The Basques have lived in the Los Banos area since before California became a state of the United States

in 1848. The early Basques in the Los Banos area were primarily sheepherders, though others worked as

ranchers, miners, and laborers. Throughout the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the Basques in the area

became more organized and connected with each other. Since most Basques came from some Catholic

background, Basques in the Los Banos area would typically gather to celebrate Baptisms, First Holy

Communions, and weddings often having a large gathering to celebrate these events.

The most common celebration to unite the Basque people of the Los Banos area was a picnic. Basques

began holding picnics in the Los Banos area in 1886. The early picnics were an occasion to reunite old

friends and families and celebrate Basque culture. To better organize the Basques in the area and in

order to celebrate an annual picnic, a group of Basques formed the Los Banos Basque Club in order to

help preserve the Basque culture and heritage in Central California. In 1964, the Club’s first President

was Jim Etcheverry, Vice President was Michel Arambel and the Secretary-Treasurer was Arnold

Etcheverry. The first Board of Directors consisted of: John Arambel, Martin Arambel, Victor Arretche,

Martin Barbasta, Gene Daguerre, and James Talbott. At the first meeting, the Club voted to hold an

annual picnic on the third Sunday of every May and the first Annual Los Banos Basque Picnic was held

that year. The Club also began a dance group, where adults would come together to teach the children

the Basque customs and traditions, including the traditional Basque dances.

2014 marked the 50th year of the Los Banos Basque Club’s existence. Throughout the years, the annual

picnic has gone largely unchanged by including a Catholic mass, a BBQ lamb chop lunch, Basque dancing,

traditional competitions such as wood chopping, weight carrying or soka tira, music and public dancing,

and a chorizo BBQ. The Club is proud to have hosted two annual N.A.B.O. Conventions. The first in 1989

and the second in 2001.

Today our Club continues with many members. The Club’s years of proud history can be directly

attributed to the tireless participation of all our members in putting on our annual picnic, volunteering

with the dance group or participating in our other club events. The Club continues to promote our

Basque heritage and teach our traditions and customs to the next generations of Basque-Americans in

the Central Valley of California. It is that mission that will drive the Club forward.