On the eve of Senegal’s independence, Oumar Faye returns to his native village after an eight-year absence, accompanied by his white wife. Immediately, under the palaver tree, the gossip begins to fly. Oumar tries to bring the seeds of a new spirit to the land of his ancestors, whether among the farmers or his loved ones: his father, an imam; his mother, who still practices the rites of the elders; his friends, whether they are teachers or doctors—white or Black. This human adventure, full of freshness and vigor yet also cruel, offers a subversive and socially conscious novel that paints a portrait of an Africa in the midst of profound change, eager to free itself from the weight of its traditions.