Summary

In "Discord," Chapter 5, a month after the first caravan arrived in Nawa, a second caravan appeared. Its members, canvassing for the Party of God, were bearded, wore long robes, and waved "a black flag with a white pigeon" (29). Their rhetoric was classical and filled with religious chants. They also brought "crates of food, blankets, and clothes" (30). The villagers repeated the chants, per the bearded men's instructions. Though the Nawis were confused by their rhetoric, they accepted their gifts. On election day, everyone except Sidi, voted for the Party of God.

In Chapter 6, Sidi was exploring the forest and mountains on behalf of his bees, and missed the election. He often searched for queens in "the territory of those bees labeled wild and whom he called free" (33). The wild queens helped his hives fight off unfamiliar parasites, without the use of pesticides. On this day...