Humanity takes center stage at TED, but I would like to add a voice for the animals, whose bodies and minds and spirits shaped us.
Ljudska vrsta je u centru pažnje na TED-u, ali želeo bih da dodam i glas za životinje, čija su nas tela i umovi oblikovali.
Some years ago, it was my good fortune to meet a tribal elder on an island not far from Vancouver. His name is Jimmy Smith, and he shared a story with me that is told among his people, who call themselves the Kwikwasut'inuxw.
Pre nekoliko godina, imao sam sreće da sretnem starešinu plemena na ostrvu nedaleko od Vankuvera. On se zove Džimi Smit i ispričao mi je priču koja se priča u njegovom narodu, koji sebe zovu Kvikvasutanuk.
Once upon a time, he told me, all animals on Earth were one. Even though they look different on the outside, inside, they're all the same, and from time to time they would gather at a sacred cave deep inside the forest to celebrate their unity. When they arrived, they would all take off their skins. Raven shed his feathers, bear his fur, and salmon her scales, and then, they would dance. But one day, a human made it to the cave and laughed at what he saw because he did not understand. Embarrassed, the animals fled, and that was the last time they revealed themselves this way.
Jednom davno, rekao mi je, sve životinje na Zemlji su bile jedna. Iako su spolja izgledale drugačije, iznutra su bile iste, i s vremena na vreme bi se skupile u tajnoj pećini duboko u šumi da slave svoje jedinstvo. Kada bi stigle, skinule bi svoju kožu. Gavran bi skinuo svoje perje, medved svoje krzno, losos svoje krljušti, i onda bi plesali. Ali jednog dana, u pećinu je došao čovek i smejao se onom što je video jer nije razumeo. Posramljene, životinje su pobegle i to je bio poslednji put da su se otkrile na taj način.
The ancient understanding that underneath their separate identities, all animals are one, has been a powerful inspiration to me. I like to get past the fur, the feathers and the scales. I want to get under the skin. No matter whether I'm facing a giant elephant or a tiny tree frog, my goal is to connect us with them, eye to eye.
Drevna ideja da su sve životinje ispod svojih odvojenih identiteta zapravo jedna, bila je za mene moćna inspiracija. Volim da idem dalje od krzna, perja i krljušti. Želim da dođem ispod kože. Bez obzira da li sam suočen sa ogromnim slonom ili sićušnom gatalinkom, moj cilj je da nas povežem sa njima, oko uz oko.
You may wonder, do I ever photograph people? Sure. People are always present in my photos, no matter whether they appear to portray tortoises or cougars or lions. You just have to learn how to look past their disguise.
Možda se pitate, da li ikad fotografišem ljude? Naravno. Ljudi su uvek prisutni u mojim fotografijama, bez obzira da li se pojavljuju da predstave kornjače ili pume ili lavove. Samo morate da naučite kako da vidite dalje od njihovog kostima.
As a photographer, I try to reach beyond the differences in our genetic makeup to appreciate all we have in common with every other living thing. When I use my camera, I drop my skin like the animals at that cave so I can show who they really are.
Kao fotograf, pokušavam da doprem dalje od razlika u našem genetskom sastavu kako bih cenio sve što imamo zajedničko sa svim drugim živim bićima. Kada koristim svoj fotoaparat, skidam svoju kožu poput životinja u toj pećini kako bih pokazao ko su one zaista.
As animals blessed with the power of rational thought, we can marvel at the intricacies of life. As citizens of a planet in trouble, it is our moral responsibility to deal with the dramatic loss in diversity of life. But as humans with hearts, we can all rejoice in the unity of life, and perhaps we can change what once happened in that sacred cave.
Kao životinje kojima je data moć racionalnog mišljenja, možemo se diviti plodovima života. Kao građani planete u nevolji, naša je moralna odgovornost da se nosimo sa dramatičnim gubitkom u raznovrsnosti života. Ali kao ljudi sa srcima, možemo se radovati jedinstvu života, i možda možemo promeniti ono što se jednom dogodilo u toj svetoj pećini.
Let's find a way to join the dance.
Hajde da nađemo način da se pridružimo plesu.
Thank you.
Hvala vam.
(Applause)
(Aplauz)