Esc. 1 NARRATOR:
It was here, at *La Unión*, two hundred miles west of Buenos Aires, that Juan DUARTE spent six months of every year away from home.
During these long months, Duarte grew close to one of his employees: Juana Ibarguren. Although never legally married, Juana bore Duarte five children. The youngest was born on May 7, 1919, with the help of midwife Juana Guaiquil, a Native American from the Mapuche Nation, former owners of these lands before the arrival of the white settlers from Buenos Aires.
Esc. 2 NARRATOR:
The newborn would live a brief but stormy life. She would rise from poverty to power and lead Argentina into the second half of the Twentieth Century. She would divide public opinion and accomplish what no other woman in Argentina had ever done. They named her Maria Eva, but the world would come to know her as EVITA.
Esc. 3 NARRATOR:
The Great War proved to be good for Argentine exports. In Europe, grain and meat were in high demand. Duarte, like most of his rural neigh-bors, profited from the conflict. After Germany’s capitulation, the tides turned, international prices dropped, and the Argentine economy lost momentum. Good times were coming to an end and, to make things worse, Hipólito YRIGOYEN, representing the i nterests of the sons and daughters of immigrant workers, had been elec-ted president of Argentina.
Esc. 4 NARRATOR:
Evita was just a year old when her father was forced to leave La U-nion and relocate with Juana and their five children. Duarte was offered a job in neighbouring Quiroga, a dot on the map in the middle of the Pampas. The experience was short-lived, and twelve months later, Duarte declared bankruptcy, his assets were sold at public auction and the adventure was over. Juana and the children moved to a small two-room-brick-house in Los Toldos and Duarte returned to Chivilcoy where his legitimate wife Adela, and their three children, waited for his return.
Esc. 5 NARRATOR:
Los Toldos, Juana Ibarguren’s home-town, was a quiet, rural town of 3,000 - with a local theatre and a rail station that linked the village to the rest of the country. In Spanish, Los Toldos means “the tents”. It was the name given to the settle-ment near the reservation of Chief Coliqueo.
Esc. 6 NARRATOR:
The house in Los Toldos is today a museum to the memory of Evita. In the 1920’s, it was lo-cated near the rail station, not far from the main square. Bedroom and living quarters were one and the same. A separate room served as the kit-chen. It remains a mystery whether Juan Duarte ever came to visit; although it is reasonable to believe he did helped financially.
Esc. 7 NARRATOR:
Despite hardships, things were going well in Los Toldos for “The Small Tribe”, as Juana often re-ferred to herself and her five children. Working as a freelance seamstress helped Juana pay the rent and send the children to school. Religion played an important roll in The family’s life. A picture of Evita, taken the day of her first Communion at the local church, is probably the only proof left of her early devotion, although it was common knowledge among the neighbors that the littlest one was obsessed with the supernatu-ral, God and particularly with the Virgin Mary. On January 8, 1926, Juana learned that her former boss and the father of her children, had died in a car accident, only the day before. Again, life was changing, and the future was now more uncertain than ever.
Esc. 8 NARRATOR:
The following morning “The Small Tribe” boarded the train to Chivilcoy. The families knew of each other’s existence and yet the rules were strict: The “illegitimate” were not to cross the line – and that is exactly what Juana was about to do. Rumour has it that when the unwelcome reached Duarte’s gates they were insulted and humiliated. Finally, after negotiating terms, they were allowed in - while the rest of the mourners waited – indignant - in a separate room. Evita, thenjust seven years old, took a last and unique glance at her father, a man she hardly knew.
Esc. 9 NARRATOR:
Word of the tragedy in Chivilcoy spread quickly spread and life in Los Toldos became unbearable. Becoming socially accepted was a full time job - and Juana was not succeeding. Evita had fallen behind at school and her sisters - along with her brother, Juan - became the family breadwinners. The world around “The Small Tribe” was falling apart - just as the big picture was showing signs of distress: Argentina - and the world - were now heading towards a major recession.
Esc. 10 NARRATOR:
In October of 1929, the US Stock Market crash triggered a worldwide economic collapse. The news spread across Europe and South America with devastating effect. The shockwaves of the Great Depression battered the Stock Exchange in Buenos Aires – and it was worse in the rural areas. Argentina was badly hurt as crop prices plunged by fifty percent. High unemployment forced many nations in Europe and South America to set up public relief programs - and the political scenario quickly polarized. Capitalism and Democracy were widely perceived as the source of all evils. Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini were proposing a new agenda, a New World Order. Once again, the world stood at the brink of war.
