nāfolo means wealth in Bambara.

in this episode of nāfolo, we trace the baobab (Adansonia digitata) across landscape and lineage — from the fruit (bouye) and the leaves (lalo) to soap, bark, and oil — and consider how its meanings shift when translated into global skincare. What happens when tradition enters commerce? What does it mean to center African botanicals in a market that often wants the culture without the people?

nāfolo is the podcast that collects and cultivates the stories of seeds related to global african-ness. It functions as a library and digital classroom of seed consciousness that highlights the biodiversity of african products. We do so by rooting ourselves in informed culture, politics, science, economy.

join us to hear the stories of seeds told by their stewards.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit nafolo.substack.com