TEDGlobal 2014
Boniface Mwangi: The day I stood up alone
Boniface Mwangi: El día que me puse de pie
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El fotógrafo Boniface Mwangi quería protestar contra la corrupción en su país natal, Kenia. Así que tuvo un plan: Él y algunos amigos se pondrían de pie durante una reunión pública. Pero cuando llegó el momento... se encontró solo. Lo que pasó después, dice, le mostró quién era realmente. Y añade: "Hay dos días poderosos en la vida. El día que naces, y el día que descubres por qué". Imágenes crudas.
Boniface Mwangi -
Boniface Mwangi is an award-winning Kenyan photographer, artist and activist. He is a TED Fellow. Full bio
Boniface Mwangi is an award-winning Kenyan photographer, artist and activist. He is a TED Fellow. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
En mi lugar me llaman perturbador,
00:13
People back home call me a heckler,
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00:16
a troublemaker, an irritant,
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alborotador, irritante,
00:19
a rebel, an activist,
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rebelde, activista,
00:21
the voice of the people.
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la voz del pueblo.
00:23
But that wasn't always me.
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Pero no siempre fue así.
00:26
Growing up, I had a nickname.
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De niño tenía un apodo.
Solían llamarme Softy,
00:28
They used to call me Softy,
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00:30
meaning the soft, harmless boy.
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que significa muchacho inofensivo.
00:33
Like every other human being,
I avoided trouble.
I avoided trouble.
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Al igual que cualquier otro
ser humano, evité problemas.
ser humano, evité problemas.
00:36
In my childhood, they taught me silence.
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De niño, me enseñaron a ser tranquilo.
00:38
Don't argue, do as you're told.
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"No discuta, haga lo que le dicen".
00:40
In Sunday school, they taught me
don't confront, don't argue,
don't confront, don't argue,
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En la escuela dominical me enseñaron
a evitar la confrontación, no discutir,
a evitar la confrontación, no discutir,
00:44
even if you're right,
turn the other cheek.
turn the other cheek.
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e incluso si estoy en lo cierto,
a poner la otra mejilla.
a poner la otra mejilla.
00:47
This was reinforced
by the political climate of the time.
by the political climate of the time.
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Todo esto se vio reforzado por
el clima político de la época.
el clima político de la época.
00:52
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
00:55
Kenya is a country
where you are guilty
where you are guilty
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Kenia es un país
donde uno es culpable
donde uno es culpable
00:57
until proven rich.
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hasta que es rico.
01:00
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
01:02
Kenya's poor are five times more likely
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Los pobres kenianos tienen
5 veces más probabilidades
5 veces más probabilidades
01:05
to be shot dead by the police
who are meant to protect them
who are meant to protect them
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de ser baleados por la policía
que debería protegerles
que debería protegerles
01:08
than by criminals.
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que por los delincuentes.
01:10
This was reinforced
by the political climate of the day.
by the political climate of the day.
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Esto fue reforzado por
el clima político del día.
el clima político del día.
01:12
We had a president,
Moi, who was a dictator.
Moi, who was a dictator.
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Tuvimos un presidente,
Moi, que era dictador.
Moi, que era dictador.
01:15
He ruled the country with an iron fist,
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Gobernó el país con mano de hierro,
01:18
and anyone who dared
question his authority
question his authority
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y cualquiera que se atreviera
a cuestionar su autoridad
a cuestionar su autoridad
01:20
was arrested, tortured,
jailed or even killed.
jailed or even killed.
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era detenido, torturado,
encarcelado o incluso asesinado.
encarcelado o incluso asesinado.
Eso significaba que a las
personas se les enseñó
personas se les enseñó
01:25
That meant that people were taught
to be smart cowards, stay out of trouble.
to be smart cowards, stay out of trouble.
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a ser cobardes inteligentes
en lugar de ser problemáticas.
en lugar de ser problemáticas.
01:29
Being a coward was not an insult.
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Ser cobarde no era un insulto.
01:31
Being a coward was a compliment.
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Ser cobarde era un cumplido.
01:33
We used to be told that a coward
goes home to his mother.
goes home to his mother.
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Nos dijeron que un cobarde
vuelve a casa con su madre.
vuelve a casa con su madre.
Esto significaba que si uno se mantenía
01:36
What that meant: that if you stayed
out of trouble you're going to stay alive.
out of trouble you're going to stay alive.
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alejado de los problemas
se mantenía con vida.
se mantenía con vida.
01:40
I used to question this advice,
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Dudé de ese consejo.
