TEDGlobal 2014
Boniface Mwangi: The day I stood up alone
Boniface Mwangi: Il giorno in cui mi sono alzato in piedi da solo
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Il fotografo Boniface Mwangi voleva protestare contro la corruzione in Kenya, il suo paese natale. Quindi fece un piano: con i suoi amici avrebbe interrotto un incontro pubblico. Ma quando arrivò il momento... si alzò in piedi da solo. Quello che successe dopo, dice, gli mostrò chi era veramente. Dice, "Ci sono due giorni importanti nella vita. Il giorno in cui si nasce e il giorno in cui si scopre perché."
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.
00:13
People back home call me a heckler,
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La gente a casa mi chiama disturbatore,
00:16
a troublemaker, an irritant,
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un piantagrane, fastidioso,
00:19
a rebel, an activist,
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un ribelle, un attivista,
00:21
the voice of the people.
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la voce del popolo.
00:23
But that wasn't always me.
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Ma non sono sempre stato così.
00:26
Growing up, I had a nickname.
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Da piccolo avevo un soprannome.
00:28
They used to call me Softy,
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Mi chiamavano Softy,
00:30
meaning the soft, harmless boy.
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per dire tenero, innocuo.
00:33
Like every other human being,
I avoided trouble.
I avoided trouble.
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Come chiunque altro,
evitavo i problemi.
evitavo i problemi.
00:36
In my childhood, they taught me silence.
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Da piccolo, mi insegnavano il silenzio.
00:38
Don't argue, do as you're told.
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Non discutere,
fai quello che ti si dice.
fai quello che ti si dice.
00:40
In Sunday school, they taught me
don't confront, don't argue,
don't confront, don't argue,
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Alla scuola domenicale mi insegnarono
ad evitare il confronto, non discutere,
ad evitare il confronto, non discutere,
00:44
even if you're right,
turn the other cheek.
turn the other cheek.
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anche se hai ragione,
porgi l'altra guancia.
porgi l'altra guancia.
00:47
This was reinforced
by the political climate of the time.
by the political climate of the time.
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Il tutto è stato rinforzato
dal clima politico dell'epoca.
dal clima politico dell'epoca.
00:52
(Laughter)
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(Risate)
00:55
Kenya is a country
where you are guilty
where you are guilty
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In Kenya sei colpevole
00:57
until proven rich.
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finché non dimostri di essere ricco.
01:00
(Laughter)
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(Risate)
01:02
Kenya's poor are five times more likely
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I poveri kenioti hanno
cinque volte più probabilità
cinque volte più probabilità
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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di farsi sparare dalla polizia
che dovrebbe proteggerli
che dovrebbe proteggerli
01:08
than by criminals.
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che dai criminali.
01:10
This was reinforced
by the political climate of the day.
by the political climate of the day.
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Il tutto era rafforzato
dal clima politica dell'epoca.
dal clima politica dell'epoca.
01:12
We had a president,
Moi, who was a dictator.
Moi, who was a dictator.
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Avevamo un presidente,
Moi, un dittatore.
Moi, un dittatore.
01:15
He ruled the country with an iron fist,
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Governava il paese con il pugno di ferro,
01:18
and anyone who dared
question his authority
question his authority
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e chiunque osasse
mettere in discussione la sua autorità
mettere in discussione la sua autorità
01:20
was arrested, tortured,
jailed or even killed.
jailed or even killed.
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veniva arrestato, torturato,
imprigionato o ucciso.
imprigionato o ucciso.
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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Si insegnava ad essere
vigliacchi intelligenti,
vigliacchi intelligenti,
a non mettersi nei guai.
Essere vigliacco non era un insulto.
01:29
Being a coward was not an insult.
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Essere vigliacco era un complimento.
01:31
Being a coward was a compliment.
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01:33
We used to be told that a coward
goes home to his mother.
goes home to his mother.
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Ci dicevano che un vigliacco
tornava a casa dalla mamma.
tornava a casa dalla mamma.
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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Significava: se ti tenevi lontano dai guai,
sopravvivevi.
sopravvivevi.
01:40
I used to question this advice,
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Io mettevo in discussione
questo consiglio,
questo consiglio,
01:42
and eight years ago
we had an election in Kenya,
we had an election in Kenya,
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e otto anni dopo ci fu
un'elezione in Kenya,
un'elezione in Kenya,
01:45
and the results were violently disputed.
