"Listen. Do you hear that?" my grandmother asked me. "Listen. Listen to what the beetle is saying." I would spend hours and hours listening to the little beetle rolling a huge ball of dung, and while at it, I heard a variety of environmental sounds. With the keenest of ears, I would hear family chatter, laughter, the wind howling and even crickets chirping. All these sounds crisscrossed into each other, and I would hear rhythm in between. Then I would beat my plate with a spoon and my chest with my tiny hands trying to recreate what I was hearing. I have been beating the same plates, shakers, drums, pans and so much more ever since to become a professional drummer and percussionist.
「快聽, 有聽到嗎?」 我奶奶問我。 「仔細聽, 聽那些甲蟲在說什麼。」 我會花上數小時聽那些小甲蟲 滾動巨大的糞球, 並在此時, 我聽到環境裡的各種聲音。 我有最靈敏的耳朵, 能聽見家人聊天, 有笑聲, 風呼嘯, 甚至蟋蟀鳴叫。 這些聲音彼此交雜, 而我能聽見其中的旋律。 然後,我會用湯匙敲打餐盤, 用自己的小手搥胸, 試著複製我聽到的旋律。 從小到大,我就這樣敲打著盤子、 沙鈴、鼓、平底鍋等等許多東西, 直到我成為專業鼓手 和打擊樂手。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
As I grew up, subconsciously, I felt a strong urge to hide my newfound hobby. Even without it being said out loud, I knew that somehow it was wrong to do what I was doing. In most of the ceremonies, I noticed that most of the women and girls were not in sight, but when they were, I noticed that they would wear their dancing skirts and shake their waists off, singing, clapping, ululating, while the men filled up the rhythm section. A few years later, I came to understand what tradition and culture meant, and what was considered taboo or otherwise.
當我長大,下意識的, 我強烈覺得要隱藏剛發覺的興趣。 即使沒被大聲說出來, 我隱隱覺得我做的事情是不對的。 在多數的典禮中, 我發現,女人和女孩不會參加, 但當她們參加時, 我發現她們會穿著舞裙 擺動著腰, 唱歌、拍手、叫喊, 而男性則加入了節奏。 幾年後,我了解到 傳統和文化是什麼, 以及哪些是禁忌, 哪些不是。
In the majority of African cultures, women have been forbidden to play drums and percussion for a very long time. I believe this taboo stems from the psychological and traditional belief that the woman is an inferior being. I grew up hearing that the place of the woman is in the kitchen or in the other room. Mhm?
在大部分非洲文化裡, 女人被禁止演奏鼓和打擊樂器 已經很久了, 我相信這個禁忌是基於 心理及傳統上的觀念, 認為女人是次級的。 從小我就聽到屬於女人的地方是廚房 或那個房間, 沒錯。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
Women had been brainwashed and led on for so long until we had fallen victim and actually started believing in this ourselves. This, coupled with the lack of interest to educate women, played a major, major role in etching this into our minds. The sounds of the drum provoke emotion and movement. Essentially, the drum is a very sensual instrument. Once at a festival, a man asked me how I dared put a drum in between my legs. I have been considered loose and dirty for playing an instrument. I have repeatedly been questioned why I would choose to play drums instead of practicing journalism, which I studied for my undergraduate, which has been termed "more decent." The sight of a woman playing drums enfeebles her, makes her less feminine, less desirable, but all this optimally puts her on a lower social stand.
女人不斷被洗腦及被引導, 到最後我們變成受害者, 並開始打從心裡相信這是事實。 這個觀念加上缺乏對女性教育的興趣, 深深地刻在了我們的腦海裡。 鼓聲激發情緒和動作, 其實鼓是非常撩人的樂器。 某次節慶中,一個男人問, 我怎麼敢把鼓夾在雙腿間? 為了演奏樂器,我被認為是 輕浮的和骯髒的。 我反覆被問, 為何選擇打鼓, 而非新聞工作? 那是我大學的主修項目, 大家普遍認為是「更體面」的工作。 女人打鼓,會讓她變弱, 失去女人味, 失去吸引力, 最終讓她處於較低的社會地位。
Drumming has essentially represented the strong African heritage, and its importance can be seen in the many aspects of the African tradition. Many communities encompass drumming in their day-to-day activities, and still do up to date, from childbirths to initiation ceremonies, welcoming ceremonies, marriages and even burials. However, this same drum is disappearing very fast from the music scene, and the traditional genre is losing its popularity very quickly amongst the people. Inspired by the need to preserve this culture, I am teaching the significance and the importance of the drum to young boys, women and girls.
打鼓是很突出的非洲文化遺產, 其重要性在非洲傳統的 許多面向顯而易見。 許多社區將打擊樂融入日常生活, 直到現在都是, 從出生到成人儀式、 歡迎慶典、 結婚典禮,甚至喪禮。 然而,這個鼓 正在以非常快的速度退出音樂舞台, 而傳統音樂正在快速失去聽眾。 深感需要保存這項文化, 我開始教授鼓的意義和重要性, 對象包括男孩、女人和女孩。
In my journey as a percussion teacher, I have realized that very many women actually want to play the drum, but at the same time, they fear it. Some fear how society will perceive them. Others fear the physical pain that comes with playing. Oh yes, it's not that easy. Some, because their spouses don't approve of them, and others generally fear the responsibility of being a bearer of culture. I believe, or I think that all these fears are etched in the collective feminine cautiousness because when we learn of the atrocities that have happened to women, continentally especially, it serves as a constant reminder that one step out of our designated place may end up in very serious consequences.
在做打擊樂老師的過程中, 我了解到很多女人 其實很想打鼓, 但同時 她們又害怕。 有些人害怕社會對她們的觀感; 有些人害怕打擊時 帶來生理上的疼痛。 當然,這並不容易。 有些人因為她們的丈夫不允許; 有些人僅僅害怕被附加上 文化傳承者的責任。 我認為,這些害怕 根源於社會對女性集體的束縛, 因為當我們了解發生在 女性身上的暴行後—— 特別是在非洲大陸—— 那暴行時常提醒女性, 只要你再跨一步超過界線, 就會造成非常嚴重的後果。
Well, I use my drum to tell my story and my people's stories. My roots shaped me and my culture is here to stay with me. Women can be custodians of culture, too. We are born to bring forth life, to nurture it. We can definitely preserve our traditions very, very excellently. My drum and I, we are here to stay.
我用鼓來說我和我族群的故事, 我的過去形塑我, 而我的文化伴隨我。 女性也可以成為文化的守護者。 我們天生能孕育生命, 滋養生命, 我們絕對能將我們的傳統 保護得非常好。 我的鼓和我, 我們會成為風尚。
(Applause)
(鼓掌)
We are definitely here to stay. If women have led countries, women have gone to space, women have won Grammys, then the same, same women can play the drum and play it -- to a five-star rating? No, to a million-star rating.
我們絕對會成為風尚。 如果女性能領導國家, 女性能上太空, 女性能贏得葛萊梅獎, 那相同的,女性也可以打鼓, 而且可以打得很出色,五星級? 不,是百萬星級。
Thank you.
謝謝。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
(Chiming)
(風鈴聲)
(Metallic drumming)
(鈸聲)
(Chiming)
(風鈴聲)
(Rattling)
(窸窣聲)
(Drumming)
(鼓聲)
(Applause)
(掌聲)