TEDWomen 2013
Boyd Varty: What I learned from Nelson Mandela
Boyd Varty: Wat ek by Nelson Mandela geleer het
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"In die teater van die natuur sien ons die weerspieëling van die mooiste dele van onsself." Boyd Varty, ’n natuuraktivis, deel stories oor diere, mense en die bande wat hulle verbind, of "ubuntu" -- gedefinieer as: "Ek is, as gevolg van jou." En hy dra die praatjie op aan Suid-Afrikaanse leier Nelson Mandela, die vergestalting van groothartigheid en vrygewigheid.
Boyd Varty - Environmental and literacy activist
In his native South Africa, Boyd Varty builds wildlife corridors to restore the environment and literacy centers to restore the human spirit. Full bio
In his native South Africa, Boyd Varty builds wildlife corridors to restore the environment and literacy centers to restore the human spirit. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
I'm a man who's trying to live from his heart,
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Ek's ’n man wat
uit sy hart uit probeer lewe,
uit sy hart uit probeer lewe,
00:16
and so just before I get going,
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so net voor ek begin,
00:19
I wanted to tell you as a South African
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wou ek julle vertel,
as ’n Suid-Afrikaaner,
as ’n Suid-Afrikaaner,
00:21
that one of the men who has inspired me most
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dat een van die mans
wat my die meeste geïnspireer het
wat my die meeste geïnspireer het
00:24
passed away a few hours ago.
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’n paar uur gelede oorlede is.
00:27
Nelson Mandela has come to the end
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Nelson Mandela het die einde
00:30
of his long walk to freedom.
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van sy "long walk to freedom" bereik.
00:33
And so this talk is going to be for him.
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So hierdie praatjie is vir hom.
00:40
I grew up in wonder.
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Ek't in verwondering grootgeword,
00:43
I grew up amongst those animals.
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tussen daardie diere,
00:47
I grew up in the wild eastern part of South Africa
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in die wilde oostelike
deel van Suid-Afrika,
deel van Suid-Afrika,
00:51
at a place called Londolozi Game Reserve.
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op ’n plek genaamd
Londolozi Wildreservaat.
Londolozi Wildreservaat.
00:54
It's a place where my family has been
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Dis waar my familie
00:57
in the safari business for four generations.
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al vir vier generasies
in die safari-bedryf is.
in die safari-bedryf is.
01:01
Now for as long as I can remember,
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Vir so lank as wat ek kan onthou,
01:03
my job has been to take people out into nature,
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was dit my werk om mense
in die natuur uit te neem,
in die natuur uit te neem,
01:08
and so I think it's a lovely twist of fate today
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so dit was seker my voorland
01:11
to have the opportunity
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om die geleentheid te hê
01:13
to bring some of my experiences out in nature
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om van my natuurervarings daar buite
01:16
in to this gathering.
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in hierdie byeenkoms in te bring.
01:18
Africa is a place
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Afrika is ’n plek
01:20
where people still sit under starlit skies
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waar mense nog onder die sterre sit
01:23
and around campfires and tell stories,
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en om kampvure stories vertel.
01:27
and so what I have to share with you today
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So wat ek vandag met julle deel
01:29
is the simple medicine of a few campfire stories,
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is die eenvoudige medisyne
van ’n paar kampvuurstories,
van ’n paar kampvuurstories,
01:34
stories about heroes of heart.
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stories oor helde van die hart.
01:37
Now my stories are not the stories
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My stories is nie die stories
01:39
that you'll hear on the news,
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wat julle op die nuus sal hoor nie.
01:41
and while it's true that Africa is a harsh place,
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Dis waar dat Afrika ’n harde plek is,
01:44
I also know it to be a place
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maar ek weet ook
01:46
where people, animals and ecosystems
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dat Afrika se mense, diere en ekosisteme
01:50
teach us about a more interconnected world.
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ons kan leer oor
’n wedersyds verbonde wêreld.
’n wedersyds verbonde wêreld.
01:54
When I was nine years old,
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Toe ek nege jaar oud was,
01:56
President Mandela came to stay with my family.
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het President Mandela
by my gesin kom bly.
by my gesin kom bly.
01:59
He had just been released from
his 27 years of incarceration,
his 27 years of incarceration,
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Hy was pas vrygelaat
na 27 jaar in aanhouding,
na 27 jaar in aanhouding,
02:03
and was in a period of readjustment
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en dit was ’n tyd van aanpassing
02:06
to his sudden global icon status.
