Astero
Center for Basque Studies 40th Anniversary
What is known today as the Center for Basque Studies began four decades ago as a remote possibility. This long-shot dream is today one of the premier research institutes of Basque Studies in the world.
The year 2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the Center for Basque Studies of the University of Nevada, Reno. This week (of May 2007) the CBS was honored by the State of Nevada Legislature with a unanimously passed resolution that recognized this landmark achievement and acknowledged the merit of their efforts in the investigation of Basque culture.
A framed copy of the resolution was presented to a delegation from the Center headed by its director Gloria Toricaguena. Alongside her were William A. Douglass, the original founder of the Center; Sandra Ott y Xabier Irujo, current professors at the Center; Pedro Ibarra, current visiting professor with his wife Carmen Oriol; Kate Camino, administrative secretary; Carmelo Urza, director de USAC; Michonne Ascuaga and Pete Ernaut of the advisory committee; Argitxu Camus Etchecopar, doctoral student; and John Ascuaga, proprietor of the Reno-Spark’s Nugget and CBS supporter.
The text of the resolution recognized the Center for Basque Studies for its efforts in investigating the role of Basques in the state of Nevada, and furthermore as playing a central role in the investigation of Basque culture around the world and the importance of the Basque Library that began with a donation of 750 articles by the late Robert Laxalt to this day with over 50,000 volumes of published materials, photographs, oral histories, films, etc. Then the members congratulated the CBS delegation with the statement Zorionak eta urte askotarako, a wish that these forty good years will be followed by many more.
The CBS is considered one of the most important institutes for the investigation of Basque culture in the world. Its library holdings comprise one of the largest outside of the Basque Country. The CBS began in 1961 originally as the Desert Research Institute with the possibility that Basque culture might be a topic of investigation. This topic naturally emerged from the presence of Basque sheepherders in Nevada and throughout the high desert region. Thus the Desert Research Institute became the Basque Studies Program (BSP) in 1967 under the direction of the anthropologist William A. Douglass who counted with the collaboration of noted Basque bibliographer Jon Bilbao. Several years ago the name was changed to the Center for Basque Studies (CBS).
SOURCE: This story first appeared online at www.euskalkultura.com as two stories and is loosely translated here. For more information about the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno visit www.basque.unr.edu