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e i risultati furono
violentemente contestati.
violentemente contestati.
01:47
What followed that election
was terrible violence, rape,
was terrible violence, rape,
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A quelle elezioni seguirono
terribili violenze, stupri,
terribili violenze, stupri,
01:52
and the killing of over 1,000 people.
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e l'uccisione di più di 1000 persone.
01:56
My work was to document the violence.
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Il mio lavoro fu quello
di documentare la violenza.
di documentare la violenza.
01:59
As a photographer,
I took thousands of images,
I took thousands of images,
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In quanto fotografo,
scattai migliaia di immagini,
scattai migliaia di immagini,
02:02
and after two months,
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e dopo due mesi,
02:04
the two politicians came together,
had a cup of tea,
had a cup of tea,
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i due politici fecero pace,
davanti a una tazza di tè,
davanti a una tazza di tè,
02:09
signed a peace agreement,
and the country moved on.
and the country moved on.
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firmarono un accordo di pace,
e il paese andò avanti.
e il paese andò avanti.
02:12
I was a very disturbed man
because I saw the violence firsthand.
because I saw the violence firsthand.
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Ero un uomo molto disturbato
perché ho visto la violenza di persona.
perché ho visto la violenza di persona.
02:16
I saw the killings.
I saw the displacement.
I saw the displacement.
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Ho visto le uccisioni.
Ho visto le evacuazioni.
Ho visto le evacuazioni.
02:19
I met women who had been raped,
and it disturbed me,
and it disturbed me,
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Ho incontrato una donna violentata,
e mi ha turbato,
e mi ha turbato,
02:22
but the country never spoke about it.
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ma il paese non ne parlava.
02:24
We pretended. We all became smart cowards.
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Facevamo finta. Diventammo tutti
vigliacchi intelligenti.
vigliacchi intelligenti.
02:27
We decided to stay out of trouble
and not talk about it.
and not talk about it.
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Decidemmo di stare lontano dai guai
e non parlarne.
e non parlarne.
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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Dieci mesi dopo, lasciai il lavoro.
Non lo sopportavo più.
Non lo sopportavo più.
02:34
After quitting my job,
I decided to organize my friends
I decided to organize my friends
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Dopo aver lasciato il lavoro,
decisi di organizzarmi con i miei amici
decisi di organizzarmi con i miei amici
02:36
to speak about
the violence in the country,
the violence in the country,
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per parlare della violenza
nel mio paese,
nel mio paese,
02:38
to speak about the state of the nation,
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per parlare dello stato del paese,
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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e il 1° giugno del 2009 era il giorno in cui
dovevamo andare allo stadio
dovevamo andare allo stadio
02:44
and try and get the president's attention.
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per cercare di attirare l'attenzione
del presidente.
del presidente.
02:46
It's a national holiday,
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È festa nazionale,
02:48
it's broadcast across the country,
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viene trasmesso in tutto il paese,
02:49
and I showed up at the stadium.
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e mi presentai allo stadio.
02:53
My friends did not show up.
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I miei amici non si presentarono.
02:56
I found myself alone,
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Mi ritrovai da solo,
02:59
and I didn't know what to do.
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non sapevo cosa fare.
03:02
I was scared,
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Avevo paura,
03:03
but I knew very well
that that particular day,
that that particular day,
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ma sapevo bene che quel giorno,
03:05
I had to make a decision.
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dovevo prendere una decisione.
03:07
Was I able to live as a coward,
like everyone else,
like everyone else,
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Dovevo vivere da vigliacco,
come tutti?
come tutti?
03:09
or was I going to make a stand?
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Oppure fare resistenza?
03:11
And when the president stood up to speak,
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Quando il presidente
si alzò per parlare,
si alzò per parlare,
03:13
I found myself on my feet
shouting at the president,
shouting at the president,
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mi alzai in piedi a urlare al presidente,
03:17
telling him to remember
the post-election violence victims,
the post-election violence victims,
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a dirgli di ricordare le vittime
delle violenze post-elezioni,
delle violenze post-elezioni,
03:21
to stop the corruption.
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di fermare la corruzione.
