Tanzania in the 1950s, a Maasai woman gives birth to a miracle, but the other villagers see her baby as a curse. The baby is a daughter named Kibo, who has white skin. As she grows, Kibo continuously tries to adjust her identity so she will fit into the world around her. Meanwhile, in Mozambique, a young boy, Ezequiel, is adopted by two missionaries. Zeca also struggles with a lack of acceptance. He is not recognized by his Portuguese father's community, or by his Makonde mother's tribe. When civil war erupts in Mozambique, Zeca must choose what--and who--he is willing to leave behind.