To my beloved Akin,
I am excited to say that with your birth comes the rebirth of the entire human race. You are, as I’m sure you will perceive very soon, the first male child born to a human mother since we were “saved” by the Oankali. As with your sisters I am sure you will be smart, strong and very eager to learn. It may seem like only a fascination for you to learn all you can about life, but be sure take it extremely seriously. The Oankali will tell you of their previous forms and worlds, but you must make sure to learn all you can about your human self as well. This may seem odd to you at first as their pain and ways will seem exceedingly flawed, but you must know and you must understand. If you don’t understand the humans than humanity will be lost and our ways, no matter how flawed, will be lost in time. To truly be able to understand I will tell you about the world before.
Your father and I are natives to the planet Earth that we all live on. We lived in a society plagued by hierarchy which hindered our species great intellect. This hierarchy was so prevalent that it divided some people into think each other’s race was a separate species, and everyone to divide into cultures which believed that only they had a right to live and govern. The different cultures felt so strongly that their beliefs were right that eventually they built devices to destroy all those who did not share their view. This technology became so great that humanity eventually waged a war that almost wiped out all peoples and cultures world-wide. That’s when the Oankali stepped in.
The Oankali saved your father and my people from certain destruction, but at the price of assimilating into the Oankali gene pool. This assimilation will seem natural, like a trade to you, but you must try and understand in your lifetime how it is not. The Oankali did not ask us if we truly wanted to join them, and achieved their means because humanity had no other options. In your life I want you to always remember that. I think at some point you will have to meet up with people who still don’t believe in trading DNA and you will have to live with and know them. This I believe is your purpose.
What you are is something great and beautiful. I have accepted the trade, but only because I know you can carry on the memory of what it truly means to be human.
I have faith in you Akin and I love you with all my heart and soul.
Love your (human) mother,
Lilith