Novel argues ancient knowledge can aid refugees
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Tabish Khair’s novel, Drown All the Refugees, opens with a provocative statement and then explores the idea that the right to remain free outweighs the right to move freely.
The author-narrator begins by questioning liberal perspectives on refugees after a public reading, realizing his own disillusionment with the American dream prompted his return to his homeland.
He then seeks to relearn the intimate knowledge of the land held by those who live closely with it, contrasting this with a language focused on material success that drives displacement. Khair presents refugees not simply as people seeking shelter, but as individuals forced from their homes and caught within international politics. His characters, like Pedro who flees to America and Abdul who escapes Palestine and Afghanistan, represent the grief of leaving and the loss of identity that accompanies displacement.
The novel emphasizes what is left behind, memories, relationships, and even parts of oneself, as refugees attempt to rebuild their lives. The author-narrator finds wisdom in the knowledge of Midwife and Dukhe Baba, figures who understand the language of the land and resist imposed ideas. They demonstrate a freedom that transcends borders through empathy and imagination, able to connect with places and people beyond rational understanding.
Khair suggests that respecting this kind of ancient, often overlooked knowledge, and passing it on, may be the key to creating a world where refugees can find true safety and coexistence.
