"Zimbabwe, the late nineteenth century. In a village, amidst disturbing reports of strangers come to settle on 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 a 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."--BOOK JACKET.