Aizen – Epilogue

Since our series about 'Aizen' ended, many of you have been in touch asking for an update on his story. When we left you at the end of the last episode, he had arrived in Europe, three years after leaving his home in Kabul and travelling through a labyrinth of smuggler networks. He claimed asylum i…

The Black Panthers in Algeria

When Elaine Mokhtefi landed in newly independent Algeria in the early 1960s, she was only planning for a short visit. But she quickly found herself at the centre of a special period in the country’s history, as Algiers played host to liberation groups from across the world – earning a reputation as…

Word on the Street

Two stories about two streets, and the justices and injustices hidden in their names. Follow us to Tehran and Khartoum as we uncover two histories brought together by one common denominator.  This episode originally aired in February 2021, and was produced by Zeina Dowidar with editing by Dana Bal…

A Past Life

When Heba was very young, there was a knock at the door at her home in Lebanon. It was another family from the village, claiming that they knew her… from a past life. Now, as an adult, she still wonders: Have I always been Heba? Or was there another life before this one? This episode was produced…

Somalia's Banana Battles

You might remember Somali bananas from your childhood, lining the shelves at your local supermarket. During the late 80s and early 90s, Somalia made millions of dollars exporting its coveted bananas to Italy and the Middle East. But this thriving export business ground to a halt suddenly in 1991, w…

What's in a Name?

'Yasir?' That's too difficult. I'll just call you Tony. This episode originally aired in October 2017. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production. Support this podcast on Patreon for as little as $2 a month.

Bone of Contention

In 2014, the palaeontologist Nizar Ibrahim went public with an astonishing discovery he’d made while studying a set of dinosaur bones from the Moroccan Sahara. But almost immediately, it caused a rift amongst his colleagues – forcing them to question everything they’d ever known about their work. …

Viva Brother Nagi

Nagi Daifallah was a young farm worker from Yemen who moved to California in the early 1970s, when he was just 20 years old. He went on to become one of the organisers of the influential 1973 grape strikes in California, led by Cesar Chavez. But one night, after a day of striking, he was beaten to…

Aizen – Part 4: Do Good & Throw it in the Sea

After finally reaching Europe, Aizen was back in jail. He had calculated that the journey from Afghanistan to France would take three months. But more than two years later, he was somewhere completely different. Then, finally, his luck started to turn. This episode was produced by Al Shaibani and …

Aizen – Part 3: King of Serbia

Through smugglers, barbed wire fences and forests, Aizen arrives in Europe. But the sense of relief he feels at making it this far is short-lived: the physical and mental toll of travelling so far from home begins to weigh heavy. This episode was produced by Al Shaibani and edited by Alex Atack an…