Post-Apartheid South Africa

In the 150 years since Xikixa’s death and decapitation at the hands of the British, his descendants have splintered into two camps, the “Believers” and the “Unbelievers.” Chapter 1 introduces us to Bhonco, who “resurrected the cult” (6) of Unbelievers. Bhonco is a man easily moved to tears by the beauty in the world. He is happily married to NoPetticoat, and although the “custom is that men walk in front and women follow” (4), they walk side by side, sometimes holding hands. Their public displays of affection are a source of embarrassment to their daughter, Xoliswa Ximiya, an educated, successful, and unmarried educator, who feels that “old people have no right to love” (4). Xoliswa Ximiya informs her parents that she has no intention of accepting the promotion to principal of Qolorha-by-Sea Secondary School. Instead, she wants to “work for the Ministry of Education in Pretoria, or at the very least in Bisho” (12). The parents are dead set against her living so far away from them, and NoPetticoat blames her husband, telling him, “You see, Bhonco, you should never have allowed this child to take that scholarship to America” (12).

The Middle Generations