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tot sy skielike status as globale ikoon.
02:08
Members of the African National Congress
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Lede van die ANC
02:11
thought that in the bush
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het gedink dat hy in die bos
02:13
he would have time to rest and recuperate
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tyd sou hê om te rus en herstel,
02:15
away from the public eye,
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uit die publieke oog,
02:17
and it's true that lions tend to be
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en dis waar dat leeus geneig is om
02:20
a very good deterrent to press and paparazzi.
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’n baie goeie afskrikmiddel
vir die pers en paparazzi te wees.
vir die pers en paparazzi te wees.
02:24
(Laughter)
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(Gelag)
02:26
But it was a defining time for me as a young boy.
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Maar dit was ’n bepalende tyd
vir my as ’n jong seun.
vir my as ’n jong seun.
02:29
I would take him breakfast in bed,
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Ek't vir hom ontbyt in die bed geneem;
02:31
and then, in an old track suit and slippers,
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daarna, in ’n ou sweetpak en pantoffels,
02:33
he would go for a walk around the garden.
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het hy in die tuin gaan wandel.
02:36
At night, I would sit with my family
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Saans het ek met my familie gesit
02:38
around the snowy, bunny-eared TV,
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om die haasoorantenna-TV, vol sneeu,
en gekyk na beelde
en gekyk na beelde
02:40
and watch images of that same
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van dieselfde stil man in die tuin
02:43
quiet man from the garden
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02:45
surrounded by hundreds and thousands of people
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omring deur groot skares,
02:48
as scenes from his release were broadcast nightly.
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soos tonele van sy vrylating
elke aand uitgesaai is.
elke aand uitgesaai is.
02:51
He was bringing peace
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Hy was besig om vrede te bring
02:53
to a divided and violent South Africa,
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na ’n verdeelde en onstuimige Suid-Afrika,
02:56
one man with an unbelievable sense of his humanity.
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een man met ’n ongelooflike
sin vir sy menslikheid.
sin vir sy menslikheid.
03:01
Mandela said often that the gift of prison
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Mandela het dikwels gesê
dat sy vonnis hom die vermoë gegee het
03:04
was the ability to go within and to think,
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om na binne te keer en te dink,
03:07
to create in himself
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om binne-in homself
03:08
the things he most wanted for South Africa:
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die dinge wat hy vir Suid -Afrika
begeer het, te skep:
begeer het, te skep:
03:11
peace, reconciliation, harmony.
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vrede, versoening, harmonie.
03:15
Through this act of immense open-heartedness,
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Deur hierdie daad van
ontsaglike openhartigheid
ontsaglike openhartigheid
03:17
he was to become the embodiment
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het hy gestalte gegee aan
03:20
of what in South Africa we call "ubuntu."
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wat ons in Suid-Afrika "ubuntu" noem.
03:23
Ubuntu: I am because of you.
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Ubuntu: Ek is, deur jou.
03:26
Or, people are not people
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Of, mense is nie mense
03:29
without other people.
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sonder ander mense nie.
03:31
It's not a new idea or value
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Dis nie ’n nuwe idee of waarde nie,
03:33
but it's one that I certainly think at these times
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maar dit is een
waarop ons in hierdie tye
waarop ons in hierdie tye
03:35
is worth building on.
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beslis kan bou.
03:37
In fact, it is said that in the
collective consciousness of Africa,
collective consciousness of Africa,
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Daar word selfs gesê dat in die
kollektiewe bewussyn van Afrika,
kollektiewe bewussyn van Afrika,
03:40
we get to experience the deepest parts
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ons die diepste dele ervaar
03:42
of our own humanity
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van ons eie menslikheid
03:43
through our interactions with others.
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deur ons interaksies met ander.
03:46
Ubuntu is at play right now.
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Ubuntu is nou in hierdie kamer.
03:48
You are holding a space for me
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Julle skep ’n ruimte vir my
03:50
to express the deepest truth of who I am.
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om die diepste waarheid
van wie ek is, uit te druk.
van wie ek is, uit te druk.
Sonder julle is ek net ’n man
wat praat met ’n leë kamer,
wat praat met ’n leë kamer,
03:54
Without you, I'm just a guy talking to an empty room,
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03:56
and I spent a lot of time last week doing that,
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en ek't verlede week
baie tyd daaraan spandeer,
baie tyd daaraan spandeer,
03:59
and it's not the same as this.
