Hispanic Oral History Project Interviews

00:03 The following is an interview with Mrs. Juanita Zazweta Huerta by Angela Luckey. The interview took place in Mrs. Huerta’s home 1135, East Fremont Pocatello, Idaho on March 9, 1991. This is part of the Idaho Hispanic oral history project.
Okay, can you tell me when your parents when your family first came to this country?

00:30 in the spring, 1919 in about in April,

00:36 they come in a contract to work in agriculture.

00:40 So they were How did they come?

00:42 in a train, they come in to train with a lot of other family, Mexican families. We were bringing at that time,
Did somebody go down to get
They must have been a Samaritan that somebody would be there to bring these people on man because I got to lose the war time and they would bring it to different places. And they brought these people with ones that come with my parents. They brought them to Lincoln, Idaho near Idaho Falls to the sugar factory. Little houses where they would house them, that Mexicans would bring, then that’s that was a that was a place they would bring them and from there, they would send them like to, to Shelly and different. I can’t really tell you that there’s little agriculture towns around Idaho Falls, and around Firth and Shelly. There’s Goshen, there’s presto, bay salt. Those are the little places have the names of the little towns that there were farmers in these towns have planted in these little places where they planted sugar beets and potatoes. And that’s where they would house them. The farmers would imagine coming, taking the ones they needed so many families needed.

02:02 So they were housed in in that one place. And they every day, they would go out and come back.

02:09 They take them and keep them there. So I would say that if it was in this was in the spring, they would need them to work in the fields and the potato in the beet fields like for thinning and going. So the farmers would just probably take the families that they needed to work.
Did everybody work?
Yes. They would all work. I mean, the man folks with the men folks that
Not the women?
No, not the women at that time, not the women. I never did hear my mother say that the women were just there, man.
But they brought the women with them. They brought the families they were families with children. They were families with children.

02:51 So did your parents become citizens then?

02:54 No, my parents never did become citizens. They never really learned to speak English. And I guess they just, I don’t ever remember that. That they ever spoke about making themselves citizens. They just my father worked on the railroad and he learned enough English to get by but I never I never did hear the members say you know, nobody, whatever. Ask them you know, it’s just, they just worked and lived. Then they had their children and of course, at that time, then then they had to be have birth certificates. The children, my brothers and sisters I myself, we’re all born here. And we’ve all got our birth certificates that we were born here that
But your parents No, they didn’t become citizen.

03:50 So they came here for their jobs.

03:53 Yes.

03:53 Did your father talk about doing his job? What kind of tools he used

04:00 when he was a section hand and put spikes in I remember but put the railroad in and I guess they just kind of whatever section hands do. I remember that they had a little cart and he’d go to the tool house or whatever. We lived in the section house and the place where the workers would meet wasn’t too far
from our house and they would all meet there in the morning and go out this little like it I’m sure it had a name and then in the evening and come home and I don’t never remember that it really discussed what whatever section hands do. I guess I don’t. I don’t really know. Okay.

04:48 Did your mother What did she do? Well,

04:50 no, my mother just took care of us. And then in the summer, she would take us I remember us kids growing up and there was people around know that I have done strawberry patches and raspberries and stuff. And, and to tell you the truth, I really don’t know how, with her way she we she used to take us to pick raspberries and they were just wasn’t big patches, but I remember on shares my mother would get us to pick raspberries. And I remember that, that figured that so much for the lady. And people love the little patch of raspberries. And so much was for us. And then my mother would, would can this fruit I remember somebody must have showed her I don’t remember that. But she used to put this fruit up, whatever we would pick and they gave her. I know that she wasn’t from wages. I don’t remember they gave her any money. And they was just like you, she we would pick the fruit or whatever. And then they would give her so much. And then she’d take us home whatever it was. And she would always tell us that we had to learn how to work that that’s the way you got by you know. maybe we complained? I don’t know. It was oh, what are we doing this for? But I remember she used to say or that. We’d like to play all summer when there wasn’t any school but she would put her take the fix, I guess the lunch of Turkey as a main whatever and, and take us to these places. I remember. There was this real nice lady. She was a sweet lady, Mrs. Cedarburg. And then they had a she had plums and apples and raspberries, strawberries. We used to go over there and pick all the stuff and we’d climb the trees for apples and plums. And I remember we used to take some home imagine, you know, my favorite share with or whatever.
Where was this in firth? in Firth? Mrs. Cedarburg right across the river. I remember very well Snake River now I just wonder I have never gone back. But my brother has gone back. And he says that how it seems so far away when we were growing up. But he says now and the disk just drive there, you know now, things don’t seem that far away. You know? And the places that seems so big test then are just not really all that big are just not really all that big, You know?

07:23 So when your family came on them and gunship they came straight to Idaho.

07:27 Yes. Straight to Lincoln, Idaho near Idaho Falls.

07:31 What was it like in Idaho? I mean, can you describe your first memories?

07:35 Yes. Well, it was mostly farming. Like say, Idaho Falls, the A inhale and all of that wasn’t there. Then Firth is only, I think 30 miles from Idaho Falls, it’s not really all that for us close. And that was where we’d go mostly was to Idaho falls. And we remember we my mother that had friends and I don’t follow then we’d go and like, whenever there was a circus or something in town, we’d go and stay with these friends. And from there, we would go, like on the Fourth of July. And that’s really like it was the closest. And then when we when we really want to see a lot of Mexicans and that I remember we’d come here to Pocatello and we’d come on the train. Because like he worked on the railroad, he had a pass and then he could come here to Pocatello. And then that time there was a lot of Mexicans here in Pocatello. So you’re gonna come at the railroad and then and then if we want to like to say socialize, I guess this is why we would come. And like when my father was sick in the hospital where he, they bring them here to the Old General Hospital over there. Oh, man. So we wouldn’t been ramble on them. Because he went to Mexico, but my mother never did go back. But my dad did even in 1926. And then by then, the relatives lived in Torreon. So that’s where he went and met, you know, relatives and thought that my man and never, but always remember somewhere always, they would always talk about their country. They never, they did reminisce over and over and over. And then I remember like I say, Well, no a TV and radio and all that stuff. And so whisking, never got bored, but the stories that they would tell us, they repeated them over and over again. My mother was raised in Juarez her her family was like her mother and dad they took they were poor people but they took care of the cattle for a rich man and they would take in the summer they would take the cows out to the mountains. I guess I don’t know where they took their cows. But my mother used to say about how they would climb in the mountains. And they would sit down my guess from some kind of a high place. They could see down in the distance. And I could kind of visualize because they’re in the distance, they could see the smoke of the trains that would go by far away, and she would dream of someday getting on that train and going away somewhere. Then she did while she told me but she never, she never did go back to Mexico to visit but she always would talk about Mexico. And her and my dad, that’s what they would talk about of Mexico. My guess. That’s the only thing to talk about. My dad is work. But we have, we would have company, people from Pocatello would visit us out there and visit us and for the Mexicans that were in Shelly to there was at the sugar factory. They had a lot of little houses. And there was quite a few Mexican families that lived there, too. And Shelley, (unintelligible) , my folks went straight to Lincoln, Idaho. That’s where they that’s when they took there was a lot of Mexican they show you that lived there and worked in the fields and farms around there.