01:42
and eight years ago
we had an election in Kenya,
we had an election in Kenya,
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Y hace 8 años cuando
tuvimos elecciones en Kenia,
tuvimos elecciones en Kenia,
01:45
and the results were violently disputed.
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y los resultados fueron
violentamente disputados,
violentamente disputados,
01:47
What followed that election
was terrible violence, rape,
was terrible violence, rape,
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la elección fue seguida de terribles
actos de violencia, violaciones,
actos de violencia, violaciones,
01:52
and the killing of over 1,000 people.
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y el asesinato de más de 1000 personas.
01:56
My work was to document the violence.
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Mi trabajo fue documentar la violencia.
01:59
As a photographer,
I took thousands of images,
I took thousands of images,
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Como fotógrafo,
tomé miles de imágenes,
tomé miles de imágenes,
02:02
and after two months,
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y después de dos meses,
02:04
the two politicians came together,
had a cup of tea,
had a cup of tea,
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los dos políticos se reunieron
a tomar una taza de té,
a tomar una taza de té,
02:09
signed a peace agreement,
and the country moved on.
and the country moved on.
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firmaron un acuerdo de paz,
y el país siguió su camino.
y el país siguió su camino.
02:12
I was a very disturbed man
because I saw the violence firsthand.
because I saw the violence firsthand.
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Yo era un hombre muy perturbado porque
vi la violencia con mis propios ojos.
vi la violencia con mis propios ojos.
02:16
I saw the killings.
I saw the displacement.
I saw the displacement.
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Vi los asesinatos.
Vi las evacuaciones.
Vi las evacuaciones.
02:19
I met women who had been raped,
and it disturbed me,
and it disturbed me,
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Conocí a mujeres que habían sido
violadas, y estaba afectado,
violadas, y estaba afectado,
02:22
but the country never spoke about it.
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pero el país nunca habló de aquello.
02:24
We pretended. We all became smart cowards.
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Solíamos fingir. Todos se convirtieron
en cobardes inteligentes.
en cobardes inteligentes.
02:27
We decided to stay out of trouble
and not talk about it.
and not talk about it.
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Decidimos quedarnos fuera de problemas
y no hablar de ello.
y no hablar de ello.
02:30
Ten months later, I quit my job.
I said I could not stand it anymore.
I said I could not stand it anymore.
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Diez meses después, dejé el trabajo.
No podía soportarlo más.
No podía soportarlo más.
Después de dejar mi trabajo,
decidí organizarme con mis amigos
decidí organizarme con mis amigos
02:34
After quitting my job,
I decided to organize my friends
I decided to organize my friends
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para hablar de la violencia en mi país,
02:36
to speak about
the violence in the country,
the violence in the country,
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02:38
to speak about the state of the nation,
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para hablar del estado de la nación,
02:40
and June 1, 2009 was the day
that we were meant to go to the stadium
that we were meant to go to the stadium
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y el 1 de junio 2009 era el día
en que teníamos que ir al estadio
en que teníamos que ir al estadio
02:44
and try and get the president's attention.
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para tratar de llamar la
atención del presidente.
atención del presidente.
02:46
It's a national holiday,
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Es un día de fiesta nacional,
02:48
it's broadcast across the country,
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se emite en todo el país,
02:49
and I showed up at the stadium.
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y me presenté en el estadio.
02:53
My friends did not show up.
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Mis amigos no se presentaron.
02:56
I found myself alone,
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Me encontré solo,
02:59
and I didn't know what to do.
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y no sabía qué hacer.
03:02
I was scared,
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Estaba asustado,
03:03
but I knew very well
that that particular day,
that that particular day,
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pero sabía muy bien que
ese día en particular,
ese día en particular,
03:05
I had to make a decision.
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tenía que tomar una decisión.
03:07
Was I able to live as a coward,
like everyone else,
like everyone else,
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¿Iba a vivir como un cobarde,
como todos los demás,
como todos los demás,
03:09
or was I going to make a stand?
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o iba a resistir?
03:11
And when the president stood up to speak,
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Y cuando el presidente se
puso de pie para hablar,
puso de pie para hablar,
03:13
I found myself on my feet
shouting at the president,
shouting at the president,
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me puse de pie gritando al presidente
03:17
telling him to remember
the post-election violence victims,
the post-election violence victims,
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diciéndole que recordará a las víctimas
de la violencia postelectoral
de la violencia postelectoral
03:21
to stop the corruption.
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para detener la corrupción.