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en dis niks soos dié nie.
04:02
(Laughter)
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(Gelag)
04:05
If Mandela was the national
and international embodiment,
and international embodiment,
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As Mandela die nasionale en
internasionale ubuntu-vergestalting was,
internasionale ubuntu-vergestalting was,
04:08
then the man who taught me the most
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dan is die man wat my persoonlik
die meeste oor die waarde geleer het
die meeste oor die waarde geleer het
04:10
about this value personally was this man,
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dié man, Solly Mhlongo.
04:12
Solly Mhlongo.
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04:14
Solly was born under a tree
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Solly is onder ’n boom gebore
04:16
60 kilometers from where I grew up in Mozambique.
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60 kilometer van waar ek
grootgeword het in Mosambiek.
grootgeword het in Mosambiek.
04:18
He would never have a lot of money,
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Hy sou nooit baie geld hê nie,
04:20
but he was to be
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maar hy was een van die rykste mans
wat ek ooit ontmoet het.
wat ek ooit ontmoet het.
04:21
one of the richest men I would ever meet.
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04:24
Solly grew up tending to his father's cattle.
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Solly het as kind
sy pa se beeste opgepas.
sy pa se beeste opgepas.
04:27
Now, I can tell you, I don't know what it is
about people who grow up looking after cattle,
about people who grow up looking after cattle,
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Ek weet nie wat dit is aan mense
wat grootword met vee-oppas nie,
wat grootword met vee-oppas nie,
04:31
but it makes for über-resourcefulness.
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maar dit maak vir über-vindingrykheid.
04:34
The first job that he ever got in the safari business
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Sy eerste werk in die safari-bedryf
04:36
was fixing the safari trucks.
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was om safari-bakkies te herstel.
04:39
Where he had learned to do that out in the bush
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Ek weet nie waar in die bos
hy dit geleer het nie,
hy dit geleer het nie,
04:41
I have no idea, but he could do it.
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maar hy kon dit doen.
04:43
He then moved across into what we called
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Toe het hy oorbeweeg
na wat ons die habitatspan noem.
04:45
the habitat team.
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04:47
These were the people on the reserve
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Dié mense is verantwoordelik
04:49
who were responsible for its well-being.
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vir die reservaat se instandhouding.
04:51
He fixed roads, he mended wetlands,
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Hy het paaie herstel,
hy het vleilande heelgemaak,
hy het vleilande heelgemaak,
04:53
he did some anti-poaching.
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hy het wildstroping bekamp.
04:55
And then one day we were out together,
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En toe was ons eendag saam uit,
04:57
and he came across the tracks of where
a female leopard had walked.
a female leopard had walked.
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en hy't afgekom op
’n luiperdwyfie se spoor.
’n luiperdwyfie se spoor.
05:01
And it was an old track,
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Dit was ’n ou spoor,
maar net vir die pret
het hy dit begin volg,
het hy dit begin volg,
05:02
but for fun he turned and he began to follow it,
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05:05
and I tell you, I could tell by the speed
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en ek sê vir julle, om met sulke spoed
05:06
at which he moved on those pad marks
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’n spoor te volg
05:08
that this man was a Ph.D.-level tracker.
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maak die man ’n professor in spoorsny.
05:12
If you drove past Solly
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As jy verby Solly gery het,
05:14
somewhere out on the reserve,
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iewers op die reservaat,
05:16
you look up in your rearview mirror,
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en in jou truspieël gekyk het,
05:17
you'd see he'd stopped the car
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sou jy sy motor sien stilhou,
05:19
20, 50 meters down the road
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20, 50 meter af in die pad,
05:21
just in case you need help with something.
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net ingeval jy hulp
met iets nodig gehad het.
met iets nodig gehad het.
05:24
The only accusation I ever heard leveled at him
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Die enigste ding waarvan
hy ooit beskuldig is,
hy ooit beskuldig is,
is toe een van ons kliënte gesê het,
05:27
was when one of our clients said,
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05:28
"Solly, you are pathologically helpful."
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"Solly, jy is amper té behulpsaam."
05:31
(Laughter)
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(Gelag)
05:34
When I started professionally guiding people
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Toe ek ’n professionele gids geword het,
05:37
out into this environment,
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om mense in die natuur in te neem,
05:38
Solly was my tracker.
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was Solly my spoorsnyer.
05:40
We worked together as a team.
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Ons het saamgewerk as ’n span.
