponsorship of an annual handball tournament, an annual mus tournament, and a summer music camp for Basque youngsters. All of the clubs in NABO teach handball to the youngsters who want to learn it despite the fact that only a few communities have frontons available – Chino, Bakersfield, Fresno, and San Francisco, California; Elko, Nevada and Boise, Idaho. Basque handball is similar to the popular game of jai alai except that the bare hand rather than a jai alai cesta, or basket, is used to hit the ball. It has a solid core wrapped with rubber and covered with skin. The large, extremely hard ball used in the game punishes the player. A man can be skilled, but if his hands are "bland" he will have an uneven career. Whereas the jai alai court has three walls, handball is played off the back and left walls of the fronton. Like in jai alai, individuals or pairs of players compete. Each club holds a local tournament with competition in the following divisions: A – accomplished players; B – older, or less experienced players; juniors – ages 14-18. In 1981, divisions were instituted for players ages 8–10, 10–12 and 12–14, and a few of the clubs now sponsor junior tournaments. Winners of the local contests play in the NABO tournament which is regional in scope. The first was held in 1976 and the site of the annual competition is moved from club to club. Winners of the NABO tournament are eligible to participate in international competition. Players representing NABO have competed in the Basque Country. In 1981 they entered the amateur world championships held in Mexico City. In alternating years NABO hosts a European team (6 to 8 players and their coach) which travels from club to club playing exhibition games. In 1981 the tour will begin in Chino, California, coinciding with the Chino Basque Festival (September 6 and 7). The second NABO link between the Basque communities was the institution of an annual mus tournament in the summer of 1977. Mus, a favorite card game among old world Basques, is played by two pairs of partners. In strategy it most resembles poker. The partners rely on bluffing to deceive their opponents about the cards they hold and their scoring potential. A system of facial signals allows each team to keep track of its bidding potential. Formerly, the only competitive mus was played within local clubs or among groups of friends. Now, just as with the handball competition, each club holds a playoff to choose competitors for the NABO tournament. The previous year's winning club hosts the play. Since 1978 the NABO champions have joined Basques from Europe and other areas of the Basque diaspora in international competition held in the Basque Country. In 1979 NABO hosted the world mus championships in San Francisco. The third major NABO activity initiates American-born Basque young people in their musical heritage. The first NABO music camp was held in 1977. That year three camps were held, one in San Francisco, one in Reno and one in Boise. The late Jon Oñatibia taught at all three camps and was the inspiration for the formation of dance troupes in many of the clubs. Oñatibia was unavailable in 1978, so a two-week in-service camp staffed by U.S. instructors was held in Elko. The music camp received a crushing blow in 1979 when Jon Oñatibia died following an automobile accident shortly before the scheduled camp date. Rather than cancel the camp, NABO members found instructors for the classes. Juan Pedro Etchemendy of Barstow, California stepped in to teach beginning txistu and Luis-Manuel Pe-Menchaca Herran came from Europe to teach an advanced class. Two members of the Boise Oinkaris, Megan Donahue and Dan Ansotegi, instructed dance. Since the 1979 camp in San Francisco, music camp has become an annual two-week event. In 1980 it was held in Fresno and this year it is being held in Boise. Music camp is directly responsible for much of the color of the regional Basque festivals. Without the NABO music camp the art of txistu playing would be lost in this country. Basque- American dance troupes have benefited from the camp as well since the youngsters learn new dances and perfect old ones. Moreover, the song course taught is the only opportunity many young Basques have to become acquainted with their native tongue. The financial burden of the NABO activities is eased by membership dues, fees, fund raising events such as the sale of lapel pins and Basque calendars, and by donations. In 1978 Boise-Winnemucca Stagelines helped send the mus champions to the international tournament in France. In 1980 their expenses were subsidized by the Banco de Vizcaya. This year’s music camp was also supported by a generous grant from Banco de Vizcaya. NABO delegates meet three times a year. The annual convention for the election of officers is held during the summer. Member clubs take turns hosting the gathering which is scheduled to coincide with its festival. A second meeting is held each November at the University of Nevada, Reno. There is a third meeting in the spring hosted by alternating clubs. Those who have served as officers in NABO include:
NABO Membership At present the NABO membership includes seventeen clubs: California Members Basque Club, Inc. P.O. Box 27021 San Francisco, CA 94127 Zazpiak-Bat Club, Inc. P.O. Box 7382 Menlo Park, CA 94025 Kern County Basque Club P.O. Box 416 Bakersfield, CA 93302 Los Banos Basque Club P.O. Box 123 Los Banos, CA 95365 Chino Basque Club P.O. Box 1080 Chino, CA 91710 Fresno Basque Club P.O. Box 406 Fresno, CA 93708 Southern California Eskualdun Club c/o Bernard Bidart 12513 Baker Court Chino, CA 91710 Los Angeles Oberena 2801 Leonis Blvd. Vernon, CA 90058 Idaho Clubs Euzkaldunak, Inc. P.O. Box 2613 Boise, ID 83701 Euzkaldunak of Caldwell, Inc. 220 E. Logan Street Caldwell, ID 83605 Utah Clubs Utah Basque Club c/o Claudia Bilbao (Sec.) 1335 E. Fairoaks Way Sandy, UT 84070 Nevada Clubs Zazpiak-Bat Basque Club P.O. Box 7771 Reno, NV 84070 Elko Basque Club P.O. Box 1321 Elko, NV 89801 Euzkaldunak Danak Bat c/o Kathleen Ceranguena Box 70 Winnemucca, NV 89445 Ely Basque Club P.O. Box 1014 Ely, NV 89301 Colorado Clubs Western Slopes Basque Association c/o Jean Gorrino 789 22nd Road Grand Junction, CO 81501 Oregon Clubs Ontario Basque Club, Inc. P.O. Box 823 Ontario, OR 97914 |
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