Science fiction and fantasy books are often seen as a means of escape, yet they can also be used to help us process real-world events and ideas. Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti was the first short fiction work published by Tor.com, an imprint of Tor Books dedicated to publishing novellas, short stories, and serializations that fit into the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Okorafor, already a well-established author when Binti was published, draws much of her inspiration from both her West African heritage and her American upbringing. In an interview with NPR, she stated, "That's very much a part of my identity, and it's also very much a reason why I think I ended up writing science fiction and fantasy because I live on these borders – and these borders that allow me to see from multiple perspectives and kind of take things in and then kind of process certain ideas and certain stories in a very unique way." She writes for both children and adults, and has won numerous awards for both audiences, including the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature and the World Fantasy Award.
While it is not necessary to know all of this information when reading Binti, knowing Okorafor’s background and goals can greatly impact one’s reading of the novella. Binti, at first glance, is an unusual story in the world of science fiction. It features a young Himba woman as the main protagonist, includes elements of spirituality and religion, weaves together nature and technology, and, perhaps most surprisingly, has an optimistic ending. However, these unusual qualities are what makes Binti such a powerful and much-needed story.
Binti, the titular protagonist of Okorafor’s novella, starts the story as a 16-year-old Himba girl who has never left her village before. In fact, no one who lives in the village has ever left. Her tribe specializes in the complex fabrication of astrolabes. Binti, though young, is already highly skilled in this field and is expected to take over her father’s business. However, she is incredibly skilled at math, and so secretly applies to and is accepted into one of the universe’s most prestigious universities: Oomza Uni, located on a distant planet.
As the novel begins, Binti is running away from home, eager to take her place at Oomza Uni. However, even before Binti leaves earth, she faces adversity that many sci-fi protagonists never have to deal with, although many black and other people-of-color face it on a daily basis. She is subject to constant racism from the Khoush, a race with pale skin and green eyes. They touch her hair without permission, make derisive comments about her appearance and her people, and generally dehumanize her. While Binti may live in a futuristic society, racism still remains.
Instead of shrinking away or resorting to anger, though, she pushes through it. “Let them gossip and judge,” she thinks to herself. Remembering her father’s words about how war is evil, but he would fight and win if he had to, she continues, “Thankfully, they knew not to touch my hair again. I don’t like war either.” This is why it is so important to have a young Himba girl as a hero - she is an incredibly smart person who has earned her place at Oomza Uni and yet still faces adversity based on how she looks. In other words, Binti is a realistic and relatable role model for black girls today. She is not fearless, she still feels fear and shame and anger, but she is also wise enough to overcome those emotions and carry on in her quest.
When Binti leaves Earth, she travels in a very unique spaceship - rather than being a futuristic space shuttle, it is actually a massive shrimp-like creature that has evolved to house a greenhouse within it, which provides oxygen to the passengers onboard. This motif of nature combined with technology is pervasive throughout Binti’s world. Similarly, Binti uses a combination of math and technology skills and her own religious beliefs to guide her on her journey. When her ship is attacked by an alien, jellyfish-like race called the Meduse, Binti uses an ancient device coupled with her own intuition and ability to “harmonize” in order to communicate with the attackers. She continues to combine ancestral history and modern technology to navigate this unfamiliar and dangerous landscape. All the while, she earnestly prays to God for guidance on what to do. She receives no divine messages, but gains a sense of peace and focus in the belief that there is something out there watching over her. This unusual worldbuilding and combination of technology, nature, and spirituality is one of the reasons that Okorafor’s writing in so compelling. In a genre where technology is usually all-consuming, God is dead, and the earth has been destroyed beyond recognition, Binti’s world is a breath of fresh air.
What makes Binti unique, though, is its commentary of cultural theft and a possible road to peace. Okorafor examines the history of white explorers stealing sacred objects from native communities and putting them in museums for research, a crime that is only just now being rectified by some of the museums. It becomes clear how this theft only begets more violence. Yet Okorafor presents not only history, but also solutions to move forward from that history. The result is the story of a strong young African woman who, through a combination of intellect, courage, and ancestral knowledge, is able to accomplish something that no other person could.
I deeply enjoyed Binti, both as a short fun read and as an important piece of literature. Okorafor’s novella is unusual, yes, and it certainly does not have the grungy, pessimistic tone that is so pervasive in sci-fi. But perhaps it is exactly the type of story that is needed right now.
You can purchase Binti at your local bookshop or from Bookshop.org!