03:23
And suddenly, out of nowhere,
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Y de repente, de la nada,
03:25
the police pounced on me
like hungry lions.
like hungry lions.
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la policía se abalanzó sobre mí
como leones hambrientos.
como leones hambrientos.
03:28
They held my mouth
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03:30
and dragged me out of the stadium,
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Me cerraron la boca
y me arrastraron fuera del estadio,
y me arrastraron fuera del estadio,
03:32
where they thoroughly beat me up
and locked me up in jail.
and locked me up in jail.
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donde me golpearon a fondo
y me encerraron en la cárcel.
y me encerraron en la cárcel.
03:37
I spent that night in
a cold cement floor in the jail,
a cold cement floor in the jail,
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Pasé esa noche en el frío
suelo de cemento en la cárcel
suelo de cemento en la cárcel
03:43
and that got me thinking.
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y me puse a pensar
03:46
What was making me feel this way?
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por qué me sentía de esa manera.
03:48
My friends and family thought
I was crazy because of what I did,
I was crazy because of what I did,
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Mis amigos y familiares pensaron
que estaba loco, por lo que hice,
que estaba loco, por lo que hice,
03:51
and the images that I took
were disturbing my life.
were disturbing my life.
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y que las fotos que había
tomado me perturbaron.
tomado me perturbaron.
03:56
The images that I took
were just a number to many Kenyans.
were just a number to many Kenyans.
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Las imágenes que tomé eran solo
un número para muchos kenianos.
un número para muchos kenianos.
03:59
Most Kenyans did not see the violence.
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La mayoría de los kenianos
no vieron la violencia.
no vieron la violencia.
04:01
It was a story to them.
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Era una historia para ellos.
04:03
And so I decided to actually
start a street exhibition
start a street exhibition
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Y así decidí realmente
abrir una exposición callejera
abrir una exposición callejera
04:05
to show the images of the violence
across the country
across the country
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para mostrar las imágenes de
las agresiones en todo el país
las agresiones en todo el país
04:08
and get people talking about it.
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y hacer que la gente
hablara de ello.
hablara de ello.
04:10
We traveled the country
and showed the images,
and showed the images,
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Viajamos por el país
y mostramos las imágenes,
y mostramos las imágenes,
04:13
and this was a journey that has started me
to the activist path,
to the activist path,
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y fue entonces cuando
me convertí en activista.
me convertí en activista.
04:16
where I decided to become silent no more,
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Decidí no callarme más,
04:19
to talk about those things.
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hablar de esas cosas.
04:21
We traveled, and our general site
from our street exhibit
from our street exhibit
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Viajé, y nuestra meta más allá
de la exposición callejera
de la exposición callejera
04:25
became for political graffiti
about the situation in the country,
about the situation in the country,
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era el graffiti político
sobre la situación del país,
sobre la situación del país,
04:30
talking about corruption, bad leadership.
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hablando de la corrupción,
la falta de liderazgo.
la falta de liderazgo.
04:33
We have even done symbolic burials.
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También hicimos entierros simbólicos.
04:36
We have delivered live pigs
to Kenya's parliament
to Kenya's parliament
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Hemos entregado cerdos vivos
al parlamento de Kenia
al parlamento de Kenia
04:40
as a symbol of our politicians' greed.
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como símbolo de la codicia
de nuestros políticos.
de nuestros políticos.
04:42
It has been done in Uganda
and other countries,
and other countries,
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Se ha hecho en Uganda
y otros países,
y otros países,
04:45
and what is most powerful is that
the images have been picked by the media
the images have been picked by the media
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y lo más poderoso es que
las imágenes fueron recogidas
las imágenes fueron recogidas
por los medios de comunicación
04:48
and amplified across the country,
across the continent.
across the continent.
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y transmitidas al resto
del país y del continente.
del país y del continente.
04:51
Where I used to stand up alone
seven years ago,
seven years ago,
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Si hace siete años me quedé solo,
04:54
now I belong to a community
of many people who stand up with me.
of many people who stand up with me.
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ahora pertenezco a una comunidad
que está a mi lado.
que está a mi lado.
04:57
I am no longer alone when I stand up
to speak about these things.
to speak about these things.
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Ya no solo cuando hablo de estas cosas.
05:02
I belong to a group of young people
who are passionate about the country,
who are passionate about the country,
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Pertenezco a un grupo de jóvenes
que sienten pasión por el país,
que sienten pasión por el país,
05:06
who want to bring about change,
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que quieren lograr un cambio,
05:08
and they're no longer afraid,
and they're no longer smart cowards.
and they're no longer smart cowards.
