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La Llorona: An Evolving Myth

From: Making Contact
Series: Making Contact
Length: 29:00

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On this edition we hear the story of La Llorona (the weeping woman)-- a story that's been told since the time of the Spanish conquest, all over Mexico and the American Southwest. Today, wherever Mexicans and Mexican-Americans live, the myth continues. Read the full description.

Lloronapicfor4508_small Human beings love to tell stories. And myths are the ultimate in storytelling. A good myth has stood the test of time, and somehow, tens or even hundreds of years later, the story continues to have meaning for those who tell it. La Llorona is one such myth. The story of the weeping woman has been told since the time of the Spanish conquest, all over Mexico and the American Southwest. Today, wherever Mexicans and Mexican-Americans live, the myth continues. In a special collaboration between National Radio Project and the U-C Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, student producer Beth Hoffman brings us a look at the myth of La Llorona as told in Oakland, California today, and tells how its meaning has grown and changed over time. Featuring: Alicia Diaz, Samuel Martinez, Cecilia Rodriguez, Luz Salazar, Monica Pasqual, Florencia Luna, Cristian Luna. Program #45-08 - Begin date: 10/25/08. End date: 11/13/08. Please call us if you carry us - 510-251-1332 and we will list your station on our website. If you excerpt, please credit early and often.

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Piece Description

Human beings love to tell stories. And myths are the ultimate in storytelling. A good myth has stood the test of time, and somehow, tens or even hundreds of years later, the story continues to have meaning for those who tell it. La Llorona is one such myth. The story of the weeping woman has been told since the time of the Spanish conquest, all over Mexico and the American Southwest. Today, wherever Mexicans and Mexican-Americans live, the myth continues. In a special collaboration between National Radio Project and the U-C Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, student producer Beth Hoffman brings us a look at the myth of La Llorona as told in Oakland, California today, and tells how its meaning has grown and changed over time. Featuring: Alicia Diaz, Samuel Martinez, Cecilia Rodriguez, Luz Salazar, Monica Pasqual, Florencia Luna, Cristian Luna. Program #45-08 - Begin date: 10/25/08. End date: 11/13/08. Please call us if you carry us - 510-251-1332 and we will list your station on our website. If you excerpt, please credit early and often.

1 Comment Atom Feed


Interesting

As a Norteamericano, I can't help but thinking of the Susan Smith and Andrea Yates cases when I hear about La Llorona. It almost makes me wonder if there wasn't some historical Llorona who actually lived once, centuries or perhaps millennia ago, and that maybe, just maybe, there is the tiniest real-life grain of fact beneath all the myth and legend? Of course, we'll never know, but it's interesting to speculate on.

Broadcast History

Program #45-08 - Begin date: 10/13/08. End date: 11/13/08.

Timing and Cues

Total run time is 29 minutes (no hard breaks)
-Optional cutaway at 1:00
-Optional (floating) cutaway between 12:00 and 20:00
-Music in/out.

Additional Files

Related Website

http://www.radioproject.org