How I use art to bridge misunderstanding | Adong Judith

翻译人员: yong lu 校对人员: Echo Sun

I'm a writer-director who tells social-change stories,

我是一个编剧兼导演 写一些社会变革的故事，

because I believe stories touch and move us.

因为我相信故事能够 打动并驱动我们。

故事使我们得到人性 并教会我们同理心。

Stories humanize and teach us to empathize.

Stories change us.

故事可以改变我们。

When I write and direct plays,

当我编导剧本时，

I'm amplifying voices of disadvantaged groups,

我会为弱势群体发声，

I'm fighting the self-censorship

我与自我审查制度抗争

that has kept many Ugandan artists away from social, political theater

从前乌干达总统阿明 迫害艺术家开始，

since the persecution of artists by former Ugandan president, Idi Amin.

自我审查制度让许多乌干达艺术家 无法涉及社会和政治话题。

And most importantly, I am breaking the silence

最重要的是，我正在打破沉默

and provoking meaningful conversations on taboo issues,

并且在一些禁忌话题上 激发有意义的交流对话，

where often "Silence is golden" is the rule of thumb.

通常经验上这些领域 奉行着“沉默是金”的原则。

沟通十分重要

Conversations are important

because they inform and challenge our minds to think,

因为交流会提供资讯 并激发我们去思考，

and change starts with thinking.

而改变始于思考。

One of my struggles with activism is its often one-sided nature

我另一个反对的是 激进主义的片面思维，

that blinds us to alternative view,

它遮蔽了我们看问题的不同角度，

that numbs our empathy,

从而麻木了我们的同理心。

that makes us view those who see issues differently

并使我们将那些持不同看法的人

as ignorant, self-hating, brainwashed, sellout or plain stupid.

视作无知，自怨自艾，被洗脑， 背叛或者纯粹的愚蠢。

I believe no one is ignorant.

我相信没有人是愚昧的。

We are all experts, only in different fields.

在各自不同的领域， 每个人都是专家。

And this is why, for me, the saying "stay in your truth" is misleading.

这就是为何，对我而言， “坚守你的真理”的说法是一种误导。

Because if you're staying in your truth,

因为如果你坚守你所谓的真理,

isn't it logical that the person you believe is wrong

那按同样的逻辑， 你认为错误的那个人

is also staying in their truth?

岂非也在坚守他们的真理呢？

So, what you have is two extremes

所以，两个极端的观点

that shut out all possible avenues of conversations.

会关闭所有沟通的渠道。

I create provocative theater and film to touch, humanize

我创作有启发意义的舞台剧和电影 来打动和感化人们，

and move disagreeing parties to the conversation table

让不同见解的各方获得沟通的平台

to bridge misunderstandings.

来消除各自的误解。

I know that listening to one another will not magically solve all problems.

我知道靠倾听无法 神奇地解决所有问题。

But it will give a chance to create avenues

但可以给我们机会创建渠道，

to start to work together to solve many of humanity's problems.

为解决诸多人道问题来共同努力。

With my first play, "Silent Voices,"

我的第一部戏剧，“沉默的声音”

based on interviews with victims of the Northern Uganda war

素材来自于乌干达 北部战争受害者的采访，

between the government and Joseph Kony's LRA rebel group,

这是政府军和约瑟夫·科尼的 LRA反叛军之间的战争。

I brought together victims, political leaders, religious leaders,

我把战争受害者， 政治领袖，宗教领袖，

cultural leaders, the Amnesty Commission and transitional justice leadership

文化领袖，特赦委员会 和过渡政府领导人召集到一起

for critical conversations on issues of justice for war crime victims --

严肃交流了一些紧要话题 为战争罪行的受害者诉求公道——

the first of its kind in the history of Uganda.

这在乌干达的历史上是第一次。

And so many powerful things happened,

之间发生了许多有影响力的事，

that I can't even cover them all right now.

时间有限，我无法全部诉说。

Victims were given the opportunity to sit at the table

受害者有了这个机会

with Amnesty Commission leadership,

和特赦委员会的领导人坐在一起，

and they expressed the big injustice they suffered

表达他们所经受的 巨大的不公正待遇，

when the Commission ignored them

当时特赦委员会忽视了他们

and instead facilitated the resettlement of the war perpetrators.

反而帮助战争肇事者重建家园。

And the Amnesty Commission acknowledged the victims' pain

特赦委员会承认了受害者的痛苦

and explained the thinking behind their flawed approaches.

并解释了那有缺陷的措施 背后的想法。

But one of the things that has stayed with me

我还记得其中有一件事，

is when, during my Northern Uganda tour of the play,

当我的戏剧在乌干达北部巡演时，

a man approached me and introduced himself

有一个男人找到我，自称

as a former rebel soldier of Joseph Kony.

是一个前反叛军的士兵。

他告诉我，他不想让我带着失望离开，

He told me that he didn't want me to leave feeling disappointed,

due to some of what I considered inappropriate laughter.

因为当时我听到一些不恰当的笑声。

He explained that his was a laughter of embarrassment

他解释说那是尴尬的笑声

and a recognition of his own embarrassment.

并且意识到了自己的困窘。

He saw himself in the actors onstage

他在舞台上看到了自己，

and saw the meaninglessness of his past actions.

并且看到了自己曾经的行为 毫无意义。

So I say: share your truths.

于是我说：分享你自己的真理。

Listen to one another's truths.

也倾听其它人的真理。

You will discover a more powerfully uniting truth

你将会在中间地带

in the middle ground.

发现一个更有力的共识。

When I lived in the USA,

当我在美国生活的时候，

many of my American friends would be shocked at my ignorance

我的很多美国朋友 会吃惊于我对

at fancy Western dishes like lasagna, for instance.

高级的西餐的愚昧无知， 比如千层面。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And my question to them would be,

然后我就会问他们，

"Well, do you know malakwang?"

“那么，你听说过malakwang吗？”

And then I would tell them about malakwang,

然后我会告诉他们，

a fancy vegetable dish from my culture.

malakwang是我们文化中 的一道高级蔬菜料理。

And they would tell me about lasagna.

他们会告诉我什么是千层面。

And we would leave richer and fuller individuals.

结果我们会变得更丰富和完满。

Therefore, share your recipe truth.

所以，分享你的菜谱吧，

It makes for a better meal.

你会做出更好的菜肴。

Thank you.

谢谢你们！

(Applause)

（掌声）