ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

Why you should listen

In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape.

Adichie's newest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, is a brilliant collection of stories about Nigerians struggling to cope with a corrupted context in their home country, and about the Nigerian immigrant experience.

Adichie builds on the literary tradition of Igbo literary giant Chinua Achebe—and when she found out that Achebe liked Half of a Yellow Sun, she says she cried for a whole day. What he said about her rings true: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”

(Photo: Wani Olatunde) 

More profile about the speaker
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2009

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Chimamanda Adichie: Die gevaar van ’n enkele storie.

Filmed:
21,248,547 views

Ons lewens, ons kulture, word uit baie oorvleulende stories opgemaak. Romanskrywer Chimamanda Adichie vertel die storie van hoe sy haar outentieke kulturele stem gevind het -- en waarsku ons dat as ons ’n enkele storie oor ’n ander persoon of land hoor, ons ’n kritiese misverstand waag.
- Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I'm a storytellerVerteller.
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Ek is ’n storieverteller.
00:14
And I would like to tell you a fewpaar personalpersoonlike storiesstories
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Ek wil julle ’n paar
persoonlike stories vertel
00:17
about what I like to call "the dangergevaar of the singleenkele storystorie."
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oor "die gevaar van die enkele storie".
00:22
I grewgegroei up on a universityuniversiteit campuskampus in easternOos NigeriaNigerië.
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Ek't op ’n universiteitskampus
in oos-Nigerië grootgeword.
00:26
My mothermoeder says that I startedbegin readinglees at the ageouderdom of two,
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My ma sê ek't op twee begin lees,
00:29
althoughhoewel I think fourvier is probablywaarskynlik closenaby to the truthwaarheid.
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alhoewel ek dink vier
nader aan die waarheid is.
00:34
So I was an earlyvroeg readerleser, and what I readlees
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So ek was ’n vroeë leser
00:36
were BritishBritse and AmericanAmerikaanse children'skinders se booksboeke.
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en ek't Britse en
Amerikaanse kinderboeke gelees.
00:39
I was alsoook an earlyvroeg writerskrywer,
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Ek was ook ’n vroeë skrywer.
00:42
and when I beganbegin to writeskryf, at about the ageouderdom of sevensewe,
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Toe ek begin skryf,
op omtrent sewe,
00:46
storiesstories in pencilpotlood with crayonkryt illustrationsIllustrasies
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stories in potlood met krytillustrasies,
00:48
that my poorswak mothermoeder was obligatedobligated to readlees,
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wat my arme ma móés lees,
00:51
I wrotegeskryf exactlypresies the kindssoorte of storiesstories I was readinglees:
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skryf ek presies die tipe stories
wat ek gelees het:
00:55
All my characterskarakters were whitewit and blue-eyedBlue-eyed,
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Al my karakters was wit met blou oë,
hulle't in die sneeu gespeel,
01:00
they playedgespeel in the snowsneeu,
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01:02
they ategeëet applesappels,
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hulle't appels geëet
01:04
and they talkedgepraat a lot about the weatherweer,
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(Gelag)
01:06
how lovelypragtige it was
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en hulle't baie oor die weer gepraat,
01:08
that the sunson had come out.
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hoe lieflik dit was,
dat die son uitgekom het.
01:10
(LaughterLag)
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(Gelag)
01:12
Now, this despiteten spyte van the factfeit that I livedgewoon in NigeriaNigerië.
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Ondanks die feit
dat ek in Nigerië gewoon het.
01:15
I had never been outsidebuite NigeriaNigerië.
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Ek was toe nog nooit buite Nigerië nie.
01:19
We didn't have snowsneeu, we ategeëet mangoesmango's,
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Ons't niks sneeu gehad nie,
ons het mangoes geëet,
01:22
and we never talkedgepraat about the weatherweer,
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en ons't nooit oor die weer gepraat nie,
01:24
because there was no need to.
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want dit was onnodig.
01:26
My characterskarakters alsoook drankgedrink a lot of gingergemmer beerbier
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My karakters het ook
baie gemmerbier gedrink,
01:29
because the characterskarakters in the BritishBritse booksboeke I readlees
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want die karakters in die Britse boeke
het gemmerbier gedrink.
01:31
drankgedrink gingergemmer beerbier.
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01:33
Never mindgedagte that I had no ideaidee what gingergemmer beerbier was.
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Ongeag dat ek g'n benul
van gemmerbier gehad het nie.
01:36
(LaughterLag)
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(Gelag)
01:37
And for manybaie yearsjaar afterwardsdaarna, I would have a desperatedesperate desirebegeerte
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En vir baie jare daarna
sou ek ’n brandende begeerte hê
om gemmerbier te proe.
01:40
to tastesmaak gingergemmer beerbier.
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01:42
But that is another'n ander storystorie.
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Maar dis ’n ander storie.
01:44
What this demonstratesdemonstreer, I think,
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Wat hierdie wys, dink ek,
01:46
is how impressionableontvanklike and vulnerablekwesbaar we are
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is hoe ontvanklik en vatbaar ons is
01:49
in the facegesig of a storystorie,
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met ’n storie voor oë,
01:51
particularlyveral as childrenkinders.
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veral as kinders.
01:53
Because all I had readlees were booksboeke
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Omdat ek nét boeke gelees het
waarin karakters anders was,
01:55
in whichwatter characterskarakters were foreignbuitelandse,
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01:57
I had becomeword convincedoortuig that booksboeke
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was ek oortuig
dat boeke vanselfsprekend
vreemdelinge moes in hê
01:59
by theirhulle very natureaard had to have foreignersbuitelanders in them
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02:02
and had to be about things with whichwatter
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en oor dinge moes gaan
waarmee ek nie kon identifiseer nie.
02:04
I could not personallypersoonlik identifyidentifiseer.
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02:07
