Wedding Dance Script
Scene 1: Narrator: A woman holding the bean fowers, sot in the texture, silken almost, but moist where the dew got into them, siler to look at, siler on the light blue, blooming whiteness, when the morning comes! "he stretching o the bean pods ull length rom the hearts o the wilting petals would go on! #umna$%s &ngers moed a long, long time among the growing bean pods! pods!
Lumnay: ' hope $ou(re happ$, Awi$ao!
Scene ):
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Narrator: 't supposed to be the happiest da$ or the married couple! -ut Awi$ao can(t help but eel lost in his own wedding! .e looked around to see i he can spot a certain someone he was hoping to be there! .e was disappointed when he can(t see #umna$, and he knows the reason wh$! Maludimay: Where are $ou going, Awi$ao/ Awiyao: '(m going!!! ' need to see her! ' need to know i she(s oka$! Maludimay: 0ka$, ust comeback 2uickl$! 3$ ather might look or $ou! Awiyao: "hank 4ou!
Scene 5: Awi$ao and #umna$
Narrator: Awi$ao reached or the upper hori6ontal log which sered as the edge o the headhigh threshold! 7linging to the log, he lited himsel with one bound that carried him across to the narrow door! And there he saw the woman he(s been looking in his wedding part$! Awiyao: '%m sorr$ this had to be done! ' am reall$ sorr$! -ut neither o us can help it! Pregnant pause between Awiyao and Lumnay
Awiyao: Wh$ don%t $ou go out and 8oin the dancing women/ Awiyao held Lumnay Lumnay on left shoulder shoulder
Awiyao: 4ou should 8oin the dancers 9pause as i;;as i nothing had happened! Awiyao stand
Awiyao: o out;;go out and dance! ' $ou reall$ don%t hate me or this separation, go out and dance! 0ne o the men will see $ou dance well< he will like $our dancing, he will marr$ $ou! Who knows but that, with him, $ou will be luckier than $ou were with me/ Lumnay: ' don%t want an$ man! ' Don%t Want An$ 0ther 3an! Awiyao sit down and face Lumnay
Awiyao: 4ou know er$ well that ' won%t want an$ other woman either! 4ou know that, don%t $ou/ #umna$, $ou know it, don%t $ou/ Lumnay: 4es, ' know (Looked down at her fee) Awiyao: 't is not m$ ault! (Looked away from Lumnay) 4ou cannot blame me< ' hae been a good husband to $ou! Lumnay: Neither can $ou blame me Awiyao: No, $ou hae been er$ good to me! 4ou hae been a good wie! ' hae nothing to sa$ against $ou! 't%s onl$ that a man must hae a child! Seen harests is 8ust too long to wait! 4es, we hae waited too long! We should hae another chance beore it is too late or both o us! Lumnay stirred, stretched her right leg out and bent her left leg in
Lumnay: 4ou know that ' hae done m$ best! ' hae pra$ed to =abun$an much! ' hae sacri&ced man$ chickens in m$ pra$ers! Awiyao: 4es, ' know! Lumnay: 4ou remember how angr$ $ou were once when $ou came home rom $our work in the terrace because ' butchered one o our pigs without $our permission/ ' did it to appease =abun$an, because, like $ou, ' wanted to hae a child! -ut what could ' do/ Awiyao: =abun$an does not see &t or us to hae a child!
Scene >: "he 7hietain summoned Awi$ao
Chieftain: 't(s been too long now, Awi$ao! Don(t $ou think $ou need to &nd another woman to bear $ou a child/ Awiyao: No, ?lease, gie us another $ear! ' promise! ' promise we will make it this time! Chieftain: '(m er$ sorr$ but ' alread$ gie $ou seen $ears, Awi$ao! 4ou know it or $oursel! Awiyao: -ut ' loe #umna$, ' can(t leae her 8ust like that! ' promise her ' will loe her till the last da$ o m$ lie!
Chieftain: 4ou know $ou need to do this, Awi$ao@ Don(t $ou want $our name to lie on in our tribe/ Awiyao: '!!! ' don(t know! Chieftain: "hink about it, Awi$ao! 4ou know it(s or the better o $ou and #umna$! ;;;
Narrator: While Awi$ao is on his wa$ home! .e heard the giggles o woman talking about him and #umna$! Without them knowing that he heard all what the$ sa$! Woman 1: ' heard the chietain summoned Awi$ao! Woman 2: ?oor Awi$ao! -ut '(m actuall$ not surprise! 'magine seen $ears and $ou still hae no child! (Woman’s laughing)
Woman 3: 4ou bet! 3a$be the stor$ about #umna$ being barred and bad luck is true! Woman 2: 0r ma$be Awi$ao was not good enough! Woman 1: ' don(t know! -ut look at me and m$ husband we(e been married or $ears and $et this is our > th child! Woman 3: -ut in all seriousness, Awi$ao should consider the chietain oBer! .e should marr$ another woman! Who knows he might get his luck!
