Do you hear that?"

「快聽，

my grandmother asked me.

有聽到嗎？」

"Listen.

我奶奶問我。

Listen to what the beetle is saying."

「仔細聽，

I would spend hours and hours listening to the little beetle

聽那些甲蟲在說什麼。」

rolling a huge ball of dung,

我會花上數小時聽那些小甲蟲

and while at it,

滾動巨大的糞球，

I heard a variety of environmental sounds.

並在此時，

With the keenest of ears, I would hear family chatter,

我聽到環境裡的各種聲音。

laughter,

我有最靈敏的耳朵， 能聽見家人聊天，

the wind howling

有笑聲，

and even crickets chirping.

風呼嘯，

All these sounds crisscrossed into each other,

甚至蟋蟀鳴叫。

and I would hear rhythm in between.

這些聲音彼此交雜，

Then I would beat my plate with a spoon and my chest with my tiny hands

而我能聽見其中的旋律。

trying to recreate what I was hearing.

然後，我會用湯匙敲打餐盤， 用自己的小手搥胸，

I have been beating the same plates,

試著複製我聽到的旋律。

shakers, drums, pans and so much more ever since

從小到大，我就這樣敲打著盤子、

to become a professional drummer

沙鈴、鼓、平底鍋等等許多東西，

and percussionist.

直到我成為專業鼓手

(Applause)

和打擊樂手。

As I grew up, subconsciously,

（掌聲）

I felt a strong urge to hide my newfound hobby.

當我長大，下意識的，

Even without it being said out loud,

我強烈覺得要隱藏剛發覺的興趣。

I knew that somehow it was wrong to do what I was doing.

即使沒被大聲說出來，

In most of the ceremonies,

我隱隱覺得我做的事情是不對的。

I noticed that most of the women and girls were not in sight,

在多數的典禮中，

but when they were,

我發現，女人和女孩不會參加，

I noticed that they would wear their dancing skirts

但當她們參加時，

and shake their waists off,

我發現她們會穿著舞裙

singing, clapping, ululating,

擺動著腰，

while the men filled up the rhythm section.

唱歌、拍手、叫喊，

A few years later, I came to understand

而男性則加入了節奏。

what tradition and culture meant,

幾年後，我了解到

and what was considered taboo

傳統和文化是什麼，

or otherwise.

以及哪些是禁忌，

In the majority of African cultures,

哪些不是。

women have been forbidden to play drums and percussion

在大部分非洲文化裡，

for a very long time.

女人被禁止演奏鼓和打擊樂器

I believe this taboo stems from the psychological and traditional belief

已經很久了，

that the woman is an inferior being.

我相信這個禁忌是基於 心理及傳統上的觀念，

I grew up hearing that the place of the woman is in the kitchen

認為女人是次級的。

or in the other room.

從小我就聽到屬於女人的地方是廚房

Mhm?

或那個房間，

(Laughter)

沒錯。

Women had been brainwashed and led on for so long

（笑聲）

until we had fallen victim and actually started believing in this ourselves.

女人不斷被洗腦及被引導，

This, coupled with the lack of interest to educate women,

到最後我們變成受害者， 並開始打從心裡相信這是事實。

played a major, major role

這個觀念加上缺乏對女性教育的興趣，

in etching this into our minds.

深深地刻在了我們的腦海裡。

The sounds of the drum provoke emotion and movement.

鼓聲激發情緒和動作，

Essentially, the drum is a very sensual instrument.

其實鼓是非常撩人的樂器。

Once at a festival, a man asked me

某次節慶中，一個男人問，

how I dared put a drum in between my legs.

我怎麼敢把鼓夾在雙腿間？

I have been considered loose and dirty for playing an instrument.

為了演奏樂器，我被認為是 輕浮的和骯髒的。

I have repeatedly been questioned

我反覆被問，

why I would choose to play drums

為何選擇打鼓，

instead of practicing journalism,

而非新聞工作？

which I studied for my undergraduate,

那是我大學的主修項目，

which has been termed "more decent."