Things changedverander when I discoveredontdek AfricanAfrikaanse booksboeke.
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Dinge het verander
toe ek Afrikaboeke ontdek het.
02:11
There weren'twas nie manybaie of them availablebeskikbaar, and they weren'twas nie
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Daar was nie veel beskikbaar nie
en hulle was nie so verkrygbaar
soos die buitelandse boeke nie.
02:13
quitebaie as easymaklik to find as the foreignbuitelandse booksboeke.
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02:15
But because of writersskrywers like ChinuaChinua AchebeAchebe and CamaraCamara LayeLaye
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Maar dank skrywers
soos Chinua Achebe en Camara Laye,
het ek ’n sielsverskuiwing
in my begrip van letterkunde beleef.
02:19
I wenthet throughdeur a mentalverstandelike shiftverskuiwing in my perceptionpersepsie
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02:21
of literatureliteratuur.
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02:23
I realizedbesef that people like me,
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Ek het besef dat mense soos ek,
02:25
girlsmeisies with skinvel the colorkleur of chocolatesjokolade,
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meisies met vel die kleur van sjokolade,
02:27
whosewie se kinkykinky hairhare could not formvorm ponytailsponytails,
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wie se kroes hare
nie kon poniesterte maak nie,
02:30
could alsoook existbestaan in literatureliteratuur.
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ook in literatuur kon bestaan.
02:32
I startedbegin to writeskryf about things I recognizederken.
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Ek't oor vertroude dinge begin skryf.
02:36
Now, I lovedlief those AmericanAmerikaanse and BritishBritse booksboeke I readlees.
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Ek was wel versot op
die Amerikaanse en Britse boeke.
02:40
They stirredgeroer my imaginationverbeelding. They openedgeopen up newnuwe worldswêrelde for me.
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Hulle't my verbeelding aangegryp,
vir my nuwe wêrelde oopgemaak.
02:44
But the unintendedonbedoelde consequencegevolg
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Maar die gevolg was per abuis
02:46
was that I did not know that people like me
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dat ek nie geweet het mense soos ek
02:48
could existbestaan in literatureliteratuur.
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kon in literatuur bestaan nie.
02:50
So what the discoveryontdekking of AfricanAfrikaanse writersskrywers did for me was this:
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So die ontdekking van Afrikaskrywers
het my gered van 'n enkele storie hê
oor wat boeke in wese is.
02:54
It savedgered me from havingmet a singleenkele storystorie
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02:57
of what booksboeke are.
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02:59
I come from a conventionalkonvensionele, middle-classmiddelklas NigerianNigeriese familygesin.
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Ek was uit ’n gewone,
middelklas Nigeriese gesin.
03:02
My fatherpa was a professorprofessor.
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My pa was ’n professor.
03:04
My mothermoeder was an administratoradministrateur.
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My ma was ’n administratiewe beampte.
03:07
And so we had, as was the normnorm,
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En, soos die norm was,
03:10
live-ininwonende domesticbinnelandse help, who would oftendikwels come from nearbynabygeleë rurallandelike villagesdorpe.
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het ons inwoon-huishulpe gehad,
wat van nabye dorpies af gekom het.
03:15
So the yearjaar I turneddraai eightagt we got a newnuwe househuis boyseuntjie.
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Die jaar wat ek agt geword het,
het ons ’n nuwe huisknaap gekry.
03:19
His namenaam was FideFide.
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Sy naam was Fide.
03:21
The only thing my mothermoeder told us about him
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My ma het ons net een ding oor hom vertel:
sy familie was baie arm.
03:24
was that his familygesin was very poorswak.
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03:27
My mothermoeder sentgestuur yamsyams and ricerys,
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My ma het jamswortels en rys
en ons ou klere na sy familie toe gestuur.
03:29
and our oldou clothesklere, to his familygesin.
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03:32
And when I didn't finishvoltooi my dinneraandete my mothermoeder would say,
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As ek nie my aandete opgeëet het nie,
sou sy sê:
03:34
"FinishAfwerking your foodkos! Don't you know? People like Fide'sFide se familygesin have nothing."
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"Eet jou kos! Weet jy dan nie?
Mense soos Fide se familie het niks nie."
03:39
So I feltgevoel enormousenorme pityjammerte for Fide'sFide se familygesin.
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So ek was baie jammer vir Fide se familie.
03:43
Then one SaturdaySaterdag we wenthet to his villagedorpie to visitbesoek,
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Toe een Saterdag
gaan ons na sy dorpie op besoek,
03:46
and his mothermoeder showedgetoon us a beautifullypragtig patternedpatroon basketmandjie
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en sy ma wys vir ons
’n pragtige gepatroonde mandjie
03:50
madegemaak of dyedgekleur raffiaraffia that his brotherbroer had madegemaak.
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gemaak van gekleurde raffia,
wat sy broer gemaak het.
03:53
I was startledverras.
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Ek was verbaas.
03:55
It had not occurredplaasgevind to me that anybodyenigiemand in his familygesin
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Ek't nie besef dat iemand in sy familie
03:58
could actuallyeintlik make something.
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sowaar iets kon máák nie.
04:01
All I had heardgehoor about them was how poorswak they were,
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Al wat ek van hulle gehoor het,
was hoe arm hulle was,
04:04
so that it had becomeword impossibleonmoontlik for me to see them
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sodat dit vir my onmoontlik geword het
om hulle as enigiets buiten arm te sien.
04:06
as anything elseanders but poorswak.
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04:09
TheirHul povertyarmoede was my singleenkele storystorie of them.
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Hulle armoede
was my enkele storie oor hulle.
04:13
YearsJaar laterlater, I thought about this when I left NigeriaNigerië
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Ek't later hieroor gedink
toe ek weg is uit Nigerië
04:15
to go to universityuniversiteit in the UnitedVerenigde StatesState van Amerika.
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om universiteit toe te gaan in die VSA.
04:18
I was 19.
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Ek was 19.
04:20
My AmericanAmerikaanse roommatekamermaat was shockedgeskok by me.
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My Amerikaanse kamermaat is deur my geskok.
04:24
She askedgevra where I had learnedgeleer to speakpraat EnglishEngels so well,
