Laiak Basque Block
These two monuments serve as the “gateway” to the Basque Block on Grove between Capital and 6th Street. The works honor the Basque Community’s history in Boise and are dedicated on behalf of Pat and Eloise Bieter, two pillars of the Basque Community and to whom preservation of Basque culture was so central. These 16 feet tall sculptures consist of the traditional “Laia,” which was employed as a tool for turning the soil in Spain. The laias are adorned with seven distinct ribbons, representing the seven provinces of the Basque country. Colored concrete is used to simulate soil at the foot of the laia. Finally, a single oak leaf is used to symbolize the tree of Guernica.
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