The only child of the last traditional chief of Makawana village, Maiba struggles to hold her people together in the face of the polarizing forces of convention and modernization. Soaba makes palpable the tensions that arise when rapid change confronts a society that has been stable for many centuries. We also follow his unlikely heroine’s journey as she overcomes the legacy of a neglected childhood. Both protective and painfully aware of the weaknesses of her own community, Maiba acquires the wisdom she needs to face the future.