Batugubere

In Sanmale, the wives who have husbands take some comfort in comparing themselves to Hangnika. Whatever troubles they face, their own marriages look better next to hers. Hangnika is the co-wife of Batugubere, and the village has long speculated about how she ended up in that position, whether she was forced, driven by desperation, or poorly advised.

Batugubere is Muyini's first and favorite wife, and she is a witch of considerable power. Across Sanmale and the surrounding area, she is the one people fear most. For most women, agreeing to become the second wife of a man whose first wife is Batugubere is almost impossible to imagine.