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Sy't my gevra waar ek so goed
Engels leer praat het
04:27
and was confusedverward when I said that NigeriaNigerië
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en was verward toe ek sê
04:29
happenedgebeur to have EnglishEngels as its officialamptelik languageTaal.
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dat Engels toevallig genoeg
die amptelike taal van Nigerië is.
Sy't gevra om na
my "tribal music" te luister
04:34
She askedgevra if she could listen to what she calledgenoem my "tribalstam musicmusiek,"
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04:38
and was consequentlyGevolglik very disappointedteleurgesteld
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en was gevolglik baie teleurgesteld
04:40
when I producedgeproduseer my tapeband of MariahMariah CareyAweregse.
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toe ek my Mariah Carey-kasset uithaal.
04:42
(LaughterLag)
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(Gelag)
04:45
She assumedaanvaar that I did not know how
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Sy't aangeneem dat ek nie weet
hoe om ’n stoof te gebruik nie.
04:47
to use a stovestoof.
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Dít het my getref:
04:50
What struckgetref me was this: She had feltgevoel sorry for me
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Sy't my al bejammer
nog voor sy my gesien het.
04:52
even before she saw me.
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04:54
Her defaultverstek positionposisie towardteenoor me, as an AfricanAfrikaanse,
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Haar verstekposisie teenoor my,
as ’n Afrikaan,
04:58
was a kindsoort of patronizingpatronizing, well-meaningwelmenende pityjammerte.
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was ’n soort neerbuigende,
goed-bedoelde jammerhartigheid.
05:02
My roommatekamermaat had a singleenkele storystorie of AfricaAfrika:
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My kamermaat het
’n enkele Afrikastorie gehad:
05:05
a singleenkele storystorie of catastrophekatastrofe.
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’n enkele storie oor katastrofe.
05:08
In this singleenkele storystorie there was no possibilitymoontlikheid
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In dié enkele storie
05:10
of AfricansAfrikaners beingwese similarsoortgelyk to her in any way,
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kon Afrikane geensins soos sy wees nie,
05:14
no possibilitymoontlikheid of feelingsgevoelens more complexkomplekse than pityjammerte,
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was daar geen gevoelens
meer kompleks as bejammering nie
05:17
no possibilitymoontlikheid of a connectionverband as humanmens equalsgelykes.
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en geen moontlikheid van ’n verbinding
as gelyke mense nie.
05:21
I mustmoet say that before I wenthet to the U.S. I didn't
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Voor ek VSA toe is,
05:23
consciouslybewustelik identifyidentifiseer as AfricanAfrikaanse.
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het ek nie bewustelik geïdentifiseer
as ’n Afrikaan nie.
05:26
But in the U.S. wheneverwanneer AfricaAfrika camekom up people turneddraai to me.
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Maar as Afrika ter sprake was,
het almal na my gekyk.
05:29
Never mindgedagte that I knewgeweet nothing about placesplekke like NamibiaNamibië.
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Ondanks dat ek niks geweet het
oor plekke soos Namibië nie.
05:33
But I did come to embraceomhels this newnuwe identityidentiteit,
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Ek't op die ou end
dié nuwe identiteit aangeneem,
05:35
and in manybaie waysmaniere I think of myselfmyself now as AfricanAfrikaanse.
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en op baie maniere
dink ek nou aan myself as Afrikaan.
05:38
AlthoughHoewel I still get quitebaie irritableprikkelbare when
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Dit ontstem my wel steeds
wanneer Afrika as ’n land beskou word,
05:40
AfricaAfrika is referredverwys to as a countryland,
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05:42
the mostdie meeste recentonlangse examplebyvoorbeeld beingwese my otherwiseanders wonderfulwonderlik flightvlug
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die mees onlangse voorbeeld
was op my andersins wonderlike vlug,
05:46
from LagosLagos two daysdae agogelede, in whichwatter
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vanaf Lagos twee dae gelede,
05:48
there was an announcementaankondiging on the VirginVirgin flightvlug
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met die Virgin-aankondiging
oor hulle liefdadigheidswerk
05:50
about the charityliefdadigheid work in "IndiaIndië, AfricaAfrika and other countrieslande."
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in "Indië, Afrika en ander lande".
05:55
(LaughterLag)
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(Gelag)
05:56
So after I had spentspandeer some yearsjaar in the U.S. as an AfricanAfrikaanse,
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So na ek ’n paar jaar in die VSA
as ’n Afrikaan spandeer het,
06:00
I beganbegin to understandverstaan my roommate'sHuisgenoot se responsereaksie to me.
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het ek my kamermaat se reaksie
teenoor my begin verstaan.
06:04
If I had not grownvolwasse up in NigeriaNigerië, and if all I knewgeweet about AfricaAfrika
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As ek nie in Nigerië grootgeword het nie,
en as my Afrikakennis
uit alledaagse beelde gekom het,
06:07
were from populargewilde imagesbeelde,
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06:09
I too would think that AfricaAfrika was a placeplek of
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sou ek ook dink
dat Afrika ’n plek
van pragtige landskappe, mooi diere,
06:12
beautifulpragtige landscapeslandskappe, beautifulpragtige animalsdiere,
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06:16
and incomprehensibleonbegryplik people,
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en onverstaanbare mense is,
06:18
fightingveg senselesssinnelose warsoorloë, dyingsterf of povertyarmoede and AIDSVIGS,
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aan't oorlogvoer,
sterwend van armoede of VIGS,
06:21
unablenie in staat to speakpraat for themselveshulself
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nie in staat daartoe
om vir hulleself te praat nie
06:24
and waitingwag to be savedgered
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en wagtend om verlossing
deur ’n gawe, wit vreemdeling.
06:26
by a kindsoort, whitewit foreignerbuitelander.
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Ek sou Afrikane sien
net soos ek, as kind,
06:29
I would see AfricansAfrikaners in the samedieselfde way that I,
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06:31
as a childkind, had seengesien Fide'sFide se familygesin.
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Fide se familie gesien het.
06:35
This singleenkele storystorie of AfricaAfrika ultimatelyuiteindelik comeskom, I think, from WesternWestern literatureliteratuur.
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Dié enkele storie oor Afrika
kom uit Westerse literatuur.
06:39
Now, here is a quotekwotasie from
