How Africa can use its traditional knowledge to make progress | Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu

翻译人员: Phil Fang 校对人员: Mingxia Liu

Some months back, I was visiting this East African city,

几个月前， 我去拜访一个东非的城市，

and we were stuck in traffic.

我们正好堵在路上

And this vendor suddenly approaches my window

一个小商贩走到我们车窗边

with a half-opened alphabet sheet.

手里拿着半开的字母表

I took a quick look at the alphabet sheet,

我迅速的看了一下字母表

and I thought of my daughter,

然后我想起了我的女儿

how it would be nice to spread it on the floor

如果把它铺在地上

and just play all over it with her

让我女儿在上面玩耍的同时

while getting her to learn the alphabet.

还能学习字母是多好啊

So the traffic moved a bit, and I quickly grabbed a copy,

当车流开始走动 我马上买了一份

and we moved on.

然后我们就走了

When I had time to fully open the alphabet sheet

当我有空完全打开字母表时

and take a more detailed look at it,

更加仔细的看了它

I knew I was not going to use that to teach my daughter.

我意识到我不会用它来教我女儿

I regretted my purchase.

我后悔买了这个东西

Why so?

为什么这样？

Looking at the alphabet sheet reminded me of the fact

看到字母表提醒了我

that not much has changed

非洲的教育课程

in the education curricula in Africa.

没有太多改变

Some decades back, I was taught out of a similar alphabet sheet.

几十年前，我也是学相似的字母表

And because of that, I struggled for years.

正因如此，我挣扎了多年

I struggled to reconcile my reality with the formal education I received

我努力使自己的现状 与我之前所受的教育和解

in school, in the schools I attended.

在学校，在我上过的学校

I had identity crises.

我当时不认同自己的身份

I looked down on my reality.

我不看好我的现状

I looked at my ancestry, I looked at my lineage with disrespect.

我想到我的祖先， 不再以尊重的眼光看待我的血统

I had very little patience for what my life had to offer around me.

我对我的生活失去耐心

Why?

为什么？

"A is for apple."

"A is for apple."

"A is for apple."

"A is for apple."

"A is for apple" is for that child in that part of the world

"A is for apple." 只适用于有苹果生长的

where apples grow out;

地方的孩子们

who has an apple in her lunch bag;

午餐背包里有苹果的孩子们

who goes to the grocery store with her mom and sees red,

可以跟妈妈去杂货店里

green, yellow -- apples of all shapes and colors and sizes.

看到各种形状大小，红、绿、黄 各种颜色的孩子们

And so, introducing education to this child

所以，教育这样的孩子时

with an alphabet sheet like this

可以用这样的字母表

fulfills one of the major functions of education,

来履行教育中的一个重要作用

which is to introduce the learner

给学生介绍

to an appreciation of the learner's environment

让他们认识他们的环境

and a curiosity to explore more in order to add value.

激起他们的好奇心去探索 增长见闻

In my own case,

就我个人而言

when and where I grew up in Africa,

我在非洲长大的这段时间和地点

apple was an exotic fruit.

苹果是外来水果

Two or three times a year,

一年也就两三次

I could get some yellowish apples with brown dots, you know,

我能得到些带棕色斑点的淡黄色苹果

signifying thousands of miles traveled -- warehouses storing --

意味着经过了千万里运输、仓储

to get to me.

来到我这儿

I grew up in the city

我在城市长大

to very financially comfortable parents,

父母经济宽裕

so it was my dignified reality,

所以我的现状还算有尊严

exactly the same way

同样的

cassava fufu or ugali would not regularly feature

甜木薯或者粗玉米粉也不会经常出现在

in an American, Chinese or Indian diet,

美国、中国或印度餐桌上

apples didn't count as part of my reality.

苹果不算我生活的一部分

So what this did to me,

那这对我意味着什么

introducing education to me with "A is for apple,"

用"A is for apple,"来教育我

made education an abstraction.

让教育抽象化

It made it something out of my reach --

使一些东西触不可及

a foreign concept,

一个外国概念

a phenomenon for which I would have to constantly and perpetually seek

一种我不得不持续尝试

the validation of those it belonged to

它存在、并且于我有关

for me to make progress within it and with it.

我才能在现有的知识基础上更上层楼

That was tough for a child; it would be tough for anyone.

这对孩子来说很难， 可能对所有人都很难

As I grew up and I advanced academically,

随着我的成长，学业有所进展

my reality was further separated from my education.

