Fashion that celebrates African strength and spirit | Walé Oyéjidé

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Peipei Xiang

It is often said that the stories of history are written by its victors,

常有人說，歷史故事 是由勝利者書寫的，

but if this is true,

但，如果真是如此，

what becomes of the downtrodden,

那些受壓迫的人成了什麼？

and how can they ever hope to aspire for something greater

他們又要如何期望 能嚮往更偉大的事物，

if they are never told the stories of their own glorious pasts?

若從沒有人告訴他們 關於他們自己光榮過往的故事？

Ostensibly, I stand before you as a mere maker of clothing,

表面上，我站在大家面前的 身份只是個服飾製作者，

but within the folds of ancient fabrics and modern textiles,

但在古老織物和現代紡織的褶皺中，

I have found a higher calling.

我找到了更崇高的呼喚。

Through my work as a designer,

透過設計師的工作，

I've discovered the importance of providing representation

我發現很重要的一點是要能夠代表

for the marginalized members of our society,

我們社會中被邊緣化的成員，

and the importance of telling the most vulnerable among us

並且要告訴我們當中最脆弱的人,

that they no longer have to compromise themselves

他們不再需要妥協讓步，

just so they can fit in with an uncompromising majority.

只為了要融入不願妥協讓步的多數。

It turns out that fashion,

知道嗎？時尚──

a discipline many of us consider to be trivial,

許多人認為不重要的學科，

can actually be a powerful tool for dismantling bias

實際上是種強大的工具， 可以去除偏見，

and bolstering the self-images of underrepresented populations.

並改善那些邊緣人群的自我形象。

My interest in using design as a vehicle for social change

我對把設計當作社會 改變的工具很感興趣，

happens to be a personal one.

這跟我本身的經歷有關。

As a Nigerian American, I know how easily the term "African"

身為奈及利亞裔美國人， 我知道「非洲」這個詞

can slip from being an ordinary geographic descriptor

很容易就會從一般的地理描述詞，

to becoming a pejorative.

不知不覺中變成一個貶義詞語。

For those of us from this beautiful continent,

對我們來自這美麗大陸的人而言，

to be African is to be inspired by culture

身為非洲人的意義 就是被文化所鼓舞，

and to be filled with undying hope for the future.

對未來充滿不朽的希望。

So in an attempt to shift the misguided perceptions that many have

所以，為了試圖改變很多人 對我的出生地的

about the place of my birth,

不正確的看法，

I use design as a means to tell stories,

我透過設計來講故事，

stories about joy,

關於喜悅的故事，

stories about triumph,

關於勝利的故事，

stories about perseverance all throughout the African diaspora.

關於非裔歷史上的所有 堅持不懈的故事。

I tell these stories

我說這些故事，

as a concerted effort to correct the historical record,

是為了努力改正歷史記錄，

because, no matter where any of us is from,

因為，不論我們來自何方，

each of us has been touched by the complicated histories

我們每個人都曾經被那些 有關我們家族的

that brought our families to a foreign land.

複雜的遷移歷史所打動。

These histories shape the way we view the world,

這些歷史形塑了我們看世界的方式，

and they mold the biases we carry around with us.

它們也造就了我們帶在身上的偏見。

To combat these biases,

為了對抗這些偏見，

my work draws aesthetics from different parts of the globe

我的作品汲取全球各地的美學，

and crafts a narrative about the importance

向人們傳遞

of fighting for inclusivity.

為包容性而戰的重要性。

By refashioning images from classic European art

我把經典歐洲藝術重製成新的畫面，

and marrying them with African aesthetics,

將它們和非洲美學結合，

I am able to recast people of color in roles of prominence,

我能夠把有色人群 放到顯赫的角色中，

providing them with a degree of dignity

給予他們一定程度的尊嚴，

they didn't have in earlier times.

這是在早期他們所沒有的。

This approach subverts the historically accepted narrative of African inferiority,

這種方法推翻了歷史上 常見的非洲弱勢故事，

and it serves as inspiration for people of color

它可以鼓舞有色人群，

who have grown wary of seeing themselves depicted without sophistication

一直以來那些對他們的 不成熟、不優雅的形象描繪

and without grace.

讓他們越來越擔心。

Each of these culture-bending tapestries

每一幅篡改文化的繡帷，

becomes a tailored garment

都變成訂做的服飾，

or a silk scarf, like the one I am very coincidentally wearing right now.

或是絲巾，就像我現在 碰巧圍著的這條絲巾一樣。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And even when surrounded in a structure of European classicism,

即使是被歐洲古典 主義的結構給包圍，

these narratives boldly extoll the merits of African empowerment.

這些故事仍然大膽地 讚頌非洲賦權的功績。

In this way, the tools of the masters become masterworks

以這種方式，大師的工具成了傑作，

to celebrate those who were once subservient.

來讚揚那些曾經卑屈的人。

This metaphor extends beyond the realm of art

這種隱喻延伸到了藝術領域之外，

and out into the real world.

進到了真實的世界。

Whether worn by refugees or world-changing entrepreneurs,

不論是被難民或是 能改變世界的企業家所穿著，

when people are allowed the freedom to present themselves

當人們能夠自由呈現自己

in a manner that celebrates their own unique identities,

獨一無二的身份時，

a magical thing happens.

魔法般的事情方式了。

We stand taller.

我們站得更高了。

We're more proud and self-aware

我們更自豪也更自覺了，

because we're presenting our true, authentic selves.

因為我們呈現的是真正、真實的自我。

And those of us who are around them in turn become more educated,

而在他們身邊的那些人， 也會變得更有知識、更開放，

more open and more tolerant of their different points of view.

對於不同於他們的觀點也更能寬容。

In this way, the clothes that we wear

以這種方式，我們穿著的服飾

can be a great illustration of diplomatic soft power.

能成為外交軟實力的極佳說明。

The clothes that we wear can serve as bridges

我們穿著的服飾能夠扮演橋樑，

between our seemingly disparate cultures.

連結我們似乎迥然不同的文化。

And so, yeah, ostensibly I stand before you as a mere maker of clothing.

所以，是的，表面上我站在你們 面前的身份只是個服飾製作者。

But my work has always been about more than fashion.

但我的作品向來都不只是時尚。

It has become my purpose to rewrite the cultural narratives

我的目標就是要重寫文化故事，

so that people of color can be seen in a new and nuanced light,

讓人們能從新的、 微妙的角度來看待有色人群，

and so that we,

這麼一來，我們，

the proud children of sub-Saharan Africa,

撒哈拉以南非洲的驕傲子孫，

can traverse the globe

便能帶著驕傲橫越全球。

while carrying ourselves with pride.

It was indeed true that the stories of history

的確，歷史的故事

were told by its old victors,

是由其古老的勝利者所訴說的，

but I am of a new generation.

但我代表新的一代人。

My work speaks for those

我的作品為那些決定

who will no longer let their futures be dictated by a troubled past.

不再讓不幸的過去 主宰他們的未來的人發聲。

Today, we stand ready to tell our own stories

現今，我們已經準備好 訴說我們自己的故事，

without compromise, without apologies.

沒有妥協讓步，沒有道歉。

But the question still remains:

現在的問題是：

are you prepared for what you are about to hear?

你們準備好要聽了嗎？

I hope you are, because we are coming regardless.

我希望你們準備好了， 因為不論如何我們都要來了。

(Applause)

（掌聲）