Binti

The name of Binti’s father is Moaoogo Dambu Kaipka Okechukwu. Both Moaoogo and Binti are “old African dark” and have access to the zinariya. Moaoogo is Osemba’s master harmonizer and most prominent astrolabe maker and seller. He is ashamed of his Enyi Zinariya blood and is horrified when he discovers that Binti has awaked the nanoids inside of her. He wants Binti to be a traditional Himba woman and a master harmonizer. Although Moaoogo is kind to Okwu, he is still extremely Himba in his beliefs and expectations. The end of the series finds him believing that Binti has died trying to negotiate a truce between the Meduse and the Khoush. 

Binti’s mother remains unnamed throughout the series. Unlike Binti and Moaoogo, Binti’s mother sees mathematical equations in the air around her. She has the sight that both Binti and Moaoogo work hard to cultivate; instead of working to tree or create current, she uses it to protect the family. Binti’s mother is the one who saves their family when the Khoush burns the Root. She activates the Undying Tree and has it envelop them. She is distraught when she finds Binti’s body, but she allows Mwinyi and Okwu to take Binti to space.

Okwu is a Meduse that is just as curious about Binti as she is about it. It becomes a close friend, ally, and partner to Binti throughout their months at Oomza University. It is headstrong, logical, and mischievous—it enjoys causing trouble for the Khoush and is deeply loyal to its people and its god. Humans are incomprehensible to Okwu sometimes, though it slowly begins to understand them through Binti. It begins to care for Binti and protects her at risk to itself and its life multiple times. Similarly, Okwu begins to feel for Mwinyi, drawn to how both master harmonizers are alike. 

The Meduse chief, unlike the other Meduse, is entirely clear. Khoush researchers forcibly removed and stole its stinger. This violated the Meduse and is the reason for their murder of the academics onboard Third Fish. Although the Meduse chief is initially unsure of Binti, it eventually becomes almost fond of her. The Meduse begin to see Binti as a new family member with a bond forged through war. 

Professor Okpala is the head of the mathematics department at Oomza University. She has shown immense patience while dealing with Binti’s moments of anger. Professor Okpala has also been guiding Binti in her research into solving the edan.  

Haifa is one of Binti’s closest friends at Oomza University. Haifa is athletic and bubbly; she goes with Binti to the desert when the latter is upset. Haifa compares Binti’s changes to her own transition: “It’s not the same as your situation, but I was born physically male and when I was thirteen I transitioned to female” (65). She ends up going to see the Falls of Oomza with Binti, Okwu, Mwinyi, and the Bear. 

The Bear is Haifa, Okwu, and Binti’s friend. The Bear is an “adult human-sized giant bail of rough brown hair” (82). It spends a lot of time with Binti during the latter’s first few months at Oomza. They both keep to themselves but begin sitting with each other in silence.

Heru is the Khoush boy onboard Third Fish that Binti falls in love with. Heru notices that Binti’s hair is braided into specific mathematical equations. After Binti witnesses the Meduse killing Heru, she becomes wracked with guilt and anxiety. The repeating image of Heru’s murder haunts Binti.

Dema is a Khoush professor at Oomza University. She despises Okwu and it her; they almost kill each other during the final test but become begrudgingly respectful toward one another after.

Doctor Saidia Nwanyi is a Khoush woman and is Binti’s therapist after the teen witnesses the murders onboard Third Fish. Dr. Nwanyi helps Binti cope with subsequent her post-traumatic stress disorder and panic attacks. 

Dele is Binti’s childhood friend and apprentice on the Himba council of elders. Dele is extremely traditional and believes in the old Himba way. He is furious at Binti for leaving Earth and shuns her during her time at Oomza University. When she returns to Earth, Dele tries to get her to renounce Oomza and return home for good. He sees her as a bringer of discord and shame to the other women in her family; Dele does not see how any man would be willing to marry her now. When Dele hears Binti’s appeal to the council to negotiate peace between the Khoush and the Meduse, he realizes that Binti has not changed at all. Dele dresses as the Night Masquerade to encourage her after the council betrays Binti. After her death, Dele mourns her, but realizes that even tradition is meant to grow and change with time.

Vera is Binti’s older sister. She is “eleven years older than Binti, inches taller, and so beautiful that she’d had her pick of husbands from fifteen amazing suitors five years ago” (141). Vera is Binti’s most scathing critic; she believes that Binti is selfish for leaving the family to pursue her own ambitions. Vera calls Binti “ugly” and says that she will never find a husband. Vera screams at Binti, who ends up spitting in her face in a fury. Vera also gossips about Binti when she leaves the room. In addition to Vera, Binti has three other siblings: Omaihi, the eldest sister; Bena, her older brother; and Peraa, her younger sister.

Kapika is the chief of the Himba community—an insular community that does not permit its members to leave. When Binti returns after running away to pursue school, he says: “[N]ow the community can contract back into itself like a self-protecting flower. We are all here. And that is good” (141). Kapika dresses up as the Night Masquerade and appears before Binti twice. Later, when Binti needs the Himba council to call upon the old culture to negotiate a truce between the Khoush and Meduse leaders, Kapika and the rest of the council abandon and betray Binti.

Ariya is the priestess and the heard matriarch of the Enyi Zinariya. She originally meets Binti years in the past when the little girl finds the edan. Although Binti is afraid of her, Binti shares what little she knows with the older woman. Ariya, using the owl feather, actives Binti’s nanoids.

Mwinyi has “a head of bushy red-brown hair” and “a thick matted braid growing in the middle that was so long it reached his knees” (164). Mwinyi is also a master harmonizer and can speak with all types of animals. Mwinyi is initially upset with Binti for looking down on the Enyi Zinariya like savage animals. Mwinyi eventually falls for Binti; when she dies, his mourning for her triggers his ability to do “deep grounding.” After, when New Fish’s microbes resurrect Binti, Mwinyi accompanies her and Okwu to Oomza University. Although Mwinyi says that he has no interest in attending Oomza, his actions say otherwise. Mwinyi and Binti become lovers.  

Auntie Titi is Binti’s paternal grandmother. She is a botanist by trade and enjoys studying plants. Titi encourages Binti’s intellectual curiosity and is openly disappointed in her son’s decision to hide his Enyi Zinariya roots.

Kande is the very first Enyi Zinariya to have contact with the golden race of aliens. One night, while she is out for a smoke, Kande spots the zinariya in the distance. The elders question Kande’s credibility but agree to let her lead them. Kande’s end is unknown. 

Arewhana is the matriarchal head of an elephant tribe. Although extremely violent towards humans, the female elephant befriends a young Mwinyi and teaches him how to communicate with all types of creatures, big and small.

As one of the generals of the Khoush army, Kuw orders his soldiers to burn down the Root and most of Osemba. Okwu despises Kuw the most and resolves to murder him. 

Goldie is the king of the Khoush people. Although Goldie looks down upon Binti and the other Himba people, Binti’s power and passion awe him. Goldie agrees to the truce with the Meduse chief and is surprised by the attack on Binti as well. 

Third Fish is a living ship owned by the Khoush. She transports Binti to Oomza University for the first time and is the site of the Meduse massacre. Third Fish grows fond of Binti. When Mwinyi contacts her for help, Third Fish sends her daughter New Fish, knowing that her newborn microbes will be able to bring Binti back to life.

New Fish is Third Fish’s daughter. When New Fish is new born, her microbes have the power to bring Binti back to life, and she twice saves Binti. After saving her the second time, New Fish and Binti become permanently connected. New Fish loves flying far in space and is pleased to be travelling with Binti.