How I use art to bridge misunderstanding | Adong Judith

譯者: Chen Chi-An 審譯者: Peipei Xiang

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

我是一名作家兼導演， 我講有關社會變遷的故事，

because I believe stories touch and move us.

因為我相信故事能 觸及內心並感動我們，

故事賦予我們人性， 並教會我們同理心，

Stories humanize and teach us to empathize.

Stories change us.

故事能改變我們。

When I write and direct plays,

當我寫作和執導時，

I'm amplifying voices of disadvantaged groups,

我替弱勢族群發聲，

I'm fighting the self-censorship

我對抗自我審查，

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

自我審查讓很多烏干達的藝術家們 遠離社會和政治的舞台──

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

自從前總統伊迪・阿敏 開始迫害藝術家後。

And most importantly, I am breaking the silence

最重要的是我打破沉默，

and provoking meaningful conversations on taboo issues,

在禁忌話題上開啟有意義的對話；

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

「沈默是金」通常是 這些話題的經驗法則。

Conversations are important

對話很重要，

because they inform and challenge our minds to think,

因為它能提供資訊 及挑戰我們的心靈去思考，

and change starts with thinking.

而改變始於思考。

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

行動主義讓我糾結的一點 是它通常是片面的，

that blinds us to alternative view,

使我們看不見反面的觀點，

that numbs our empathy,

使我們的同理心變得麻木，

that makes us view those who see issues differently

使我們視不同觀點的人為

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

無知、自怨自艾、被洗腦、 容易妥協或愚蠢的。

I believe no one is ignorant.

我相信沒有人是無知的，

We are all experts, only in different fields.

我們都是專家，只是領域不同而已。

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

這也是為何我認為 「堅持你的真理」這句話會誤導人，

Because if you're staying in your truth,

因為如果你堅持你的真理，

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

那個你認為不對的人

is also staying in their truth?

不也是在堅持他的真理嗎？

So, what you have is two extremes

如此一來就會出現兩個極端，

that shut out all possible avenues of conversations.

將所有可能的溝通途徑統統堵死。

I create provocative theater and film to touch, humanize

我創造發人深思的戲劇和影片， 去觸動和賦予人性，

and move disagreeing parties to the conversation table

並使意見不同的各方坐下來對話，

以消除彼此之間的誤解。

to bridge misunderstandings.

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

我知道只靠聆聽 無法神奇地解決所有問題，

But it will give a chance to create avenues

但它可以提供這樣的機會，

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

讓人們開始互相合作， 解決許多人類的問題。

With my first play, "Silent Voices,"

我的第一部齣戲《沈默的聲音》

based on interviews with victims of the Northern Uganda war

是根據訪談烏干達北部的 戰爭受害者而作，

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

這是場政府和約瑟夫．柯尼 所領導的聖主抵抗軍間的戰爭。

I brought together victims, political leaders, religious leaders,

我將受害者、政治領袖、宗教領袖、

cultural leaders, the Amnesty Commission and transitional justice leadership

文化領袖、特赦組織 及過渡司法領導人聚集在一起，

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

就戰爭罪、受害者的正義問題 展開關鍵的對話──

the first of its kind in the history of Uganda.

這是烏干達史上的第一次。

And so many powerful things happened,

許多有影響力的事情發生了，

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

我現在無法全部說明；

Victims were given the opportunity to sit at the table

受難者有機會

與特赦組織的領導階層坐在一起，

with Amnesty Commission leadership,

and they expressed the big injustice they suffered

表達他們所遭受的巨大不公──

when the Commission ignored them

當時特赦組織忽視戰爭受難者，

and instead facilitated the resettlement of the war perpetrators.

反而將戰爭肇事者重新安置。

And the Amnesty Commission acknowledged the victims' pain

特赦組織承認受難者的痛苦，

and explained the thinking behind their flawed approaches.

並解釋當時實施那有缺陷 的措施背後的邏輯。

But one of the things that has stayed with me

但其中讓我難忘的一件事是

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

在北烏干達巡迴演出時，

a man approached me and introduced himself

有個男士走向我，並開始自我介紹。

他是前叛軍約瑟夫．柯尼麾下的士兵，

as a former rebel soldier of Joseph Kony.

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

他告訴我他不想讓我 帶著失望的心情離開，

due to some of what I considered inappropriate laughter.

因為演出時有些 我認為不適當的笑聲，

He explained that his was a laughter of embarrassment

他解釋他發笑乃是出於尷尬，

and a recognition of his own embarrassment.

是承認他自己尷尬的笑聲。

He saw himself in the actors onstage

他在台上的演員中看見了自己，

and saw the meaninglessness of his past actions.

並看到自己過去的行為毫無意義。

So I say: share your truths.

所以我說：「講述你的真相，

Listen to one another's truths.

聆聽別人的真相，

You will discover a more powerfully uniting truth

你會在其中找到

in the middle ground.

更有力的、和睦的真相。」

When I lived in the USA,

我生活在美國的時候，

many of my American friends would be shocked at my ignorance

很多美國朋友對我的無知感到驚訝，

at fancy Western dishes like lasagna, for instance.

因為我不懂華麗的西式餐點， 例如千層麵。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And my question to them would be,

而我則會問他們：

"Well, do you know malakwang?"

「嗯，那你知道 malakwang 嗎？」

And then I would tell them about malakwang,

接著我會告訴他們，

a fancy vegetable dish from my culture.

malakwang 是我們文化中 一道精緻的蔬食料理。

And they would tell me about lasagna.

他們則告訴我千層麵是什麼，

And we would leave richer and fuller individuals.

這樣子我們都會變成更豐富的人。

Therefore, share your recipe truth.

因此，分享你的食譜真相吧，

It makes for a better meal.

那會使膳食更好！

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）