The IHC honored Boise Basque
Museum and Cultural Center Director Patty A. Miller with
IHC’s Award for “Outstanding Achievement in the Humanities”
at a dessert reception and award presentation ceremony in
February at the Basque Cultural Center in Boise.
The IHC annually recognizes an individual or organization
for outstanding contributions that promote greater public
awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the humanities
in Idaho. The IHC selected Miller to receive the award
because of her longstanding commitment to the public
humanities and her work to promote greater public
understanding of Basque history and culture.
A third-generation Idahoan of Basque ancestry, Patty was a
founding board member of the Basque Museum in 1985, and was
asked to be the Executive Director of Boise’s Basque Museum
& Cultural Center in 1993. Over the years, she’s been
instrumental in helping to develop the Basque Block as a
cultural jewel for the City of Boise. Her work has
strengthened the Basque community in so many ways—from
preserving buildings and teaching the Basque language, to
developing interpretive exhibits that enhance greater
awareness, appreciation, and understanding of Idaho history
and Basque culture in particular. She has been involved over
the years in the Oinkari Basque Dancers (1976–1987),
Biotzetik Basque Choir (1986-2004), and Gaupasa Basque Folk
Band (1996-2006). At the heart of every organization is
someone who inspires it to be all it can be. For the Basque
Museum and Cultural Center, that person is Patty A. Miller.
 |
Patty Miller
accepting her "Outstanding Achievement in
Humanities" award from the Idaho Humanities Council
(Feb. 2010). |
What Patty has done for the
Basque Museum has been instructive as well to members of the
Idaho Association of Museums, which elected her President of
the organization in 2006. A graduate of Boise High School
and the University of Idaho, she has devoted her life to the
Basque community. In the words of Bishop Kelly President and
IHC Board Member Dave Lachiondo, in addition to her
accomplishments, Patty is “wonderfully kind, relentlessly
upbeat, incredibly humble . . . and a fantastic ambassador
for the Basque community, the City of Boise, the State of
Idaho, and the human race.”
Community activist and fellow IHC board member Alice
Hennessey, Boise, concurs: “I want to emphasize Patty’s work
ethic,” Hennessey says. “She has never worried about the
wording of her job description. She’s endlessly generous
with her time and experience in helping other museums in the
state to learn to grow. Sharing is essentially her middle
name. She welcomes groups to the Basque Museum and Cultural
Center with the same warmth and hospitality that she would
show visitors to her own home.”
Over 100 friends, colleagues and family members attended the
award ceremony. BSU History Professor John Bieter,
Roy Eiguren, Dave Lachiondo, Alice Hennessey and surprise
guest historian Arthur Hart, read tributes and helped roast
Miller before she made a presentation.