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Hier's ’n aanhaling uit die skrywe
van ’n Londonse handelaar, John Locke,
06:41
the writingskryf of a LondonLonden merchanthandelaar calledgenoem JohnJohn LockeLocke,
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06:44
who sailedseil to westweste AfricaAfrika in 1561
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wat in 1561 na Wes-Afrika geseil het
06:47
and keptgehou a fascinatingfassinerende accountrekening of his voyagereis.
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en ’n boeiende reisverslag gehou het.
06:52
After referringverwys to the blackswart AfricansAfrikaners
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Nadat hy na die swart Afrikane
as "gediertes sonder huise," verwys,
06:54
as "beastsdiere who have no houseshuise,"
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06:56
he writesskryf, "They are alsoook people withoutsonder headskoppe,
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skryf hy: "Hulle is mense sonder koppe,
07:00
havingmet theirhulle mouthmond and eyes in theirhulle breastsborste."
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met hul monde en oë in hulle borste."
07:05
Now, I've laughedgelag everyelke time I've readlees this.
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Ek lag elke keer wat ek dit lees.
07:07
And one mustmoet admirebewonder the imaginationverbeelding of JohnJohn LockeLocke.
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En ’n mens moet sy verbeelding bewonder.
07:11
But what is importantbelangrik about his writingskryf is that
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Maar belangrik
is dat sy skryfwerk
07:13
it representsverteenwoordig the beginningbegin
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die begin van ’n verteltradisie van Afrikastories
in die Weste verteenwoordig:
07:15
of a traditiontradisie of tellingvertel AfricanAfrikaanse storiesstories in the WestWeste:
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07:18
A traditiontradisie of Sub-SaharanSub-Sahara AfricaAfrika as a placeplek of negativesnegatiewe,
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’n Tradisie van sub-Sahara-Afrika
as ’n plek van negatiewes,
07:21
of differenceverskil, of darknessduisternis,
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van andersheid, van donkerte,
07:23
of people who, in the wordswoorde of the wonderfulwonderlik poetdigter
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van mense wat, in die woorde van
die wonderlike digter, Rudyard Kipling,
07:27
RudyardRudyard KiplingKipling (vertaal),
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07:29
are "halfhelfde devilduiwel, halfhelfde childkind."
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"halfduiwel, halfkind" is.
07:32
And so I beganbegin to realizebesef that my AmericanAmerikaanse roommatekamermaat
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En so't ek begin besef
dat my Amerikaanse kamermaat
07:35
mustmoet have throughoutregdeur her life
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haar hele lewe lank
07:37
seengesien and heardgehoor differentverskillende versionsweergawes
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verskillende weergawes van hierdie
enkele storie moes gesien en gehoor het.
07:39
of this singleenkele storystorie,
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07:41
as had a professorprofessor,
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So ook ’n professor,
wat op ’n keer vir my gesê het
07:43
who oncekeer told me that my novelboek was not "authenticallyopreg AfricanAfrikaanse."
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dat my roman nie "eg aan Afrika" is nie.
07:48
Now, I was quitebaie willingbereid to contendbeweer that there were a numberaantal of things
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Ek was bereid om aan te voer
07:50
wrongverkeerde with the novelboek,
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dat daar heelwat dinge
met die roman verkeerd was,
07:52
that it had failedmisluk in a numberaantal of placesplekke,
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dat dit op vele punte misluk het,
07:56
but I had not quitebaie imaginedverbeel that it had failedmisluk
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maar ek het nie kon droom
dat dit die kastige "eg aan Afrika" paal
nie gehaal het nie.
07:58
at achievingbereiking van something calledgenoem AfricanAfrikaanse authenticityegtheid.
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08:01
In factfeit I did not know what
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Ek het inderwaarheid nie geweet
wat Afrika-egtheid was nie.
08:03
AfricanAfrikaanse authenticityegtheid was.
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08:06
The professorprofessor told me that my characterskarakters
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Die professor het my meegedeel
dat my karakters te veel soos hy was,
08:08
were too much like him,
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08:10
an educatedopgevoed and middle-classmiddelklas man.
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’n opgevoede, middelklas man.
08:12
My characterskarakters drovegery carsmotors.
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My karakters het motors bestuur.
08:14
They were not starvinghonger.
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Hulle't nie van honger vergaan nie.
08:17
ThereforeDus they were not authenticallyopreg AfricanAfrikaanse.
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Gevolglik was hulle nie eg aan Afrika nie.
08:21
But I mustmoet quicklyvinnig addvoeg that I too am just as guiltyskuldig
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Maar ek moet byvoeg
dat ek net so skuldig is
aan die enkele storie kwessie.
08:24
in the questionvraag of the singleenkele storystorie.
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08:27
A fewpaar yearsjaar agogelede, I visitedbesoek MexicoMexiko from the U.S.
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Ek't ’n paar jaar gelede Meksiko besoek
uit die VSA.
08:31
The politicalpolitiese climateklimaat in the U.S. at the time was tensegespanne,
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Die politieke klimaat in die VSA
was gespanne,
08:33
and there were debatesdebatte going on about immigrationimmigrasie.
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en debatte oor immigrasie het geheers.
08:37
And, as oftendikwels happensgebeur in AmericaAmerika,
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En, soos dit baie in Amerika gebeur,
08:39
immigrationimmigrasie becamegeword synonymoussinoniem with MexicansMeksikane.
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het immigrasie
sinoniem met Meksikane geword.
08:42
There were endlesseindelose storiesstories of MexicansMeksikane
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Daar was eindelose stories oor Meksikane
08:44
as people who were
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wat die gesondheidstelsel kaal uittrek,
08:46
fleecingfleecing the healthcaregesondheidssorg systemstelsel,
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08:48
sneakingsneaking acrossoor the bordergrens,
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oor die grens sluip,
08:50
beingwese arrestedin hegtenis geneem at the bordergrens, that sortsoort of thing.
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by die grens gearresteer word,
daai soort ding.
08:54
I rememberonthou walkingloop around on my first day in GuadalajaraGuadalajara,
