Title: La Llorona: An Evolving Myth (encore) #43-09 October 28, 2009

" Wu who count what this week I'm making contact. The original -- that is solicitations. Any changes to tiny -- Going from where he stole. From what I remember her being described as a beautiful woman that. Long are flowing hair. Human beings left to tell stories and myths are the ultimate in storytelling. Engagement has stood the test of time and somehow. Tens or even hundreds of years later. The story continues to have meaning for those -- talent. And I you know -- is once X-Men. On the addition we hear the story at the weeping woman. A story that's been told since the time of the Spanish conquest on the from Mexico and the American southwest. And today wherever Mexicans and Mexican Americans live. And then continues. Nineteen iridium and this is making contact a program connecting people. Out of ideas and important information. In a special collaboration between national radio project and the UC Berkeley graduate school of journalism. Student producer Beth Hoffman brings us a look at the -- of -- you don't have as told an Oakland California today. And tells how its meaning has grown and changed overtime."

" Like you know now. The weeping woman in a mythical icons and sometimes scary and always leaves him. She ponds and rivers and beaches lakes and channels. Crying out for the children she drowned."

" the version and lay it on that he's only stations any changes that -- teams it's fun to where it's still. So. The thing is now one. Story human in me not gonna Sunday it and it is nonexistent and the fit into me yet."

" NIA -- game which is as -- alien and the story that I heard growing up."

" In Texas Vanessa -- people they wanna watch them in Austin Texas from Mexico city southern Colorado."

" From what I remember her being described as a big beautiful woman who. Long black flowing hair like a -- would -- a long hair and -- she is seen somewhat. Trans Lucent wearing white."

" With what I eat out for it like -- light down to this kind of facility I remember her. As a key. Hearing about it and you don't like it on my local my kids and basically -- you know -- comment that you. And in humanity thing again really scary is -- laughed and I even used Diana and -- We don't clinical hungry telling me you can't have children to me disenchantment. And everybody. Less scared because if she's gonna Coleman gets through I'm gonna be now -- get this child. And yeah. And this man. They get on -- going to the way I heard it she used an unknown. And I grew up in that this thing was we took the pants on intends to stay indoors. And -- actually has delayed -- what's playing on his upcoming game."

" Night yeah fans. She looked at what those really -- on its. Detainee. And then it's what --"

" And then I'm going to Annette sykora. I have no hair and -- can't. I -- and although there. It felt like -- angels and yeah. Said. There's definitely something really horrible had happened to this. Key. Stood to -- can't."

" Life goes on drowned. Her children were singing your crystal cool cool cool. She was fighting to keep them alive and revived. When she had to. He's psychotic break -- squeeze me screaming."

" Fruitful. Or. Analysts and listen. And that she was forever doomed to wander. Around 2008. Command this almost endless. -- and yep yep -- really all the yelling my kind you see. You need to -- far. Yeah. She's yeah she's --"

" Yeah."

" You see who's not into people's mates yeah yeah."

" Well I'll tell you know when my mom told me because you know that's when -- currently. Most no details grew up with the family version of night your time. But to those like at least he had DS the myth is not only -- ghost story told to scare kids into eating their dinner. Little legend full of mean. Their plan is me."

" The war. Young woman very beautiful book war. And then there was a handsome rich man can -- higher class. Mary Hansen. And they -- and -- DS growth in Texas with her mother and today it works as a social worker with Latino immigrants. And the -- together for her a few years. Some children. And she always thought that they would get Mary. That was always there for her playing games with a -- I -- And they're -- each -- that you know being from different classes. Isn't that important and that he would ask her to marry him."

" All. Smooth. The season."

" And and then when days. And it's -- she was just learn. And sunglasses. And she what you might -- had a nervous breakdown. And in her English. And sadness. She awaits the return. So he regretted demeanor of course. And crying. And we Steve I've been very day in nineteen. And she is dying. But these CNN if you go to the printers you could hear her crying from her children. -- And you know I think for me I mean it sounds like the short simple story and it. Like when my mom would say is. And we nice CI can visualize it it's a very visual story."

" And you know and I you know and man and women with long black hair. Hawaii closely -- brown as. Here. Good. With that leads from clean underneath her feet."

" Hearing you want -- hanging. Around with her. -- he -- seen the school -- and ingredient like this smelling and the balloons. Being -- old. I don't know it's a very. Almost like central star."

" Okay."

" It's -- a traditional story. In eighteen right now we -- so many people trying. To make a better life and lean mean their family. And coming here to work I think there's a lot of laughs. And I you know -- is about loss is about. The death of her children. And they think a lot of the people that kind of year represented I you know -- and convened leave. Their children. Literally leave their children to come here. And then. I think also in a way they are the adults come here are the children to them. And their mother. Is their country that -- And that their own country in no way he's killing them. They're not protecting them -- fighting for them. Team in the come here yeah."

" And then."

