Basques in Boise

A museum exhibit which plots the history of Basques who emigrated to the US in the early 20th century, scheduled to go on show in New York next month, received an early boost on Tuesday when it made it into one of the country''s best known business magazines.

Describing the Idaho Basque Museum and Cultural Center exhibit "Hidden in Plain Sight" as "an insider''s look into the compelling historical journey" which Basque emigrants made to the US early last century, Forbes.com describes how the display "explores the language, customs, traditions and values of the Basque people as well as the allure that America held for them."

The article goes onto explain that the compilation includes an array of historic primary sources, including "audio and visual recordings, historic and contemporary photographs, never-before-seen historical artifacts (as well as) artwork and interactive activities," all thanks to the work of the Boise Basque Museum and Cultural Center, "a pivotal national cultural resource" in Idaho.

The exhibit

The exhibit on the history of Basque immigration to the United States, will go on display on Ellis Island in New York City from February 6th until April 2010. The temporary exhibit in Boise is being held in six rooms that were once dormitories for immigrants waiting to enter the United States.

The aim of the exhibit is to leave the visitor with a greater understanding of the Basque people. "We hope that visitors will leave with the knowledge that the Basques are the oldest people on the Iberian Peninsula,.. that the Basque Country has maintained its history, but is also a very modern, progressive society," says Diana Echeverria, a member of the board of directors of the Basque Museum.

The exhibit also seeks to recognize the role of the Basques in the US, who have prospered and continue to contribute to their communities both through the sharing of their heritage and through their economic successes.