Salt and Honey

Candi Miller

This novel tells the story of Koba, a young girl displaced from her Kalahari desert tribe when her parents are murdered by white hunters. This is not all harrowing and heavy, blacks versus whites. It is a fast-paced coming of age/love story that opens a window on a different and disappearing culture.

Extract

Koba shook herself out of her reverie as she realised Mannie was staring. 'What's the matter?' he said.
'I am spoiled.'
'Spoiled? How?'
Impatiently, Koba twitched the apron that hung over her shorts 'By being here; not growing up among my people; not learning proper Ju/'hoan ways. Here I live like a man - I hunt; I wear boy-clothes; I like dry food. You've seen me with salt; I prefer it to honey. Could be because honey is wet. woman's food.' She sighed. 'I am not a proper Ju/'hoan woman.'

Parallels