Why should you read sci-fi superstar Octavia E. Butler? - Ayana Jamieson and Moya Bailey

Prevodilac: Milenka Okuka Lektor: Ivana Krivokuća

Following a devastating nuclear war,

Posle razarajućeg nuklearnog rata,

Lilith Iyapo awakens after 250 years of stasis

Lilit Ijapo se budi nakon 250 godina neaktivnog stanja

to find herself surrounded by a group of aliens called the Oankali.

zatekavši se okružena grupom vanzemaljaca po imenu Oankali.

These highly evolved beings want to trade DNA

Ova bića napredne evolucije žele da trampe DNK

by breeding with humans

pareći se s ljudima

so that each species’ genes can diversify and fortify the other.

kako bi geni obe vrste postigli raznolikost i ojačali jedni druge.

The only alternative they offer is sterilization of the entire human race.

Jedina alternativa koju nude je sterilizacija celokupnog ljudskog roda.

Should humanity take the leap into the biological unknown,

Da li bi čovečanstvo trebalo da se vine u biološku nepoznanicu

or hold on to its identity and perish?

ili bi trebalo da se drži svoga identiteta i nestane?

Questions like this haunt Octavia Butler’s "Dawn,"

Ovakva pitanja vrebaju u „Zori“ od Oktavije Batler,

the first in her trilogy "Lilith’s Brood."

prvoj knjizi iz trilogije „Lilitini potomci“.

A visionary storyteller who upended science fiction,

Ova pripovedačica vizionarka koja je izokrenula naučnu fantastiku,

Butler built stunning worlds throughout her work–

Batler je u svojim delima gradila zapanjujuće svetove

and explored dilemmas that keep us awake at night.

i istraživala je dileme koje nas drže budnim po noći.

Born in 1947,

Rođena 1947. godine,

Butler grew up shy and introverted in Pasadena, California.

Batler je odrastala kao stidljiva i introvertna u Pasadeni u Kaliforniji.

She dreamt up stories from an early age,

Sanjala je o pričama od ranog uzrasta,

and was soon scribbling these scenarios on paper.

i uskoro je ove scenarije ispisivala na papiru.

At twelve, she begged her mother for a typewriter

Sa 12 godina, molila je majku da joj da pisaću mašinu

after enduring a campy science fiction film called "Devil Girl From Mars."

nakon što je istrpela kičasti naučnofantastični film „Đavolica s Marsa“.

Unimpressed with what she saw,

Neimpresionirana onim što je videla,

Butler knew she could tell a better story.

Batler je znala da može da ispriča bolju priču.

Much science fiction features white male heroes

Protagonisti naučne fantastike su većinom beli muški heroji

who blast aliens or become saviors of brown people.

koji dižu u vazduh vanzemaljce ili postaju spasioci smeđih ljudi.

Butler wanted to write diverse characters for diverse audiences.

Batler je želela da piše o raznolikim likovima

za raznoliku publiku.

She brought nuance and depth to the representation of their experiences.

Unela je iznijansiranost i dubinu predstavljajući njihova iskustva.

For Butler,

Za Batler,

imagination was not only for planting the seeds of science fiction–

mašta nije tek tu za sejanje semena naučne fantastike -

but also a strategy for surviving an unjust world on one’s own terms.

već je i strategija za opstanak na svoj način u nepravednom svetu.

Her work often takes troubling features of the world

Njeno delo često uzima uznemirujuće odlike sveta,

such as discrimination on the basis of race, gender, class, or ability,

poput diskriminacije na osnovu rase, roda, klase ili sposobnosti,

and invites the reader to contemplate them in new contexts.

i poziva čitaoca da ih razmotri u novim kontekstima.

One of her most beloved novels,

Jedan od njenih najvoljenijih romana,

the "Parable of the Sower,"

„Parabola o sejaču“,

follows this pattern.

prati ovaj obrazac.

It tells the story of Lauren Oya Olamina

Pripoveda o Loren Oji Olamini

as she makes her way through a near-future California, ruined by corporate greed,

dok se u bliskoj budućnosti probija kroz Kaliforniju,

razorenu korporativnom pohlepom, nejednakošću i uništenjem okoline.

inequality, and environmental destruction.

