Yana Wana’s Legend of the Bluebonnet
by María F. Rocha and Roxanne Schroeder-Arce, with music and lyrics by Héctor Martínez-Morales
Thirteen-year-old Maria is having trouble in school, so her mom sends her to stay with her Coahuiltecan grandmother in distant Laredo for discipline and perspective. There, Maria is told an ancient story of young Yana Wana, who followed a revered deer to find water and save her people. Yana Wana’s story exposes an amazing and unknown ancestral connection to the bluebonnet that gives Maria a renewed sense of self and family pride. Audiences are drawn to Maria’s tumultuous relationship with her Coahuiltecan grandmother, delighted by dances of the ancestors, and transformed by the five original native language songs. A beautiful, original play that illustrates the power of ancestral heritage and offers a seldom-seen glimpse into the timeless spirituality of Indigenous people.
For more details on the play and performance rights, and to purchase scripts, please visit: Yana Wana’s Legend of the Bluebonnet (Dramatic Publishing).
October 3-12, 2019
Indigenous Cultures Institute and Teatro Vivo, Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, Austin; and Goodnight Auditorium, San Marcos
Directed by Rudy Ramirez
Video: Yana Wana preview video, produced by Magic Spoon Productions.
Photos (above) by Ulises Garcia.
