Episode 1

Available for over a year

Bold revisiting of an iconic and now widely discredited novel, placing the experience of Indigenous Americans and women at its heart. A hit of its time and still a well-known title, the actual novel is rarely read by modern audiences for its dense text, melodramatic stereotyping and historical inaccuracy. Not least of which is that the Mohicans did not perish in 19th century – the tribe is alive and well today. The book is particularly disliked by most Indigenous Americans, for its dismissive portrayal of Indigenous peoples, confusion between individual tribes and historical inaccuracies. This dynamic new audio version places the novel’s marginalised characters at its heart, exploring contemporary conflict and modern concerns - clashes between nations; the disenfranchisement of Indigenous people; threats to the environment; and how social change re-shapes the natural world. This is the first of Radio 4’s major new collection, Story of America - dramatisations of milestone American titles marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence and the foundation of the United States of America. Developed through consultation with Indigenous American heritage academics and creatives, with new music by renowned Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate, this is The Last of the Mohicans for a modern age. It is narrated by young lovers Cora, dual heritage British woman, and Uncas, Mohican hunter, taking us on a dramatic adventure of discovery through New York forest, rivers and mountains. The Indigenous characters are all nuanced, fully rounded portrayals, giving their side of 18th century wartorn America. Episode 1 It is the middle of a war….Cora, her sister Alice and Major Duncan Heyward are trying to reach safety through the forest. They are betrayed by Magua, a Huron pretending to be their guide, but luckily fall in with Mohican family Chingachgook, Uncas and Hawkeye who offer to help them. Cora and Uncas are immediately drawn to each other. When Magua kidnaps the sisters, he reveals that he is only doing so as revenge for their father, Colonel Munro, savagely beating Magua for stealing an apple. To save her sister, Cora is made a challenging offer by Magua …. James Fenimore Cooper is widely considered the first great American novelist. Published in 1826, The Last of the Mohicans is set during the British-French tensions of the mid 18th century, which spilled over into war, embroiling many of the Indigenous American tribes. The war ended in the Treaty of Paris in 1763, whereby France relinquished to Britain much of its empire to the east of the Mississippi River. Cooper saw this bitter struggle as an opportunity to reconsider the historical circumstances that culminated in the Declaration of American Independence in 1776. Dramatist Shahid Iqbal Khan has been nominated for Olivier and George Devine awards. He won a Peggy Ramsay / Film 4 bursary Award in 2024, and is one of the writers on the Genesis Almeida New Playwrights, Big Plays Programme for 2023-2025. His first full-length drama for BBC Radio 4, Love Across The Ages, was shortlisted for Best Drama ARIA Award 2023. Thanks to: Robbie Richardson; Andrew Watts, Birmingham University; Curtis Zunigha, Historical & Cultural Consultant; William W. Madison and Raina Heaton at Sam Noble Museum; Diane Fraher at Amerinda and Shelley Angelie Saggar. Uncas ….. Jay Rincon Magua ….. Bradley Lewis Cora ….. Leonie Elliott Chingachgook ….. Jose Palma Alice ….. Robyn McIntyre Duncan Heyward ….. Thomas Dennis Hawkeye ….. Adam Bond Writer: Shahid Iqbal Khan Consultant: Robbie Richardson Historical and Cultural Consultant: Curtis Zunigha Additional American sound effects: Andrew Stelzer Original music: Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate Sound Designer: Lucinda Mason Brown Production Manager: Darren Spruce Illustration : YanKi Darling Producer: Polly Thomas Executive Producer: Celia de Wolff A Thomas Carter Projects production for BBC Radio 4.