In 1905, the Natal colony introduces a tax on the heads of all adult men. Coming close on the heels of land grabs, war and famine, the Poll Tax threatens to destroy African patriarchy and with it, tradition itself. Many young men are angry and look to their chiefs for leadership. Fearing the might of the colony, African chiefs are split over how to respond. When chief Bhambatha becomes a scapegoat for the British, he has no option but to fight. From a reluctant young chief, Bhambatha evolves into the spirited leader of an unified African force that challenges the very core of British rule.