Zeena Nackerdien

Butterflies Zeena Nackerdien

A young woman grows up on the wrong side of the tracks in Paarl, South Africa. Here Muslim and Christian neighbors live in peace, bonded by the common yokes of poverty and a legacy of apartheid. Like poor women everywhere, the options for Sarah are slim - marriage or a lady-like job such as a secretary, marking time until she meets Mr. Right. Two men vie for her hand: Pang earns a living by selling marijuana and Ahmed is a straight arrow, eventually becoming a successful businessman. Sarah converts to Islam (is renamed Zuleikha) and marries Ahmed, thereby putting her dreams of becoming a scientist on hold. Two busybodies, Mrs. Bhopal and Patel, casts a long shadow over her and the rest of the members of this small community. Human nature, with its recognizable betrayals, love, hope and dreams play out against a complicated backdrop of once-segregated citizens having to learn to find common ground as one nation.