ABSTRACT
Readers have described Akata Witch as the “Nigerian Harry Potter.” Far beyond a change in setting, Okorafor’s YA novel makes Western notions of magic, conflict, and resolution unfamiliar. Recognizing both the liberatory possibilities of fantasy novels and their all-too-frequently whitewashed cast of characters and tropes, this chapter offers opportunities to expand ontological thinking through using an afrofuturist lens to examine Akata Witch. In the novel, pre-teen albino Nigerian Sunny Nwazue is a misfit who has just discovered that she is a Leopard Person, someone with the ability to use magical powers. This chapter explores an afrofuturist lens for reading multicultural literature, and discusses key concepts to draw out within Akata Witch as a pathway toward imagining new possibilities for action within the real world. The afrofuturist lens connects contemporary YA texts to past authors, artists, and musicians; teaching about and through afrofuturist readings of texts and the contemporary world links discussions to a lineage of revolutionary black art and activism. Finally, this chapter offers specific suggestions for classroom instruction using an afrofuturist lens for other novels and media.