11:20 Were there a lot of other families that went to Lincoln with you?
Oh, yes, we’ll see that. So that’s trainload. And from there they dispersed and, and then over the valley, different places. And like I say, probably, I don’t know, I don’t really remember. I remember the Mexican families that lived in Shelly now. I can’t tell you for sure. If they were brought there, like from Lincoln, you know, like they might have been brought there, that that Lincoln was where they brought them as a group. And then they might have brought them to Shelly, to closer to the farms that were around those that I don’t remember. I don’t remember. But I remember that the Mexicans that lived in and that we used to go visit them and Sunday in the forums around around Lincoln, around who that lived for off the mat, not right there in the sugar factory they lived in,in farms

12:18 Did they had their own little land or?

12:22 No, no, no, it was just the house just they just housed them. No, I didn’t know No, like, they might have planted a garden maybe. But other than that, no, its this work there for the farmers.

12:34 So it was land, and the houses belong to the farm. And then they just lived in there

12:42 and just lived there and they work for these farmers. And I don’t ever remember any mistreatment or anything. They just worked for the for the farmers and they had interpreters. I always remember this one lady, Mrs. Pierce Her name was. She was in Shelley, she was interpreted for the Mexicans around this Mrs. Pierce. My mother talked about her. … , overnight already. I could I must have been six or seven that I met this lady Mrs. Pearson, among others. This is Mrs. Pierce when that was the interpreter for the Mexican and she spoke really well. So I guess that’s why they and see when when the war ended. And I tell you that they made so much commotion, you know, when the war ended in 1918 there was were sold and people are making a lot of noise and she went to to the Mexicans and told them you know, you know what, they didn’t know what was going on. And she explained to them we’re real happy now because our war has ended. And that is why we’re all so happy. My mother used to tell me that Mrs. Pierce when I’m told the Mexicans you know what was going on? I was saying it was the end of the war and after that my mother used to say see some of them went back to Mexico some of these Mexican went back and others didn’t see my mother didn’t go back. And then after my dad got a job on the railroad well then the good that was a steady job good, and you know it didn’t have to worry and then we just stayed there in Firth and that’s where we were all born there and went to school there.

14:30 You went to school there from first grade or to the eighth grade?

14:33 I remember my mother took me the first day by the hand to the first grade and fight to this stay there and know the people were nice to us. I don’t I can’t complain about the we were the only Mexican family but like I say we had company from Pocatello they’d go visit us but they never mistreated us in any way. My my dad done his job on the railroad and that was it. My mother never send us kids and we just went to school and I can’t say that they’ve mistreated us. I remember when my little brother when my little sister was born how that I can’t badmouth LDS people, you know, they talked about him, that ladies of the Relief Society or that I do remember that when they went to our house, and then how are you doing this as a dad? Is there something we can do for it? Can we do it? Can we do your laundry? I remember that and, and they were very kind to us and to my mother didn’t speak English. And every Christmas I remember, they’d always bring us things for Christmas. And they tell us, and we were puzzled, because it’s a Sunday class left to sit at our house. And we used to say, well, I’ll clean up coming here. The lady could very well have brought those presents. But we would get presents from everywhere in the church, and we didn’t socialize with them. I’m not saying we were invited to other things. We were the only Mexican family and maybe that’s what they were doing a good deed, or whatever, but they used to tease my dad is that they’d go there to visit and they’d say, Well, what are you doing this Sunday? Are you playing the drums in the Lutheran churches I’ve been teasing him? Because they’d say that we that we joined all the churches, but we didn’t. The Lutheran Church was right across the street. And even now there’s a Mrs. Johnson sometimes that can see her in the stores for them. And she was there from birth and she was with the Lutheran church across the street from our house. And on Sundays we used to like to hear because they had the windows open and I’d like to hear them sing the thing a lot. But say to go to church we’d have to come to Blackfoot because there was no Catholic Church and but there was the LDS church. It was a Lutheran church. There was a Presbyterian Church, but more Catholic, it was in Blackfoot territory. In Blackfoot and then in Idaho Falls Church and the Catholic Church was we were made our first Holy Communion in Blackfoot. No names. We were baptized there and but but our names there and the priest that was there. He was there a long time. And we were friends to the Hernandez’s is you know Marcel that died, you didn’t know was Esperanza Lacey. She belongs to that family. They were a large family and they lived in Blackfoot at the sugar factory. So sometimes we would even walk from Blackfoot to for Firth of life or to go to church and then we’d go visit over there to the Hernandez’s and they would take us home. We would always take us home.

17:52 They take you home.

17:53 They had a little car.

17:54 What kind of car?

17:56 I don’t remember. It was a noisy little car. But they would take us home. From Blackfoot to Firth

18:06 So you walked almost everywhere you had to go.

18:09 Yeah, so we walked. And we would work to Shelley. That was six miles we didn’t want to show. But if we went far, then we could go on the train, getting my dad at a fast. But it didn’t seem like it was that far to us. I remember. On Sundays, my brother would fix a lunch and my for my dad got to know 22 I’ll never know. But we’d go and when we wanted to go anywhere, we’d go down to the river, which is hte Snake River. And you know how it is along the Snake River. For those two little boys that got murdered there and forth. (unintelligible) and I seen him on TV. It all brought memories to me because we would go down to those places on the river there and first and then there was a What did they call was railroads that are off to the side? Like a branch or something up off the main drag there was in the train would go back in there to get the sugar beets in that. We’d go for walks way back in there. Before with walk, just going walking on the railroad track lay down close to the hills. There’s the two Prestos and then there’s basil and Goshen and those are little places where they would take sugar beets.

19:34 What time was the mass?

19:37 Well, I can’t really remember it must have been maybe 10/11.

19:40 So your mom would pack a lunch?

19:44 And we would start out walking.

19:47 How long would it take?

19:52 how long it would take and then there was a family that right wouldn’t remember their last name. They were Catholics there in Firth, and sometimes they would pick us up and give us a ride

20:12 I can’t remember the name of that Catholic family.

20:17 So your mom would pack a lunch in the morning, and you’d walk to church? Yes, go to church and then after church, what would you do have a picnic or?

20:25 Well imagine so we must have we maybe we add on side of the road who knows? What you don’t know. I don’t remember. But then we would go to the Hernandez home and and then then they would give us a ride home that I do remember. And their names were Nicolas Hernandez and his wife was Rosarita Hernandez. They were the mother and father to the use Hernan, this is the unknown Marcel and Esperanza Lacey necessary. That’s a big family. They’re about 15 in that family. That’s very large family.

21:01 They moved from Blackfoot, Tony, and there’s Tommy. And sometimes you see them like the middle funeral like here when Manuel Hernandez they’re not related to that Manuel Hernandez or died. But their last name was Hernandez two, but it was a different family of Hernan. And quite a few of them come over here to the field.

21:28 No, it wasn’t many. It’s over to Henderson.

21:32 Now, when when you went to school, you said that you were the only Mexican kids there? Yes. How many of you who was the oldest one or how old?

