Photos that give voice to the animal kingdom | Frans Lanting

譯者: Zhiting Chen 審譯者: Geoff Chen

Humanity takes center stage at TED,

人類是 TED 舞台的中心，

but I would like to add a voice for the animals,

但我想加入一些 動物的聲音，

whose bodies and minds and spirits shaped us.

牠們的身體，思想和精神 塑造了我們。

Some years ago, it was my good fortune

數年前，我很有幸

to meet a tribal elder on an island

在離溫哥華不遠的小島上

not far from Vancouver.

見到一位部落長老。

His name is Jimmy Smith,

他名叫幾米·史密斯，

and he shared a story with me

他與我分享了一個

that is told among his people,

在部落住民間廣為流傳的一個故事，

who call themselves the Kwikwasut'inuxw.

這些住民自稱為 Kwikwasut'inuxw。

Once upon a time, he told me,

很久很久以前，他說，

all animals on Earth were one.

地球上所有的動物是一樣的。

Even though they look different on the outside,

即使牠們有著不同的外表，

inside, they're all the same,

內在確是相同的，

and from time to time they would gather

牠們時常會相聚在

at a sacred cave deep inside the forest

森林深處一個神聖的洞穴

to celebrate their unity.

慶祝牠們的同一性。

When they arrived,

當牠們到那裡的時候，

they would all take off their skins.

牠們會脫去皮囊。

Raven shed his feathers, bear his fur,

烏鴉脫去羽毛，熊脫去皮毛，

and salmon her scales,

三文魚脫去鱗片，

and then, they would dance.

然後，牠們跳舞。

But one day, a human made it to the cave

但某一天，一個人類到達了這個洞穴

and laughed at what he saw

對著眼前的一切大笑

because he did not understand.

因為他無法理解這樣的行為。

Embarrassed, the animals fled,

動物們感到很尷尬，紛紛離開，

and that was the last time

那是最後一次

they revealed themselves this way.

牠們如此這般展現自己。

The ancient understanding that underneath

古老的智慧，

their separate identities, all animals are one,

在動物們各異的外表下， 所有的動物都是一樣的，

has been a powerful inspiration to me.

這給我帶來了巨大的靈感。

I like to get past the fur, the feathers

我想要穿透皮毛、羽毛

and the scales.

和鱗片。

I want to get under the skin.

我想要了解皮膚裡面的東西。

No matter whether I'm facing a giant elephant

無論我是面對一頭巨大的大象

or a tiny tree frog,

或是一隻小小的樹蛙，

my goal is to connect us with them, eye to eye.

我的目標是連結我們和牠們，心有靈犀。

You may wonder, do I ever photograph people?

你可能會問，我拍攝人類嗎？

Sure. People are always present in my photos,

當然。人類時常出現在我的攝影作品裏，

no matter whether they appear

無論是

to portray tortoises

假扮烏龜，

or cougars

或是美洲豹，

or lions.

或是獅子。

You just have to learn how to look past their disguise.

你只需要了解如何看穿偽裝。

As a photographer,

作為一名攝影師，

I try to reach beyond the differences

我試圖達到超越

in our genetic makeup

我們基因不同之下

to appreciate all we have in common

來領會我們

with every other living thing.

與其他生物的相同之處。

When I use my camera,

當我使用照相機，

I drop my skin

我脫去我的皮膚，

like the animals at that cave

就像那些洞穴里的動物一樣

so I can show who they really are.

於是我能展現出牠們真實的模樣。

As animals blessed

正如動物們

with the power of rational thought,

被理性思考的力量庇護著，

we can marvel at the intricacies of life.

我們驚訝於生命的錯綜複雜。

As citizens of a planet in trouble,

作為生活在遇到麻煩的星球上的人，

it is our moral responsibility

我們有道德責任

to deal with the dramatic loss in diversity of life.

來處理生物多樣性急劇降低的問題。

But as humans with hearts,

但作為有心有感情的人類，

we can all rejoice in the unity of life,

我們可以慶祝生命的連結，

and perhaps we can change

也許我們能改變

what once happened in that sacred cave.

那個神聖洞穴裡層發生的事。

Let's find a way to join the dance.

讓我們加入動物們的舞蹈。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）