Scene : Awi$ao and #umna$
Awiyao: ' came home! -ecause ' did not &nd $ou among the dancers! 0 course, ' am not orcing $ou to come, i $ou don%t want to 8oin m$ wedding ceremon$! ' came to tell $ou that 3adulima$, although ' am marr$ing her, can neer become as good as $ou are! 4ou are one o the best wies in the whole illage! Lumnay: "hat has not done me an$ good, has it/ Awiyao: "his house is $ours! ' built it or $ou! 3ake it $our own, lie in it as long as $ou wish! ' will build another house or 3adulima$! Lumnay: ' hae no need or a house! '%ll go to m$ own house! 3$ parents are old! "he$ will need help in the planting o the beans, in the pounding o the rice! Awiyao: ' will gie $ou the &eld that ' dug out o the mountains during the &rst $ear o our marriage! 4ou know ' did it or $ou! 4ou helped me to make it or the two o us!
Lumnay: ' hae no use or an$ &eld! o back to the dance! 't is not right or $ou to be here! "he$ will wonder where $ou are, and 3adulima$ will not eel good! o back to the dance! Awiyao: ' would eel better i $ou could come, and dance;;;or the last time! "he gangsas are pla$ing! Lumnay: 4ou know that ' cannot! Awiyao: #umna$! #umna$, i ' did this it is because o m$ need or a child! 4ou know that lie is not worth liing without a child! "he men hae mocked me behind m$ back! 4ou know that! Lumnay: ' know it! ' will pra$ that =abun$an will bless $ou and 3adulima$! Awiyao: 7ome with me, #umna$! ' will show $ou something! Lumnay: 4ou know ' can(t, Awi$ao! 't will onl$ hurt me! Awiyao: ?lease, #umna$! "his is m$ last wish! 7ome with me!
Scene C:
Narrator: Seen $ears ago, the high hopes the$ had in the beginning o their new lie, the da$ he took her awa$ rom her parents across the roaring rier, on the other side o the mountain, the trip up the trail which the$ had to climb, the steep can$on which the$ had to cross! "he waters boiled in #umna$ mind in orms o white and 8ade and roaring siler< the waters tolled and growled, resounded in thunderous echoes through the walls o the stiB cliBs< the$ were ar awa$ now rom somewhere on the tops o the other ranges, and the$ had looked careull$ at the buttresses o rocks the$ had to step on;;;a slip would hae meant death! er$thing is perect! Scene E:
Lumnay: No! No! Awi$ao, Awi$ao, m$ husband! ' did eer$thing to hae a child! #ook at me! #ook at m$ bod$! "hen it was ull o promise! 't could dance< it could work ast in the &elds< it could climb the mountains ast! en now it is &rm, ull! -ut, Awi$ao, ' am useless! ' must die! Awiyao: 't will not be right to die! Lumnay: ' don%t care about the &elds! ' don%t care about the house! ' don%t care or an$thing but $ou! '%ll hae no other man! Awiyao: "hen $ou%ll alwa$s be ruitless! Lumnay: '%ll go back to m$ ather, '%ll die!
Awiyao: "hen $ou hate me! ' $ou die it means $ou hate me! 4ou do not want me to hae a child! 4ou do not want m$ name to lie on in our tribe! ' ' do not tr$ a second time 9pause it means '%ll die! Nobod$ will get the &elds ' hae cared out o the mountains< nobod$ will come ater me!
Lumnay: ' $ou ail;;i $ou ail this second time;; No;;no, ' don%t want $ou to ail! Awiyao: ' ' ail! '%ll come back to $ou! "hen both o us will die together! -oth o us will anish rom the lie o our tribe! ♪ *
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Lumnay: '%ll keep m$ beads! Awi$ao, let me keep m$ beads Awiyao: 4ou will keep the beads! "he$ come rom ar;oB times! 3$ grandmother said the$ come rom up North, rom the slant;e$ed people across the sea! 4ou keep them, #umna$! "he$ are worth twent$ &elds! Lumnay: '%ll keep them because the$ stand or the loe $ou hae or me! ' loe $ou! ' loe $ou and hae nothing to gie! Someone: Awi$ao@Awi$ao@ 0 Awi$ao@ "he$ are looking or $ou at the dance@ Awiyao: ' am not in hurr$! Lumnay: "he elders will scold $ou! 4ou had better go! Awiyao: Not until $ou tell me that it is all right with $ou! Lumnay: 't is all right with me! Awiyao: ' do this or the sake o the tribe! Lumnay: ' know Awiyao: oodb$e #umna$! When Awiyao was about to left
Lumnay: Awi$ao@ Awi$ao, it is hard@ Awiyao: ' know! And '(m sorr$ 9Awi$ao let
Scene F:
Narrator: "he 3ountain clearing was cold in the ree6ing moonlight! "he wind began to stir the leaes o the bean plants! #umna$ looked or a big rock on which to sit down! Daughter: Are $ou oka$, 'na$/ 4ou(e been staring at that bean or a while now!
Lumnay: 4!!!$es, ' 8ust remember someone! Daughter: 't must be someone important to $ou, 'na$! ?erhaps, it is 'ta$/ Lumnay: What do $ou think so/ Daughter: "he wa$ $ou look at that bean, 'na$! 4ou look sad! Lumnay: Darling, '(m &ne, ' promise! And ' hae $ou, don(t '/ Daughter: -ut, $ou(re not happ$, 'na$! Lumnay: Who sa$s '(m not/ #ook at me #iwa$, loe doesn%t hae to be perect it 8ust has to be true! And '(m happ$ as long as ' hae $ou! Narrator: #oe grows b$ giing! "he loe we gie awa$ is the onl$ loe we keep! "he onl$ wa$ to retain loe is to gie it awa$!