我的环境和我所受的教育 愈发背道而驰

In history, I was taught

历史课上

that the Scottish explorer Mungo Park discovered the Niger River.

我学到苏格兰探险家 蒙哥·帕克发现了尼日河

And so it bothered me.

我备受困扰

My great-great-grandparents grew up

我的曾曾祖父母

quite close to the edge of the Niger River.

在尼日河畔长大

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And it took someone to travel thousands of miles from Europe

有人从欧洲跨越了数千里

to discover a river right under their nose?

去发现他们脚下的一条河？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

No!

不！

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声和欢呼声）

What did they do with their time?

他们把时间都花在哪儿了？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Playing board games, roasting fresh yams,

玩棋盘游戏，烤新鲜的山药

fighting tribal wars?

部落战争？

I mean, I just knew my education was preparing me to go somewhere else

我只知道我的教育 是为了让我去别的地方

and practice and give to another environment that it belonged to.

教我如何在其他地方贡献所学

It was not for my environment, where and when I grew up.

它不适用于我所成长的环境

And this continued.

并且这仍在持续

This philosophy undergirded my studies

这种理念一直伴随着

all through the time I studied in Africa.

我在非洲的学习生涯

It took a lot of experiences and some studies

它耗费了我很多经历和一定的研究

for me to begin to have a change of mindset.

来开始改变观念

I will share a couple of the remarkable ones with us.

我要和大家分享一些不同寻常的经历

I was in the United States in Washington, DC

当时我在美国的华盛顿区

studying towards my doctorate,

攻读博士学位

and I got this consultancy position with the World Bank Africa Region.

我获得了世界银行非洲地区的咨询职位

And so I remember one day,

记得有一天

my boss -- we were having a conversation on some project,

我在与老板讨论一些项目

and he mentioned a particular World Bank project,

他提到了一个世界银行项目

a large-scale irrigation project that cost millions of dollars

一个在尼日尔共和国耗资百万美元的

in Niger Republic

大型灌溉项目

that was faltering sustainably.

进展持续缓慢

He said this project wasn't so sustainable,

他说这个项目不那么可持续

and it bothered those that instituted the whole package.

它将影响整体项目

But then he mentioned a particular project,

但他提出了一个特别的项目

a particular traditional irrigation method that was hugely successful

一种特别传统的灌溉方法获得了巨大成功

in the same Niger Republic where the World Bank project was failing.

在世界银行项目失败的尼日尔共和国

And that got me thinking.

这让我思考

So I did further research,

于是我做了进一步研究

and I found out about Tassa.

并且我发现了Tassa

Tassa is a traditional irrigation method

Tassa是一种传统的灌溉方法

where 20- to 30-centimeter-wide and 20- to 30-centimeter-deep holes

20~30CM宽、20~30CM深的洞

are dug across a field to be cultivated.

在田地被挖出来用于种植

Then, a small dam is constructed around the field,

然后在田地四周修筑小型水坝

and then crops are planted across the surface area.

在地表区域种植农作物

What happens is that when rain falls,

当下雨的时候

the holes are able to store the water

那些洞可以用于储水

and appropriate it to the extent that the plant needs the water.

刚好用于植物需要的水分

The plant can only assimilate as much water as needed

植物可以吸收充足的水分

until harvest time.

直到收获季节

Niger is 75 percent scorched desert,

尼日尔75%土地被沙漠覆盖

so this is something that is a life-or-death situation,

所以这是一个生死攸关的情况

and it has been used for centuries.

这种方式已经采用了几个世纪之久

In an experiment that was conducted,

在一个试验中

two similar plots of land were used in the experiment,

相似的两块田地

and one plot of land

其中一块地

did not have the Tassa technique on it.

没有采用Tassa技术

Similar plots.

相似的土地

The other one had Tassa technique constructed on it.

另一块采用了Tassa技术

Then similar grains of millet also were planted on both plots.

在两块土地种上相似的小米

During harvest time,

到了收获的时候

the plot of land without Tassa technique

没有采用Tassa技术的土地

yielded 11 kilograms of millet per hectare.

每公顷产出11kg小米

The plot of land with Tassa technique

采用Tassa技术的土地

yielded 553 kilograms of millet per hectare.

每公顷产出553kg小米

(Applause)

（掌声）

I looked at the research, and I looked at myself.

