Charles H. Norchi Prize Ceremony

The Society held a ceremony to award its inaugural Charles H. Norchi Prize yesterday evening. It was a joyful occasion filled with engaging discussions, celebrations and drinks, and the event was well-attended by friends of the Society, scholars in the field and other guests both in-person and online. The Society would particularly like to thank Centre for South-Asian Studies, Cambridge for its support and participation in the planning of this event.

Awarded for a publication of a book on Afghanistan in English, the Charles H. Norchi Prize is offered by Dr James J. Busuttil to honour the work and distinguished career of his friend and colleague Professor Charles H. Norchi, Benjamin Thompson Professor of Law at the University of Maine, who has spent four decades researching, writing and advising on Afghanistan.

RAS President Norbert Peabody opened the ceremony and introduced the background of the launch of the Prize, after which Professor Norchi was invited to give a speech. Professor Norchi expressed how the prize jury was impressed by Dr Annika Schmeding’s winning title Sufi Civilities: Religious Authority and Political Change in Afghanistan, being a rare and beautifully written ethnographic account of how Sufi leaders responded to moments of transition in a highly insecure environment. A cultural anthropologist and an early career scholar, Dr Annika Schmeding has dedicated herself to research on the anthropology of Islam, Sufism, leadership, Afghanistan and the Islamic world. She is currently a Senior Researcher at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Lecturer at the University of Amsterdam.

In a round of applause, Dr Annika Schmeding came up to the lectern to deliver a talk, drawing from her decade-long research and her publication on Sufi communities in Afghanistan, for which she was awarded the Prize. It was fascinating to hear her account of conducting in-country research and anthropological field work, during which she spent time with Sufi communities to gain first-hand insights, such as attending poetry teaching sessions, visiting local shrines and witnessing memorial events. She spotlighted how Sufi communities – amidst political turmoil and war destruction – have played an important role in social cohesion, provision of spiritual guidance and dissemination of ideas, contributing to the development and advancement of Afghan civil society.

Before ending her talk, Dr Annika Schmeding cited a beautifully written poem by Haidari Wujodi, Afghan poet specialising in Sufi poetry:

I am void of zikr, thought and affirmations
The sorrow of a city is contained in my screaming heart
Like tulips blossoming in myriad colours
The plains of my breast are scarred with colour
I am screams, groans, moans and tears
I was born with these potentials
By the wall of a cruel and unjust world
My heart is immersed in sorrow and pain
Like a wild desert sprouting flower
It is lit with the bloodied graves of youthful martyrs

For me this is a befitting closing remark to the inspiring talk – these lines encapsulate the enduring connection between Afghan Sufi communities and the civil society with vivid imagery and, above all, the resilience they have shown in weathering numerous internal and external challenges facing the wider nation.

As with our other lectures, book talks and events, the talk was followed by a small reception where guests continued with the lively discussions. Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday physically and virtually to mark the occasion and celebrate Dr Annika Schmeding’s achievements. We hope to see many of you again in our upcoming events – stay tuned for event updates!

James Liu