In 1985, the arrival of an open-pit gold mine on the remote island of Misima brought profound changes to the lives of its inhabitants. The unequal access to employment and influx of cash disrupted traditional dynamics, leading to strained marriages, land disputes, and the adoption of Western ideas. In this shifting landscape, one woman's journey takes center stage.

Diuma Heni, whose marriage fell apart due to the allure of the Western mineworkers' lifestyle, faces further challenges when the father of her only daughter unilaterally moves the fifteen year old off the island. Struggling to maintain control over her own life as a single mother, Diuma encounters a local land dispute that threatens her subsistence farming. Determined to secure her daughter's future, she embarks on an uncharted path, fighting for recognition of her matrilineal land rights and becoming an emerging female leader in her clan.

Over the course of years, Misima intimately follows Diuma's courageous journey. As she confronts the destructive impact of industry on traditional ways of life, she balances fighting for her rights, tending her mountain garden, and exchanging heartfelt letters with her displaced daughter across the sea. Through Diuma's story, the film offers a poignant exploration of the clash between modern civilization and enduring values.