Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin: A musical that examines black identity in the 1901 World's Fair | TED

譯者: Xiaoyan Deng 審譯者: Yuwei Duan

The archive.

提到檔案館，

One may envision rooms and shelves

大家想到的可能是房間和架子

stocked with boxes and cartons of old stuff.

堆滿了裝滿陳舊物件的盒子和紙箱。

And yet, for those who are patient enough to dig through it,

但如果能耐著性子好好挖掘，

the archive provides the precious opportunity

檔案館給人提供了非常珍貴的機會，

to touch the past,

得以碰觸過往，

to feel and learn from the experiences

感受並學習

那些深埋在檔案中已故先人的生活經歷。

of once-living people who now seem dead and buried deeply in the archive.

But what if there was a way to bring the archive to life?

但，如果有辦法賦予檔案生命呢？

Jon Michael Reese: "The world is thinking wrong about race."

強麥可瑞斯（強）：「 這個世界 看待種族的觀點是錯誤的。」

Melissa Joyner: "This country insists upon judging the Negro."

梅麗莎喬伊娜（梅）： 「這個國家堅決批判黑人。」

JMR: "Because it does not know."

強：「因為沒人知道真相。」

AYGTK: What if one could make it breathe?

講者：如果有人可以讓檔案呼吸呢？

MJ: "By his lowest and most vicious representatives."

梅：「用他最低劣的代表。」

AYGTK: Speak.

講者：說話。

強：「一次真誠、直白的展示。」

JMR: "An honest, straightforward exhibit."

AYGTK: And even sing to us,

講者：甚至對我們唱歌，

這麼一來，人人都能取用檔案。

so that the archive becomes accessible to everyone.

What would performing the archive look like?

如果將這些檔案表演出來 會是什麼樣？

A performance that is not simply based on a true story

這樣的表演不只依據真實故事改編，

but one that allows us to come face-to-face

也建立了我們能和已逝事物

with things we thought were once dead and buried.

直接面對面接觸的橋樑。

(Piano music)

（鋼琴音樂）

This is what "At Buffalo," a new musical we're developing,

這就是我們正在準備的 新音樂劇《在水牛城》

is all about.

要展現的。

Using collections from over 30 archival institutions,

引用了超過 30 間檔案館的典藏，

"At Buffalo" performs the massive archive of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition,

演繹了 1901 年 泛美洲博覽會的大量檔案。

the first World's Fair of the 20th century,

它是二十世紀的第一場世界博覽會，

held in Buffalo, New York.

在紐約水牛城舉辦。

Now, if you've heard of this fair,

如果你聽說過這場博覽會，

it might be because this is where then-US president, William McKinley,

應該是因為當時的 美國總統威廉·麥金利

was assassinated.

就是在這場博覽會中遇刺身亡的。

For nearly 17 years,

近十七年以來，

I've stayed inside the gates and the archive of this fair,

我仍然停留在這場博覽會中， 與其檔案為伴，

not only because of that story

不只是因為總統的關係，

but because of a real life-and-death racial drama

更是因為一場攸關生死的種族戲碼

that played out on the fairgrounds.

在博覽會場地真實上演了。

Here, in a place that was like Disney World, the Olympics,

在這場像是把迪士尼、奧運、

carnivals, museums, all in one,

嘉年華、博物館融合為一體會場內，

there were three conflicting displays of what it meant to be black

有三場衝突性表演 都能體現黑人在美國的處境。

in the United States.

The archive says white showmen presented

檔案裡記載，白人表演者展現了

a savage black origin

野蠻的黑人血統，

in the form of 98 West and Central Africans,

是由 98 位西非和中非人

living and performing war dances

表演的一種現場戰舞表演，

in a recreated village called Darkest Africa.