21:42 We were five. I was the oldest and I have a sister, Rosie. And my brother lives over in Washington, Idaho. And my brother Frank, and my sister Delhi. We were five. And I went to the eighth grade there in Firth and the rest of them went. And then that’s when we moved here to Pocatello. My brother went here to Monterey old school even though I didn’t, I just went to the eighth grade. And in those days, it was it was so different than it is now. It was such a you could go to school with the closure hat. You know what I mean? You just didn’t fit in and you you if you had any sense? No means you know you were embarrassed because you couldn’t compete with the you know, your clothes just didn’t fit with what you had.
Like what did you wear? Well, I guess we were dressed but what I mean is you felt that you had to be better dressed I I know I want to go to school and you know the clothes that I had you know better dressed and stuff and you’re real conscious that you weren’t dressed. Now. Now the kids in these past years I think that they laid out their Levi’s and sport and (unintelligible) You wouldn’t be caught dead with a pair of pants like that. Not in those days anyway. And it was depression diamond still you felt that you needed to be you know, better dressed as you got older I imagine. Because I remember. I remember like say Tony Rojas and his sister, oh the best dress Mexican kids in town. They were always well dressed. So So you you were really conscious of how you were dressed to go to school.

23:40 Did your mother sew or Or where did you get your clothes?

23:44 Well, I imagine, No. We thought they bought them. There was a little there was a store there in Firth. Di’s merchandise. I remember them and here’s what I see those little country stores where they everything is in that you know, everything shoes, stockings, dresses, groceries, everything was in that store. And I remember that my dad got paid well, he had railroad paid that we know we’d go there and buy clothes and shoes and stuff you know. Of course you imagine that they that they had to you know watch and see what they bought five pairs of shoes I remember when we were gonna go out of town, when we was gonna go in the summertime then the fourth of July in Idaho Falls, my dad would take us off on by yourself the same time though shoes at all get a brand new shoes and you had to take care of them. I imagine we just wore them and take care of them during the summer months. I have no idea really. Yeah. How how that went. But you know we all got runner shoes and we were gonna go out of town.

Did you wear your shoes every day?

Well, guess we must’ve wore our old ones, I suppose knowing how we were wearing shoes. But I don’t remember just, I really can’t remember to think to tell you the truth or you wouldn’t wonder right now we made. But no, I remember that. We got everything at this (unintelligible) whatever is getting everything in here that was just do stores by store and Mangan store down for those two stores.

25:30 Did he provide credit whenever you needed?

25:33 Yes, yeah. We had credit there, Dye’s. I remember in my mother go and get things that she needed to cook and stuff. And cozy can get cold and you have to credit

25:47 those credits. How did they work that? Did he have another notebook or something?

25:52 Well, no, I don’t remember that. He did. I must have been just groceries word against his.I don’t remember. I don’t remember that he did. No, I don’t remember the day. They both my mother and dad could both write. One thing that I remember very well. I remember my mother and dad both writing letters to their families in Mexico.

26:18 They would write letters.
So they were educated in Mexico.
Well, yeah, I don’t think that they might have learned a regrind because they could both read and write but I don’t say that they had any I education or anything.

26:30 I always tell my kids I said well, your grandma and grandpa were really nice people. They didn’t have no college education to be nice human means because they were they were there were real nice. They were real nice people. They were really nice people, both of them. When they died. I really can tell them to love they had their funerals were so big. I mean they that’s why I’m so that’s one thing I always remember that you think they won’t even remember the good deeds they did. And all that. You Know when my my father died first. And I remember but of you know, so many people come to his funeral. And when my mother died, a lot of people were there. Lots of people who were both my parents. They were nice. There were good human beings. And like I say they weren’t highly educated. They just went to school and have to learn to read and write but they were just nice people.

27:39 So did you have any problems with language in school? I mean, you said your parents spoke Spanish to use weak Spanish then and I learned it in school wasn’t hard for you?

27:49 Well, I don’t remember it. Just come. Learn English. Imagine that come easy to me. I remember that I didn’t have any problems. No, I just went right through school till I went to the eighth grade. So then I wasn’t any. I was as big as the kids that were in my room. So I figured that I must have just gone through. I must have caught on right away. I don’t remember that I had any problems in school. No. And I loved school. I really loved school. And I know and I think now myself thinking how much I like school at the time was like it is now of all the things that they can do for people in you know, in minorities. I in my mind. I don’t think I’d even got married. I just went run right on the school. You know, that’s how much I love. That’s how much I loved school. I really did. I really did love school.

28:52 Did you play with English speaking kids when you’re?
Well, there was no other kids.
So you probably learned English before you went to school

29:01 With the kids that were around. Because no like I say, in those days, you just everybody. You weren’t invited or anything. I don’t remember that. We went to ask them or anything. We were just there. And then see the the foreman of the railroad of the section. He lived close by Mr. Balki. I remember his name. And he had a daughter that’s gotten a divorce. I don’t remember that he had a wife. She must have died. It who and I don’t remember her. But Mr. Balki was a foreman and his daughter Katie Glenda with him and then she had a daughter. That was my age so she would play with us. She was nice. Jean. Her name was Jean and she would play with us. But other than that, I don’t remember we just made our own fun and you just played together I guess because I don’t remember the sociological thing, but

30:17 can you tell me describe a typical day then in your family? What time did you get up?

30:25 Well I got up, my dad left for work, and we’d get out and go to school.

30:31 Did your mom get up any earlier than everybody to make sure she

30:34 She wants to remember, you know, in your mind, any special any special thing you know, she must have just got up and was timeless. Because she was a good mother and wife. So she musta got up. And as we got older, well, just normal, did’t get up. Each had their own thing to do and like, Do women housework type, We just worked in the fields and that we never had any outside jobs to say per se now. My sister in law. Most of the younger sisters we after we moved here to Pocatello, Mata she grew up. She worked in the laundry at Troy Parisian laundry, so her (unintelligible) and then she gave an that’s when the war started. And they brought soldiers here at this airbase.

31:37 And that’s where she met her husband, Dan Saldana. From Texas.

31:54 So is just yours, same family that lived in the house? Well, you didn’t have any answer uncles or any?,

31:59 No, no we didn’t. We always would think about that. There’ll be like to have an aunt or an uncle or grandparent grandparents or something. No, it was No. Any, any relatives. So it was just us we didn’t.

32:19 You said that you sometimes worked in the fields with your parents?

32:22 Yes. Where he is we grew up. Yeah. So we grew up working in the beets, and then the potatoes and then beets hauling and thinning and stuff like that. See, after my father was laid off during the depression from the railroad. Well, then then we were old enough to be able to work on fields.

32:47 What did your dad then, you said he went to work on the railroad? Was he like working in the summer in the fields? And then in the winter in a railroad? Or did he just quit the fields and go to the railroad?

