La Llorona, Legend and Protector, in the Streets of San Francisco

Bay Curious

KQED

History, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.9 • 999 Ratings

🗓️ 4 November 2021

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If you’ve grown up with the legend of La Llorona, you might be surprised to see how she’s depicted in a two-story mural at 24th and York Street in San Francisco’s Mission District. Instead of the ghost of a wailing woman, crying out for the very children she murdered, in this mural La Llorona is a protector of children, and she reflects the environmental struggles of women around the world. In today’s episode we delve into modern interpretations of La Llorona, and how she has revealed herself as a feminist icon. Additional Reading: Learn more about Juana Alicia's "La Llorona's Sacred Waters" on her website Reported by Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Edited by Carly Severn and Olivia Allen-Price. Special thanks to Lina Blanco, Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, Erika Aguilar and Gabriella Frenes. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Sebastian Miño-Bucheli and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Jessica Placzek, Kyana Moghadam, Ethan Lindsey, Vinnee Tong and Jenny Pritchett.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From K-QED. In the heart of the Mission District in San Francisco, at the intersection of 24th
0:08.0	and York, there's a massive blue mural, one that will stop you in your tracks.
0:16.0	Standing two stories high and 60 feet long,
0:20.0	the intricate mural draws your eyes in with its depth and scale.
0:25.2	It's a world of blue tones, like standing in front of a waterfall,
0:30.1	and it's packed with figures, female figures.
0:35.2	In the center, there's Chautu Triqui, Aztec goddess of lakes and streams.
0:40.1	In the background there are women from Bolivia, women from India, women from the Mexico-US border, all standing together.
0:47.0	And in the foreground there's a woman standing apart, stretching out her hand like she's reaching out to you. A tear falls from her eye
0:56.1	and she's holding a child in her arms, as if to protect them. This mural is called La Jorona's Sacred Waters, painted by the Bay Area artist
1:07.1	Juana Alicia. And it's been a fixture of this San Francisco wall for the last
1:11.8	17 years.
1:13.0	If you've grown up with a legend of Laiyarona, you might be surprised to see her like this in this mural because in the
1:25.4	popular telling the one that's most common in Mexico and here in California
1:29.4	L Lai Lai Lai Lai Lai Lai Rona is a ghost the spirit of a woman who haunts watery places wailing for her lost children,
1:36.3	not protecting them.
1:38.2	To understand how a traditional legend has come this far, has taken so many forms, we're going to delve deep into the story of
1:46.0	La Yarona today. I'm Olivia Alan Price, and you're listening to Bay Curius. Support for Bay Curius is brought to you by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, still family owned, operated, and argued over.
2:06.0	Explore their brews wherever fine beverages are sold and taste how trailblazing runs in the family.
2:12.0	Visit Sierra Nevada.com to find your own story. how trailblazing runs in the family.
2:12.8	Visit Sierra Nevada.com to find your new favorite beer today.
2:17.6	Today we're exploring the legend of La Yerona
	...

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