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This week on Witchcast, Emily and Kate sit down with writer-translator duo Komal Salman and Shaherzaad Laila, the creators of Heartstrings of the Khyber, a wondrous collection of Pashto folktales translated for a modern audience. Together, we discuss the origins of Folkloristan, where the preservation collection began, and how they’ve strived to “un-whitewash” Pakistan’s oral storytelling traditions, revealing how colonialism, feminism, and myth intertwine across centuries. We talk djinns, fairies, and romance gone wrong (turns out, “don’t fall in love” is a recurring moral), the challenges of working with Western publishers, and why translating “cake” for “chapati” says everything about cultural context.
Then Kate pulls a card from her Korean Four Seasons Hwatu Oracle deck!
It’s a lively, funny, and eye-opening conversation about magic, myth, and the women keeping their stories alive.
Hex yeah! 🖤
LINKS TO THINGS Mentioned
- Buy your copy of “Heartstrings of the Khyber,” here or wherever fine books are sold (support your local bookshop!)
- Follow Folkloristan and visit the website here!
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🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your pods
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Hex yeah.
Please note, (as always) all content shared via Witchcast Podcast is for entertainment purposes only and all opinions expressed belong solely to those who express them kloveyoubye!
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