Binti is the main hero of the trilogy. She is 16 years old and she belongs to the Himba tribe. She is called Master-Harmonizer at home. Binti is very good at Maths, which allows her to be the first Himba to ever enter the most prestigious university Oomza Uni.
I had always loved mathematics, but now it was more than just a subject I excelled in. It was a way of understanding the universe and my place in it.
-Binti about her learning experience
Binti is confident in her abilities and is not afraid of change. She decides to leave her home and go to another planet to pursue her dreams despite the lack of support from her very traditional community. She faces many new difficulties on her way, like leaving her family and feeling prejudice from people around her.
Let them gossip and judge. Thankfully, they knew not to touch my hair again. I don’t like war either.
-Binti, facing prejudice towards her
But Binti is not afraid to stand up for herself. She manages to cope with the tragic circumstances when the alien race Meduse kill all other passengers on the spacecraft which was supposed to take them to the university. Now Binti needs to negotiate the peace with the Meduse but she feels confident.
I had never been one to back down from a challenge, and this was the ultimate test of my courage and determination. But I was ready, and I knew that whatever happened, I would emerge stronger and wiser for it.
-Binti, reflecting on the challenge she faced
She is able to communicate with the Meduce which is reflected in her appearance. Her hair changes color and becomes okuoko, Meduse tentacles. Now some of her Himba features are gone and it’s not the last transformation in Binti’s life.
Overall, Binti is a complex and memorable character. She is dedicated to fight against prejudice and discrimination in society. Binti grows and evolves throughout the book and it is a fascinating process. She learns to be open to the world and accept other characters and herself for who they are. Her story shows us the importance of diversity, respect and cultural exchange. Binti is a brave young girl and her story is full of adventures and discoveries!
I realized that being different could be a strength.
-Binti, reflecting on her identity Okwu
Okwu is a member of the Meduse. Its body parts are stingers and it has scary voice and bioluminescent skin.
Of all the voices, that one I could recognize. It was the angriest and scariest.
Okwu is initially hostile towards Himba. However, it is capable of compassion, so it makes contact with Binti and tries to do everything possible not to harm the girl. It helps her to negotiate peace and becomes her true friend.
Okwu was not like any other creature I had ever met. It was intelligent, curious, and had a sense of humor. It also had a deep respect for its own culture and traditions.
Okwu and Binti come from very different cultures and backgrounds but they are respectful towards each other and are willing to learn from each other. This connection shows readers that we should always communicate and try to understand those around us. Okwu is a really unique alien with interesting appearance and personality. Nnedi Okorafor uses this character to present us with a new perspective on the aliens, challenging their traditional image of angry and hostile creatures. They can be compassionate, accepting, supporting, loyal and we can learn from them. Okwu is a great example of that.
Okwu was more than just an alien creature. It was a living being with thoughts, feelings, and a culture of its own. And in learning about Okwu's culture, I learned more about myself and my own culture as well.
It was huge, at least seven feet tall, with a body that looked like a giant jellyfish. Its skin was bioluminescent, glowing in different hues of green and blue. Its tentacles were long and thin, and they writhed around its body like snakes.
-Binti, describing Okwu in the beginning
-Binti, thinking about Okwu when their friendship has started
-Binti, reflecting on communication with Okwu
Binti's father's main occupation is the creation of astrolabes. He believes that people need to be devoted to the place where you were born, and has a bad attitude towards travel. He is a respected member of the Himba community and is a Master-Harmonizer like Binti.
Binti's father is not cruel or belligerent. However, he does not like Khoush and does not want to be associated with desert people. He is very traditional but is pretty accepting.
Binti loves her father and his teachings help her a lot during hard times. Their relationship show us the importance of the family in one’s life.
My father was my rock, my foundation, and I missed him terribly.
My father had always taught me that knowledge was the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe.
Binti's mother is a typical Himba. She is a wise woman, healer, and teacher. She opposes Binti studying at Oomza. She fears that it will deprive Binty of her freedom.
There is a reason why our people do not go to that university. Oomza Uni wants you for its own gain, Binti. You go to that school and you become its slave.
-Binti’s mother about Oomza University
She is scared about Binti going all alone to another planet. However, before that Binti’s mother was very supportive of her passion for learning and encouraged her despite the community prejudice.
My mother had always encouraged my love of learning, even when the other villagers thought it was strange for a girl to be so interested in books and science.
-Binti about her mother’s support
Also, Binti’s mother finds it hard to accept her daughter's changes in appearance.
Okpala is a Maths Professor at Oomza Uni. She is Khoush and she wears green clothes. Okpala takes an interest in Binti's life and studies Edan's device. In addition, she knows a lot about the Himba people.
“I have studied your people,” she said. “They don’t like outsiders”.
-Okpala about Himba people
The Chief is the leader of the jellyfish. He is thoughtful and rational. He believes that violence can only be used when there is a reason for it. The chief is missing one stinger because it was taken by scientists from Oomza.
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.
-About the attack on Chief
The Chief`s colour is blue, but when he returns the stinger, he becomes transparent.
I’ll never forget the way the chief’s body went from blue to clear the moment the stinger became a part of it again.
-About the return of the Chief’s stinger
Haras is a professor at Oomza. He looks like a “spider made of wind” and can speak the Meduse language. He enters into negotiations with The Chief and agrees to give him the stinger, which speaks of him as a person who seeks to establish peace. He also supports multiculturalism and invites Okwu to the university.
Bena is Binti’s older brother. He is prejudiced and angry. He treats the Khoush badly although he himself has never communicated with them, since he does not travel.
Dele is a friend of Binti when she is at home. He laughed at the fact that Binti was accepted to the university, but nevertheless he was happy for her.