05:42
And the first guests we ever got
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Die eerste gaste wat ons ooit ontvang het
05:44
were a philanthropy group from your East Coast,
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was 'n filantropiese groep
van die VSA se ooskus.
van die VSA se ooskus.
05:47
and they said to Solly, on the side, they said,
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Hulle het vir Solly gesê, so eenkant:
05:49
"Before we even go out to see lions and leopards,
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"Voor ons uitgaan om
leeus en luiperds te sien,
leeus en luiperds te sien,
05:52
we want to see where you live."
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wil ons sien waar jy woon."
So toe vat ons hulle na sy huis toe,
05:54
So we took them up to his house,
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05:55
and this visit of the philanthropist to his house
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en die besoek was toe op ’n tyd
05:58
coincided with a time when Solly's wife,
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toe Solly se vrou,
06:01
who was learning English,
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wat besig was om Engels te leer,
06:02
was going through a phase
where she would open the door
where she would open the door
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deur ’n fase gegaan het,
waar sy altyd die deur oopmaak
waar sy altyd die deur oopmaak
06:05
by saying, "Hello, I love you.
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en sê: "Hello, I love you.
06:07
Welcome, I love you." (Laughter)
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Welcome, I love you." (Gelag)
06:09
And there was something so beautifully African
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En dit was so pragtig en eg aan Afrika:
06:12
about it to me, this small house
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die klein huisie
06:14
with a huge heart in it.
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met die groot hart daarin.
06:16
Now on the day that Solly saved my life,
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Die dag wat Solly my lewe gered het,
06:23
he was already my hero.
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was hy alreeds my held.
06:25
It was a hot day,
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Dit was ’n warm dag,
06:27
and we found ourselves down by the river.
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en ons was onder by die rivier.
06:29
Because of the heat, I took my shoes off,
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As gevolg van die hitte,
het ek my skoene uitgetrek
het ek my skoene uitgetrek
06:31
and I rolled up my pants,
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en my broekspype opgerol,
06:33
and I walked into the water.
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en toe loop ek in die water in.
06:35
Solly remained on the bank.
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Solly het op die oewer gebly.
06:37
The water was clear running over sand,
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Die helder water het
oor die sand gestroom,
oor die sand gestroom,
06:40
and we turned and we began
to make our way upstream.
to make our way upstream.
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ons't gedraai en stroomop begin beweeg.
06:43
And a few meters ahead of us,
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En ’n paar meter voor ons
06:45
there was a place where a tree
had fallen out of the bank,
had fallen out of the bank,
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was daar ’n plek waar ’n boom
uit die oewer ontwortel het
uit die oewer ontwortel het
06:48
and its branches were touching the water,
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en sy takke het aan die water geraak,
06:51
and it was shadowy.
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en dit was skaduagtig.
06:52
And if had been a horror movie,
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En as dit ’n gruwelfliek was,
06:55
people in the audience would have started saying,
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sou mense in die gehoor nou begin sê het:
06:57
"Don't go in there. Don't go in there." (Laughter)
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"Moenie daar in gaan nie."
(Gelag)
07:01
And of course, the crocodile was in the shadows.
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En natuurlik was daar
’n krokodil in die skaduwee.
’n krokodil in die skaduwee.
Die eerste ding wat jy oplet
as ’n krokodil jou beetkry
as ’n krokodil jou beetkry
07:04
Now the first thing that you notice
when a crocodile hits you
when a crocodile hits you
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07:06
is the ferocity of the bite.
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is hoe heftig hy byt.
07:08
Wham! It hits me by my right leg.
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Bam! My regterbeen getref.
07:10
It pulls me. It turns. I throw my hand up.
I'm able to grab a branch.
I'm able to grab a branch.
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Hy trek my. Hy draai. Ek steek
my hand uit. Ek kry ’n tak gegryp.
my hand uit. Ek kry ’n tak gegryp.
07:14
It's shaking me violently.
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Hy skud my wild rond.
07:16
It's a very strange sensation
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Dit voel baie vreemd
07:17
having another creature try and eat you,
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as ’n ander wese jou probeer eet
07:19
and there are few things that
promote vegetarianism like that.
promote vegetarianism like that.
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en min dinge sal vegetarisme
so doeltreffend bevorder.
so doeltreffend bevorder.
07:23
(Laughter)
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(Gelag)
07:24
Solly on the bank sees that I'm in trouble.
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Solly op die oewer sien
dat ek in die moeilikheid is.
dat ek in die moeilikheid is.
