The Village Indian by Vanessa Govender

Take one over-the-top, bolshie, city-slicker Indian woman.

One reticent and reserved white husband.
And their three children.

Add them all to a far-flung village in the South African countryside where mixed-race families are somewhat of a rarity, and you get front-row seats to a lifestyle that is both delightful and, at times, decidedly discombobulating. Told with generous dollops of that quirky, sometimes perplexing Indian lingo that is unique to South Africans of Indian origin, and garnished with hilarity and introspection, The Village Indian is a journey of the self and an authentic celebration of identity, culture and food while not forgetting the confusion and chaos that often go with being a South African. From run-ins with deadly snakes, to everyday encounters with chickens, to sprinklings of small-town scams and skulduggery, mischievous point scoring and attempted coups détat, this book provides the tea for endless titillation.

And in this village, far, far away meshugas aside there is the unmistakeable magic of a tight, caring community that knows how to display its humanity.

The Village Indian is a tale for all South Africans.