33:04 No, after he got laid off from railroad, that’s when we went to the fields. When when we when he first come they worked in the field. Then when he got the job on the railroad, then there was no more fields. But then it wasn’t new to us to them about working in the field. Because then after he got laid off from the railroad, and it was you were old enough to go to work and the beats
Why do you this?
It was depression time and there wasn’t any other work. And then when we come back if when we come here to Pocatello that I tell you these friends would kept telling us, what are you doing out here on this farm? Things can be better for you in Pocatello. And they kept after they’d go visit us and leave this place. What have you got here and especially in the wintertime, there was nothing you know? So maybe a little bit of job here and there but there was nothing steady. So then that’s when we moved into Pocatello. It was depression down. And then then they were given. There was a job at the WPA and stuff, you know, and so it was it was better. You know, it was better we, I can’t remember where the first little house that we lived in but anyway and then they would give they would give the people and I mean, we weren’t the only ones it was depression. The lines were so long. They’d give you maybe a little sack of flour, a package of grapefruits and oatmeal and love mail the powdered milk I remember my mother making big pots of cocoa and making biscuits and things and you know life was a lot better here in Pocatello. And then still you could work in the farms as long as you’re right out here Tae Hee and stuff like that. You You know, but the life was better here in Pocatello. And then after that, well then my dad got work again on the railroad and he would take care of those little parks that are over there by the depot and then

35:16 he would go water and lawns and stuff like that. And from there he

35:25 I guess he must have retired I guess. Because I remember that he didn’t work anymore. But he took care of those little parts right there. So see that he getting he back with the Union Pacific.

35:42 How did then you came to Pocatello in about when? 19?

35:48 Well, I was I was 14 years old. I remember very well. Yeah, we, we rented a little house. The Morelos lived kitty corner from us. And it was a Mary and I was his mother and dad. And they were in really nice people, by their mother, (unintelligible), my mother, you know, Francis, and her older sister. They were very nice people. And they were always I remember, they were always bringing nice little things, you know, because they knew what was going on and was depression time and he worked on the railroad there in the Roundhouse or whatever their roundhouses must have been. So the people that had jobs at that time they knew, you know that things were hard for the people that didn’t have jobs and when they were really nice, generous people, really nice people. And behind us lived. Emmanuel Cera’s (?) mom says she was only married to his father and they live behind us so they buy the colored. Well, no, that’s not there anymore. It was a colored church. Across the street from Idaho’s mom, Idaho Purse, I knew Idaho Purse when she was a little girl. And she always loved Mexican food. I remember she’d go across the street. Oh, what do they mean? And I was trying to remember those people’s name she’d go there and relay to the I don’t even know. I understand muchacha (unintelligible) want tortilla. Yeah, but she loved Mexican women. They make her and talk real happy at times. So she she knew to acquire the taste of Mexican food from way back. She laughs and remembers you know, she always liked Mexican food.

37:54 Speaking of Mexican food, How was it when you were trying to cook Mexican food for your mother for instance, who really knew? Did she have trouble finding all the ingredients and

38:05 well you know, I really can’t tell you I don’t I don’t remember. She had an she must have she must have bought like her spices in that like Sam Blackfoot must have been not because she couldn’t have gotten them in Firth in the grocery stores over there so she must have… And see they would talk to each other say that you know she could visit with the ladies in these places and they would tell her you know about things so she must have bought micro spices and things in those places like (unintelligible)

38:46 I don’t really remember once we were there like in Pocatello. Like I tell you there was a lot of Mexican people at that time in Pocatello. you they graduated that was dances and lots of dunes and they had a big night fourth over there. There was a big boarding house were upstairs. They had dances every weekend and then a couple of blocks down there was (unintelligible) there was another place where the Mexicans would have dances every Saturday night. And

39:20 I remember they had to they had a good time. I remember that time that there was a lot of Mexicans and they hooked it up and had a good time.

39:32 Did you go to the dances?

39:33 Oh yeah, we used to go to the dances

39:34 Who played or what kind of music?

39:37 Well they had guitars and fiddles and stuff will Domingo (unintelligible) I remember him. So where we were. He played the violin. And there was a little group of men Fidel played the mandolin and they have guitars and stuff and they play for the dances. And when they didn’t show up for the dance, everybody was restless. You know that. They managed him. And again, they would take their kids and they’d go to sleep and they put him under the benches and stuff like that, you know. There was fights on Saturday nights and it came rolling down the stairs. And if there wasn’t a fight at the dance, well, it wasn’t a good dance that Saturday night, there had to be some kind of disagreement or something. But it was all in fun. They went in, you know, never anything real dangerous.

40:39 I’d remember. I want a good time, I guess,

40:43 What kind of dances did you do?

40:46 Well, not me, but they used to… You learn that there was a couple of ladies that do the hat dance and the dance. And I remember that they’d be really happy when they did. There was my Komagata Mary. She was a real good dancer. Do you know George (unintelligible). But it was his mother. She’s a very nice lady to

41:15 Maria (unintelligible) she married about a Martin Romero.

41:24 She was a nice lady and she loved to sing. (unintelligible). Leonard’s sister. Leonard. (unintelligible). Yeah, you know, Josephine. She lives over there. Right across the street from her brother Leonard interisland died here. You should go to church all the time. When that was her, her sister Josephine, Josephine and their mother she was doing a (unintelligible). And at that time, they were pretty ladies. Toilets. A real pretty young woman. She left

42:05 I remember her always dress so pretty. She would do the fancy dancing. (unintelligible)

42:15 Did you do the jitterbug? Or did you do Mexican dances or?

42:19 No, no me. It was afterwards I just don’t remember that there was any special kind of a dance or whatever. Wild See, I guess and just just blatant dancing, you

42:43 know? So how did how did you meet your husband?

42:47 Well, every summer we victim folktale but every summer there was they planted a lot of peas for in the in the Teton basin. In Griggs, they would plant a lot of peace. A lot of Mexicans from all around me come from Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, Utah. And they these peas were fresh peas for marketing. So they had big sheds and everything they hired Mexicans for everything. There was big conquer the code, of course the contract is what Mexicans they were white guys, I remember their flashy cars, but they had Mexicans that were like Foreman’s and lead man. But to us it was more like a fun job. And Rudy and I were reminiscing about that today we talked remember that we never made any money but we had a lot of fun because as you went to your pick your hampers like that, then you’d go away a man and they paid you each time you each token you took your hand for to be weighed, they pay you so and then there was trucks that had candy ice cream or whatever, so you could go with the kids and all of that but they just get their money and go right and spend it right then. But it was a fun job and that like I said, and we all kind of knew each other you know, we’d meet every summer we’d go to drinks and and it was only about say a month or two or something like that. How

44:25 old are you about this time?

44:27 Oh wow about 1819 and 20 because I was 21 when I got married and Mikey come from Nebraska there there was people over there that heard about this here Vegas and supposedly and that they which they didn’t make any money. I don’t don’t think anybody made any money. But it was kind of a summer job. You know if you didn’t have anything else to do and say like see where Mike is from like Scotts Bluff and in there, that’s another valley and those are all summer jobs to thinning and annoying and potatoes and beets. It’s like here, but it’s the North Platte Valley. It’s another rally out of Scottsbluff and all of those little towns are on fire. So I guess this year guys, Chuck Martinez he was going to come in he asked anybody if they want to come down over to work and rigs, you know to pick peas. And Mike Well, I guess his parents were pretty strict. His dad was on these, uh, well, it was good time to get out of here. He signed up. And they come here to Driggs to pick the stone, that’s where we met. And then we would do a breach or just that summer and then decided to get married. I guess that’s why it was. So I figured maybe 21 I was getting too old. I better hurry up and get married. Maybe I wouldn’t get another offer. So go ahead. So and I was the oldest of our family do know, he was nice. He was nice. And it was a church going person and and supposedly he didn’t drink which he did a little later on. But at that time he did that. And then we went to live in Nebraska with his family were very nice people. Very nice people, Mike’s family. As a matter of fact, his older sister just called up this morning, her son in law works for the like Idaho Power. It’s worked for that company. And he’ll be yesterday was his last day and he’s retiring. And he was just telling us that they’re very nice people. And there’s a lot of Mexicans over there lots of Mexicans and I liked it because it was so many Mexican. And they’re all kind of related. So if they have some dough, and I tell you, there are so many of their family in it, you know, kissing cousins, I guess you might say my girls I would love to go down there because it’s so nice and friendly and they have so much food and stuff. They’re very nice people. So I liked it.