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Ek't op my eerste dag
in Guadalajara rondgeloop,
08:58
watchingkyk the people going to work,
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gekyk hoe die mense werk toe gaan,
09:00
rollingrollende up tortillastortillas in the marketplacemark,
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by die markplein hulle tortillas oprol,
09:02
smokingrook, laughinglag.
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aan't rook en lag.
09:05
I rememberonthou first feelinggevoel slighteffense surpriseverrassing.
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Ek onthou dat ek eers effens verras was.
En toe was ek van skaamte oorkom.
09:08
And then I was overwhelmedoorweldig with shameskande.
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09:11
I realizedbesef that I had been so immersedgedompel
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Ek't besef dat ek so verdiep was
in die mediadekking oor Meksikane
09:14
in the mediamedia coveragedekking of MexicansMeksikane
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09:16
that they had becomeword one thing in my mindgedagte,
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dat hulle een ding in my kop geword het:
09:18
the abjectvolslae immigrantimmigrant.
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die ellendige immigrant.
Ek't geval vir die enkele storie oor Meksikane
09:21
I had boughtgekoop into the singleenkele storystorie of MexicansMeksikane
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09:23
and I could not have been more ashamedskaam of myselfmyself.
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en ek kon nie méér skaam kry nie.
09:26
So that is how to createskep a singleenkele storystorie,
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So dis hoe om ’n enkele storie te skep,
09:28
showWys a people as one thing,
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’n volk te wys as een ding,
09:31
as only one thing,
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slegs een ding,
09:33
over and over again,
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oor en oor,
09:35
and that is what they becomeword.
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en dis wat hulle dan word.
09:38
It is impossibleonmoontlik to talk about the singleenkele storystorie
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Dis onmoontlik
om die enkele storie te bespreek,
09:40
withoutsonder talkingpraat about powerkrag.
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sonder om mag aan te raak.
09:43
There is a wordwoord, an IgboIgbo wordwoord,
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Daar's ’n Igbo woord,
09:45
that I think about wheneverwanneer I think about
205
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waaroor ek dink as ek
oor die wêreld se magstrukture dink,
09:47
the powerkrag structuresstrukture of the worldwêreld, and it is "nkalinkali."
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en dis: "nkali."
09:50
It's a nounvoorsetsel that looselylosweg translatesvertaal
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Dis ’n selfstandige naamword, losweg vertaal:
"om groter as ’n ander te wees".
09:52
to "to be greatergroter than another'n ander."
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09:55
Like our economicekonomiese and politicalpolitiese worldswêrelde,
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Soos ons ekonomiese en politieke wêrelde,
09:58
storiesstories too are definedomskryf
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word stories ook bepaal
deur die beginsel van nkali:
10:00
by the principlebeginsel of nkalinkali:
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Hoe hulle vertel word, wie hulle vertel,
10:03
How they are told, who tellsvertel them,
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10:05
when they're told, how manybaie storiesstories are told,
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wanneer hulle vertel word,
hoeveel vertel word,
10:08
are really dependentafhanklik on powerkrag.
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is alles regtig afhanklik van mag.
10:12
PowerKrag is the abilityvermoë not just to tell the storystorie of another'n ander personpersoon,
215
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Mag is die vermoë
om ’n ander se storie te vertel
10:15
but to make it the definitivefinaal storystorie of that personpersoon.
216
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én om dit die beslissende storie
van dié persoon te maak.
10:19
The PalestinianPalestynse poetdigter MouridMourid BarghoutiBarghouti writesskryf
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Die Palestynse digter
Mourid Barghouti skryf
10:21
that if you want to dispossessdispossess a people,
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dat as jy ’n volk wil ontvreem,
10:24
the simplesteenvoudigste way to do it is to tell theirhulle storystorie
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is die eenvoudigste manier
om hulle storie te begin vertel
met "tweedens."
10:27
and to startbegin with, "secondlyTweedens."
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10:30
StartBegin the storystorie with the arrowspyle of the NativeInheemse AmericansAmerikaners,
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Begin die storie met
die Amerikaanse inboorlinge se pyle,
10:34
and not with the arrivalaankoms of the BritishBritse,
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en nié met die Britte se aankoms nie,
10:37
and you have an entirelygeheel en al differentverskillende storystorie.
223
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3000
en dan het jy ’n heeltemal ander storie.
10:40
StartBegin the storystorie with
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Begin met
die mislukking van die Afrikastaat,
10:42
the failuremislukking of the AfricanAfrikaanse statestaat,
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2000
10:44
and not with the colonialkoloniale creationskepping of the AfricanAfrikaanse statestaat,
226
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4000
en nié met die koloniale skepping
van die Afrikastaat nie,
10:48
and you have an entirelygeheel en al differentverskillende storystorie.
227
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en dan het jy ’n heeltemal ander storie.
10:52
I recentlyonlangs spokegepraat at a universityuniversiteit where
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Ek't onlangs by ’n universiteit gepraat
10:54
a studentstudent told me that it was
229
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2000
waar ’n student vir my gesê het
dat dit só jammer is
10:56
suchsoos a shameskande
230
644000
2000
10:58
that NigerianNigeriese menmans were physicalfisiese abusersmisbruik
231
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dat Nigeriese mans mishandelaars is,
11:01
like the fatherpa characterkarakter in my novelboek.
232
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soos die vaderfiguur in my roman.
11:04
I told him that I had just readlees a novelboek
233
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Ek't vir hom gesê dat ek pas die roman
"American Psycho" gelees het --
11:06
calledgenoem AmericanAmerikaanse PsychoPsigo --
234
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11:08
(LaughterLag)
235
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(Gelag)
11:10
-- and that it was suchsoos a shameskande
236
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-- en dat dit só jammer is