" And -- plus maybe."

" The song -- you know China is not about an idea and it's as if -- theme song to life that I. -- plus plus sings and plays the piano for the band -- Sally. It's one of the hundreds of songs that use the net. This version is written from the standpoint of a man although it's often sung by women. People. You're going."

" Clothes and make them. They call me the dark when you're gonna start. That sweet he SLA command I'm likely to any candidate. I'm spicy. Sweet food -- on nine yard run on yesterday and today. In the past I was something to behold now. And just something shadow I'm just being tossed aside. In a way he is singing. About. The Mexican experience. He's relating. To. The idea -- on he's relating to the betrayal. Of a young beautiful. Girl. -- seduced. And then betrayed and left behind -- heat that's the story. May be of Mexico and -- other people who. We're proud and beautiful. And and powerful. And had so much to again and maybe with open arms welcome them and we're just yeah."

" It's."

" And then finally. The last. And young can IBM inquest in the other hand a indicated they would is that even if it costs me my life. I won't stop loving you. That hacks that has to be really looked at me about his people his culture his identities."

" Position blames Sally places perhaps the best known -- the same one that Joan Baez to record it. But there are others lots of them in fact. Moon yeah operatic yeah. We need."

" There are lots the."

" And traditional loan. --"

" There's."

" Only ten."

" That's also the beauty of it art that works. Again Monica -- glove. I mean in -- she could find an author of that song the authors of that song. Ended the myth I mean you don't really know what they had in mind that. It -- words. I could. Seeing -- and look at it and and dissected and feel it. In one way and it is a true way it might not be it might not be at all. Let the person who wrote the song --"

" Okay."

" Slab. And he has done. -- in the movie and I."

" You're listening to making contact a production of the national radio projects. If you like more information -- for CD copies of this program. Please call 899. Point 736. You can also download programs or get a podcast and video project out or. --"

" And then you burn --"

" Anything."

" And I'm I'm I'm I'm. I'm not even a corner and I don't know rural you don't have the some business. -- And ban them tiny tiny I didn't in nineteen you do. And then then you lose it. Songs yeah. --"

" We now return tonight you don't have an evolving meth produced by UC Berkeley journalism graduate student Beth Hoffman. --"

" Name alone."

" They're not only in many versions of the men and the at this time. This election also means different things to different people depending on their background and experience. The needs to see him that he used to look him in Austin Texas likely see ideas Cecilia Rodriguez. Sees the legend relating. To kind of not. But to her that -- and very personal one. I."

" The story of -- from. My mother who heard it from her mother. And my grandmother apparently had had. Some experience and going home soon. Had a story that she is working she's out in the field tonight and she song laying it on -- com. This long -- figure in a white dress covered the entire field. In in my grandmother's story she would pass over you in her gown touched. Then you would die or you would become very ill which is why in her version she. Lay flat on the ground that putter face of the earth so she wouldn't see here."

" And me it."

" The story of -- was always part of a bigger context where they grew up and how they migrated. And what happened during their migration. And what happened during like that story that my grandmother's supposedly told my mother. Was when she was working in the cut -- feels. And it was about feeling displaced you know in some -- that story. -- In -- way -- that history. And that's how I heard it on home to my childhood and so I connected with that hearing. -- that imaginary. Home. That I never -- it."

" He's an and then at all I don't know on not submit."

" Because I was growing up on the border. There was always an ongoing discussion about leaving. Your home. And mixing it -- And that's why these bacteria usually into the story cool things about that law. Affects him sadness. About losing. Your family. Losing yourself. And you became like his ghostly figure it. And there was no substance because everything's been have been kind. You know she's -- archetype. For me. That loss you know."

" And that. Incomplete. Sentences in completeness. Because. I think especially for us is to scandals -- of those of us who were born on the side of the border. Of Mexican parents who -- Non English speaking. Who were caught right in the middle of that. GAAP we need are all here. And certainly don't have much can I mean -- get to see Mexico to release 1516. I was very much kind of in this this limbo. And as I've gotten older and I've been able to. Travel to make -- live in May call for periods of time. That sense of loss you know kind of permeates. Mexican society you know the indians' loss of their -- seamless loss of their lifestyle. That urban lifestyle and what it does to people. Amount of impact that migration has on the country you know the loss of their entire towns have a man in the -- will be here working."

" teen knows she knows that somebody. So many hats and their kids. And and then I -- to -- their kids. From day she is trying to Graham when --"

" What Rodriguez says about the myth of my -- on that in the limbo she felt growing up. Team still hold true for these Mexican American kids in Oakland. To them might have -- not quite literally straddles both cultures and the she inhabits the border and looking for undocumented."

" He is trying to cross into the united staying out. I'm -- people crammed it into oak land. I mean it is they keep -- completely insulin may ask. Who reported. Mention. Machine in the dead. Could she knows that people are taking campaign that children. Since connection -- some more happy and sometimes. That their parents know that's not a safe place for their kids so they send into a safe place they won't. He heard."