在一個名為「最黑暗的非洲」的 重建村落裡。

And across the street,

而在街對面，

a happy slave life,

表現的是快樂的奴隸生活，

in the form of 150 Southern black performers,

由 150 位南方黑人表演者

picking cotton,

採棉花、

singing and dancing minstrel shows

載歌載舞，

in a recreated antebellum attraction called Old Plantation.

在名為「舊種植園」的 一個重建戰前景點。

As a response,

作為回應，

the black Buffalo community championed the third display of blackness:

水牛城黑人社區 獻上了第三齣黑人表演：

the Negro Exhibit.

《黑人展》

Codesigned by African American scholar W.E.B. Du Bois,

是與非裔美國學者杜波依斯

共同設計的。

it curated photographs, charts, books and more,

展出了照片、圖表、書籍等，

to show black Americans as a high-achieving race,

用以展現美國黑人是優秀的種族，

capable of education and progress.

有能力接受高等教育和獲得進步。

When I first encountered this story,

我第一次聽到這個故事時，

I understood from my own life experience

我的人生經驗讓我明白，

what was at stake to have members of the African diaspora

非洲僑民如此看待彼此

see each other like this.

迫在眉睫的問題是什麼。

For me, as the child of immigrant parents from Ghana, West Africa,

作為西非迦納移民的後代，

born in the American South,

我在美國南部出生，

raised in Manhattan, Kansas,

在堪薩斯州曼哈頓長大，

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

and having attended the same elite school as Du Bois,

與杜波依斯上同一所精英學校。

I could see that the Buffalo fair effectively pitted

我可以看出， 水牛城博覽會非常有效地

the black Northerner against the Southerner,

挑起了北方和南方黑人的對立，

the educated against the uneducated,

受教育者和未受教育者的對立，

and the African American against the African.

非裔美國人和非洲人的對立。

And I wanted to know:

我想知道的是：

How did these three distinct groups of black folk navigate this experience?

這三群全然不同的黑人民眾 是如何應對這次的經歷的？

Unfortunately, the archive had answers to questions like this

不幸的是，檔案館中 能找到的這種問題的答案

underneath racial caricature,

卻是種族諷刺、

conflicting information and worse -- silence.

矛盾資訊、

甚至還有更糟的——沉默。

(Piano music)

（鋼琴音樂）

Still, I could hear musical melodies

但，我仍然能聽到音樂旋律，

and see dance numbers

看到舞蹈表演，

and the rhythms of the words

感受到文字的節奏，

coming off the pages of old newspaper articles.

躍然於舊報刊的文章中。

And learning that this World's Fair

當得知那次世界博覽會

had music playing everywhere on its fairgrounds,

整個會場都播放著音樂，

I knew that live, immersive, spectacular musical theater,

我便知道這嘆為觀止的 沉浸式現場音樂劇

with the latest technologies of our time,

擁有那個時代最尖端的技術，

is the closest experience that can bring the archival story of the 1901 fair

能將 1901 世博會的檔案故事 搬出檔案盒，搬上舞台，

out of boxes and into life.

給我們最為身臨其境的一次體驗。

Stories, like Tannie and Henrietta,

比如坦尼和亨莉雅妲的故事，

a husband and wife vaudeville duo in love

這對相愛的輕歌舞劇夫婦

who become at odds over performing these "coon" minstrel shows

為了實現一週五美金的夢想，

while striving for their five-dollar-a-week dream

在舊種植園景點努力工作，

in the Old Plantation attraction.

在表演這些「黑人」吟遊劇時 產生了矛盾。

Like African businessman John Tevi,

比如非洲商人約翰·泰瑞

from present-day Togo,

來自今天的多哥共和國，

who must outwit the savage rules of the human zoo

想必他也曾深陷 人類動物園的殘酷規則，

in which he has become trapped.

最終機智逃脫。

And stories like Mary Talbert,

還有瑪莉·塔博的故事，

a wealthy leader of the black Buffalo elite,

水牛城一位富有的黑人精英領袖，

who must come to terms

也肯定不得不妥協於

with the racial realities of her home town.