47:16 Tell me about your wedding. What

47:17 tell me was a really nice wedding. It was in the Catholic Church there. The library or say they’re all so nice. It was a real Mexican wedding, you know? all pitched in and made a nice wedding. But I was there alone. My parents didn’t know we’re here in Pocatello. And at the time, I guess maybe what? I don’t know. They they just know nobody. Nobody went from here.

47:46 You got married in Nebraska.

47:50 In the Catholic Church and Scottsbluff. But don’t I tell you that my dad when I was married here it was civil GoreTex doctor does judge Hinckley America. My dad, his mother and your sister, the one that’s a man she just she just had her golden jubilee

48:23 it’s a sister. She just had her jubilee year just just here this last year. You’re going new there in Scottsbluff. And her chicken and her mother. And my dad said, Well, you’re not leaving. You’re not leaving here with my daughter. I met her no, she’s married. So that’s how can we got married here to the judge. And then that will come I went with the with Mike’s mother in these sessions. And we got married in the church and I’m in Scottsbluff it was a Mexican wedding, all the relatives and everything was nice. It was in the fall in September. So there was a lot of flowers. We didn’t have any flowers from the florist. But we had flowers from I guess all the gardens in the valley. So many flowers. I remember there was so many dahlias and they were so pretty well there that valley is really nice. Everything grows so good because they have cold winters but they have real hot summers it can be at nine o’clock in the morning it can already be 90 to 100 degrees. It’s that hot. But in the winter the winters are cold and the winds come from Montana and the way the Dakotas and stuff so it gives you just whistles down but in the summers it’s hot and they can go beautiful gardens and beautiful flowers and everybody’s got a garden. So that was just doing was a flower someone and Mexican dance and it was pretty good next to her wedding us. It was nice. And then in the fall and like it was in the fall right away Mike

50:12 went to work in the fields and at that time he was 19 and I was 21 Unlike I see his family are all very nice people. Very nice.

50:24 Can you describe what you wore?

50:28 No, it was just a regular wedding dress. And was the dress that his cousin had was at her wedding just she had just got recently married. And she said, Well, my dress is real pretty nice and it’ll fit just so you can wear my dress and July.

50:46 What was it made out of?

50:49 Well, I don’t really tell the I was just a regular wedding dress.

50:55 Was it satin?

50:56 No, not satin. It was Catholic Camilla Tofana maybe with lace a lot of lace.

51:11 Did you have a long long been known?

51:13 Sure. Charlemagne was his cousin and got married recently see

51:24 we got married in September and she might have gotten married like in July June or July and know the difference of the two.

51:33 Your bouquet that you carry is the cut flowers this

51:36 cut flowers. Yes. Like I say there’s a lot of pretty flowers from the gardens. Sister as a matter of fact, I think sister Veronica fixed it up. And they are real. Ear sisters are really go into doing things like that. Will they entertain a lot with each other to the real low artistic you could say anything they do they put
together but quick and pretty and nice. I mean, now seeing that to me letting them know where to start. But no they beings I guess that they’re all together and always doing something. They’re real artistic always sisters nice. And his family are real artistic people.

52:22 And then you had a dance. Yes, it was. Did you have a dinner for everybody?

52:30 So it was a dinner regular Mexican dinner, I guess. And she Laos and more layin rice and the whole bed I remember. And ladies all chattering in you know? Was just just a nice get together. But I remember it was really nice.

52:51 How did you get from your house to the church?

52:54 Car cars? Yes, I

52:56 had cards in the deck great. Like I tell you the wrong

53:01 number like that do so much of that stuff over there. See they’re always having baptism and the weddings and things like that. They’re always doing some

53:10 do they do parties for those things? Oh, yes. All of those things. Yes.

53:13 Like you know Vicky and Johnny Don’t you know what you know, like you see wikiword So you did

53:21 Gianni. They always look like they got married for Valentine’s Day. I remember how they all done valid tiny stuff and things like that.

53:33 They just do things. Always doing things like that.

53:39 So what are the as a as a girl before you got married as a teenager? What did you do for fun?

53:48 Well, we already moved to in Pocatello. I remember visiting with friends, I don’t remember that. And then see, like I told you it was depression time they there was there was a it was called the NY ad for young people that could work. And I remember I worked at that thing. It was sewing to do something. And that’s what I found. I remember I worked at a place where I’ll love young people that didn’t have work man who would get I think you get $17 A month with just a little bit. But it was you could go when you sew by hand. I remember sewing by hand. Maybe baby blankets and things like that. They had everything there. You know, it was just to keep the young people busy at that time, you know, keep them out of mischief. But no, there wasn’t. You didn’t have any money so you didn’t have too much ticket mischief. You didn’t go to the show or Oh yes, yes, there was. There was right here there was the right outcome and they charged 25 cents. Take it and And on Tuesdays two for two for 25. Good getting in. And I loved the movies. I remember I’d go at one o’clock in the afternoon and I’d stay. I’d stay. And I’d seen the show twice. That dad would take the whole afternoon. But no, I guess that’s about it. And for entertainment,

55:23 did you get to sit in the main floor while they

55:27 would separate, but I don’t remember. I remember that we would sit wherever we wanted. I mostly separated people.

55:37 Because I really can’t, I can’t remember that they would separate us. But I think it was a color that to set up.

55:48 And it was a nice little theater right away. And the manager was Mr. Grossman. He was the one that owned the place. And it’s those apartments and right over here, by the it struggled for years. And I mean, at that time, I mean, they were really blushed falls away, and and he was the owner. No, I

56:07 really can’t say that. Tell you the truth. I can’t remember that we have to sit in a certain place. That I know that they talk about it. And I think that it was a colored people in it can sit down on the main floor, they’d have to go up to the top

56:22 about the Indians.