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y que ya no tienen miedo, y que ya
no son unos cobardes inteligentes.
no son unos cobardes inteligentes.
05:13
So that was my story.
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Así que esa fue mi historia.
05:18
That day in the stadium,
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Ese día en el estadio,
05:20
I stood up as a smart coward.
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me puse de pie como
un cobarde inteligente.
un cobarde inteligente.
05:23
By that one action, I said goodbye
to the 24 years living as a coward.
to the 24 years living as a coward.
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Con este gesto, me despedí
de los 24 años de cobardía.
de los 24 años de cobardía.
05:28
There are two most powerful
days in your life:
days in your life:
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Hay dos grandes días en la vida:
05:31
the day you're born,
and the day you discover why.
and the day you discover why.
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el día que naces,
y el día que descubres por qué.
y el día que descubres por qué.
05:36
That day standing up in that stadium
shouting at the President,
shouting at the President,
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Ese día, levantándome en el
estadio, gritando al presidente,
estadio, gritando al presidente,
05:40
I discovered why I was truly born,
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descubrí por qué nací de verdad,
05:43
that I would no longer be silent
in the face of injustice.
in the face of injustice.
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que yo ya no callaré
ante la injusticia.
ante la injusticia.
05:47
Do you know why you were born?
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¿Sabes por qué naciste?
05:51
Thank you.
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Gracias.
05:53
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
06:00
Tom Rielly: It's an amazing story.
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Tom Rielly: Es una historia asombrosa.
06:03
I just want to ask you
a couple quick questions.
a couple quick questions.
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solo quiero hacerte un par
de preguntas rápidas.
de preguntas rápidas.
06:05
So PAWA254:
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Así que PAWA254
06:07
you've created a studio, a place
where young people can go
where young people can go
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ha creado un estudio, un lugar
donde los jóvenes pueden ir
donde los jóvenes pueden ir
06:12
and harness the power of digital media
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y aprovechar el poder
de los medios digitales
de los medios digitales
06:14
to do some of this action.
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y hacer algo, actuar.
06:16
What's happening now with PAWA?
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¿Qué está pasando ahora con PAWA?
06:18
Boniface Mwangi: So we have
this community of filmmakers,
this community of filmmakers,
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Boniface Mwangi: Tenemos
esta comunidad de cineastas,
esta comunidad de cineastas,
06:21
graffiti artists, musicians,
and when there's an issue in the country,
and when there's an issue in the country,
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grafiteros, músicos,
y cuando hay un problema en el país,
y cuando hay un problema en el país,
06:24
we come together, we brainstorm,
and take up on that issue.
and take up on that issue.
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nos reunimos, nos inspiramos,
y nos ocupamos del problema.
y nos ocupamos del problema.
06:27
So our most powerful tool is art,
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Así que nuestra herramienta
más poderosa es el arte,
más poderosa es el arte,
06:29
because we live in a very busy world
where people are so busy in their life,
where people are so busy in their life,
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porque vivimos en un mundo ocupado
en el que la gente está siempre ocupada,
en el que la gente está siempre ocupada,
06:33
and they don't have time to read.
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y no tienen tiempo para leer.
06:35
So we package our activism
and we package our message in art.
and we package our message in art.
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Así que empaquetamos nuestro activismo
y enviamos el mensaje a través del arte.
y enviamos el mensaje a través del arte.
06:39
So from the music, the graffiti,
the art, that's what we do.
the art, that's what we do.
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Desde la música, el graffiti,
el arte, que es lo que hacemos.
el arte, que es lo que hacemos.
06:45
Can I say one more thing?
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¿Puedo decir una cosa más?
06:47
TR: Yeah, of course. (Applause)
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TR: Sí, por supuesto.
(Aplausos)
(Aplausos)
06:49
BM: In spite of being arrested,
beaten up, threatened,
beaten up, threatened,
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BM: A pesar de ser arrestado,
golpeado, amenazado,
golpeado, amenazado,
06:52
the moment I discovered my voice,
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cuando encontré mi voz,
06:53
that I could actually stand up
for what I really believed in,
for what I really believed in,
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donde pude defender aquello
en lo que realmente creía,
en lo que realmente creía,
06:56
I'm no longer afraid.
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dejé de tener miedo.