11:12
that youngjong AmericansAmerikaners were serialserie murderersmoordenaars.
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dat jong Amerikaners reeksmoordenaars is.
11:15
(LaughterLag)
238
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4000
(Gelag)
11:19
(ApplauseApplous)
239
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6000
(Applous)
11:25
Now, obviouslynatuurlik I said this in a fitpas of mildligte irritationirritasie.
240
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Natuurlik het ek dit effens geïrriteerd gesê.
11:28
(LaughterLag)
241
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2000
(Gelag)
11:30
But it would never have occurredplaasgevind to me to think
242
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Maar ek sou nooit kon dink
11:32
that just because I had readlees a novelboek
243
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2000
dat 'n reeksmoordenaar-karakter
in 'n roman
11:34
in whichwatter a characterkarakter was a serialserie killermoordenaar
244
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11:36
that he was somehoween of ander manier representativeverteenwoordiger
245
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álle Amerikaners verteenwoordig nie.
11:38
of all AmericansAmerikaners.
246
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2000
11:40
This is not because I am a better personpersoon than that studentstudent,
247
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3000
Dis nie omdat ek ’n beter mens
as daai student is nie,
11:43
but because of America'sAmerika se culturalkulturele and economicekonomiese powerkrag,
248
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maar eerder as gevolg van
Amerika se kulturele en ekonomiese mag,
11:46
I had manybaie storiesstories of AmericaAmerika.
249
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2000
dat ek baie stories oor Amerika het.
11:48
I had readlees TylerTyler and UpdikeUpdike and SteinbeckSteinbeck and GaitskillGaitskill.
250
696000
4000
Ek het al Tyler en Updike
en Steinbeck en Gaitskill gelees.
11:52
I did not have a singleenkele storystorie of AmericaAmerika.
251
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3000
Ek't nie ’n enkele storie
oor Amerika gehad nie.
11:55
When I learnedgeleer, some yearsjaar agogelede, that writersskrywers were expectedverwag
252
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3000
Toe ek gehoor het
dat daar van skrywers verwag word
om ongelukkige kinderjare te gehad het
11:58
to have had really unhappyongelukkig childhoodskinderjare
253
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4000
om suksesvol te wees,
12:02
to be successfulsuksesvol,
254
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2000
het ek begin dink hoe ek aaklige goed
wat my ouers my aangedoen het, kon opmaak.
12:04
I beganbegin to think about how I could inventbedink
255
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2000
12:06
horribleaaklig things my parentsouers had donegedaan to me.
256
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2000
12:08
(LaughterLag)
257
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2000
(Gelag)
12:10
But the truthwaarheid is that I had a very happygelukkig childhoodkinderjare,
258
718000
4000
Maar om die waarheid te sê,
het ek gelukkige kinderjare gehad,
vol lag en liefde, in ’n baie hegte gesin.
12:14
fullvolle of laughterlag and love, in a very close-knithegte familygesin.
259
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3000
12:17
But I alsoook had grandfathersgrandfathers who diedgesterf in refugeevlugteling campskampe.
260
725000
4000
Maar ek't ook oupas gehad
wat in vlugtelingkampe dood is.
My nefie Polle is dood
omdat hy nie voldoende gesondheidsorg kon kry nie.
12:21
My cousinneef PollePolle diedgesterf because he could not get adequatevoldoende healthcaregesondheidssorg.
261
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4000
12:25
One of my closestnaaste friendsvriende, OkolomaOkoloma, diedgesterf in a planevliegtuig crashcrash
262
733000
3000
Een van my beste maats, Okoloma,
is dood in ’n vliegtuigongeluk
12:28
because our firevuur trucksvragmotors did not have waterwater.
263
736000
3000
omdat ons brandweerwaens
nie water gehad het nie.
12:31
I grewgegroei up underonder repressiveonderdrukkende militarymilitêre governmentsregerings
264
739000
3000
Ek't onder verdrukkende
militêre regerings grootgeword
12:34
that devaluedverontwaardig voel educationonderwys,
265
742000
2000
wat opvoeding van waarde beroof het,
sodat my ouers soms
nie hulle salarisse betaal is nie.
12:36
so that sometimessoms my parentsouers were not paidbetaal theirhulle salariessalarisse.
266
744000
3000
12:39
And so, as a childkind, I saw jamkonfyt disappearverdwyn from the breakfastontbyt tabletafel,
267
747000
4000
En so, as ’n kind, het ek gesien
hoe konfyt van die ontbyttafel af verdwyn,
12:43
then margarinemargarien disappearedverdwyn,
268
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2000
toe margarien,
12:45
then breadbrood becamegeword too expensiveduur,
269
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3000
toe het brood te duur geword,
12:48
then milkmelk becamegeword rationedrationed.
270
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3000
toe is melk op rantsoen gesit.
12:51
And mostdie meeste of all, a kindsoort of normalizednormalized politicalpolitiese fearvrees
271
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3000
En meeste van alles,
het ’n soort genormaliseerde politieke vrees
12:54
invadedbinnegeval our liveslewens.
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ons lewens binnegedring.
Al hierdie stories maak my wie ek is.
12:58
All of these storiesstories make me who I am.
273
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13:00
But to insistdring aan on only these negativenegatiewe storiesstories
274
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4000
Maar om slegs op
die negatiewe stories aan te dring,
13:04
is to flattendruk plat my experienceervaring
275
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3000
is om my ervaring af te plat
13:07
and to overlookmiskyk the manybaie other storiesstories
276
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2000
en baie van die stories wat my gevorm het,
oor die hoof te sien.
13:09
that formedgevorm me.
277
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2000
13:11
The singleenkele storystorie createsskep stereotypesstereotipes,
278
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3000
Die enkele storie skep stereotipes,
13:14
and the problemprobleem with stereotypesstereotipes
279
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3000
en die probleem met stereotipes,
is nie dat hulle onwaar is nie,
13:17
is not that they are untrueonwaar,
280
785000
2000
13:19
but that they are incompleteonvolledige.
281
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2000
maar dat hulle onvolledig is.
13:21
They make one storystorie becomeword the only storystorie.
282
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4000
Hulle maak een storie die enigste storie.
Ja, Afrika ís ’n vasteland vol katastrofes:
13:25
Of coursekursus, AfricaAfrika is a continentkontinent fullvolle of catastropheskatastrofes:
283
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2000
13:27
There are immensegroot oneskinders, suchsoos as the horrificgruwelike rapesverkragtings in CongoKongo
284
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4000
Grotes, soos
die skokkende verkragtings in Kongo
13:31
and depressingdepressiewe oneskinders, suchsoos as the factfeit that
