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Youth Theatre in Chinese 2013: “The Song of Hiawatha”

Family entertainment with movement and music

The West Wind’s Son
The Legendary Life of the American Indian Chief Hiawatha

The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is an epic poem about an American Indian hero. It was published in 1855, and was an immediate success.

It is a simple story of how Hiawatha, the grandchild of Nokomis who falls from the moon, and the son of Mudjekeewis, the God of the West Wind, grows up to understand and love nature. Together he and his wife, Minnehaha, teach his tribe the skills of hunting and planting corn and their people live a life of peace and harmony. But their lives are disrupted by a young tribesman named Pau-Pu-Keewis, who teaches the young men the excitement of gambling and fighting. And in the end, the tribe suffers famine during a harsh winter. Hiawatha’s wife and friends die and Hiawatha prepares to leave on his journey.

Set in tribal style, this great poem is now adapted and translated into a colourful stage production for the family with acting, dance and wonderful music.

Original poems: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Adapted and directed by: Dr. Vicki Ooi
Translation advisor: Prof. Jane Lai
Translation: Dixon Shura
Movement director: Congo Yu
Composer: Joyce Wai-Chung Tang

Performed by 25 Bravo! Hong Kong Youth Theatre Awardees