I'd like to ask you, what do these three people have in common? Well, you probably recognize the first person. I'm sure you're all avid "American Idol" watchers. But you might not recognize Aydah Al Jahani, who is a contestant, indeed a finalist, in the Poet of the Millions competition, which is broadcast out of Abu Dhabi, and seen throughout the Arab world. In this contest people have to write and recite original poetry, in the Nabati form of poetry, which is the traditional Bedouin form. And Lima Sahar was a finalist in the Afghan Star singing competition.
我想問各位 這三個人有什麼共通點? 你們可能認得第一位 我想各位都是「美國偶像」的狂熱粉絲 你們可能不知道這位Aydah Al Jahani 她在「百萬詩人」比賽中 進入決賽的選手 這節目在阿布達比播出 整個阿拉伯世界都看得到 在這比賽中 參賽者需要寫詩並朗誦 一些古詩,Nabati詩 這是一種傳統游牧民族的詩 這位Lima Sahar是「阿富汗之星」 歌唱比賽的決賽選手
Now, before I go any further, yes, I know it all began with "Britain's Got Talent." But my point in discussing this is to show you -- I hope I'll be able to show you how these merit-based competitions, with equal access to everyone, with the winner selected via voting by SMS, are changing tribal societies. And I'm going to focus on Afghanistan and the Arab world with the UAE, how they're changing tribal societies, not by introducing Western ideas, but by being integrated into the language in those places.
在我繼續講下去之前 是的我知道,這都是從「英國星光大道」開始的 但我想討論這個的原因 是希望讓你們看到 這些選才能的比賽 讓每個人都有平等機會參予 透過簡訊投票選出冠軍 這正改變著部落社會 我要先說阿富汗 包括阿拉伯聯合大公國在內的阿拉伯世界 它們改變部落社會的方式 不是使用西方的點子 而是融合這些地方的語言
It all begins with enjoyment. Video: We are late to watch "Afghan Star." We are going to watch "Afghan Star." We are late. We are running late. We must go to watch "Afghan Star." Cynthia Schneider: These programs are reaching incredibly deeply into society. In Afghanistan, people go to extraordinary lengths to be able to watch this program. And you don't necessarily have to have your own TV set. People watch it all over the country also in public places. But it goes beyond watching, because also, part of this is campaigning. People become so engaged that they have volunteers, just like political volunteers anyway, who fan out over the countryside, campaigning for their candidate. Contestants also put themselves forward.
一切都從娛樂開始 (影片): 「阿富汗之星」已經在播了 趕快回家看「阿富汗之星」,已經在播了 我們來不及了 一定要趕快看「阿富汗之星」 這些節目正以驚人的速度深入到社會中 在阿富汗,人們利用各種方法 就是要看到這節目 不一定要有自己的電視機 全國很多人都擠到公共場所 收看這節目 但這不只是觀看而已 還要參予 競賽的過程 大家都很投入 還有人志願,就像志願替政治人物拉票一樣的 志願到各地 替他們支持的選手拉票 選手們也是親自出馬
Now, of course there is a certain degree of ethnic allegiance, but not entirely. Because each year the winner has come from a different tribal group. This has opened up the door, particularly for women. And in the last season there were two women in the finalists. One of them, Lima Sahar, is a Pashtun from Kandahar, a very conservative part of the country. And here she relates, in the documentary film "Afghan Star," how her friends urged her not to do this and told her that she was leaving them for democracy. But she also confides that she knows that members of the Taliban are actually SMS-ing votes in for her.
當然,也有一定種族忠誠度,但並非全部 因為每年的冠軍都來自不同部落 每個人都有機會 特別是女性 在最後一季,有兩名女性進入決賽 其中一位是Lima Sahar,她是來自坎大哈的普什圖人 是全國非常保守的地區 她在「阿富汗之星」的紀錄片裡談到 她的朋友都勸她不要參賽 說她為追求民主而離開他們 她也吐露 她知道塔利班成員 也通過手機簡訊投票給她
Aydah Al Jahnani also took risks and put herself out, to compete in the Poet of the Millions competition. I have to say, her husband backed her from the start. But her tribe and family urged her not to compete and were very much against it. But, once she started to win, then they got behind her again. It turns out that competition and winning is a universal human value. And she's out there. Her poetry is about women, and the life of women in society. So just by presenting herself and being in competition with men -- this shows the voting on the program -- it sets a very important example for young women -- these are young women in the audience of the program -- in Abu Dhabi, but also people in the viewing audience.
Aydah Al Jahnani 也冒同樣的險 站出來參加 「百萬詩人」的比賽 我必須說,她丈夫從一開始就支持她 但她的部落和家人都勸她不要參加 並且非常反對 但她開始獲勝之後 他們就轉而支持她了 這說明了,比賽和獲勝是世界共通的人類價值 她站出來 她的詩描寫女性 社會中的女性生活 她代表自己 和男人一起比賽 從投票情況看來 給年輕女性一個榜樣 那些身為觀眾的年輕女性 在阿布達比、和其他觀眾
Now you'd think that "American Idol" would introduce a measure of Americanization. But actually, just the opposite is happening. By using this engaging popular format for traditional, local culture, it actually, in the Gulf, is precipitating a revival of interest in Nabati poetry, also in traditional dress and dance and music. And for Afghanistan, where the Taliban banned music for many years, it is reintroducing their traditional music. They don't sing pop songs, they sing Afghan music. And they also have learned how to lose gracefully, without avenging the winner. (Laughter) No small thing.
你可能會想,「美國偶像」 會帶來一定的美國化現象 但事實正好相反 利用這種受歡迎的模式 融合傳統、當地文化 反而在波斯灣地區再次興起了 人們對於Nabati詩 和傳統服飾、舞蹈、音樂的興趣 對阿富汗人來說 因為塔利班多年禁止音樂 這節目再次引入了傳統音樂 他們不唱流行樂 而是唱阿富汗音樂 他們也學會如何優雅的輸 而不是向獲勝者報復 (笑) 不是件小事
And the final, sort of, formulation of this "American Idol" format, which has just appeared in Afghanistan, is a new program called "The Candidate." And in this program, people present policy platforms that are then voted on. Many of them are too young to run for president, but by putting the issues out there, they are influencing the presidential race. So for me, the substance of things unseen is how reality TV is driving reality. Thank you. (Applause)
最後,「美國偶像」的節目模式 帶來了一個構想 就是最近阿富汗的 一個新節目叫「候選人」 節目中有人提議政策 讓大家投票 很多人因年紀太輕無法競選總統 但藉由提出的這些話題 他們影響著總統選舉 對我來說,這個無形現象的本質 選秀節目操縱真實生活的過程 謝謝 (掌聲)