Tree of Gernika Mural, Elko, Elko County, Nevada

Elko, Elko County, Nevada

On the east end of the Elko City Park, just east of the Northeastern Nevada Museum, is a handball court with a large mural on one end. It is easily visible from Idaho Street. The ball court has been here for as long as I can recall. The mural was added, from memory, in the early 1990s. I will attempt to hunt down the dedication dates the next time I get to the museum.

The Tree of Gernika is a blessed symbol of freedom for the Basque People. When, why and how the Basque settled in Elko - I don't really know. I seem to remember they came to this part of the world in the late 1800's to tend the sheep herds. What I do know is they are good folk. Honest, proud, hardworking and dependable are a few words that come to mind as I write this short intro. Now that more questions come to mind than answers - let's go see the mural.

Click on photos to see original high clarity digital photographs

Handball Court behind mural.

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What the plaque says:

OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP

A YOUNG MAN STANDS ONE LAST TIME BEFORE THE TREE OF GERNIKA ONE LAST TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE BEFORE LEAVING HIS HOMELAND TO START A NEW LIFE IN AMERICA. HE WILL CARRY ON THE BASQUE TRADITION TO BE FREE, RESPONSIBLE ONLY TO HIMSELF, HIS FAMILY AND GOD.

MANY BASQUES CAME AT THE TIME OF THE OPPRESSION. THEY CAME TO START A NEW LIFE, FROM THEIR TINY HOME-LAND, BARELY A HUNDRED MILES IN DIAMETER IN THE PYRENEES MOUNTAINS BETWEEN FRANCE AND SPAIN. THEY TRAVELED AND MADE A NEW HOME IN THIS GREAT LAND. WE BASQUES WHO ARE AMERICAN BORN DEDICATE THIS MURAL TO ALL THOSE BASQUES LIVING AND DEAD WHO LEFT THEIR HOMELAND TO CARRY ON THEIR TRADITIONS.

WE HONOR THEM WITH OUR BELIEF THAT ALL BASQUE, LIVING AND DEAD, ARE ONE. THOSE WHO ARE DEPARTED FROM THIS WORLD ARE AS MUCH A PART OF THE BASQUE EXISTENCE AS ALL OF US BASQUE HERE TODAY.

AS WE SALUTE THEM LET US CRY "AMA, AITA, EUZKALDUNAK, INOIZ EZ DUGU AHAZTUKO" ... MOTHER, FATHER BASQUES EVERYWHERE, WE SHALL NOT FORGET! OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE "MANUAL ARBILLAGA FAMILY" FOR THE INSPIRATION AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS MURAL POSSIBLE.

When I finished this page I gave Anna (the person I remember who was instrumental in creating this mural) a call to see if I could learn more about its history. Here is a portion of the e-mail she sent about the mural.

The name of the mural is "Our roots run deep".

It is dedicated to

all the Basque men and women who left their homeland in search of a better life...away from the persecution of Franco..... The tree of Gernika was about the only thing left standing after Hitler bombed the Basque Country, before the war......... The Basque have been fighting for their independence since before time......

The city of Elko started a beautification project, then ran low of budgeted money. They had just enough remaining to buy two colors of paint, black and white. The city came to the Basque club and wanted us to decide what to put on the wall, so I painted this picture that I had seen taken in the old country.........I thought it told about the Basque people - our roots run deep. Tradition, heritage, love of country, pride everything we are about, but most of all FREEDOM. America gives us the freedom that we cherish, freedom to speak our language, freedom to dance, freedom to worship etc.........the Basque love America because we can be Basque.......... so the mural tells all of this.......................

I can't remember when we painted it, but it has been about 5 years ago. It took 180 hours to paint, and anyone who stopped by and wanted to be apart of the picture, got to paint, I showed people who have never painted before how to paint, and everyone signed the side.........When we unveiled the mural, we invited all the old timers to plant an oak tree, which if you drive by is planted in the front.....so the Basque of Elko have planted their roots here in Elko.....America......

Hope this gives you a little more info and any more questions just call or e-mail me at anna@elkoradio.com

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Here are some photographs, provided by Anna, taken during the construction of the mural