" So maybe she. Maybe she is here in unknown -- because imaginary challenging you. I have it on -- border that he originally she makes an appearance in California. And places where she knows there's a lot of kids. But in Oakland she also has competition. Also scary is immigration. Known to -- kids as a -- Mika can."

" Endless game the bark at me and it tonight. Eight snuck. And then and rainy night in game. And and then if they are -- if they didn't like it and they -- and hang out stickers and think. Been good to have risen and not they're burning and then eighteen I mean the truth -- they have papers and --"

" And the illness and then -- them that tell them -- I -- I -- my skin -- Is so simple and when they check to the taking that can you tell what -- he's. So summit that at this price is an -- Iraqi -- carried out this mother is also from Mexico. And her kids have heard the story of life -- on that -- the legend in the -- and again you know but she doesn't scare -- the story. Him because -- They have enough to worry about and the UN in an analyst Cheney. I keep plant in the enemy and become a fact there's some as Veba in Oakland she says his kids are afraid and -- out of people who are alive and the people who might get them or drop them eat at DA and I can't afraid of money I ask him. Is slimy like lighting it on to them. And in fact I mean idiom of -- SE. And -- me get it let you know on. Exactly she says the immigration agents -- and I you know because the kids. Maybe I you nonexistent and maybe not. But let me let me doesn't think they have to be careful back. He is that between them."

" So okay Z -- going out. Okay. -- Palin okay."

" and now I hope native American. To some comic -- has the legend of -- you know and it is so connected to the history of Mexico and the American southwest. That helps to explain the world around him today. Like many he grew up hearing stories of and I get on up from his mother. But he -- many other versions in this chase back the story to the Mexican conquest. Soon after."

" After the invasion and the battle in the war by the river. Was that woman who was widows because of the invasion. It was at the river wash in the clothes which are small children. Near. And plan one that clunky stuff notice. Probe by the river on this horse and stalker. And he began to pull her by the hair. Out of the river -- when he went through when she fought -- And ran and pulled her children in close and cut off its course. Children were trying to protect mother's green. So he grabbed two key -- and threatened. To kill the key is if he didn't let him. -- as a result he drowned those kids. And she was fighting to keep them alive and revived. It's -- squealing and screaming. And that's when all the other Village People came running here in that screen. For the children when they got there she was. Holden there limp bodies and her arm train to revive them and screaming and screaming and he was back on this horse and he points down to -- And say she killed her children. And ever since then yes that twists and distortions -- blaming."

" I'm this I'm done."

" I mean."

" But even that."

" Version of them that can be historically Trace back one more step to the time before the Spanish came to Mexico. They there was basically five prophecies. And tend not cheap to done before Cortez and those who call themselves called peace dialogue is invaded. What is now known instant value of me -- cooler Mexico City. And one of the prophecies went to prophesy of the queen -- woman. A few years before. All throughout tend not -- it's recorded by -- witnesses of the invasion that wrote in the book. That was translated called broken spears. And in that book it talks about the the prophesy of the wailing woman that was heard all over enough -- and it's wailing woman crying out. These eve who's been in now lateral and that was translated to Spanish which means in English my iTunes and my children my children and and every time I look at wars like what happened in Vietnam what happened in Korea would happen and Philippines. It. Happened all over native America what's happening right now and Iraq can hear the same thing. And women crying out because of the death and dying children. The Kyoto and not as representative. Of women and children. Here in and half."

" After any war. Obviously on the your own mind that in the games you -- over Asia Africa. Everyone knows -- at all not. It."

" Everyone knows life you know and it says nineteen. And it's true when they've all told the scary ghost story the listened to stories about the history of our people. Please pass on the tail of our ancestors immigration to the US. And then reminded of the cultures that we left behind. But more than that in many ways this Mexican folk tale is a story about each of us. A story about our own regrets I losses. Anxiety over the future. We --"

" New York. I mean. Yeah."

" You."

" Okay."

" For making contact and -- Hoffman in Oakland California."

" Yeah I mean."

" Yeah."

" Yeah yeah."

" That's it for this edition of making contact."

" This show has been a special collaboration between national radio project. And they UC Berkeley graduate school of journalism. Thanks to student producer Beth Hoffman who wrote and edited the show under the guidance of independent media producer. And UC Berkeley. Special thanks to release yet -- something not -- this Cecilia Rodriguez Luis Salazar Monica is while and John -- And the staff that lets -- cast in Oakland. And to Dan turner from -- and the money morning breakfast room. Voice CD copy of this program called the national radio project at 805295736. Well you can get our podcast at video -- Jake Tyler there. Lisa Bradley is our executive director -- associate director Andrew styles -- producer -- close associate producer. I'm -- thought can only be production coordinator. And Trisha Thomas intern in nineteen your media. Thanks for listening to making contact."