我看着研究报告，看着我自己

I said, "I studied agriculture for 12 years,

我说“我学了12年农业

from primary to Senior Six, as we say in East Africa,

小学到高中六年级在我们提到的东非

SS3 in West Africa or 12th grade.

SS3在西非或者12年级

No one ever taught me

没有人教过我

of any form of traditional African knowledge of cultivation --

关于耕种、收获等任何形式的

of harvesting, of anything --

传统非洲技术

that will work in modern times and actually succeed,

而它们仍有效并且确实成功

where something imported from the West would struggle to succeed.

那些从西方引进的却很难有效

That was when I knew the challenge,

在那个时我意识到这是一个挑战

the challenge of Africa's curricula,

对非洲课程的挑战

And I thus began my quest to dedicate my life, concern my life work,

于是我开始了我的追求， 献身于，将我的工作致力于

to studying, conducting research on Africa's own knowledge system

学习并研究非洲的知识系统

and being able to advocate for its mainstreaming

提倡其作为主流知识

in education, in research, policy

在教育、研发、政策

across sectors and industries.

贯穿各行业、工业领域

Another conversation and experience I had at the bank

在银行的另一次谈话和经历

I guess made me take that final decision of where I was going to go,

使我最终决定了我的去向

even though it wasn't the most lucrative research to go into,

即使这不是最有利可图的研究

but it was just about what I believed in.

但是这关乎于我的信念

And so one day, my boss said that he likes to go to Africa

一天，老板说他想去非洲

to negotiate World Bank loans and to work on World Bank projects.

协商世界银行的贷款 和世界银行的相关工作

And I was intrigued. I asked him why.

我当时相当好奇并问了他原因

He said, "Oh, when I go to Africa,

他说“噢，我去非洲的时候

it's so easy.

这太简单了

I just write up my loan documents and my project proposal in Washington, DC,

我只是在华盛顿写了贷款报告和项目方案

I go to Africa, and they all just get signed.

我到了非洲，他们在这些方案上签字就行了

I get the best deal, and I'm back to base.

我达成了最有利的交易，然后回到基地

My bosses are happy with me."

上司们对我很满意‘’

But then he said, "I hate going to Asia or ..."

但他接着说“我讨厌去亚洲或。。。”

and he mentioned a particular country, Asia and some of these countries.

他提到一个国家，亚洲和一些其他国家

"They keep me for this, trying to get the best deal for their countries.

“他们让我参与， 目的是给自己国家谋求最好的交易”

They get the best deal.

他们得到了最好的交易

They tell me, 'Oh, that clause will not work for us

他们告诉我“哦，这条款对我们不适用

in our environment.

在我们这边

It's not our reality. It's just so Western.'

这不符合我们现状，这适合西方。”

And they tell me, 'Oh, we have enough experts

他们告诉我“我们有足够多的专家

to take care of this.

解决这些问题

You don't have enough experts.

你们没有足够多的专家

We know our aim.'

我们知道我们的方向。”

And they just keep going through all these things.

他们只是按照这些进行

By the time they finish, yes, they get the best deal,

在他们完成之前， 他们得到最大的收益

but I'm so exhausted and I don't get the best deal for the bank,

但是我非常疲倦， 并且没有给银行带来最大利益

and we're in business."

我们是在做生意

"Really?" I thought in my head, "OK."

“真的吗？”我思考说“OK”

I was privileged to sit in on a loan negotiating session

我有幸参加了一个贷款谈判会议

in an African country.

在一个非洲国家

So I would do these consultancy positions during summer,

自从我作为博士生以来

you know, since I was a doctoral student.

夏天我都会去做这些项目的顾问

And then I traveled with the team, with the World Bank team,

整个行程都与世界银行团队一起

as more like someone to help out with organizational matters.

像是在帮助组织做事

But I sat in during the negotiating session.

但在那次协商会议中

I had mostly Euro-Americans, you know, with me from Washington, DC.

我与来自华盛顿的欧美人一起

And I looked across the table at my African brothers and sisters.

谈判桌对面坐的是我非洲的同胞

I could see intimidation on their faces.

我能看到他们脸上的恐慌

They didn't believe they had anything to offer

他们不认为自己 可以给蒙哥·帕克的曾曾子孙们

the great-great-grandchildren of Mungo Park --

提供任何帮助

the owners of "apple" in "A is for apple."

“apple”in“A is for apple”的拥有者

They just sat and watched: "Oh, just give us, let us sign.

他们只是坐在那儿看着： “噢，给我们，让我们签吧

You own the knowledge. You know it all.