家鄉的種族現實。

MJ: "The dominant race in this country

梅：「這個國家的統治種族

insists upon judging the Negro

堅持用黑人中最低劣的代表

by his lowest and most vicious representatives."

來評判黑人。」

AYGTK: Like Old Plantation and Darkest Africa.

講者：就像「舊種植園」 和「最黑暗的非洲」。

MJ: "... instead of by the more intelligent and worthy classes."

梅：「⋯⋯而不是用他們 更有智慧更令人尊敬的階層。」

AYGTK: When fair directors ignored Mary Talbert

講者：當博覽會負責人無視瑪莉·塔博

and the local black Buffalo community's request to participate in the fair,

以及水牛城當地黑人社區 想要參加博覽會的請求時，

newspapers say that Mary Talbert

報紙上報導，瑪莉·塔博

and her club of educated African American women

和她那群受過教育的 非洲裔美國女精英們

held a rousing protest meeting.

召開了令人振奮的抗議大會。

But the details of that meeting,

但是那場大會的細節，

even down to the fiery speech she gave,

以及她所做的激情演講，

were not fully captured in the archive.

都沒有完整紀錄在案。

So, "At Buffalo" takes the essence of Mary's speech

所以，《在水牛城》 將瑪莉·塔博的演講精髓

and turns it into song.

改編為一首歌曲。

(All singing) We must, we are unanimous.

（齊唱）我們必須團結一心， 我們眾志成城。

We must, we are unanimous.

我們必須團結一心，我們眾志成城。

MJ: We've got something to show --

梅：我們有話要講——

we're going to teach a lesson in Buffalo.

水牛城有一課要上。

It would benefit the nation

若見證我們解放以來的發展成長，

to see our growth since emancipation.

國家將受益匪淺。

Colored people should be represented in this Pan-American exposition,

泛美博覽會上 有色人種應有代表在場，

it would benefit the nation

若見證我們解放以來的發展成長，

to see our growth since emancipation.

國家將受益匪淺。

(All singing) They made a great mistake

（齊唱）他們犯了大錯，

not to appoint someone from the race.

未任命有色人種出場。

We must, we are unanimous.

我們必須團結一心，我們眾志成城。

We must, we are unanimous.

我們必須團結一心，我們眾志成城。

We must, we are unanimous.

我們必須團結一心，我們眾志成城。

AYGTK: Mary Talbert successfully demands that the Negro Exhibit come to the fair.

講者：瑪莉·塔博成功地 要求將美國黑人展帶到博覽會。

And to have the Negro Exhibit in Buffalo

黑人展進入水牛城

means that the musical must tell the story behind why Du Bois cocreated it ...

意味著音樂劇必須講述 杜波依斯合作此展覽的背後故事⋯⋯

and why Mary and the black elite felt it was urgently needed.

以及為什麼瑪莉·塔博等黑人精英們 迫切需要這次展出。

JMR: "The world is thinking wrong about race.

強：「這個世界 看待種族的觀點是錯誤的。

They killed Sam Hose for who they thought he was.

就因為他們以為的 山姆·霍斯的身分而殺了他。

And more men like him, every day,

每天，還有許多像山姆一樣的人，

more Negro men, like him, taken apart.

許多的黑人，像他一樣，被虐殺。

And after that -- that red ray ...

在那之後——那道紅線⋯⋯

we can never be the same.

我們再也無法回到從前。

(Singing) A red ray

（齊唱）一道紅線

[A man hunt in Georgia]

[一個在喬治亞州被搜捕的男人]

cut across my desk

橫切我的書桌

[Mob after Hose; he will be lynched if caught]

[一夥暴徒在追捕霍斯 如果被抓，他將被處以私刑]

the very day

那天

Sam's hands were laid to rest.

山姆撒手人寰。

Can words alone withstand the laws unjust?

