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Wakonda's Dream is about a contemporary Native American family, affected by the historical events and court case of 1879 in Nebraska, in which American Indians were recognized as “human beings under the law” for the first time in U.S. history. The opera is the story of parents Delores (Ponca) and Justin Labelle, and their son Jason, struggling to find their place as American Indians in contemporary society. Young Jason “sees things, feels things, knows things,” which terrifies his mother. Jason is also constantly for being an Indian by Sonny, an older white boy, and his brother Jimmy.
Proud of her Ponca heritage, Delores keeps the history of their people alive for her son. Jason feels a ghostly connection to the long-dead Chief Standing Bear, whose legacy is revealed in a choral rendering of the famous 1879 trial. As Jason grows from childhood to manhood, Standing Bear remains his spiritual guide. His father Justin dismisses his sense of Indian birthright, leading to tragedy and, ultimately, redemption.
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