Binti

“Those women talked about me, the men probably did too. But none of them knew what I had, where I was going, who I was. Let them gossip and judge. Thankfully, they knew not to touch my hair again. I don’t like war either.”

The quote above serves as the reader’s first introduction to the animosity between the Khoush and Himba people. Okorafor uses current day issues around African and black hair as a window to discuss questions of race and prejudice in the novel.

“‘Tribal’: that’s what they called humans from ethnic groups too remote and ‘ uncivilized’ to regularly send students to attend Oomza Uni.” 

Although Binti loves Oomza University and is desperate to attend the institution, she realizes the problems that come with such an institution. The irony and hypocrisy displayed here, especially in light of the Himbas’ treatment of the Enyi Zinariya, only speak to the insidious and silent ways that prejudice functions.

“‘In your university, in one of its museums, placed on display like a piece of rare meat is the stinger of our chief,’ it said. I wrinkled my face, but said nothing. ‘Our chief is…’ It paused. ‘We know of the attack and mutilation of our chief, but we do not know how it got there. We do not care. We will land on Oomza Uni and take it back. So you see? We have purpose.’” 

Binti believes that the Meduse are attacking Oomza University for no reason except to make war and carnage for their own enjoyment. The above passage changes the way that Binti views the Meduse and sets up a platform for their alliance later in the novella. Okorafor’s decision to have the Meduse attack for the sake of a stolen artifact is an allusion to the many indigenous artifacts stolen by modern institutions throughout the world.