285
799000
2000
en ontmoedigendes,
soos dat 5000 mense vir een vakante pos
in Nigerië aansoek doen.
13:33
5,000 people applyaansoek doen for one jobwerk vacancyvakature in NigeriaNigerië.
286
801000
5000
13:38
But there are other storiesstories that are not about catastrophekatastrofe,
287
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3000
Maar daar is onrampspoedige stories
13:41
and it is very importantbelangrik, it is just as importantbelangrik, to talk about them.
288
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4000
en dis nét so belangrik om hulle te noem.
13:45
I've always feltgevoel that it is impossibleonmoontlik
289
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2000
Ek't nog altyd gedink dis onmoontlik
13:47
to engagebetrek properlybehoorlik with a placeplek or a personpersoon
290
815000
3000
om ordentlik aan ’n plek of persoon
mee te doen
13:50
withoutsonder engaginginnemende with all of the storiesstories of that placeplek and that personpersoon.
291
818000
4000
sonder om in ál die stories
van daardie plek of persoon te deel.
13:54
The consequencegevolg of the singleenkele storystorie
292
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3000
Die gevolg van die enkele storie
13:57
is this: It robsberoof people of dignitywaardigheid.
293
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3000
is dat dit mense van waardigheid beroof.
14:00
It makesfabrikate our recognitionerkenning of our equalgelyk humanitymensdom difficultmoeilik.
294
828000
4000
Dit maak erkenning
van ons gelyke menslikheid moeilik.
14:04
It emphasizesbeklemtoon how we are differentverskillende
295
832000
3000
Dit beklemtoon ons verskille
eerder as ons ooreenkomste.
14:07
rathereerder than how we are similarsoortgelyk.
296
835000
2000
14:09
So what if before my MexicanMeksikaanse triptrip
297
837000
2000
So wat as ek voor my Meksikaanse toer
14:11
I had followedgevolg the immigrationimmigrasie debatedebat from bothbeide sideskante,
298
839000
4000
albei kante van die
immigrasiedebat gevolg het,
14:15
the U.S. and the MexicanMeksikaanse?
299
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2000
die Amerikaanse en die Meksikaanse?
14:17
What if my mothermoeder had told us that Fide'sFide se familygesin was poorswak
300
845000
4000
Wat as my ma vir ons gesê het
dat Fide se familie arm
én hardwerkend is?
14:21
and hardworkinghardwerkende?
301
849000
2000
14:23
What if we had an AfricanAfrikaanse televisiontelevisie networknetwerk
302
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2000
Wat as ons
’n Afrika-televisienetwerk gehad het
14:25
that broadcastuitsending diversediverse AfricanAfrikaanse storiesstories all over the worldwêreld?
303
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4000
wat uiteenlopende Afrikastories
regoor die wêreld uitsaai?
14:29
What the NigerianNigeriese writerskrywer ChinuaChinua AchebeAchebe callsoproepe
304
857000
2000
Wat die Nigeriese skrywer Chinua Achebe
"’n balans van stories" noem.
14:31
"a balancebalans of storiesstories."
305
859000
3000
Wat as my kamermaat kon weet
van my Nigeriese uitgewer,
14:34
What if my roommatekamermaat knewgeweet about my NigerianNigeriese publisheruitgewer,
306
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3000
14:37
MuktaMukta BakarayBakaray,
307
865000
2000
Muhtar Bakare,
’n merkwaardige man
wat sy werk by ’n bank gelos het
14:39
a remarkablemerkwaardige man who left his jobwerk in a bankbank
308
867000
2000
14:41
to followvolg his dreamdroom and startbegin a publishingpublishing househuis?
309
869000
3000
om sy droom te volg
en ’n uitgewery te begin?
14:44
Now, the conventionalkonvensionele wisdomwysheid was that NigeriansNigerians don't readlees literatureliteratuur.
310
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4000
Die staande opvatting was
dat Nigeriërs nie literatuur lees nie.
Hy't verskil.
14:48
He disagreedsaamgestem. He feltgevoel
311
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2000
Hy't gedink
mense wat kon lees, sou lees,
14:50
that people who could readlees, would readlees,
312
878000
2000
14:52
if you madegemaak literatureliteratuur affordablebekostigbare and availablebeskikbaar to them.
313
880000
4000
mits literatuur bekostigbaar
en beskikbaar was.
14:56
ShortlyKort after he publishedgepubliseer my first novelboek
314
884000
3000
Kort na hy my eerste roman uitgegee het,
14:59
I wenthet to a TVTV stationstasie in LagosLagos to do an interviewonderhoud,
315
887000
3000
was ek by ’n TV-ateljee
in Lagos vir ’n onderhoud,
15:02
and a womanvrou who workedgewerk there as a messengerboodskapper camekom up to me and said,
316
890000
3000
en ’n vrou wat as ’n bode daar gewerk het,
het vir my kom sê:
15:05
"I really likedhou your novelboek. I didn't like the endingeindig.
317
893000
3000
"Ek't baie van jou roman gehou,
behalwe die einde.
15:08
Now you mustmoet writeskryf a sequelopvolger, and this is what will happengebeur ..."
318
896000
3000
"Jy moet nou ’n vervolgstuk skryf,
en wat moet gebeur is ..."
15:11
(LaughterLag)
319
899000
3000
(Gelag)
15:14
And she wenthet on to tell me what to writeskryf in the sequelopvolger.
320
902000
3000
En sy't toe vir my vertel
wat om in die vervolgstuk te skryf.
15:17
I was not only charmedperimenteer, I was very movedverskuif.
321
905000
3000
Ek was nie net bekoor nie,
ek was ook diep geroer.
15:20
Here was a womanvrou, partdeel of the ordinarygewone massesmassas of NigeriansNigerians,
322
908000
3000
Hier was ’n vrou,
soos baie gewone Nigeriërs,
15:23
who were not supposedveronderstel to be readerslesers.
323
911000
3000
wat nie veronderstel was
om 'n leser te wees nie.
Sy't nie net die boek gelees nie,
15:26
She had not only readlees the bookboek, but she had takengeneem ownershipeienaarskap of it
324
914000
2000
sy't dit ook aangeneem
15:28
and feltgevoel justifiedgeregverdigde in tellingvertel me
325
916000
3000
en geregverdig gevoel
in haar instruksies vir die vervolgstuk.
15:31
what to writeskryf in the sequelopvolger.
326
919000
2000
15:33
Now, what if my roommatekamermaat knewgeweet about my friendvriend FumiFumi OndaOnda,
327
921000
4000
So wat as my kamermaat kon weet
van my vriendin Funmi Iyanda,
15:37
a fearlessvreesloos womanvrou who hostsgashere a TVTV showWys in LagosLagos,
328
925000
3000
’n vreeslose Lagos TV-aanbieder,
15:40
and is determinedbepaal to tell the storiesstories that we preferverkies to forgetvergeet?
329
928000
3000
vasberade om die stories
wat ons verkies om te vergeet, te vertel?
15:43
What if my roommatekamermaat knewgeweet about the hearthart procedureprosedure
330
931000
4000
Wat as my kamermaat kon weet
van die hartoperasie wat verlede week
in ’n Lagos-hospitaal uitgevoer is?
15:47
that was performeduitgevoer in the LagosLagos hospitalhospitaal last weekweek?
331
935000
3000
15:50
What if my roommatekamermaat knewgeweet about contemporarykontemporêre NigerianNigeriese musicmusiek,
332
938000
4000
Wat as sy kon weet
van hedendaagse Nigeriese musiek,
15:54
talentedtalentvolle people singingsang in EnglishEngels and PidginPidgin,
333
942000
3000
talentvolle mense wat sing
in Engels en Pidgin
en Igbo en Joroeba en Ijo,
15:57
and IgboIgbo and YorubaYoruba and IjoIjo,
334
945000
2000
15:59
mixingmeng influencesinvloede from Jay-ZJay-Z to FelaFela
335
947000
4000
terwyl hulle invloede van Jay-Z en Fela
tot Bob Marley en hulle oupas meng.
16:03
to BobBart MarleyMarley to theirhulle grandfathersgrandfathers.
336
951000
3000
16:06
What if my roommatekamermaat knewgeweet about the femalevroulike lawyerprokureur
337
954000
2000
Wat as sy kon weet
van die vroulike prokureur
16:08
who recentlyonlangs wenthet to courthof in NigeriaNigerië