大家普遍認為是「更體面」的工作。

The sight of a woman playing drums enfeebles her,

女人打鼓，會讓她變弱，

makes her less feminine,

失去女人味，

less desirable,

失去吸引力，

but all this optimally puts her on a lower social stand.

最終讓她處於較低的社會地位。

Drumming has essentially represented the strong African heritage,

打鼓是很突出的非洲文化遺產，

and its importance can be seen

其重要性在非洲傳統的 許多面向顯而易見。

in the many aspects of the African tradition.

許多社區將打擊樂融入日常生活，

Many communities encompass drumming in their day-to-day activities,

直到現在都是，

and still do up to date,

從出生到成人儀式、

from childbirths to initiation ceremonies,

歡迎慶典、

welcoming ceremonies,

結婚典禮，甚至喪禮。

marriages and even burials.

然而，這個鼓

However, this same drum

正在以非常快的速度退出音樂舞台，

is disappearing very fast from the music scene,

而傳統音樂正在快速失去聽眾。

and the traditional genre is losing its popularity

深感需要保存這項文化，

very quickly amongst the people.

我開始教授鼓的意義和重要性，

Inspired by the need to preserve this culture,

對象包括男孩、女人和女孩。

I am teaching the significance and the importance of the drum

在做打擊樂老師的過程中，

to young boys, women and girls.

我了解到很多女人

In my journey as a percussion teacher,

其實很想打鼓，

I have realized that very many women

但同時

actually want to play the drum,

她們又害怕。

but at the same time,

有些人害怕社會對她們的觀感；

they fear it.

有些人害怕打擊時 帶來生理上的疼痛。

Some fear how society will perceive them.

當然，這並不容易。

Others fear the physical pain that comes with playing.

有些人因為她們的丈夫不允許；

Oh yes, it's not that easy.

有些人僅僅害怕被附加上 文化傳承者的責任。

Some, because their spouses don't approve of them,

我認為，這些害怕

and others generally fear the responsibility

根源於社會對女性集體的束縛，

of being a bearer of culture.

因為當我們了解發生在 女性身上的暴行後——

I believe, or I think that all these fears

特別是在非洲大陸——

are etched in the collective feminine cautiousness

那暴行時常提醒女性，

because when we learn of the atrocities that have happened to women,

只要你再跨一步超過界線，

continentally especially,

就會造成非常嚴重的後果。

it serves as a constant reminder

我用鼓來說我和我族群的故事，

that one step out of our designated place

我的過去形塑我， 而我的文化伴隨我。

may end up in very serious consequences.

女性也可以成為文化的守護者。

Well, I use my drum to tell my story and my people's stories.

我們天生能孕育生命，

My roots shaped me and my culture is here to stay with me.

滋養生命，

Women can be custodians of culture, too.

我們絕對能將我們的傳統 保護得非常好。

We are born to bring forth life,

我的鼓和我，

to nurture it.

我們會成為風尚。

We can definitely preserve our traditions very, very excellently.

（鼓掌）

My drum and I,

我們絕對會成為風尚。

we are here to stay.

如果女性能領導國家，

(Applause)

女性能上太空，

We are definitely here to stay.

女性能贏得葛萊梅獎，

If women have led countries,

那相同的，女性也可以打鼓，

women have gone to space,

而且可以打得很出色，五星級？

women have won Grammys,

不，是百萬星級。

then the same, same women can play the drum

謝謝。

and play it -- to a five-star rating?

（掌聲）

No, to a million-star rating.

（風鈴聲）

Thank you.

（鈸聲）

(Applause)

（風鈴聲）

(Chiming)

（窸窣聲）

(Metallic drumming)

（鼓聲）

(Chiming)

（掌聲）

(Rattling)

(Drumming)

(Applause)