只靠言語可以反抗不公正的法律嗎？

[Escape seems impossible]

[逃跑似乎是不可能的了]

Can words alone withstand the violence?

只靠言語可以反抗暴力嗎？

Oh, no, oh.

哦，不，哦。

[Burned alive]

[被活活燒死]

[Sam Hose is lynched]

[山姆·霍斯被私刑處死]

Oh, no, oh.

哦，不，哦。

[His body cut in many pieces]

[他的身體被大卸八塊]

Oh, no, oh.

哦，不，哦。

[Burned at the Stake]

[還被處以火刑]

[Ten Cents Slice Cooked Liver.]

[10美分] [一片]

[煮熟] [肝臟]

[Fight for souvenirs.]

[爭搶戰利品]

(Both singing) Who has read the books?

（合唱）誰讀過那些書？

Our numbers and statistics look small

我們的數字和統計在書頁上

against the page.

顯得過於渺小。

The crisis has multiplied.

危機四伏。

Our people are lynched and died.

我們的人民在私刑虐殺中死亡。

Oh, Lord.

哦上帝啊。

Something must change.

有些事必須改變。

AYGTK: Something must change.

講者：有些事必須改變。

"At Buffalo" reveals how the United States today

《在水牛城》揭示了今天的美國

stands at similar crossroads as 1901 America.

同 1901 年的美國 站在相似的十字路口上。

Just as the name of Sam Hose filled newspapers back then,

就像當時的報紙充斥著 山姆·霍斯德名字一般，

today's media carries the names of:

現在的媒體也都寫有這些姓名：

JMR: Oscar Grant.

強：奧斯卡·格蘭 （2009 年被美國警察殺害的黑人男性）

MJ: Jacqueline Culp.

梅：傑奎琳·卡爾普 （2012 年被美國警車撞死的黑人女性）

Pianist: Trayvon Martin.

鋼琴師：特勒沃恩·馬丁 （2012 年被槍殺的 17 歲黑人男性）

AYGTK: Sandra Bland.

講者：桑德拉·布蘭德 （2015 年死於獄中的黑人女性）

And too many others.

還有許多其他人。

The 1901 fair's legacies persist

1901 年博覽會的遺留問題 一直存在，

in more ways than we can imagine.

比我們想像的更嚴重。

MJ: Mary Talbert

強：瑪莉·塔博

and the National Association of Colored Women

以及美國有色人種婦女協會

started movements against lynching

開啟一系列反對私刑

and the myth of black criminality

和反對誤解黑人犯罪的運動，

just as black women today started Black Lives Matter.

就像今天的黑人婦女 展開的「黑人的命也是命」運動。

JMR: And some of the same people who fought for

強：當年奮力爭取並創作了美國黑人展

and created the Negro Exhibit,

那群人中的一些，

including Du Bois,

包括杜波依斯，

came to Buffalo, four years after the fair,

在博覽會四年後又來到水牛城，

to start the Niagara Movement,

展開了尼亞加拉運動，

which set the groundwork for the creation of the NAACP.

為全國有色人種協進會的成立 奠定了基礎。

AYGTK: It's not just black folks

講者：不僅是黑人

who had a peculiar experience at the 1901 fair.

在 1901 年博覽會上 有過如此獨特的經歷。

An official handbook informed fair-goers:

一本官方手冊是這樣 告知博覽會參加者的：

MJ: "Please remember:"

梅：「請記住：」

JMR: "... once you get inside the gate,"

強：「一旦你進入展會大門，」

AYGTK: "... you are a part of the show."

講者：「你就是演出的一部分。」

Performing the archive in "At Buffalo"

《在水牛城》中演繹檔案

allows audiences to ask themselves,

使觀眾得以自問：

"Are we still inside the gates,

「我們還在展會大門裡嗎？

and are we all still part of the show?"

我們還是這場演出的一部分嗎？」

(Music ends)

(Applause and cheers)

（掌聲和歡呼）