The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Urrea


finished 7/10 ...... hist. fiction - contemp ......... rating 8.5

This story is based on the author's distant relative Teresa Urrea, and there is much historical evidence in family and archival records. In the book (maybe in the records, I haven't done the research) Teresa was the illegitimate child of a Yaqui woman known as "the hummingbird." This was in about 1880. Her father, a wealthy land owner, finally acknowledged Teresa as his daughter and tried to civilize her but she was drawn to a local curandera named Huila under whose tutelidge the naturally gifted Teresita learned the ways of Mexican folk medicine. One day working in the fields she is attacked and left for dead. Her funeral is arranged and at only the last minute, she returns to life. She is thereafter regarded a saint by the local people who are at war with the government. It's a powerful story and I think most of it is true.

Posted: Wed - July 11, 2007 at 08:33 AM        

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