Basque Oral History Project

Chronicler: Interviewer: Location: Date:	Jesus Careaga Daniel Chertudi Boise, Idaho 1 August 2002

	Jesus was born on 14 March 1943 in Aulestia, Bizkaia, to Alejandro Careaga and Simona Cortabitarte. His family had a house in town, as well as a large baserri in the hills where they grew corn and raised cows for milk. Jesus worked for some of his mother's Spanish-speaking relatives to prepare him for the language at school, allowing him to succeed once he began his education in Aulestia. School, however, turned out to be a less than pleasant experience. At the tender age of 12, Jesus began to work in a sawmill, then in a mine. He paints a picture of his social life at the time. After being drafted into the Spanish military, Jesus decided to take up a cousin's offer for work in America. He arrived in Boise in 1967, and describes working in various sheepherding outfits for a few years. Jesus met his wife, Roma, at a Basque dance, and they were married in 1970. Even though she is Basque, she has embraced the Basque culture, and their two sons have as well. Jesus has made many trips back to his homeland, and even after becoming a US citizen, he still feels strongly attached to his Basque heritage.
Jesus Careaga	Read the interview summary