Basque Oral History Project

Chronicler: Interviewer: Location: Date:	Antonio "Tony" Larrocea Mikel Chertudi Boise, Idaho 23 April 2002

	Tony was born 16 December 1931 in Amorebieta, Bizkaia to Vitor Larrocea and Maria Uribuen. He recalls with painful detail the bombing of Gernika and the effect its aftermath had on his family and hometown. As a result, Tony had to go to a private school, where it was difficult for farm children to keep up with the others. He quit after only two years of formal education, and was hired out to a farmer from another town at the age of 11. Tony then worked at a sawmill, but since he had grown up as the "black sheep" of his family, he was ready to go to America as his father had done before him, and soon secured a job in Homedale. Tony worked for the Archabal Sheep Ranch for 6 years, then in construction. He loved the United States and wanted to stay, but was determined to marry a Basque girl, so he returned to Euskadi in 1959 and married Teresa Meso. The couple raised two daughters in Wilder, and always spoke Basque. Today, Tony can retire as a self-made man, for after years of farming other people's land, he was able to start his own successful operation. He and his family are active in the Idaho Basque culture, and enjoy traveling together to their homeland. Despite being a proud Basque, Tony would not trade his American citizenship for anything in the world.
Tony Larrocea	Read the interview summary