Bless Me, Ultima: A Big Read Documentary
From: National Endowment for the Arts
Series: The Big Read
Length: 28:57
The summer before Antonio Juan Márez y Luna turns seven, an old woman with healing powers comes to live with his family. There is something magical and mystical about Anaya's coming-of-age story in post-World War II New Mexico. The novel presents a world where everyday life is still full of dreams, legends, prayers, and folkways.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
The summer before Antonio Juan Márez y Luna turns seven, an old woman with healing powers comes to live with his family. There is something magical and mystical about Anaya's coming-of-age story in post-World War II New Mexico. The novel presents a world where everyday life is still full of dreams, legends, prayers, and folkways.
Transcript
Josephine Reed: Now, The Big Read.
Cheech Marin reads from Bless Me, Ultima...
Ultima came to stay with us the summer I was almost seven. When she came the beauty of the llano unfolded before my eyes, and the gurgling waters of the river sang to the hum of the turning earth. The magical time of childhood stood still, and the pulse of the living earth pressed its mystery into my living blood. She took my hand, and the silent magic power she possessed made beauty from the raw, sun-baked llano, the green river valley, and the blue bowl which was the white sun's home. My bare feet felt the throbbing earth and my body trembled with excitement. Time stood still, and it shared with me all that had been and all that was to come...
Reed: That's Cheech Marin reading from Rudolfo Anaya's book Bless Me, Ultima. Welcome to The Big Read. The Big Read is a program created by the National Endowment...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Arreglo Religioso Pts. 1 and 2 | Cancioneros de Sonora | Corridos . | Smithsonian Folkways Recordings | 1966 | 00:00 |
| El Minero | Macario and F. Gonzalez | Corridos . | Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. | 1966 | 00:00 |
| "Missa Luba" | The Choral Arts Society of Washington (DC) | Celebrating Sacred Rhythms. | Naxos of America | 00:00 | |
| Misa Criolla | The Choral Arts Society of Washington (DC) | Celebrating Sacred Rhythms. | Naxos of America | 2006 | 00:00 |
| Original guitar and harmonica | Clint Hoover and Pat Donohue | 00:00 |
Additional Credits
Written and produced by Dan Stone.
"Missa Luba" by Guido Haazen. INTERSONG PRIMAVERA EDITIONS MUSICALES N.V. (SABAM). All rights administered by UNICHAPPELL MUSIC, INC.
"Misa Criolla" by Ariel Ramírez. WB MUSIC CORP. (ASCAP).
Passages from BLESS ME, ULTIMA; BENDÍCEME, ULTIMA. Copyright © 1972 by Rudolfo Anaya in English, © 1992 in Spanish. Published by Warner Books in 1994. First published by TQS Publications, Berkeley, CA. By permission of the Author and Susan Bergholz Literary Services, New York City and Lamy, NM. All rights reserved. Unabridged audio of BLESS ME, ULTIMA and BENDÍCEME, ULTIMA are available from Recorded Books
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