A fading tradition in California.

[jsorense]

They're a mountain people who held out because they were the farthest away from the source of the Indo-European expansion and because they took refuge in the mountains. The world is full of mountain cultures which have successfully held out against the tide of new invaders.

Oh, don't forget about the sheep.

[Blaupanzer]

Quite a few Basque live in San Francisco. Some of them participate in the tradition of selling seats at the table. In this you request an invitation to join the family at a meal in which you pay for the costs of the meal. I have done this, and everyone was very friendly although much more comfortable conversing in French than English. They had a family business making hand crafted iron work pieces that were quite expensive and very popular. This was in the '70s, so perhaps it is fading away. I don't know.