Culture and Conversation: Duke Focus Students Engage with the Local Afghan American Community

By Joyce Liu

On Thursday, September 10th, Duke’s Geopolitics & Culture Focus went down to Raleigh to share dinner and learn from members of the Afghan American community. The Afghan American Association of North Carolina (AAANC) graciously hosted us for an evening of conversation, cultural exchange, and incredible food.

When we arrived, we were instantly greeted by warm hospitality as members of the AAANC waved at us and helped us sit down at the table. The table was lined with Afghan snack bowls that contained pistachios, pecans, raisins, dried mulberries, savory crunchy noodles, and sugar-coated almonds called nuql. 

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While enjoying our snacks and drinks, we chatted with members of the AAANC who were spread across the table. I talked to the association’s oldest member, who has been in the U.S. for 45 years, and learned about why he chose to leave Afghanistan, the difficulties of finding employment in the U.S., and how he eventually adjusted to life here. He is not retired with three college-graduate children. I chatted with another Afghan man who immigrated to the U.S. with his wife and two children in 2017. I learned about how he has tried to raise his children with both Afghan and American cultures, celebrating Afghan holidays and teaching them the Dari language. All of the members of the AAANC were so open and willing to answer our questions.

After the meet and greet, a member of the AAANC gave a presentation about Afghanistan and Afghan culture. The presentation touched on Afghanistan’s geography, history, languages, culture, and the U.S.-Afghanistan relationship. I found it especially interesting to learn that Afghan people worked with the U.S. military while they were in Afghanistan to provide services like translation and contact work. Overall, the presentation helped clarify some misconceptions that Americans might have about Afghanistan, showing that there is no single Afghan culture and that there is so much more to Afghan history than the wars that have defined the nation in American media in recent years. 

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After the presentation, we had an open Q&A session. Our 9/11 and After class’s TA asked a question about what we can do to help Afghan refugees, which evoked some very emotional and powerful responses. Members of the AAANC emphasized the importance of spreading awareness through social media about the harsh conditions that many Afghans, especially Afghan women, are facing in Afghanistan, and of volunteering to support Afghan refugees and help them transition to life in the U.S. They especially emphasized that they are not in the U.S. for “handouts” and that they are contributing positively to the nation, pushing back against some of the recent discourse surrounding immigration in the U.S. One member of the Afghan American community is the owner of multiple restaurants employing over 200 people, and another woman recently graduated with her master’s in engineering!

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Then, it was time for dinner. We had a selection of Afghan dishes that members of the AAANC made themselves, including qabuli palaw, or rice with carrots, raisins, and meat, and mantu, or steamed dumplings. Everything was so delicious! My favorite dish was the chapli kebab, a pan-fried minced-meat patty made with onions, herbs, and spices—it was so crunchy and flavorful! While we ate dinner, we had more opportunities to talk to and connect with the Afghan refugees. 

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I had an incredible time at this dinner. Everyone we met was so welcoming, kind, and hospitable, and had so many interesting stories to tell. Before the dinner, much of what I had learned about Afghanistan was through the lens of geopolitics. Hearing directly from Afghan Americans about everything from immigrating to the U.S. to raising their children helped me better understand the personal experiences of Afghan people. One of my biggest takeaways from the dinner was the strength and resilience of the people we met, many of whom had left their families and lives behind, immigrated across the world, started over, and succeeded in a new country. Ultimately, the dinner showed me the importance of learning about Afghanistan not only through the conflicts we study in class and see in the news, but also through the experiences, perspectives, and culture of Afghan people themselves.