Summary

Abena – Abena returns to her village with a handful of seeds in the hope that they would change the fortunes of her father, nicknamed “Unlucky” (in the early stages of this chapter, neither her father nor her mother is identified by name). After her father takes the seeds, Abena tells him she wants to visit the Asante lands she believes she came from. Her father crushes the seeds in his hand as he reacts with increasing anger, Abena’s requests becoming so taunting that he eventually slaps her. Abena is comforted by her mother, whose explanation of her father’s behavior is that he was descended from great leaders but wanted to live his own life, free and independent. After her mother goes in search of her father, Abena realizes that her father’s decisions had led to the shame of her being...