Nehanda

Zimbabwe, the late nineteenth century: In a village, amidst disturbing reports of strangers come to settle in their land, people gather to perform ceremonies to welcome a new-born. They call her Nehanda and she has come bearing signs of specialness. When Nehanda grows into a young woman the nature of her gift finally becomes evident. She has been chosen by the ancestral spirits to inspire war against the invaders who have attained a stranglehold on the land. And so the course of events unfolds, leading to its inevitable conclusion. Told in beautifully lucid and evocative prose, this is the story of a people's first meeting with colonialism.