The Whale Caller

The whale caller in his tuxedo, spends his days on the cliffs of the small coastal town of Hermanus blowing his kelp horn to the whales that visit in the summer months. In particular, he blows for Sharisha, a Southern right whale who always responds to his call. With each surfacing of her giant head and each thrashing of her tail, the whale caller's connection to Sharisha deepens. Then Saluni enters his life. Saluni - the feisty village drunk, a passionate but self destructive woman who frequents the tarvens and consorts with passing sailors. She cannot understand nor tolerate his fixation with the whales, and as the relationship between her and the whale caller grows, she finds herself vying with Sharisha for his attention. The tension builds in a devastating climax that has terrible and lasting consequences. With inimitable style and great lyricism, Zakes Mda tells a story that is at once a haunting, love story and a lament for a lost wilderness.