/Hai-hab (Grey Horse), The Mysterious Horse Rider

(/Hai Hab) Grey Horse is a legendary folktale of the Damara people (#Nukhoen, Khoe-khoen) residing in Namibia which has been modified for the modern readership. Through the lenses of the main character (Ti-a) we relook at the cultural heritage of the clan and its efforts of reconciling modern lifestyle and age old believes. It depicts the young woman's quest in finding her identity while growing up in an increasingly modern African society surrounded by western ideals and the Christian faith. There is however an ancestral call on her life to serve her people. A call she does not understand and battle to conform. The call is for her to lead the tribal women back to the roots and train up the girl child, she needs to re-explore the traditions that heal, equip and transform the girl child into womanhood and share that with other women. However, in a modern society many African beliefs are seen as either superstition, witchcraft and/or barbaric thus she shy's away from her calling. Fear of victimization causes her to distances herself from her grandmother and subsequently the entire clan and adopts a lifestyle befitting modern cultures. However, destiny has her name and follows her without end until obedience is observed. During this time she was challenged in many areas, be it her sexuality, religion or her blackness. The experiences brought home some of the teachings of her grandmother through dreams and she starts the conquest to return. /Hai-hab the Damara tale is deconstructed to fit the new storyline. Ti-a, the main character romanticized this character and later builds it into her persona upon returning to her birth place.