03:23
And suddenly, out of nowhere,
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Improvvisamente, dal nulla,
03:25
the police pounced on me
like hungry lions.
like hungry lions.
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i poliziotti mi piombarono addosso
come leoni affamati.
come leoni affamati.
03:28
They held my mouth
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Mi chiusero la bocca
03:30
and dragged me out of the stadium,
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e mi trascinarono fuori dallo stadio,
03:32
where they thoroughly beat me up
and locked me up in jail.
and locked me up in jail.
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dove mi picchiarono per bene
e mi rinchiusero in carcere.
e mi rinchiusero in carcere.
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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Passai la notte su un freddo
pavimento di cemento in carcere,
pavimento di cemento in carcere,
03:43
and that got me thinking.
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e questo mi fece pensare.
03:46
What was making me feel this way?
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Che cosa mi faceva sentire
in quel modo?
in quel modo?
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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I miei amici e la mia famiglia pensarono
che fossi matto
che fossi matto
per quello che avevo fatto,
03:51
and the images that I took
were disturbing my life.
were disturbing my life.
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e le immagini che avevo scattato
mi disturbavano.
mi disturbavano.
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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Le immagini che avevo scattato
erano solo di pochi dei tanti Kenioti.
erano solo di pochi dei tanti Kenioti.
03:59
Most Kenyans did not see the violence.
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La maggior parte di loro
non aveva visto la violenza.
non aveva visto la violenza.
04:01
It was a story to them.
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Per loro era una storia.
04:03
And so I decided to actually
start a street exhibition
start a street exhibition
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Così decisi di realizzare
una mostra di strada
una mostra di strada
04:05
to show the images of the violence
across the country
across the country
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per mostrare le immagini
della violenza nel paese
della violenza nel paese
04:08
and get people talking about it.
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e spingere la gente a parlarne.
04:10
We traveled the country
and showed the images,
and showed the images,
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Viaggiammo per il paese
e mostrammo le immagini,
e mostrammo le immagini,
04:13
and this was a journey that has started me
to the activist path,
to the activist path,
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è stato il viaggio che mi ha messo
sulla strada dell'attivismo,
sulla strada dell'attivismo,
04:16
where I decided to become silent no more,
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in cui decisi di non stare più zitto,
04:19
to talk about those things.
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di parlare di queste cose.
04:21
We traveled, and our general site
from our street exhibit
from our street exhibit
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Viaggiammo, e i siti
delle nostre mostre di strada
delle nostre mostre di strada
04:25
became for political graffiti
about the situation in the country,
about the situation in the country,
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diventarono graffiti politici
sulla situazione del paese,
sulla situazione del paese,
04:30
talking about corruption, bad leadership.
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che parlavano di corruzione,
di cattiva leadership.
di cattiva leadership.
04:33
We have even done symbolic burials.
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Abbiamo anche fatto sepolture simboliche.
04:36
We have delivered live pigs
to Kenya's parliament
to Kenya's parliament
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Abbiamo consegnato maiali vivi
al parlamento keniota
al parlamento keniota
04:40
as a symbol of our politicians' greed.
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come simbolo dell'avidità
del nostro parlamento.
del nostro parlamento.
04:42
It has been done in Uganda
and other countries,
and other countries,
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È stato fatto in Uganda e altri paesi,
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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la cosa più importante è che le immagini
sono state riprese dai media
sono state riprese dai media
04:48
and amplified across the country,
across the continent.
across the continent.
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e amplificate in tutto il paese,
in tutto il continente.
in tutto il continente.
04:51
Where I used to stand up alone
seven years ago,
seven years ago,
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Sette anni fa prendevo posizione da 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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ora appartengo a una grande comunità
schierata con me.
schierata con me.
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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Non sono più solo
quando parlo di queste cose.
quando parlo di queste cose.
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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Appartengo a un gruppo di giovani
con la passione per il proprio paese,
con la passione per il proprio paese,
05:06
who want to bring about change,
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che vuole portare il cambiamento,
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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e non ha più paura,
non sono più vigliacchi intelligenti.
non sono più vigliacchi intelligenti.
05:13
So that was my story.
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Questa era la mia storia.
05:18
That day in the stadium,
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Quel giorno allo stadio,
05:20
I stood up as a smart coward.
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mi sono alzato da vigliacco intelligente.
