A Girl Named Disaster

CAST OF CHARACTERS

THE VILLAGE

NHAMO: The girl named “disaster.”

AUNT CHIPO: Nhamo’s aunt and Uncle Kufa’s wife.

AUNT SHUVAI: Nhamo’s aunt.

MASVITA: Aunt Chipo’s eldest daughter.

RUVA: Aunt Chipo’s second daughter.

UNCLE KUFA: Aunt Chipo’s husband.

GRANDMOTHER (AMBUYA): Nhamo’s grandmother; mother of Chipo, Shuvai, and Runako.

RUNAKO: Nhamo’s mother, who was killed by a leopard.

TAKAWIRA: Grandmother’s brother. A very old man.

VATETE: Uncle Kufa’s sister, who lives in a village five miles away.

CROCODILE GUTS: A fisherman.

ANNA: Crocodile Guts’s wife.

TAZVIONA: Village girl, born with a twisted foot.

THE TRADING POST

THE PORTUGUESE TRADER (JOAO): Owns the trading post.

ROSA: The trader’s Shona wife.

THE MUVUKI: The witch finder.

GORÉ MTOKO: Murdered by Nhamo’s father.

ZORORO MTOKO: Goré Mtoko’s brother.

THE JOURNEY

THE NJUZU: Water spirits.

LONG TEATS: A witch.

RUMPY: A baboon with a twisted foot and half a tail.

FAT CHEEKS: The baboon chief.

DONKEYBERRY: An old female baboon.

TAG: Donkeyberry’s baby.

OPPAH: Woman in a village near the Zimbabwe border.

EFIFI

DR. HENDRIK VAN HEERDEN: Afrikaner scientist.

DR. EVERJOICE MASUKU: Matabele scientist.

SISTER GLADYS: The nurse at Efifi Hospital.

BABA JOSEPH: Vapostori Christian in charge of experimental animals.

MTOROSHANGA

PROUD JONGWE: Nhamo’s father, who has deserted her.

INDUSTRY JONGWE: Nhamo’s uncle.

EDINA JONGWE: Industry’s wife.

MURENGA JONGWE: Nhamo’s grandfather; also called Jongwe Senior.

CLEVER: Son of Industry by his junior wife.

THE NGANGA: Nhamo’s great-grandfather, head of the Jongwe clan.

GARIKAYI: The nganga’s assistant.