An American historian who spent decades in Afghanistan working to preserve the heritage of the war-torn country died on Sunday.
An Afghan government statement said Nancy Hatch Dupree, who first came to Afghanistan in 1962 and spent much of her life collecting and documenting historical artefacts, passed away at a Kabul hospital at the age of 90.
She amassed a vast collection of books, maps, photographs and even rare recordings of folk music, all now housed at a centre she founded at Kabul University. She also wrote five guidebooks and with her husband, Louis Dupree, wrote the definitive book on Afghanistan, an encyclopaedic tome about the country they adopted as their own.
Dupree lamented the fact that young people in Afghanistan, many of whom had grown up as refugees in neighbouring countries, knew little if anything about their own history.
"So many young Afghans know more about the histories of the countries where they lived as refugees than their own country's history," she said. "It makes me sad because their own history is so rich."
To remedy this, she founded the Afghan Center at Kabul University in 2006, where she worked to create an extensive library that could be accessed electronically from universities in Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad and Mazar-e-Sharif.
Dupree was born in 1927 in Kerala (then known as Travancore), where her American parents were working on rural development projects and spent most of her childhood there. She first arrived in Afghanistan as the wife of a diplomat. Some years later, she met archaeologist and anthropologist Louis Dupree, — also American and also married — when she asked him for help with her first guidebook on Afghanistan. Their love affair caused a scandal in Kabul but they married and stayed on in Afghanistan for more than a decade, with Nancy writing guidebooks and Louis uncovering prehistoric settlements, and the couple visiting historical sites all over the country together and documenting them all.
When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Louis was imprisoned under suspicion of spying for the CIA. Rather than return to the US, Nancy joined thousands of Afghan exiles in a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan, where her husband eventually joined her. During their time there, she realised how easily unique historical documents about Afghanistan could be lost forever and with her husband began collecting everything they could find pertaining to the country's history and culture — including the Soviet invasion, the Mujahideen and the Taliban.
It was just as well. In the looting that followed the Soviet invasion, many priceless books were sold for fuel or as food wrapping. Louis died in 1989, just a month after the Soviets left Afghanistan, but Nancy carried on collecting. By 1999, she had amassed 7,739 titles written in Pashto, Dari and several European languages.
She returned to Kabul in 2005, smuggling in her precious collection in 300 plastic fertiliser sacks. Two years later, it was installed in Kabul University, with funds from the Afghan finance ministry She also launched a mobile library scheme that brought thousands of books, including easy-to-read volumes in Pashto and Dari, to remote communities, often on the backs of donkeys.
She was dubbed her the "honorary grandmother of Afghanistan". The centre she founded said, "We stand in hommage to a woman of exemplary grace, dedication, humour and humanity" and news of her death prompted hundreds of messages from Afghans on social media.
Apart from visits to her home in Louis' native North Carolina, Dupree remained in Kabul., even though it was no longer the peaceful city of her youth.
"Kabul is grim now, all these concrete walls and barriers and razor wire. it is not my Kabul.," she said. But she had no intention of leaving. She is survived by her daughter.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
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Sector: Entertainment
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The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
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Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
