Bridging Past and Future_ Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, and African Identity.pptx

Bridging Past and Future_ Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, and African Identity.pptx

1. Bridging Past and Future: Afrofuturism, Africanfuturism, and African Identity

2. Prepared by Dhatri Parmar Roll Number : 6 Enrollment Number : 5108230032 Semester : 4 Batch : 2023-2025 Paper no : 206 Paper Name : African Literature Submitted to : S. B. Gardi Department of English. Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University Date : 10 March 2025 Email ID: [email protected]

3. Introduction What is Afrofuturism? Coined by Mark Dery (1993), it is a cultural and artistic movement that reimagines Black futures through science fiction, fantasy, and speculative narratives. Dery defined Afrofuturism as a form of “speculative fiction that addresses African-American themes and addresses African-American concerns in the context of twentieth-century technoculture.”(Talabi) What is Africanfuturism? Defined by Nnedi Okorafor (2019), Africanfuturism is rooted in Africa’s histories, cultures, and realities rather than focusing on the diaspora. (NNEDI OKORAFOR et al.) Significance of Study: Examining how these two frameworks shape African literary narratives. Understanding the intersection of history, mythology, gender, and technology in reshaping African identity.

4. Research Question: How do A Dance of the Forests , Who Fears Death , and Binti Trilogy engage with Afrofuturist and Africanfuturist frameworks to redefine African identity, history, and the future? Hypothesis: The selected texts use speculative fiction to challenge colonial narratives, critique socio-political realities, and offer alternative futures where African agency, spirituality, and technology intersect. Research Question & Hypothesis

5. Literature Review Scholar(s)/Author(s) Key Argument Source Hashemi, Zahra, et al. (2022) Examines voice and identity formation in Okorafor’s Binti Trilogy through an Afrofuturistic lens. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding ( ijmmu.com ) Jue, Melody (2017) Defines Okorafor’s work as “Oceanic Afrofuturism,” Women’s Studies Quarterly ( JSTOR ) Nnedi Okorafor, et al. (2020) Explores Africanfuturism as a movement distinct from Afrofuturism. Africanfuturism: An Anthology ( Brittle Paper ) Odom, Glenn A. (2008) Discusses Yorùbá historiography in Soyinka’s works, arguing that he reconstructs Nigerian history through mythology. Comparative Drama ( JSTOR )

6. Okorafor, Nnedi (2019) A compilation of the Binti trilogy, where a Himba girl’s journey through space mirrors African traditions and futuristic reimagination. Binti: The Complete Trilogy , Penguin. Okorafor, Nnedi (2011) Who Fears Death blends magic, dystopia, and African mythology to rewrite historical oppression. Who Fears Death , Daw Books. Soyinka, Wole (1971) A Dance of the Forests critiques Nigerian independence using Yorùbá myth and political allegory. A Dance of the Forests , Oxford University Press. Stefanova, Svetlana (2024) Explores shapeshifting, sexual violence, and African Gothic themes in Who Fears Death . Contemporary Women’s Writing ( DOI ) Talabi, Wole (2022) Defines Africanfuturism as a science fiction movement centered on Africa rather than the diaspora. Brittle Paper ( brittlepaper.com ) Womack, Ytasha L. (2013) Introduces Afrofuturism as a cultural movement, highlighting its artistic, literary, and social impact. Afrofuturism , Lawrence Hill Books. ( PDF )

7. Historical Context of the Texts Wole Soyinka’s A Dance of the Forests (1960): Written for Nigeria’s independence celebrations. Critiques postcolonial romanticization of pre-colonial Africa. Uses spirits and ancestors to challenge historical myths. (Soyinka) Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death (2010): Set in post-apocalyptic Sudan. Explores themes of oppression, gender violence, and magical resistance (Okorafor) Binti Trilogy (2015-2018): A Himba girl travels to space, negotiating between tradition and futuristic advancements. Introduces African cosmologies into sci-fi settings. (Okorafor, Binti: The Complete Trilogy )

8. Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism in the Texts Technology and Ancestry: Binti incorporates futuristic technology (astrolabes, interstellar travel) while maintaining Himba cultural traditions. Binti’s ability to use mathematics to navigate the universe reflects a blend of science and indigenous knowledge. Her journey to Oomza Uni.(Hashemi et al.) Who Fears Death fuses digital consciousness and magical abilities, showing how African spiritual practices interact with futuristic settings. Alternative African Histories: A Dance of the Forests reconstructs African history through mythical time loops, warning against glorifying the past. (Odom) Who Fears Death rewrites oppressive histories through supernatural intervention, as Onyesonwu’s ability to alter destiny. Great Book which justifies the oppression of the Okeke people

9. Myth, Mysticism, and the Supernatural A Dance of the Forests : Uses Yoruba spiritual figures to challenge idealized views of African history. Ancestral spirits interacting with the living, exposing past injustices to warn the future.(Odom) Who Fears Death : Onyesonwu, a mystical figure, fights against patriarchal and racial oppression. Onyesonwu’s journey across the desert to defeat her father P roduct of rape, powers of shape shifting, resurrecting creatures, traveling to the ‘wilderness’ (Stefanova) Binti : Blends mathematics, cosmic travel, and indigenous African wisdom. Harmonizing advanced mathematics with indigenous wisdom, demonstrating an Africanfuturist vision of progress.(Hashemi et al.)

10. Gender, Power, and Resistance Who Fears Death : A feminist Afrofuturist text where Onyesonwu resists patriarchal structures. Training as a sorcerer despite Aro’s refusal. Her resurrection of her clitoris and her ability to rewrite destiny, blinds everyone in the town. (Stefanova) Binti : A young African woman redefines cosmic diplomacy, representing African agency in speculative futures.(Hashemi et al.) A bility to communicate with the Meduse, and her hybrid identity as both Himba and interstellar traveler illustrate the Africanfuturist challenge to restrictive gender roles

11. Conclusion : Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism act as transformative frameworks that reclaim African identity and challenge colonial narratives. Afrofuturism and Africanfuturism serve as modes of resistance While A Dance of the Forests leans towards a realist critique with symbolic mysticism, Who Fears Death and Binti fully embrace Africanfuturist aesthetics, advocating for African agency in speculative futures. These narratives do not just reflect past struggles but actively shape a decolonized, self-determined future.

12. Works Cited : Hashemi, Zahra, et al. “Voice and Identity Formation in Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti Trilogy: An Afrofuturistic Perspective.” Hashemi | International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding , 29 Apr. 2022, ijmmu.com/index.php/ijmmu/article/view/3653/3269 . Jue, Melody. “Intimate Objectivity: On Nnedi Okorafor’s Oceanic Afrofuturism.” Women’s Studies Quarterly , vol. 45, no. 1/2, 2017, pp. 171–88. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/44474120 . NNEDI OKORAFOR, et al. AFRICANFUTURISM: An Anthology . Edited by Wole Talabi, Brittle Paper, 2020, brittlepaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Africanfuturism-An-Anthology-edited-by-Wole-Talabi.pdf . Odom, Glenn A. “‘the End of Nigerian History’: Wole Soyinka and Yorùbá Historiography.” Comparative Drama , vol. 42, no. 2, 2008, pp. 205–29. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/23038020 . Okorafor, Nnedi. Binti: The Complete Trilogy . Penguin, 2019. ---. Who Fears Death . Daw Books, 2011. Soyinka, Wole. A Dance of the Forests . 1971.

13. Stefanova, Svetlana. “‘A Different Creature, Not so Human’: Globalgothic Shapeshifting and Weaponzed Rape in Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death.” Contemporary Women S Writing , vol. 18, Jan. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/cww/vpae015 . Talabi, Wole. “Africanfuturism: An Anchor Point for Science Fiction That Centers Africa.” Brittle Paper , 8 Sept. 2022, brittlepaper.com/2020/10/africanfuturism-an-anchor-point-for-science-fiction-that-centers-africa . Accessed 9 Mar. 2025. Womack, Ytasha L. Afrofuturism . First edition, Lawrence Hill Books, 2013, static1.squarespace.com/static/57718389725e25272beacd64/t/5f998f434c2ae52feda5ca70/1603899211765/Afrofuturism+the+world+of+black+sci-fi+and+fantasy+culture++by+Ytasha+L.+Womack..pdf .

14. Thank You