07:27
He turns. He begins to make his way to me.
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Hy draai. Hy kom na my toe.
07:29
The croc again continues to shake me.
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Die krokodil hou aan om my te skud.
07:31
It goes to bite me a second time.
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Hy kom in vir 'n tweede hap.
07:33
I notice a slick of blood in the water around me
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Ek sien blink bloed in die water om my
wat stroomaf gespoel word.
07:35
that gets washed downstream.
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07:36
As it bites the second time, I kick.
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Toe hy my die tweede
keer byt, skop ek hom.
keer byt, skop ek hom.
07:39
My foot goes down its throat. It spits me out.
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My voet gaan in sy keel af.
Hy spoeg my uit.
Hy spoeg my uit.
07:41
I pull myself up into the branches,
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Ek trek myself op in die takke in,
07:43
and as I come out of the water,
I look over my shoulder.
I look over my shoulder.
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en soos ek uit die water kom,
kyk ek oor my skouer.
kyk ek oor my skouer.
07:47
My leg from the knee down
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Van die knie af ondertoe
07:49
is mangled beyond description.
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is my been onbeskryflik vermink.
07:51
The bone is cracked.
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Die been is gekraak.
07:52
The meat is torn up.
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Die vleis is geskeur.
07:54
I make an instant decision that
I'll never look at that again.
I'll never look at that again.
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Ek besluit op die daad
om nooit weer daarna te kyk nie.
om nooit weer daarna te kyk nie.
07:59
As I come out of the water,
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Soos ek uit die water uit kom,
08:01
Solly arrives at a deep section,
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kom Solly by ’n diep deel aan,
08:04
a channel between us.
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daar's ’n kanaal tussen ons.
08:05
He knows, he sees the state of my leg,
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Hy weet, hy sien die toestand van my been,
08:07
he knows that between him and I
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hy weet dat daar tussen ons
08:09
there is a crocodile,
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’n krokodil is
08:10
and I can tell you this man doesn't
slow down for one second.
slow down for one second.
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en sê julle: hy't nie vir
’n oomblik gehuiwer nie.
’n oomblik gehuiwer nie.
08:13
He comes straight into the channel.
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Hy loop reguit in die kanaal in.
08:15
He wades in to above his waist.
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Die water kom tot bo sy middellyf.
08:17
He gets to me. He grabs me.
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Hy kom tot by my. Hy gryp my.
08:18
I'm still in a vulnerable position.
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Ek's steeds kwesbaar.
08:20
He picks me and puts me on his shoulder.
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Hy sit my op sy skouers.
08:21
This is the other thing about Solly,
he's freakishly strong.
he's freakishly strong.
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Dis die ander ding oor Solly:
hy's belaglik sterk.
hy's belaglik sterk.
08:24
He turns. He walks me up the bank.
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Hy draai. Hy loop met my
teen die oewer uit.
teen die oewer uit.
08:26
He lays me down. He pulls his shirt off.
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Hy lê my neer. Hy trek sy hemp uit.
08:28
He wraps it around my leg,
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Hy vou dit om my been,
08:30
picks me up a second time,
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tel my weer op,
08:31
walks me to a vehicle,
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dra my na ’n voertuig toe,
08:33
and he's able to get me to medical attention.
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en hy kry my tot waar ek
mediese behandeling kan ontvang.
mediese behandeling kan ontvang.
08:37
And I survive.
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En ek oorleef.
(Gelag)
08:40
Now — (Applause)
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Nou -- (Applous)
08:44
Now I don't know how many people you know
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Nou ek weet nie hoeveel mense julle ken
08:47
that go into a deep channel of water
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wat deur ’n diep kanaal sal loop
08:49
that they know has a crocodile in it
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waar hulle weet ’n krokodil is
08:51
to come and help you,
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1343
om julle te kom help nie,
08:53
but for Solly, it was as natural as breathing.
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maar vir Solly was dit
so natuurlik soos asemhaal.
so natuurlik soos asemhaal.
08:56
And he is one amazing example
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En hy is een uitsonderlike voorbeeld
08:59
of what I have experienced all over Africa.
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van wat ek oral in Afrika ervaar het.
09:02
In a more collective society,
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2131
In ’n meer kollektiewe samelewing
09:04
we realize from the inside
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is die besef binne-in ons
09:07
that our own well-being is deeply tied
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dat ons eie welsyn
eng met die welsyn van ander verbonde is.