06:57
I used to be called softy,
but I'm no longer softy,
but I'm no longer softy,
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Me llamaban "Softy", el blandengue,
pero ya no soy blando,
pero ya no soy blando,
07:00
because I discovered who I really am,
as in, that's what I want to do,
as in, that's what I want to do,
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porque descubrí quién soy realmente,
y lo que quiero hacer,
y lo que quiero hacer,
07:03
and there's such beauty in doing that.
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y eso es muy agradable.
07:06
There's nothing as powerful as that,
knowing that I'm meant to do this,
knowing that I'm meant to do this,
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No hay nadie más poderoso que aquel
que conoce su propósito,
que conoce su propósito,
07:10
because you don't get scared,
you just continue living your life.
you just continue living your life.
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porque nunca tiene miedo,
y sigue viviendo su vida.
y sigue viviendo su vida.
07:13
Thank you.
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2186
Gracias.
07:15
(Applause)
142
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3590
(Aplausos)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Boniface Mwangi -Boniface Mwangi is an award-winning Kenyan photographer, artist and activist. He is a TED Fellow.
Why you should listen
For four years Boniface Mwangi held a staff photography position at The Standard, the second largest Kenyan newspaper, taking on various assignments of increasing responsibility in a number of countries. Mwangi became the eye of Kenyans during the 2007 post-election violence and showed courage and compassion to capture thousands of images, some so gory that they could not be published.
Following the political resolution to the election crisis, Boniface started to see himself as a visual artist, using photography as the vehicle for social change in Kenya. His focus was the fight against the impunity of politicians in the face of over 1000 dead and half a million people displaced as a result of the violence they caused.
"Boniface’s images are crucial for the healing of our nation; his ability to stay focused and inject a sense of artistry into his work is a testimony to the spirit of professional journalism," wrote Jackson Biko after Boniface was voted Kenya Photojournalist of the Year in 2008 by readers of Adam, a men’s magazine in the country.
Since then, Boniface has continued to work as a freelance photographer for Bloomberg, the AFP, Reuters, the Boston Globe, and other media outlets while building a movement for social change in Kenya through “Picha Mtaani” (Swahili for street exhibition). The photo exhibit aims to heal the scars of Kenyans and draw their attention to the dynamics of the violence to prevent a repeat during the upcoming elections of 2013.
Boniface founded Pawa254 as a collaborative hub where journalists, artists and activists could meet to find innovative ways of achieving social change. The hub has already had many functions, but two campaigns stand out. “Heal the Nation” is a very successful initiative to show a half-hour documentary about post-election violence to as many Kenyans as possible and facilitate discussions around the film. The campaign is accompanied by a more shadowy graffiti campaign that has evoked strong reactions and fired up the youth of Kenya and the world, as images of the clever graffiti grace the pages of the world’s newspapers.
In 2009 United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote a letter commending Boniface for his work during the post-election violence. She stated, "Your photography is absolutely stunning and tells an important and powerful story for the world to hear."
More profile about the speakerFollowing the political resolution to the election crisis, Boniface started to see himself as a visual artist, using photography as the vehicle for social change in Kenya. His focus was the fight against the impunity of politicians in the face of over 1000 dead and half a million people displaced as a result of the violence they caused.
"Boniface’s images are crucial for the healing of our nation; his ability to stay focused and inject a sense of artistry into his work is a testimony to the spirit of professional journalism," wrote Jackson Biko after Boniface was voted Kenya Photojournalist of the Year in 2008 by readers of Adam, a men’s magazine in the country.
Since then, Boniface has continued to work as a freelance photographer for Bloomberg, the AFP, Reuters, the Boston Globe, and other media outlets while building a movement for social change in Kenya through “Picha Mtaani” (Swahili for street exhibition). The photo exhibit aims to heal the scars of Kenyans and draw their attention to the dynamics of the violence to prevent a repeat during the upcoming elections of 2013.
Boniface founded Pawa254 as a collaborative hub where journalists, artists and activists could meet to find innovative ways of achieving social change. The hub has already had many functions, but two campaigns stand out. “Heal the Nation” is a very successful initiative to show a half-hour documentary about post-election violence to as many Kenyans as possible and facilitate discussions around the film. The campaign is accompanied by a more shadowy graffiti campaign that has evoked strong reactions and fired up the youth of Kenya and the world, as images of the clever graffiti grace the pages of the world’s newspapers.
In 2009 United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote a letter commending Boniface for his work during the post-election violence. She stated, "Your photography is absolutely stunning and tells an important and powerful story for the world to hear."
Boniface Mwangi | Speaker | TED.com