Afrofuturism - Speculative Fiction. A re-imagining of self.

Afrofuturism  - Speculative Fiction. A re-imagining of self.                                                                    

Ytasha Womack (Evolution of a Space Cadet Chapter 1)

Speculative Fiction offers a critique of the present by drawing on standard history and fictions past to weave a fantastical imagined, often liberating, future.  If in this way, the future is now, the journeying outside of known reality to the unrestrained fantasy future possibilities of an imagination, and then to return, is a story arc for the artist and audience, and in it, a reimagining of the self.

Incorporating many genres, like Science Fiction has room to (Historical, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Folklore and Legend, Action, Thriller etc) Speculative Fiction makes room for the stories from people that Science Fiction hadn’t been including. (American/British) Science fiction has been accused of being, among other things, puritanical, male dominated, white, and for a male audience; but that seems unfair – society was this, and so much was missing or excluded from the narratives of Science Fiction because of this. Thirty/forty years ago, I may have enjoyed a story of a Jewish-Arabian-European-Lesbian-Traveller-Supershero-Pirate in Space, but I would have known not to hold my breath.  Twenty years ago, I remember a budding musical by a friend of a friend, off-off Broadway, called I think, ‘Captain Jack and The Space Vixens’ – flamboyant, sassy, sexy, 70’s/80‘s Glam on steroids for an imagined techy future, an LGBTQ+H one, full of fun and humour to the backdrop of all the usual human ills….it was refreshing; speculative, uplifting, and including. Supply and demand changes things, and the very recent access (for all with phone and internet) to production and promotion technology in all artistic fields, changes things very quickly.

Afrofuturism is much more than just speculative fiction. Encompassing all the arts, music and fashion, it becomes a state of mind. It is both a creative aesthetic process, and a framework for critical theory.

Ytasha Womack (Evolution of a Space Cadet Chapter 1) builds the development of Afrofuturism with examples from all fields and gives voice to artists who see themselves involved in a cultural process. She explains her feeling of exclusion, her wishing to see a black actor emerging from under Darth Vaders mask, wishing also for female lead roles. The almost complete absence of Black people in the constructed futures of the past is, stark – she comments that it is no wonder that Afrofuturism has emerged from the diverse cultures who do not see themselves represented there.  She introduces art curator Ingrid LaFleur who defines the genre as “a way of imagining possible futures through a black cultural lens.” Imagining the future through the many aspects afforded by different genres becomes easily The Epic in fiction – Black Panther, the movie, is this kind of multi-mix-genre Sci-fi Fantasy Epic so popular now. Scenes remind (too often?) of scenes in Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones etc. Mainstream, big- budget, but more inclusive narratives are here for sure. 

The Marvel catalogue of characters grows fully drawn interconnecting life stories for its characters…becoming Epic narratives too. Like Sci-fi, the super/magical reality of the Superhero in comic books one would think, has plenty of room for all stories, and more of society is now creating and demanding such. The mainstream is still seen to be slow to respond in certain areas. DC comic fans have been calling for more black and gay characters for many years – there was huge disappointment when a major character was to be outed and it turned out to be The Green Lantern – a male character, not very well known at all. There have been recent attempts to include gay narratives in the 1960’s Black Panther comic series revival by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2016) and…………… but these were completely vanished in the 2018 film. Not all (box office) society is seen as ready for too much inclusion – not while cultural/legal/religious or individual censorship worldwide hurts financial returns.

Ingrid LaFleur sees Afrofuturism in line with identity politics, “as a way of reimagining identities and activating liberation” I imagine this on a personal scale through the creative process, and then through the artform that “activates liberation” in others. The reimagining of possibilities of the future is essentially more hopeful than dystopian, so keeps dystopian future at bay. (This is apt when coming from cultures which might feel at times that the worst has already happened. Womack refers to a writer at her workshop completely straightjacketed by the history of African Americans – she felt it stifles storylines and the freedom of expression an artist needs.) Afrofuturism is anti-fatalistic - fatalistic stereotypes become more unnecessary as Liberation and/or Peace tend to bring happier conclusions. This, of course, suits The Epic and the Hollywood ending….so there will be many more mainstream similar - as there will be millions more creating and promoting their story art through accessible tech.

There is no doubt that Firsts are symbolic and important symbols. They open the door to more representation because the audience realises what has been missing and artists and industries who operate on supply and demand, comply. Those who previously would have had no access, have possibilities due to a technological revolution which empowers and liberates all creatives with “the ability to tell their own stories.” Womack points out, “The storytelling gatekeepers vanished with the high-speed modem” In this way, all people through new channels of expression and delivery can “reinvigorate culture and transcend social limitation.” A very optimistic view.

In an interview about his previous book, ‘Between the world and me’, writer Ta-Nehisi Coates suggests that we are Post Dream – associated with the age of Martin Luther King, and Post Hope, associated with the age of Obama. This is the age of Visions - Afrofuturism is not about outsider hopes and dreams of integration and acceptance equality (that smacks of the Tolerance outsiders know very well; it is what we are afforded usually just before things get a whole lot worse…) Afrofuturism is Visionary, creating alternative visions of the future/now, versions which remember the past, weave the historical into the unbound, unlimited visions that reimagine human potentials. It inspires, as Ytasha Womack does in her book, which is recommended at various online review sites, as a top ten read on Afrofuturism. It says to her readers, Viva la Futura! Let’s Dance!

Evolution of a Space Cadet: Chapter 1 in Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture Chapter  by Womack, Ytasha L.

Defining the Genre: 7 Novels of Afrofuturism by Ardi Alspach/ July 22, 2016 at 1:30 pm https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/defining-the-genre-7-novels-of-afrofuturism/

Afrofuturism: Why black science fiction 'can't be ignored' by Gena-mour Barrett Newsbeat reporter https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-43991078

A Review of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet Dee News Jan 30, 2017 https://medium.com/@dee_news_/a-review-of-ta-nehisi-coates-f6ae5bc2f7ad

Black Panther Book  by Ta-Nehisi Coates; Stelfreeze, Brian  27 Sept. 2016 https://ta-nehisicoates.com/graphic-novels/black-panther-2016/

Black Panther. A nation under our feet, Book 1 / writer, Ta-Nehisi Coates ; artist, Brian Stelfreeze ; color artist, Laura Martin ; letterer, VC's Joe Sabino. By: Coates, Ta-Nehisi [author.].

Black Panther, Movie February 2018 Director Ryan Coogler Writers Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, Marvel.

‘Black Panther’ Is Not the Movie We Deserve Christopher Lebron http://bostonreview.net/race/christopher-lebron-black-panther

The Hard Truths of Ta-Nehisi Coates, y Benjamin Wallace-Wells http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2015/07/ta-nehisi-coates-between-the-world-and-me.html?gtm=top&gtm=bottom