Bringing Sudanese Folktales to Life
Magically Retold by Journalist and Broadcaster Hana Baba
Above, the California-based, award-winning Sudanese American journalist, radio host and podcaster, Hana Baba. Hana’s media presence is a testimony to her commitment to quality journalism. Her podcasts and radio programs tackle everything from voter representation and role models for young Americans of colour to moving coverage of her own cancer journey and cultural sensitivities surrounding tissue donation, in a warm, relatable way. In 2014, she interviewed former president, Jimmy Carter.
Bringing Sudanese Folktales to Life
What does a pinch of salt have to do with the dramatic unravelling of this tale? Listen below to one of Hana’s tales, enchantingly illustrated by Waddah Eltahir.
The first article I wrote for this blog – way back in 2017, was about the role of Sudanese folktales in women’s Arabic literacy work. Often subversive, sometimes cruel, always instructive, Sudanese folktales spoke to our women participants in powerful, direct ways, prompting them to tell the tales passed down to them by their grandmothers. Soon they felt empowered to talk and write about their own life stories.
In perilous times for democracy in The United States, Hana Baba is all too aware of the need, as she puts it “to lean into culture”, to bring the experiences and voices of Americans of colour to the fore, and to rejoice in their voice. Never, perhaps, has this been more timely or more needed. Hana notes that the Sudanese community, like so many others in The United States, is suffering profound fear and alarm at this time.
Although you can read several illustrated excerpts from Sudanese folktale collections in this blog, nothing beats listening to the folktales as they were meant to heard. And Hana Baba and her creative team have gifted Sudanese and non Sudanese of all ages the delight of tales of magic wrought, wishes fulfilled and lessons learnt. Listeners can also hear the lovely cadences of Sudanese Arabic occasionally too as Hana retells the tales she was told as a child to magical effect. Learn more about this exciting initiative and subscribe to Hana’s podcasts and Youtube channel in Folktales from Sudan.
Above left, from the folktale, Jiraida, illustration, Imogen Thurbon. Above right, striking illustration by S.Mohamoun from the folktale The Sharbat Brewer.
Below, The Father & Three Sons
Below, Lolaba & The Eagle
Follow Hana’s channel to enjoy more.
Below, illustrated folktales referenced in this blog:
In ancient times, there was a man by the name of Hassan. He was a fisherman. Every morning he went fishing, taking with him his fish-hook and net. Then he brought the fish back to sell in the market. Now fishing made him rich, and he lived happily with his sons at home.
Amel Bashir Taha Delicate Defiance
The Enduring Appeal of the Sudanese Toub
Women's literacy in Sudan 