Esc. 11 NARRATOR:
Argentina was closely following developments across the Atlantic. The working class felt close to the struggle of the Soviet Union, while the middle and upper classes were divided over their sympathies for the Allies and the axis of Nazi-Fascism. The Argentine Armed Forces, clearly influenced by their German and Italian counterparts, found inspiration in the stand-off of the latter against the threat of Liberals, Jews and Capitalism-at-large. In September of 1930, a pro-fascist coup lead by General URIBURU inaugurated an era of military intolerance, pseudo-democratic governments and puppet regimes that would last almost half a century. Argentina was now marching to the drums of Fascist Rome and Nazi Berlin.
Esc. 12 NARRATOR:
By September 1930, Juana and her children had moved from Los Toldos. Following the railroad on a straight path to the North, “The Small Tribe” relo-cated to the city of Junín, where Juana opened a boarding house popular among salesmen, army officers and federal bureaucrats away from home.
Esc. 13 ELSA SABELLA:
In Spanish. Dubbed: Evita’s family came from Los Toldos and settled here, in Junin. The family group consisted of Juana Ibarguren de Duarte, Evita’s brother Juan, Evita and her sisters Elisa, Blanca and Erminda - also known as “Yiya”.
Esc. 14 NARRATOR:
The following year, Evita was enrolled in the third grade at the local school, a magnificent neo-classic building on the main square, facing the church and the City Hall. Miss. Palmyra Repetti, Evita’s sixth grade teacher recalled many years later that unique, intelligent and beautiful young girl.
Esc. 15 PALMYRA REPETTI:
In Spanish. Dubbed: She was tall, slim and brunette; a little-lady, vivacious and intelligent. She lived nearby, on the south edge of town. In her own way, Evita was unique and free-spirited. She would often sneak-out of class, and if I wanted to know where she had gone, the answer often was: “She has left, Miss Palmira. She has left”
Esc. 16 NARRATOR:
Junín was a ( significant) cultural centre in the middle of the Pampas. Major figures of the Buenos Aires Music Hall routinely passed through Junin on tour -performing live in front of the microphones of the local Radio Prieto. Evita spent endless hours listening to Argentina’s favourite musicals and melodramas, daydreaming to the sound of foxtrots and tango of the Nineteen Thirties. On weekends, dance floors were packed and Carnival at the Crystal Palace was a main attraction.
Esc. 17 NARRATOR:
Eventually, the ghosts from Los Toldos caught up with the family. Some of Evita’s classmates would admit, years later, to what everyone else knew: Illegitimate children were cursed and sinful, a bad example in good Catholic society. Despite the glamour and the extravagance of the Thirties, the secrets of the past were back to haunt Juana and the children.
Esc. 18 ELSA SABELLA:
In Spanish. Dubbed: The kids at school didn’t care for Evita. Given the circumstances, it made sense. Back then, in the provinces, to be con-ceived out of wedlock meant to be cursed. Evita had reasons to feel hurt and resentful. Although Evita never said a word to me, I know she suffered as a consequence of the relationship betwe-en her mother and Juan Duarte.
Esc. 19 NARRATOR:
By the age of 15, Evita had dropped out of school and was obsessed with the idea of some day becoming a “star”. She would sit in the dark at the local cinema. memorizing the lines of her favorite stars.
Esc. 20 ELSA SABELLA:
In Spanish. Dubbed: We were good “confidants”. One time she mentioned that she wanted to go to Buenos Aires to become a radio or movie star.
Esc. 21 PALMYRA REPETTI:
In Spanish. Dubbed: Oh, Yes! She wanted to be an “artiste”. She joined all the school plays and the other teachers would call me when they needed talent for their plays. “Palmyra, why don’t you send us la Duarte? They called her “La Duarte”.
Esc. 22 NARRATOR:
The magazines and the silver screen offered choices not commonly available in Junin. It was unfair competition. Opportunities at hand were limited to a small part in local play, making announcements on RADIO PRIETO - or a quiet life next to husband and children. That was not what Evita had in mind -- and if she was ever going to make it, she had to escape before it was too late. Goodbye Junin, Hello Buenos Aires.