09:10
to the well-being of others.
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3238
09:13
Danger is shared. Pain is shared.
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Gevaar word gedeel. Pyn word gedeel.
09:17
Joy is shared. Achievement is shared.
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Blydskap word gedeel.
Prestasie word gedeel.
Prestasie word gedeel.
09:20
Houses are shared. Food is shared.
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Huise word gedeel. Kos word gedeel.
09:24
Ubuntu asks us to open our hearts
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Ubuntu vra ons om ons harte oop te maak
09:27
and to share,
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1414
en om te deel,
09:29
and what Solly taught me that day
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1952
en wat Solly my daai dag geleer het
09:31
is the essence of this value,
220
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2003
is die kern van hierdie waarde,
09:33
his animated, empathetic action
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sy vurige, empatiese aksie
09:36
in every moment.
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2045
in elke oomblik.
09:38
Now although the root word is about people,
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Nou, die woordstam gaan oor mense.
09:41
I thought that maybe ubuntu was only about people.
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So ek dag eers ubuntu gaan net oor mense.
09:44
And then I met this young lady.
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Maar toe ontmoet ek hierdie jong dame.
09:48
Her name was Elvis.
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Haar naam was Elvis.
09:49
In fact, Solly gave her the name Elvis
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Solly het haar die naam gegee,
09:51
because he said she walked like she was doing
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2857
want hy't gesê sy loop asof sy
09:54
the Elvis the pelvis dance.
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Elvis se bekkendans doen.
09:57
She was born with very badly
deformed back legs and pelvis.
deformed back legs and pelvis.
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Sy's gebore met sleg
misvormde agterpote en bekken.
misvormde agterpote en bekken.
10:01
She arrived at our reserve from a reserve
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Sy't van ’n ander reservaat
na ons s'n toe gekom --
na ons s'n toe gekom --
10:03
east of us on her migratory route.
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2056
oos van ons op haar trekroete.
10:05
When I first saw her,
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1779
Toe ek haar die eerste keer sien,
10:07
I thought she would be dead in a matter of days.
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het ek gedink sy sou binne
’n kwessie van dae dood wees.
’n kwessie van dae dood wees.
10:10
And yet, for the next five years
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2928
En tog, vir die volgende vyf jaar
10:13
she returned in the winter months.
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het sy in die wintermaande teruggekeer.
10:15
And we would be so excited to be out in the bush
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2377
En ons was so opgewonde
as ons in die bos was
as ons in die bos was
10:17
and to come across this unusual track.
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2396
en op dié ongewone spoor afgekom het --
10:20
It looked like an inverted bracket,
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1495
soos ’n omgekeerde hakie.
10:21
and we would drop whatever
we were doing and we would follow,
we were doing and we would follow,
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2449
En ons't alles net so
gelos om dit te volg,
gelos om dit te volg,
10:24
and then we would come around the corner,
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en dan kom ons om die draai,
10:26
and there she would be with her herd.
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2086
en daar staan sy met haar trop.
10:28
And that outpouring of emotion
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2895
En die uitstorting van emosie
10:30
from people on our safari trucks
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1714
van mense op ons safari-bakkies
10:32
as they saw her, it was this sense of kinship.
245
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3242
as hulle haar sien;
dit was ’n gevoel van verwantskap.
dit was ’n gevoel van verwantskap.
10:35
And it reminded me
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1485
En dit het my herinner
10:37
that even people who grow up in cities
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1931
dat selfs mense wat in stede grootword
10:39
feel a natural connection
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3585
’n natuurlike verbinding
tot die natuur en tot diere aanvoel.
10:42
with the natural world and with animals.
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2271
10:45
And yet still I remained amazed
that she was surviving.
that she was surviving.
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3584
En tog was ek oor en oor verbaas
dat sy aanhou leef het.
dat sy aanhou leef het.
10:48
And then one day we came across
them at this small water hole.
them at this small water hole.
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2961
En toe kom ons eendag op hulle af
by ’n klein watergat.
by ’n klein watergat.
10:51
It was sort of a hollow in the ground.
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1852
Dit was ’n holte van soort
in die grond.
in die grond.
10:53
And I watched as the matriarch drank,
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2454
En ek't gekyk hoe die matriarg drink,
10:56
and then she turned in that
beautiful slow motion of elephants,
beautiful slow motion of elephants,
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3274
en toe draai sy, met daai
pragtige stadige beweging van olifante,
pragtige stadige beweging van olifante,
10:59
looks like the arm in motion,
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1769
lyk soos ’n arm in beweging,
11:01
and she began to make her way up the steep bank.