56:25 I don’t, I don’t

56:26 really remember that. I don’t really remember that that’s they were separated or not. I don’t I don’t remember that. But I remember that they did separate. Another thing that was a lot at that time, I do remember that you couldn’t just go and sit anywhere like fountains and things like that, you know, you didn’t go sit. And that I do remember. And non Mexicans do couldn’t go Mexicans and colors and that you just couldn’t sit just anywhere and they and they. They they just wouldn’t wait on you. If you’d go into a place that they didn’t, you could sit there all afternoon. So you’re not going to do that. If you know you’re not wanting to leave or

57:16 they wouldn’t serve you in some of the fountains. Yeah,

57:18 that’s true. wouldn’t serve. Yeah. No, no. I know what you remember. I think it was delcious dad, place and he said is that I wasn’t too happy because they wouldn’t wait on this. But we’re interested. We don’t serve you boys. You go up the street. There’s a place isn’t well, the only thing that that I when he when she called us boys. Hello. Okay. That’s all right. To get as a compliment, that we don’t serve you boys. Were on your way. We don’t serve your boys. So there was places where you wouldn’t serve? Yeah. At that time, there was a lot of prejudice. There’ll always be prejudice always. But oh, no, but it’s not an I really think that things changed after World War Two. It was just wouldn’t that big that it changes? In my mind that way? I think it was after World War Two that things changed. changed a lot. But before that, I really think there was a lot of race prejudiced. And, you know, even today, there’s a race prejudiced. And that’s something you can’t change. Even if the President says you like your neighbor, no matter what color he is, don’t matter. If you’ve got prejudiced in your heart, you’re not gonna, the thing that’s so sad is that if you tell your kids about prejudice, they’re going, I’ll never forget one day I was going to the store comes down the street, this little white boy in this little colored girl, and he had his arm around her and that looked at Cedar children, he to him, that’s his friend. And he can’t see any difference. She’s probably just like him, she probably they will walk into school just as happy as could be. Then two children. I guess they’re all the same. And that one’s growing up. They start understanding prejudice, you know, that. Don’t play with those kids, because we’re not like even things like that. Even I remember when we moved to this house, there was a family that lived in that house over there. And Cecilia? Well, Gregory was a month old. Now remember Cecilia’s two or three year old? I mean, she’d go out and play in October stay ready, but this wouldn’t be. I looked down in the back and I seen her over in that yard. And I’ve seen the woman telling her to leave. She didn’t wander over go you Yeah, she had a little girl. And you know, and it really hurts when you see a thing like that, you know, but she was just she was her donor to go home. But as the time goes on, we’ve we’ve lived in this house for 30 Some years Gregory was a year old when we moved to the south. So we’ve lived here Good grief, I don’t know. About 30 to 33 years and see the people are changed and stuff you know, they were just random. So But no, we I am not from a single complained about my neighbors. And when we lived across town that the lady with my neighbors when you judge people for what they are, you know that you’ll find a third just like you just maybe their skin is a different color, but they’re just just like you men in any race, no matter what color you are, there’s good people and there’s bad people, you know, but if you have prejudiced in your heart, you know, you just can’t help it.

1:01:03 When I first came to Pocatello, I was invited to have enchiladas, and I went, and they made amount of flour tortillas. I was so disappointed. Because where I come from these corn tortillas in down in El Paso, and we’re right by the border. And I always thought when I came up here, I always thought that people didn’t really know Mexican food. Then there was a lady that told me that when the first Mexicans came, they didn’t have the corn. So they couldn’t make the quantity as to make them so they adapted the flour. Can you tell me a little bit? Well,

1:01:43 my mother had a mitotic. So my mother would cook her card. And she would not have Yes, we’d love to set once we were little to see my mother. He would grind the corn, and she would make the turkey. And we thought it was so interesting to see my mother. And we would eat them. Well, she’d make gordita you know and open them up. But we’ll learn to tell you the juice. We didn’t have don’t remember we had butter. But she had lard and she just and they were so good. But we’d like to see my mother, Brian the car and then make it to tears. But no, I don’t remember telling you the truth. I don’t remember my mother making turkey as I guess. For some reason she had corn and She’d cook her carne con. What do they put it to the

1:02:42 line to slime? Uh huh. And she would cook our client and shipmates

1:02:49 make the tortillas, not a corn tortilla. And now see my girls. They don’t like corn. They have brother have flour into other wood. They go to eat out. So do we have to have flour tortillas? I don’t like corn. But we were raised on corn tortillas. And my mother. She had her metadata for years and years are still I had my mother’s and what she brought from I can tell them this is my Ariel, she just got back up from Mexico. But she had an attack that and after I went she didn’t know she had it for a long time and then you know is about some Sanchez his wife Isabel, her mother did you did you to get to know my mother

1:03:48 and she made cheese. They had cows I guess it should make cheese cheese. And I guess they they do with the metadata. They refine the after they’ve made cheese to make it a fine grain I suppose. Because I remember my mother while you’re on the way out and you had recently met data biryani lows. And she gave him a tattoo on your Louisa whatever happened? Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. We

1:04:19 said definitely on the forum. And they moved into domain model outright over there. By the way, it used to be the Frazier’s

1:04:29 mom and dad live there with whatever happened to my mom’s a bit that they’ll never know. But I do have her Moloch ahead. It’s deep. Let’s see if you can’t get those. Most of them were kinda like this, but my mother’s that was a deep one. So my grinds of garlic and caminos and all of that are spices in the market. That my mother that for the day it was my mother’s and now these wallpapers now are more and now like it’s reused for you years and years. Well, you know, it’s smooth and

1:05:06 did you eat any special foods like during land or Christmas special things?

1:05:12 Well, I remember so well. My mother made the best tamales you don’t. And you know who learned it? I guess I thought my mother was gonna live forever. I never learned to make tamales like my mother. And the one that learned as readers mother, Francis. Francis made very good tamales and she’d always say, Well, I learned from your mother. But I just thought my mother was going on there forever. I never learned to make but for Christmas. Why my mother used to make tamales and anybody care everybody’s welcome. I guess it was like the basket of the fish and bread and I don’t know who and what. And she was always so happy when your friend was around her and and any men stuff and ship make oodles a note to me. Back she made oodles and oodles of tamales for anybody and bots and pots of coffee and everybody’s welcome in our house was full of people eating tamales. And my dad used to like to me up and needed him and his friends. They were the men were at one thing and the ladies were in the bed. Everybody was happy and everybody was chattering and there was a Christmas time it was Christmas. And I remember that. I don’t know if you know him. Do you know this lady lives over there. Christian quartz, whatever went over here. But it’s crippled. Maria she’s a real good friend. Well, her mother doing in a TV there. She’s one I remember that. They’d always say that for New Year. She made a lousy. I never did go I don’t know. But I used to hear that she made a lot of tamales around an office Christmas. Yeah, thank god squares was to lighten by Mother You know, everybody, welcome and everybody would go eat tamales and she made good tomatoes. And I don’t I never did eat them. But everybody was. But to me, my mother made and Francis. She Francis could whip up and then Sheila tamales. My girls would say, Mom, how come you don’t know I can’t find I was sorry about that. I have to know two or three weeks in advance on when Aurora worked here at the bank is every year they have like a potluck. You know, and they tell Aurora. Be sure to tell your mother that she’s gonna make enchiladas for whatever that day. But this was weeks in advance. I had to have them at noon when then she’d come from work in a hurry and pick up Monday so that it was an all day job. I’d make the turkey in London and I had a minute of the day that she needed them but I tell the girls now I’m not like you’re at Francis your friends she can whip up in July was tamales overnight, not me. And no Francis was a good level. But the tamale she is well I learned from your mom as well. Sorry about that I learned and I and and I still I don’t know how to make tamales. My key goes to Nebraska and they make a lot of tamales over there. So he’s the one that makes tamales you just for the family here. Sometimes it turned out alright. Well how did that were made? Or one thing or another? They could have been better off whatever but but he is no not me. I do make enchiladas like GRAEME And my son Raymond, I don’t know if you met him. He would have loved friends. I would like Super Bowl and stuff like that. Mom, would you make these images and allow it and again two or three weeks in advance of that I get areas in gilas where he’d come and pick him up to date DSRC with his friends, and beans and rice and everything it can be laid out the patterns already taken. Now I wasn’t much more entertaining. My girls when they were home, and they were fast and they learned how to cook Mexican and both whatever they they were really good at whatever they

1:09:22 are How about during Lent? Do you have any special?