As she struggles with hyperempathy,

Dok boluje od hiperempatije,

or a condition in the novel that causes her to feel others’ pain,

tj. stanja u romanu zbog kog oseća tuđi bol,

and less often, their pleasure.

a znatno ređe tuđi užitak,

Lauren embarks on a quest with a group of refugees to find a place to thrive.

Loren započinje pohod sa grupom izbeglica kako bi našli plodno mesto.

There, they seek to live in accordance with Lauren’s found religion, Earthseed,

Tu nastoje da žive u skladu sa Loreninom novoosnovanom religijom, seme zemlje,

which is based on the principle

koja je zasnovana na načelu

that humans must adapt to an ever-changing world.

da se ljudi moraju prilagoditi svetu koji se stalno menja.

Lauren’s quest had roots in a real life event–

Lorenin pohod ima korene u događaju iz stvarnosti -

California Prop 187,

Kalifornijskom predlogu 187,

which attempted to deny undocumented immigrants fundamental human rights,

kojim su se pokušala uskratiti osnovna ljudska prava nedokumentovanih imigranata,

before it was deemed unconstitutional.

pre nego što je proglašen neustavnim.

Butler frequently incorporated contemporary news into her writing.

Batler je često uvrštavala savremene vesti u svoja dela.

In her 1998 sequel to "The Parable of the Sower," "Parable of the Talents,"

U nastavku „Parabole o sejaču“, „Paraboli o talantima“ iz 1998. godine,

she wrote of a presidential candidate

pisala je o predsedničkom kandidatu

who controls Americans with virtual reality and “shock collars.”

koji kontroliše Amerikance virtuelnom stvarnošću i „šok-ogrlicama".

His slogan? “Make America great again.”

Slogan mu je bio: „Učinimo Ameriku velikom ponovo.“

While people have noted her prescience,

Iako su ljudi primetili njenu moć proricanja,

Butler was also interested in re-examining history.

Batler je zanimalo i preispitivanje istorije.

For instance, "Kindred" tells the story of

Na primer, roman „Srodnici“ pripoveda

a woman who is repeatedly pulled back in time

o ženi koja se iznova vraća kroz vreme

to the Maryland plantation of her ancestors.

na plantažu njenih predaka u Merilendu.

Early on, she learns that her mission is to save the life of the white man

Na početku, saznaje da joj je zadatak da spasi život belog muškarca

who will rape her great grandmother.

koji će da siluje njenu prabaku.

If she doesn’t save him, she herself will cease to exist.

Ako ga ne spasi, ona sama će da prestane da postoji.

This grim dilemma forces Dana to confront the ongoing trauma

Ova turobna dilema tera Dejnu da se suoči sa trajnom traumom

of slavery and sexual violence against Black women.

robovlasništva i seksualnog nasilja nad crnkinjama.

With her stories of women founding new societies,

Svojim pričama o ženama koje osnivaju nova društva,

time travelers overcoming historical strife,

putnicima kroz vreme koji prevazilaze istorijske razdore

and interspecies bonding,

i ukrštanju među vrstama,

Butler had a profound influence on the growing popularity of Afrofuturism.

Batler je istinski uticala na rastuću popularnost afrofuturizma.

That’s a cultural movement

To je kulturološki pokret

where Black writers and artists who are inspired by the past, present and future,

gde su crni pisci i umetnici inspirisani prošlošću, sadašnjošću i budućnošću

produce works that incorporate magic, history, technology and much more.

stvarali dela koja sadrže magiju, istoriju, tehnologiju i štošta još.

As Lauren comes to learn in "Parable of the Sower,"

Kako Loren spoznaje u „Paraboli o sejaču“:

"All that you touch you Change.

„Sve što dotakneš Promeniš.

All that you Change Changes you.

Sve što Promeniš Promeni tebe.

The only lasting truth is Change.”

Jedina trajna istina je Promena.“