Nias Island, (Sumatra) 1856-1861.

The Southern region of Nias island keeps on resisting the Dutch colonizers with its fearsome warriors. After being repeatedly defeated in the thick jungle, the Dutch mount a strong naval expedition, with the objective of building a fort in the bay of Lagundri.

Bawo Mataluo is the strongest village in the region and its chief succeeds in rallying the other villages to form an army of a thousand warriors, able to crush the invaders. But mysteriously, they will not attack…

But after five years the fort is destroyed by a tsunami, and the Dutch finally withdraw.

(the above are actual historical facts).

What happened in between these events? The story winds in the village of Bawo Mataluo, through the characters of Tuha, an old and wise witchdoctor, his rampant and evil competitor Galifa, village chiefs, a South African missionary, an evil archbishop, Dutch soldiers, and sea captains.

At the turning point of the story are three episodes of man-hunting, each duel being fought through a sense: sight, scent, and hearing are the weapons to find the opponent in the thick jungle.

We read of passionate love between Tuha and his wife Sumia, and between his niece Mohua and her brave but unlucky suitor. We read of mortal disease and revenge, of war, of cowardice, of treason and bravery.

And we read of divine justice, delivered through the ocean.