1:09:24 No, I remember my mother used to make copies of doll and I’ll see I don’t do all of those things my mother wouldn’t make up you know, Linda has come out on now see all of those things my mother used to make and Mike’s mother used to make but now see I never I never learned to do over that never never never acquired the taste that meant there has did become one and it makes them as a
matter of fact I got a package. I don’t or the trip and things you know like they would come out I thought like I’m I don’t want to know that you know, got beat up. My mother made a good got beat up. What it was most play site Kapitel Bella someplace I think it was when we went to visit Virginia and Los Angeles. She went with the guys that work lived in downtown Los Angeles and his wife or his mother in law somebody had made copies, taken some of the work and she had it in her face and it was really good. I think that’s very good. But I just I just don’t make it but but my mother did.

1:10:35 Did you ever hear of Chuck on this?

1:10:38 Isn’t that right card? I’ve heard of it. But I do they fix him. No, I don’t. I

1:10:44 stood corn. They stood with milk and sugar. Oh, is

1:10:49 that right? Oh no. See, I’ll

1:10:51 never eat.

1:10:55 That make good luck. Like get like an oatmeal.

1:10:58 Yeah, it’s like a cereal. It’s like the sweet corn you get in the CANS except it’s a lot tastier. My grandmother always made that during lent a copy of data and when he said that like and stuff for land during.

1:11:17 But I’ve never heard of that. First when you said checklist? No, I never heard of that. And no, I’ve never heard not even in Nebraska. Yeah. Mike has a lot of relatives when one summer we have done to Mike’s cousins that stayed here one summer. They lived in third round. And they stayed with us one summer. And then like him to take them they had relatives and one so we just took them. That was me from there. They were from a little bit. Think that’s when Mike went to pick up my position. And that’s where he took him back. Mighty chill and Conchita and their sister Josephine, she she come to but she was living with Vicki.

1:12:06 Because kids will live Mickey where he or she worked in the courthouse. So she came in she took over children, which was Ronnie, Tony, Johnny. And you

1:12:20 know, even Bernie, I guess she had all her five kids. Chelsea used to go.

1:12:28 Well tell me a little bit about when we came when I came to the pre interview you said that you used to translate? Yeah. How did you get started in that?

1:12:36 Who don’t want to just my mother would just say that. I guess you just assume that I knew both ages. And I did I translated and I felt I’d done a good job and I and I enjoyed doing it. I still do I really enjoy you know when anybody asked me, you know, and the only one like I don’t is I would order from Aberdeen as a matter of fact, she came over the other day. And she’s the one that you know, she asked me did she come over the other day some lady was sick and Aberdeen and she’d been draining have been here she’d have the flu. And she asked me if I would come up and make an appointment for I made an appointment and Dr. Nice to see you the next day. But no and then wonder she come with a carload of Mexican ladies and all they have done and know how the mango welfare I can okay as gift. Oh, well she even made me mad I guess she’s a soybean, and you know how to divide. When she told me what they had done to them, I got real mad and I got ready and I went over there and the girl was still warmed up and these Mexican ladies were from American Falls were Aberdeen. And I guess she wasn’t gonna give him any help on stamps and stuff like that. Where she was still wonderful and I went in this as well I think there have been some kind of misunderstanding here than that. And what she wouldn’t got a woman the man man to come to be there. I said I don’t know these ladies. I said I just come here to to work translate for them. I mean, I’m not related to him and other what when the man see me talking to calm, but he couldn’t stood there. Because I don’t know just what had gone on before. I don’t know if what, really what had gone on before they I went over there. But gradually when the man seen that I was you know, they don’t ask him what she was asking me but she was still mad. The girl that was taking everything in. She was still mad at him. And then I explained to her just as well in the way that she was talking. I didn’t know if that’s the way She was before I don’t blame him for getting mad. But and I and I told her you know, they said we’re not lying that here’s our papers whatever we told them you know, so I don’t know what did Laura maybe try to interpret herself and maybe she didn’t explain to them right or some but after a while when this man came and stood there and listen well then he and he told me girl you know we’ll take whatever you know and then gradually she calmed down to and she said, we’ll just tell him to make sure to see their landlord and you know that we need state on here of their rent and whatever you know, and I told him when she was telling me that I know what they told me I tell them and and then they said well, we’re not trying to get anything with what we deserve and Arizona they treat us they had come from Arizona. We got the same health in Arizona and and I said well, I really don’t know You know, it’s time to come back and bring the newspaper and gradually we talk to start calming down but she was really mad even herself and when I got there and when I would I told me the way should they have treated them while I was mad myself and I said well no I can see that if they don’t have some of them if they really don’t have somebody to help them well you know, they they like him there we go to branch a district if they can just maybe not Mike just because of what you are they don’t even know but they’d like it to begin with when you walked in there to begin with you know, know where Julie’s the time went by you know, we

1:16:30 talked to Matt and then the girls start calming down and I don’t know what she says get these papers and they had been working on one of the sellers and stuff and they needed more she needed a little more information and then she started calming down she just came straight is fabulously getting necesita COVID de security packages even this is that person whatever you know

1:16:56 so no one I enjoyed it and they always want to pay me no no I don’t want any money and no I don’t want you to welcome need no and I’ll walk home I’m gonna right there from the welfare they wanted to give him an all I said oh, I call myself I said under exercise looming good. So no, you know, they’ve always wanted to pay me I don’t want any money. I really enjoyed doing it for these people. You know, when they asked me Do I feel that I help them you know, alive. I think that I do you know,

1:17:24 do you work for the hospital?

1:17:25 I have Yes. See my daughter and marshy Exadata my son got to do wash Laura grant, she will go to the Pocatello regional. And she’d call me up sometimes I’ve gone up to the hospital to interpret for some ladies that were up there. And I’ve even a video robbery Akali VCR stuff for this lady. She needed some instructions and stuff and I translated them.

1:17:54 They take you yes they take me there was only one word that I was stuck on.

1:18:03 I come home in a hurry and I’ve got a dictionary that has the most languages and has fallen to pieces. I taped it up the other day because CSV says Now what what is the translation to Consuelo? And I really don’t I know that it what is going on swing traders like to cheer you up or give you hope or something like that. And I was gonna look it up in my in my dictionary that I have the definition of Consuelo. This one word was really kind of was a part of your body and I really wasn’t quite sure about and I came home in a hurry and looked at look forward. It was what I was thinking but I didn’t want to say addiction dictionary.

1:18:57 Have you ever translated in court? Yes.

1:19:02 Was that Skype for divorce and stuff like that? Yes. No, I just do the best I can no i I’m not for real fancy words, but I know that more or less what they mean and then that’s the way that I follow through that way you know, I’m not I’m not doing the fancy words like you know, I

1:19:21 I know what they might mean and I manage it that way. You know,

1:19:26 do your kids speak Spanish?

