The story of Saikati, a young Masai woman who lives within a traditional village in one of Kenya's national parks. Her community has planned her future as wife to the son of the village chief, but Saikati yearns for education and independence. She runs away to Nairobi to her cousin Monica and hopes to find honest employment but is disillusioned to find that for a girl deserting her village, the only solution seems to be with a white man. She decides to return to her home and face the reality of her situation.