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3006
en sy begin die steil wal uitklim.
11:04
The rest of the herd turned and began to follow.
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4644
Die res van die trop draai om
en begin haar volg.
en begin haar volg.
11:08
And I watched young Elvis
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1784
En ek kyk hoe jong Elvis
11:10
begin to psych herself up for the hill.
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3356
haarself begin opwarm vir die heuwel.
11:13
She got visibly -- ears came forward,
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3355
Mens kon sien -- hare ore na vore,
11:17
she had a full go of it and halfway up,
261
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2149
sy't hard probeer en halfpad op
11:19
her legs gave way, and she fell backwards.
262
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2277
het haar bene ingegee,
en sy't agteroor geval.
en sy't agteroor geval.
11:21
She attempted it a second time,
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1819
Sy't ’n tweede keer probeer,
11:23
and again, halfway up, she fell backwards.
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3175
en weer halfpad agteroor geval.
11:26
And on the third attempt,
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1857
En op die derde poging,
11:28
an amazing thing happened.
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2457
het ’n ongelooflike ding gebeur.
11:30
Halfway up the bank,
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1737
Halfpad teen die wal op,
11:32
a young teenage elephant came in behind her,
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3073
het ’n jong tienerolifant
agter haar ingekom,
agter haar ingekom,
11:35
and he propped his trunk underneath her,
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2203
en met sy stam onder haar gestut,
11:38
and he began to shovel her up the bank.
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3337
en haar by die wal begin opstoot.
11:41
And it occurred to me
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1388
En ek't besef
11:42
that the rest of the herd
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1556
dat die res van die trop
11:44
was in fact looking after this young elephant.
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2675
hierdie jong olifant oppas.
11:46
The next day I watched again
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2524
Die volgende dag het ek gesien
11:49
as the matriarch broke a branch
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2170
hoe die matriarg ’n tak breek
11:51
and she would put it in her mouth,
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1841
en dit in haar mond sit,
11:53
and then she would break a second one
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1957
en dan ’n tweede een breek
11:55
and drop it on the ground.
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2707
en dit op die grond gooi.
11:58
And a consensus developed between all of us
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2372
En ons gidse wat in die gebied gewerk het,
12:00
who were guiding people in that area
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1849
het begin saamstem
12:02
that that herd was in fact moving slower
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3149
dat dié trop stadiger beweeg
12:05
to accommodate that elephant.
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4056
om daai olifant te akkommodeer.
12:09
What Elvis and the herd taught me
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2091
Wat Elvis en die trop my geleer het,
12:11
caused me to expand my definition of ubuntu,
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3324
het veroorsaak dat ek my definisie
van ubuntu moes uitbrei,
van ubuntu moes uitbrei,
12:14
and I believe that in the cathedral of the wild,
285
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2616
en ek glo dat ons
in die teater van die natuur
in die teater van die natuur
12:17
we get to see the most beautiful parts of ourselves
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725614
2211
die weerspieëling van die
mooiste dele van onsself sien.
mooiste dele van onsself sien.
12:19
reflected back at us.
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1757
12:21
And it is not only through other people
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3640
En dis nie net deur ander mense
12:25
that we get to experience our humanity
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2920
wat ons ons menslikheid kan ervaar nie,
12:28
but through all the creatures that live on this planet.
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3926
maar deur al die wesens
wat op hierdie planeet woon.
wat op hierdie planeet woon.
12:32
If Africa has a gift to share,
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2814
As Afrika ’n gawe het om te deel,
12:34
it's a gift of a more collective society.
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742882
3827
is dit die gawe van
’n meer kollektiewe samelewing.
’n meer kollektiewe samelewing.
12:38
And while it's true that ubuntu is an African idea,
293
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4248
En terwyl dit waar is
dat ubuntu is 'n Afrika-idee is,
dat ubuntu is 'n Afrika-idee is,
12:42
what I see is the essence of that value
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4411
sien ek die essensie van dié waarde
12:47
being invented here.
295
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2362
hier ook aan't uitbroei.
12:49
Thank you.
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2115
Dankie.
