CHARACTERS

Zizwe is a girl of Africa who since, early childhood, has been under the tutelage of her wise and wonderful grandmother, Gogo Nomandala; celebrated throughout the world for her strength and healing powers.

Zizwe and Gogo meet at the foot of the noble Baobab tree, the symbol of life, where Gogo imparts her ancient knowledge of African mythology, spiritual messages and mystical powers, passed down to her from the ages.

Zizwe’s legendary ancestor is the all-powerful and much revered Mbaba Mwana Waresa, the Zulu goddess of rainbows, rain, and fertility. She creates rainbows, harvests and rain, thus imparting to Zizwe the power over the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Like her ancestor, Zizwe is able to shape shift into an animal. Her chosen shape is that of the venerated Bateleur Eagle, Ingonghulu, the first bird to fall out of the tree of life when creation began. When danger approaches Zizwe, in her human form, beats her drum. As the eagle, she beats her wings.

Zizwe lives in two worlds and has two drums to suit her purposes; one the traditional Zulu drum, the other a modern percussion drum, both of which she beats with outstanding genius. Zizwe is a budding eco-warrior and is set to study Environmental Science at Rhodes University.

She’s passionate about clothes and costumes; donning traditional outfits of the many tribes of South Africa as well as typical modern teenager garb, all with equal flair. She combines her supernatural powers and practical skills to do her utmost to save the planet. She’s a natural leader and can always be seen at the forefront of the fray, sending out her impressive micro-bursts to distract the enemy. She also has the power to call up ferocious storms as spectacular delaying tactics.

Once the storm has passed, she is capable of creating glorious rainbows, in celebration. By nature, Zizwe is a philosopher, tending towards the serious; a fact which is not evident when she’s dancing or playing her drums in concert with her cohorts, who materialize magnificently one auspicious evening at the place of the great Baobab.

Maya appears at the Baobab in a flash of light and the sound of rushing winds in the form of a jaguar, her
expected shape since she is the descendent of the great Mayan Jaguar Goddess Lxchel, the Mayan
goddess of the moon, midwifery, medicine and childbirth.
The graceful jaguar shape shifts into the splendid, lithe figure of Maya complete with her serpent
headdress, talisman wind breastplate and her bejewelled flute.
Maya hails from Mexico where, in real life, she’s working towards becoming a medical doctor whilst
already possessing an in-depth knowledge of the ancestral medicines of the rain forests. Unusually, she is
also a soccer star, displaying the agility, speed, and occasional ferocity of a jaguar on the field. In essence,
there are two sides to her personality; one nurturing and healing; the other carefree and wild.
The haunting sounds that emanate from her flute bear evidence of this as she switches from contemporary
to ancient notes with consummate ease. Maya lives in the moment and dives into the eye of the storm,
without much thought but great energy and passion. When the going gets rough, she transforms into the
jaguar and leaps towards her prey, never harming them, but leaving them paralysed by fear.

Drui arrives at the Baobab scene in the guise of a glorious fairy-like creature flitting through the branches, lighting them up with colourful sparks. Rather alarmingly, she transforms, with her characteristic dizzying spinning motion, into a rock guitarist with flaming red hair and freckles, armed with her powerful guitar called Bono. At home in Ireland, she plays lead guitar in a popular rock band, transfixing audiences with both her sound and performance.

Drui is a descendent of Irish war goddess Badb Catha who, legend has it, often takes the form of a crow on
the battlefield. On the other hand, this deity symbolizes life, enlightenment, wisdom and inspiration, all manifested in Drui.

Drui is feisty, funny and flamboyant with an equally flashy and spirited leprechaun, McGreeni, as her
sidekick. She ventures where angels (or fairies) fear to tread but manages to flit out of tight corners by
transforming into her fairy-like guise, which occasionally and unintentionally looks rather like a crow!

She’s definitely a leader, encouraging her team with warlike cries and defeating her foes with ominous
strums from her guitar which send out lethal shock waves.