Hana Baba
Hana Baba is an award winning public radio journalist- the longtime host of Crosscurrents, the daily newsmagazine on NPR station KALW in San Francisco, and co creator/cohost of The Stoop podcast that explores Black diaspora life. Her now podcast is Folktales from Sudan.
Describe Folktales from Sudan in ten words or less.
Translated audio stories from Sudanese folklore.
Tell us about Uncle Elbagir.
He’s our family storyteller, who memorized dozens of stories from his grandmother and passed them on to me. He would perform the stories, acting out and voicing all the characters.
Why did you decide to make Folktales from Sudan?
Growing up in the US, the stories we were exposed to were mostly European. Then I would go on trips to Sudan and hear these amazing oral stories from my uncle and was mesmerized. I knew the rest of the world should hear these stories, and that one day I would be the person to bring them to the US and the world. Our stories deserve global reach. More urgently, since the 2023 war in Sudan erupted, displacing my family members - including my Uncle Elbagir- and devastating our cultural institutions, I knew this was the time for me to launch this project of cultural preservation. The war added urgency, but it was always something I believed was important. I want the world to know us beyond the narratives of war and poverty. We have a rich, beautiful culture- and folktales are just one corner of that culture that I chose to be immersed in.
Who should listen to Folktales from Sudan?
These stories are for all ages- they are for anyone who enjoys hearing a good story with engaging characters and intriguing plots. They are also for anyone who wants to learn more about Sudan and its people, its music and songs, its humor and the vibrant imaginations of our elders who wove these tales more than a hundred years ago.
Which story had the most impact on you, when you were young?
I always loved the stories with the songs within them. They were like musicals- where a story is interrupted by a character breaking out in song. The songs are short and catchy- and they are definitely present in these folktales in the Sudanese Arabic, for people to sing along in a new language. My favorite was Lolaba- where a magic eagle teaches a young man an important lesson.
What’s a moral from a Sudanese fable that stuck with you the most? Why?
The Lolaba story was influential because of its message of being thankful and having gratitude for what you have been blessed with. It centers satisfaction and shuns greed- and that stuck with me and still does.
Folktales are the best way to get to learn a new culture. Agree? Disagree? Thoughts?
Absolutely.Much of my journalism career has centered on bringing Sudanese culture to the airwaves. I’m a total believer in cultural diplomacy- that when we connect through cultural aspects like music, food, stories, we care about one another. Culture is a huge connector of peoples- away from politics and media narratives. Break bread with someone, hear their story, listen to their music- and you will appreciate them and their culture. We could all use more of that connection!
What other culture do you love stories from?
I love the 1001 Arabian Nights tales - Sindbad, Ali Baba (no relation), Aladdin, and the story of Sheherazade herself who was telling the stories. I also love folktales from other African countries such as Senegal and Kenya - we have incredible oral storytelling traditions all over Africa!
Your podcast uses a beautiful combination of English and Arabic to tell these stories. How important is including non-English languages in primarily English podcasts?
This podcast is secretly a gift to Sudanese diaspora children who live in English speaking countries- the thousands upon thousands of kids who don’t grow up with Arabic, maybe didn’t ever visit Sudan. Sudanese Arabic is spoken at home, but they speak English. I wanted to make something they understood, and that they could also share with their non Sudanese friends, and be proud of and feel seen. I also think we should all hear each other’s home languages and familiarize ourselves with new sounds and expressions. Additionally, I just wanted to be as authentic and true to the stories as I could be in a translation- I wanted to preserve the essence of a Sudanese story through keeping some of the Arabic in them.
What’s one podcast that you love that everyone already knows about?
Throughline from NPR. Nothing comes from nothing, and every headline has a history. I love that premise and the deep dives back in time to explain what we’re living today.
What’s one podcast you love that not enough people know about?
If I am allowed, I have to honestly say my podcast The Stoop. We have an amazing body of work of more than 100 episodes of culturally rich documentary style stories about Black and African cultures, that I think more people should hear.
Thanks, Hana!