12:51
(Applause)
297
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4853
(Applous)
13:16
Pat Mitchell: So Boyd,
298
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1797
Pat Mitchell: So Boyd,
13:17
we know that you knew President Mandela
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5041
ons weet dat jy
President Mandela geken het
President Mandela geken het
13:22
from early childhood
300
790920
1977
van jou vroeë kindheid af
13:24
and that you heard the news as we all did today,
301
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2899
en dat jy vandag die nuus,
nes ons almal, gehoor het,
nes ons almal, gehoor het,
13:27
and deeply distraught
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2440
en diep ontsteld is
13:30
and know the tragic loss that it is to the world.
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4431
en weet dat dit ’n tragiese
verlies vir die wêreld is.
verlies vir die wêreld is.
13:34
But I just wondered if you wanted
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2082
Maar ek't net gewonder of jy dalk
13:36
to share any additional thoughts,
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1891
nog gedagtes wou deel,
13:38
because we know that you heard that news
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806655
2074
omdat ons weet dat jy die nuus gehoor het
13:40
just before coming in to do this session.
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3380
net voor jy hierdie sessie kom doen het.
13:44
Boyd Varty: Well thanks, Pat.
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1696
Boyd Varty: Wel, dankie, Pat.
13:45
I'm so happy because it was time for him to pass on.
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3183
Ek is so gelukkig, want dit was tyd
vir hom om aan te beweeg.
vir hom om aan te beweeg.
13:48
He was suffering.
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1771
Hy het gely.
13:50
And so of course there's the mixed emotions.
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2398
So daar's natuurlik gemengde gevoelens.
13:53
But I just think of so many occurrences
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1984
Maar ek dink net aan so baie voorvalle
13:55
like the time he went on the Oprah show
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2407
soos toe hy op "Oprah" was
13:57
and asked her what the show would be about.
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2856
en haar gevra het waaroor
die program sou wees.
die program sou wees.
14:00
(Laughter)
315
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1478
(Gelag)
14:01
And she was like, "Well, it'll be about you."
316
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3298
En sy was soos: "Wel, oor jou."
14:05
I mean, that's just incredible humility.
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2748
Ek bedoel, dis net
ongelooflike nederigheid.
ongelooflike nederigheid.
14:07
(Laughter)
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3663
(Gelag)
14:11
He was the father of our nation
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3162
Hy was die vader van ons nasie
14:14
and we've got a road to walk in South Africa.
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6448
en ons't ’n pad om te loop in Suid-Afrika.
14:21
And everything, they used to call it Madiba magic.
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3410
En alles, hulle't dit Madiba Magic genoem.
14:24
You know, he used to go to
a rugby match and we would win.
a rugby match and we would win.
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2783
As hy by ’n rugbywedstryd was,
sou ons wen.
sou ons wen.
14:27
Anywhere he went, things went well.
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3461
Oral waar hy gegaan het,
het dinge goed gegaan.
het dinge goed gegaan.
14:30
But I think that magic will be with us,
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2381
Maar ek dink die Magic sal met ons wees,
14:33
and the important thing is that we carry
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3561
en die belangrike ding is
dit waarvoor hy gestaan het
verder dra.
verder dra.
14:36
what he stood for.
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1525
14:38
And so that's what I'm going to try and do,
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3487
So dis wat ek gaan probeer doen,
14:41
and that's what people all over
South Africa are trying to do.
South Africa are trying to do.
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2892
en dis wat mense regoor
Suid-Afrika probeer doen.
Suid-Afrika probeer doen.
14:44
PM: And that's what you've done today.
BV: Oh, thank you.
BV: Oh, thank you.
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2226
PM: En dis wat jy vandag gedoen het.
BV: Ag, dankie.
BV: Ag, dankie.
14:46
PM: Thank you.
BV: Thank you. Thanks very much.
BV: Thank you. Thanks very much.
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PM: Dankie.
BV: Dankie. Baie dankie.
BV: Dankie. Baie dankie.
14:50
(Applause)
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(Applous)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Boyd Varty - Environmental and literacy activistIn his native South Africa, Boyd Varty builds wildlife corridors to restore the environment and literacy centers to restore the human spirit.
Why you should listen
Everyone has felt that connection with nature. Through the Good Work Foundation, Boyd Varty is building a movement around it. The fourth-generation custodian of the Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa calls it a psychology of restoration. “We would like to be pioneers of the age of restoration,” says Varty. “Restoration of land, people and the human spirit."
By providing environmental, English and computer education to the people who live and work in Londolozi, he’s also creating an economically and socially sustainable model for conservation.
Boyd Varty | Speaker | TED.com