338
956000
2000
wat onlangs in Nigerië hof toe is
om ’n belaglike wet te betwis
16:10
to challengeuitdaging a ridiculousbelaglik lawwet
339
958000
2000
16:12
that requiredvereis womenvroue to get theirhulle husband'sman se consenttoestemming
340
960000
3000
wat vereis dat vroue
hulle mans se toestemming kry
16:15
before renewinghernu theirhulle passportspaspoorte?
341
963000
3000
voor hulle hul paspoorte hernu?
16:18
What if my roommatekamermaat knewgeweet about NollywoodNollywood,
342
966000
3000
Was as sy kon weet van Nollywood,
16:21
fullvolle of innovativeinnoverende people makingmaak filmsfilms despiteten spyte van great technicaltegniese oddskans,
343
969000
4000
vol innoverende mense wat films maak
ten spyte van groot tegniese uitdagings,
16:25
filmsfilms so populargewilde
344
973000
2000
sulke gewilde films,
16:27
that they really are the bestbeste examplebyvoorbeeld
345
975000
2000
perfekte voorbeelde van Nigeriërs
wat verbruik wat hulle self skep?
16:29
of NigeriansNigerians consumingbeslag what they produceproduseer?
346
977000
3000
16:32
What if my roommatekamermaat knewgeweet about my wonderfullywonderlik ambitiousambisieuse hairhare braiderbraider,
347
980000
3000
Wat as sy kon weet
van my vooruitstrewende haarvlegter,
16:35
who has just startedbegin her owneie businessbesigheid sellingverkoop hairhare extensionsuitbreidings?
348
983000
4000
met haar eie nuwe besigheid
vir die verkoop van haarverlengings?
16:39
Or about the millionsmiljoene of other NigeriansNigerians
349
987000
2000
Of van die miljoene Nigeriërs
wat besighede begin wat soms misluk,
16:41
who startbegin businessesbesighede and sometimessoms failmisluk,
350
989000
2000
16:43
but continueaanhou to nurseverpleegster ambitionambisie?
351
991000
4000
maar wat aanhou om hulle ambisie te kweek?
16:47
EveryElke time I am home I am confrontedgekonfronteer with
352
995000
2000
Elke keer wat ek tuis is,
sien ek ook meeste Nigeriërs
se bronne van irritasie:
16:49
the usualgewone sourcesbronne of irritationirritasie for mostdie meeste NigeriansNigerians:
353
997000
3000
16:52
our failedmisluk infrastructureinfrastruktuur, our failedmisluk governmentregering,
354
1000000
3000
ons mislukte infrastruktuur,
ons mislukte regering,
16:55
but alsoook by the incredibleongelooflike resilienceveerkragtigheid of people who
355
1003000
3000
maar ek sien ook
die ongelooflike taaiheid
van mense wat floreer
ten spyte van die regering,
16:58
thrivefloreer despiteten spyte van the governmentregering,
356
1006000
3000
eerder as gevolg daarvan.
17:01
rathereerder than because of it.
357
1009000
2000
17:03
I teachleer writingskryf workshopswerkswinkels in LagosLagos everyelke summersomer,
358
1011000
3000
Ek bied elke somer
skryfwerkswinkels in Lagos aan,
17:06
and it is amazingongelooflike to me how manybaie people applyaansoek doen,
359
1014000
3000
en dis indrukwekkend
hoeveel mense aansoek doen,
17:09
how manybaie people are eagergretig to writeskryf,
360
1017000
3000
hoeveel gretig is om te skryf,
17:12
to tell storiesstories.
361
1020000
2000
om stories te vertel.
17:14
My NigerianNigeriese publisheruitgewer and I have just startedbegin a non-profitnie-winsgewende
362
1022000
3000
Ek en my Nigeriese uitgewer
het onlangs die Farafina Trust --
17:17
calledgenoem FarafinaFarafina TrustVertrou,
363
1025000
2000
sonder winsbejag -- begin,
17:19
and we have biggroot dreamsdrome of buildinggebou librariesbiblioteke
364
1027000
3000
en ons het groot drome van biblioteke bou
17:22
and refurbishingopknapping librariesbiblioteke that alreadyreeds existbestaan
365
1030000
2000
en bestaande biblioteke opknap
17:24
and providingverskaffing booksboeke for statestaat schoolsskole
366
1032000
3000
en boeke verskaf aan staatskole
17:27
that don't have anything in theirhulle librariesbiblioteke,
367
1035000
2000
wat niks in hulle biblioteke het nie,
17:29
and alsoook of organizingorganisering lots and lots of workshopswerkswinkels,
368
1037000
2000
en ook van tonne werkswinkels organiseer,
17:31
in readinglees and writingskryf,
369
1039000
2000
in lees en skryf,
17:33
for all the people who are eagergretig to tell our manybaie storiesstories.
370
1041000
3000
vir al die mense wat gretig is
om ons baie stories te vertel.
17:36
StoriesStories mattersaak.
371
1044000
2000
Stories maak saak.
17:38
ManyBaie storiesstories mattersaak.
372
1046000
2000
Baie stories maak saak.
17:40
StoriesStories have been used to dispossessdispossess and to malignmalign,
373
1048000
4000
Stories is al gebruik
om te ontvreem en te belaster,
17:44
but storiesstories can alsoook be used to empowerbemagtig and to humanizehumanize.
374
1052000
4000
maar stories kan ook gebruik word
om te bemagtig en te vermenslik.
17:48
StoriesStories can breakbreek the dignitywaardigheid of a people,
375
1056000
3000
Stories kan ’n volk se waardigheid breek,
17:51
but storiesstories can alsoook repairherstel that brokengebroke dignitywaardigheid.
376
1059000
5000
maar stories kan ook
hulle gebreekte waardigheid heelmaak.
17:56
The AmericanAmerikaanse writerskrywer AliceAlice WalkerWalker wrotegeskryf this
377
1064000
2000
Die Amerikaanse skrywer
Alice Walker het geskryf
17:58
about her SouthernSuidelike relativesfamilie
378
1066000
2000
oor haar suiderlingfamilielede
wat na die Noorde getrek het.
18:00
who had movedverskuif to the NorthNoord.
379
1068000
2000
Oor hoe sy hulle aan ’n boek
18:02
She introducedbekendgestel them to a bookboek about
380
1070000
2000
18:04
the SouthernSuidelike life that they had left behindagter:
381
1072000
3000
oor die suiderlinglewe
wat hulle agtergelaat het, voorgestel het:
18:07
"They satza around, readinglees the bookboek themselveshulself,
382
1075000
4000
"Hulle't rondgesit, die boek self gelees,
"geluister na hoe ek die boek lees,
18:11
listeningluister to me readlees the bookboek, and a kindsoort of paradiseparadys was regainedteen hierdie tyd weer."
383
1079000
6000
"en ’n paradys van soorte is herwin."
18:17
I would like to endeinde with this thought:
384
1085000
3000
Ek wil graag met hierdie gedagte afsluit:
18:20
That when we rejectverwerp the singleenkele storystorie,
385
1088000
3000
Dat wanneer ons die enkele storie verwerp,
18:23
when we realizebesef that there is never a singleenkele storystorie
386
1091000
3000
wanneer ons besef
dat daar nooit ’n enkele storie
18:26
about any placeplek,
387
1094000
2000
oor enige plek is nie,
18:28
we regainherwin a kindsoort of paradiseparadys.
388
1096000
2000
herwin ons ’n soort paradys.
18:30
Thank you.
389
1098000
2000
Dankie.
18:32
(ApplauseApplous)
390
1100000
8000
(Applous)
Translated by Ingrid Lezar
Reviewed by Christiaan Crafford

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Novelist
Inspired by Nigerian history and tragedies all but forgotten by recent generations of westerners, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels and stories are jewels in the crown of diasporan literature.

Why you should listen

In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape.

Adichie's newest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, is a brilliant collection of stories about Nigerians struggling to cope with a corrupted context in their home country, and about the Nigerian immigrant experience.

Adichie builds on the literary tradition of Igbo literary giant Chinua Achebe—and when she found out that Achebe liked Half of a Yellow Sun, she says she cried for a whole day. What he said about her rings true: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”

(Photo: Wani Olatunde) 

More profile about the speaker
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Speaker | TED.com