Travels with Debbie and Vince: Ramona

We went to the Ramona Bowl, an outside amphitheater in Hemet, to see the California state play, Ramona. Its a story about the 1840-1850's in what is now southern California. The white pioneers are moving into an area once part of Mexico. They push the Spanish and the Indians off there land. Ramona lives on the rancho and falls in love with an Indian, Alessandro who works there. They endure the wrath of her aunt, who does not want a marriage to an Indian.
Ramona finds out that she is half Indian, as her mother was Indian. She marries Alessandro and they have a baby. They are driven off their land by white settlers, their baby dies, and Alessandro is killed by a white settler, who took their property. Ramona is a story of how the Indians were forced off their land, how the Spanish and the Indians learned to live together with the help of Catholic priests, and how the Indians suffered under the white man's takeover. This nearly three hour play is performed outside on a beautiful hillside. It was a great show. There where at least 150 people in the play.