1:19:29 Mary Ellen Z and Mary Yellin interprets somewhat see she’s at the hospital in Logan and she there’s a lot of people in there that are going to the hospital. So she she loves she’s gotten to Mexico with buses of a logon with the kids and as a chaperone, and she interprets that she loves it too. She loves it. And Virginia she Yeah mom she is She too. She lives in man ice. And she has helped a lot of people that don’t speak English there. She’s not into it anymore. She acknowledges and I’m through with that. She has friends families in the matter. Some of her friends are in Mexico right now that she likes to talk to. And you know, there’s lots of Mexicans in California. She lives in Van Nuys. I guess there’s a lot of Mexicans and Aurora, Aurora can get by. And one of the moves in Denver she can get by. But she laughs sometimes they’ll ask her question. She’s not quite sure, but she can get by herself. She know not that she doesn’t interpret for anybody or anything, but she can get my talking to intervene. And Cecilia don’t know, really. Robert Hague understand both languages to talk. He can have a conversation with you. Raymond doesn’t know a word. Neither does Gregory. And Eddie can get by. But Raman, Cecilia and Gregory dead. They don’t know. When Gregory started work on the police department. They said oh, now we got a Mexican here. He’ll translate. Sorry about that. He’s a healer. He needs an interpreter himself. And if he doesn’t speak, and Raymond doesn’t need a biopsy, no comprende his. And, you know, I really thought that we spoke enough here at home that they could learn but no. And Cecilia when she was growing up and as as the more chapter this and that. You’re talking about me on either. You are to argue c’est la muchacha. That’s me. The most she doesn’t. She doesn’t understand that anything. She works with the hospital too. Sometimes I’ve asked her, you know, nope, I’m sorry. I can’t help you. I don’t really know who interprets for them in the hospital there. No, no, no, they didn’t.

1:22:02 Well, um, are there any special traditional things that you’ve kept up in your family? That they’re Mexican?

1:22:11 No, I really can’t pinpoint anything that I passed on to my kids. I really can’t say no, no, I I really can’t pinpoint one thing. We might have

1:22:30 kept up. I just have a few few more things I’d like to know. What about the organization that used to be here in Pocatello? Can you tell me a little bit about it? I

1:22:44 came? Yeah. Well, there was a lot of moving number different things. You know, I remember that they did report 16 to September as a matter of fact, and he was rude. She was one of the chief men for weather the queen of the 16th of September. She never loud his daughter Cree. Some real pretty girl really nice, Teresa. I think podracer was voted for Queen over 16 September, that’s when Ernie was. And as a matter of fact, I run a nannies picture the other day with her Andres and her. And Anna No, and it was always really nice. You know, I remember that it was really I really can’t tell you when it started, you know, everybody going their own way. But it was nice in those days, they really would get to it, you know, the fifth of May in the 16th of September. The old timers you know, given their speeches, I remember when we were young with the web was the very up with their speeches, we was a gym to get dance, and you know how that go, especially the old old guys and the real patriotic to the namely that week was the dunya herself or the whatever, and then go on and on you know with the that’s what it was. And then their pictures was in big, you know, big pictures and metal pans and red, white and green whatever, you know. And that ribbon and all and it would it was nice. I remember we enjoyed it all the time. And they wrote they always had a leader and man and a woman. Well as a matter of fact, Michael mother they called her leprosy Linda for years. Yeah, Mariana Presidental. They call it because she was the president of the and then I really know Joe Ortega’s mother calling your mother yeah we’ve wandered out there Yeah, Maria, Maria Dona Maria leprosy Anthony and that’s where she was known. I don’t have a soul timer was so Mandy Marie as you know, but she was on my piano lessons and but and she spoke real good. Not English, but could speak Spanish and and knew she would give speeches and she was a real good talker. You know, y’all After she’d read a lot, she was a real intelligent lady. She was the treasurer. And she was. And I remember it was it was a fun time. I remember. But I really can’t tell you when gradually, gradually, there was just too many chiefs and not a member. What did i What do they say? Too many ended, none of chiefs, whatever. And then it just kind of fizzle down. But I remember it was a fun time. And they used to collect you know, for this 16 September for the dances and the music was really nice work. Tell me the truth. I don’t know, wherever they come from. Maybe they were local. I don’t know. But I remember the music was really nice. And that was a fun time. And everybody buy a new dress and why? Stores? Well, JC Penney’s. I remember everybody from out of town, buy a new dresses and ribbons and stuff. It was a fun time.

1:25:55 But how many years did that last? Well, I really

1:25:58 want to get tenure. There. It seemed like it lasted quite a while. It lasted quite a while. And then all of a sudden night. I remember that. They just too was too many. Too many. Just didn’t seem to get together. Right? For some reason I I can’t tell them, you know, what it was that that caused it to, you know, just wasn’t done anymore. But I remember them going from house to house to the Mexicans and collections further celebration and stuff. And people would come from all over I remember that. Most people from all around like say Aberdeen, Blackfoot. And then pretty soon I remember there was start saying they couldn’t find a place to have what they wouldn’t random places. I think they would say they didn’t want to random how big enough to have their celebrations. And maybe they got discouraged. I really can’t tell I really can’t tell you what, what happened. Because but anyway, all in all the years that it was on was a fun time. I do remember that was a fun time. Because even when my girls were growing up, I remember that. The girls from Aberdeen, they were random for Queens and princesses and stuff, you know. And they come here and dress and things.

1:27:24 So how was the queen picked?

1:27:27 By votes? That who voted? I can’t.

1:27:31 Yeah, that

1:27:34 was done by votes. I think it was done by vaults. But I really can’t tell you

1:27:42 how was

1:27:45 depicted Queen further celebrating what the 16th that’s the independence in the fifth of May is what the end of a revolution was. Or what is it like to have a revolution French with a French Oh, when Maximilian was in Mexico home? Well,

1:28:13 I see that’s about all. There’s some of the odds and ends here. Did you have any radio programs in Spanish in those days?

1:28:22 No, no, no, it wasn’t until Steven Rella. He you know, but no, when I was growing up, no, there was nothing like that. I don’t remember. Well, Mexicans in that time did. I don’t remember that. They were that well organized, or the thing is to me when he say I don’t remember? No, they just didn’t do it. Because no.

1:28:47 When you were a little girl, did you play any kind of games that were Mexican games?

1:28:55 Did you know I don’t remember any games? Maybe my mother that didn’t play any games? I don’t remember any Mexican games?

1:29:03 No, like when you were outside? Yeah, no.

1:29:08 No, no. Oh, we did? No, we didn’t play any of those games. And like I say we were the only family there. Maybe if there have been other Mexican children to play with? No, no, we didn’t have any Mexican children to play with.

1:29:25 Did your did your parents did your parents your Mom or Dad? Did they cook anything? Any special way like fietsen outside or anything? Like no. No, what we did, she had a regular stone.

1:29:45 red crystal because we just lived in the section of the railroad. Excuse me. And then when we moved in the tunnel

1:29:58 Did you have an icebox? refrigerator. What did you how did you keep your food fresh?