RHLSTP with Richard Herring RHLSTP Book Club 174 - Zakia Sewell
Mar 20, 2026
Zakia Sewell, DJ, broadcaster and author of Finding Albion, explores British folk traditions and cultural history. She traces Morris dancing controversies, wolf-masked parades and Notting Hill Carnival’s layered roots. Conversations probe Cheddar Man, claims of indigeneity, seasonal rituals and how folklore recasts national identity.
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Folk Traditions Reveal Light And Shadow
- Zakia found that exploring folk traditions reveals both inspiring stories and the nation's darker histories, like blackface in Morris dancing.
- Her book aims to hold that uncomfortable middle ground between celebration and critique of Britishness.
How Joining Montal Revealed Folk Culture's Purpose
- Zakia joined Penzance's Montal winter solstice parade and ended up wearing a wolf mask, howling at children under the moon.
- The experience taught her that these customs are about community DIY creativity, not literal ancient rites.
There Is No Singular Indigenous Englishness
- Claims of an 'indigenous' Englishness collapse under archaeological evidence showing repeated migration and population change.
- Examples like Cheddar Man and Stonehenge's transported stones demonstrate Britain has always been shaped by movement.