你们拥有技术，你们知道一切

Just, where do we sign? Show us, let us sign."

我们在哪儿签？告诉我们，让我们签”

They had no voice. They didn't believe in themselves.

他们不吭声 他们不相信自己

Excuse me.

不好意思

And so,

因此

I have been doing this for a decade.

我为此努力了十年

I have been conducting research on Africa's knowledge system,

我已经对非洲的知识系统进行研究

original, authentic, traditional knowledge.

原始的、真实的、传统的知识

In the few cases where this has been implemented in Africa,

有一小部分案例在非洲被实行

there has been remarkable successes recorded.

已经有标志意义的成功记录了

I think of Gacaca.

我想到了 Gacaca

Gacaca is Rwanda's traditional judicial system

Gacaca 是卢旺达的一种司法系统

that was used after the genocide.

在大屠杀之后被使用

In 1994, when the genocide ended,

在1994年，当大屠杀结束时

Rwanda's national court system was in shambles:

卢旺达的国家司法系统进展缓慢

no judges, no lawyers to try hundreds of thousands of genocide cases.

没有法官和律师 能处理成百上千的屠杀案件

So the government of Rwanda came up with this idea

所以卢旺达政府想出这个方案

to resuscitate a traditional judicial system known as Gacaca.

重新启用叫 Gacaca 的传统司法系统

Gacaca is a community-based judicial system,

Gacaca 是一种以社区为基础的司法系统

where community members come together

社区成员聚集到 一起

to elect men and women of proven integrity

推选诚实守信的人

to try cases of crimes committed within these communities.

来处理这些社区内提交的犯罪案件

So by the time Gacaca concluded its trial of genocide cases in 2012,

在2012年之前， Gacaca被用于屠杀案件的审判

12,000 community-based courts had tried approximately 1.2 million cases.

12000 个社区法院 处理了大概一百二十万例案件

That's a record.

破了记录。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

Most importantly is that Gacaca emphasized Rwanda's traditional philosophy

最重要的是 Gacaca 强调了卢旺达

of reconciliation and reintegration,

和解和重返社会的传统学说

as against the whole punitive and banishment idea

用于反对今天西方社会的

that undergirds present-day Western style.

整体流放和惩罚的想法

And not to compare, but just to say that it really emphasized

不是为了做比较， 只是为了表达这确实强调了

Rwanda's traditional method of philosophy.

卢旺达的传统方式

And so it was Mwalimu Julius Nyerere,

坦桑尼亚的前总统

former president of Tanzania --

Mwalimu Julius Nyerere 也有类似理论

(Applause)

（掌声）

who said that you cannot develop people.

他提出你无法发展人民

People will have to develop themselves.

人民必须自我发展

I agree with Mwalimu.

我同意Mwalimu的观点

I am convinced

我深信

that Africa's further transformation, Africa's advancement,

非洲进一步的转变，非洲的进步

rests simply in the acknowledgment, validation and mainstreaming

依靠非洲自身传统的、 真实的、纯粹的、本土的知识

of Africa's own traditional, authentic, original, indigenous knowledge

价值和主航道

in education, in research, in policy making and across sectors.

在教育、研发、政策等各方面

This is not going to be easy for Africa.

这对非洲来说并不容易

It is not going to be easy for a people used to being told how to think,

对于那些习惯被人牵着鼻子走的人 更为困难

what to do, how to go about it,

做什么，如何达成目标

a people long subjected to the intellectual guidance

对长期受知识指导的人

and direction of others,

跟着他人步伐的人

be they the colonial masters,

他们是殖民地的主人

aid industry or international news media.

国际援助业或者国际新闻媒体

But it is a task that we have to do to make progress.

但这是一项为了发展 我们必须要做的工作

I am strengthened by the words of Joseph Shabalala,

Joseph Shabalala 的话鼓舞了我

founder of the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

他是南非合唱团组合 Ladysmith Black Mambazo 的创始人

He said that the task ahead of us can never, ever be greater

他说我们肩负的任务远没有

than the power within us.

我们自身的能力大

We can do it.

我们可以做到

We can unlearn looking down on ourselves.

我们可以忘却对自己的蔑视

We can learn to place value on our reality and our knowledge.

我们可以学着给我们的现状 和知识赋予价值

Thank you.

谢谢

(Swahili) Thank you very much.

（斯瓦希里语）非常感谢

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you. Thank you.

谢谢 谢谢

(Applause)

（掌声）