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 quell'unico atto, ho detto addio
a 24 anni di vita da vigliacco.
a 24 anni di vita da vigliacco.
05:28
There are two most powerful
days in your life:
days in your life:
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Ci sono due grandi giorni nella vita:
05:31
the day you're born,
and the day you discover why.
and the day you discover why.
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il giorno in cui si nasce,
e il giorno in cui si scopre perché.
e il giorno in cui si scopre perché.
05:36
That day standing up in that stadium
shouting at the President,
shouting at the President,
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Quel giorno, alzandomi in piedi
allo stadio, urlando al Presidente,
allo stadio, urlando al Presidente,
05:40
I discovered why I was truly born,
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ho scoperto perché
ero veramente nato,
ero veramente nato,
05:43
that I would no longer be silent
in the face of injustice.
in the face of injustice.
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che non sarei mai più rimasto silenzioso
di fronte all'ingiustizia.
di fronte all'ingiustizia.
05:47
Do you know why you were born?
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Sapete perché siete nati?
05:51
Thank you.
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Grazie.
05:53
(Applause)
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(Applausi)
06:00
Tom Rielly: It's an amazing story.
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Tom Rielly: È una storia fantastica.
06:03
I just want to ask you
a couple quick questions.
a couple quick questions.
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Voglio solo fare un paio
di domande veloci.
di domande veloci.
06:05
So PAWA254:
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PAWA254,
06:07
you've created a studio, a place
where young people can go
where young people can go
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hai creato uno studio,
un luogo in cui i giovani possono andare
un luogo in cui i giovani possono andare
06:12
and harness the power of digital media
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e sfruttare il potere dei media digitali
06:14
to do some of this action.
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per agire.
06:16
What's happening now with PAWA?
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Cosa succede ora a PAWA?
06:18
Boniface Mwangi: So we have
this community of filmmakers,
this community of filmmakers,
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Boniface Mwangi: Abbiamo
questa comunità di registi,
questa comunità di registi,
graffitari, musicisti,
e quando c'è un problema nel paese,
e quando c'è un problema nel paese,
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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ci riuniamo, facciamo brainstorming,
e ci occupiamo del problema.
e ci occupiamo del problema.
06:24
we come together, we brainstorm,
and take up on that issue.
and take up on that issue.
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06:27
So our most powerful tool is art,
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Il nostro strumento più potente è l'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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perché viviamo in un mondo frenetico
in cui la gente è sempre occupata,
in cui la gente è sempre occupata,
06:33
and they don't have time to read.
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e non ha tempo per leggere.
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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Il nostro messaggio
viene trasmesso con l'arte.
viene trasmesso con l'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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Dalla musica, ai graffiti, all'arte,
questo facciamo.
questo facciamo.
06:45
Can I say one more thing?
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Posso dire un'altra cosa?
06:47
TR: Yeah, of course. (Applause)
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TR: Sì, certo.
(Applausi)
(Applausi)
06:49
BM: In spite of being arrested,
beaten up, threatened,
beaten up, threatened,
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BM: Invece di essere arrestato,
picchiato, minacciato,
picchiato, minacciato,
06:52
the moment I discovered my voice,
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dal momento in cui ho scoperto
la mia voce,
la mia voce,
06:53
that I could actually stand up
for what I really believed in,
for what I really believed in,
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in cui ho potuto alzarmi
per ciò in cui credevo,
per ciò in cui credevo,
06:56
I'm no longer afraid.
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non ho più paura.
06:57
I used to be called softy,
but I'm no longer softy,
but I'm no longer softy,
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Mi chiamavano Softy,
ma non sono più Softy,
ma non sono più Softy,
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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perché ho scoperto chi sono veramente,
è quello che voglio fare,
è quello che voglio fare,
07:03
and there's such beauty in doing that.
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e c'è una tale bellezza nel farlo.
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,
139
414927
3389
Non c'è niente di più forte:
sapere che sono fatto per questo,
sapere che sono fatto per questo,
07:10
because you don't get scared,
you just continue living your life.
you just continue living your life.
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3147
perché non hai più paura,
ma continui a vivere la tua vita.
ma continui a vivere la tua vita.
07:13
Thank you.
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Grazie.
07:15
(Applause)
142
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3590
(Applausi)
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