ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Elizabeth Lindsey - Explorer, ethnographer
Elizabeth Lindsey is a fellow of the National Geographic Society. Her mission: to keep ancestral voices alive by recording indigenous wisdom and traditions.

Why you should listen

Elizabeth Kapu'uwailani Lindsey wants the world to remember the people who came before us. The actor-turned-anthropologist has made it her mission to find, preserve and share the knowledge and traditions of indigenous populations before they disappear. She’s working with Google to create a geospatial Map of the Human Story, using the indigenous science of wayfinding to chart tales at risk of being lost.

In 2011, Lindsey, who's the first female fellow and first Polynesian explorer at the National Geographic Society, will set out on a 186-day global expedition to document what she calls "teachings critical to navigating the complexity of our times." Lindsey’s 1996 documentary Then There Were None, which chronicled the near-extinction of native Hawaiians, has become a must-see in many history classrooms. She was named Hawaii’s Woman of the Year in 2004.

More profile about the speaker
Elizabeth Lindsey | Speaker | TED.com
TEDWomen 2010

Elizabeth Lindsey: Curating humanity's heritage

伊利沙伯·琳賽:策劃人類的遺產

Filmed:
533,253 views

有人說,當一個長老死了,就好像一個圖書庫被燒毀。人類學家伊莉莎白·琳賽,美國國家地理研究員,收集深厚的文化知識傳承下來的故事和傳說。
- Explorer, ethnographer
Elizabeth Lindsey is a fellow of the National Geographic Society. Her mission: to keep ancestral voices alive by recording indigenous wisdom and traditions. Full bio

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

00:15
As a child兒童,
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作為一個孩子,
00:18
I was raised上調 by native本地人 Hawaiian夏威夷 elders長老 --
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我由夏威夷原住民長老--
00:21
three old women婦女
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三個年老的女人
00:23
who took care關心 of me while my parents父母 worked工作.
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她們因為我的父母工作而照顧了我。
00:27
The year is 1963.
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這一年是1963年。
00:30
We're at the ocean海洋.
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我們在
00:32
It's twilight.
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黃昏的海洋。
00:34
We're watching觀看 the rising升起 of the stars明星
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我們正在注視著上升的明星
00:38
and the shifting of the tides潮汐.
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與潮汐的轉變。
00:41
It's a stretch伸展 of beach海灘 we know so well.
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在這一個綿延的海灘上我們感覺很好。
00:45
The smooth光滑 stones石頭 on the sand
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沙灘上光滑的石頭
00:48
are familiar to us.
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都是我們熟悉的。
00:52
If you saw these women婦女 on the street
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如果你在街上看到這些婦女
00:54
in their faded褪色 clothes衣服,
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穿著褪了色的衣服,
00:56
you might威力 dismiss解僱 them
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你可能會因為她們窮困愚蠢
00:58
as poor較差的 and simple簡單.
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而打發她們.
01:00
That would be a mistake錯誤.
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那將是一個錯誤。
01:03
These women婦女 are descendants後人
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這些婦女是
01:05
of Polynesian波利尼西亞 navigators導航儀,
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波利尼西亞航海家的後裔,
01:07
trained熟練 in the old ways方法
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由長輩的舊方式
01:10
by their elders長老,
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所培育。
01:12
and now they're passing通過 it on to me.
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現在他們正在將它傳遞給我。
01:15
They teach me the names of the winds and the rains降雨,
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他們教我風和雨--
01:19
of astronomy天文學 according根據 to a genealogy家譜 of stars明星.
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根據天文學恆星的家譜。
01:23
There's a new moon月亮 on the horizon地平線.
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當地平線上有一灣新月。
01:26
Hawaiians夏威夷 say it's a good night for fishing釣魚.
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夏威夷人說這是一個美好的捕魚夜。
01:29
They begin開始 to chant.
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他們開始誦詠。
01:32
[Hawaiian夏威夷 chant]
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[夏威夷詠]
02:02
When they finish,
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當他們完成後,
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they sit in a circle
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他們坐成一個圓圈
02:06
and ask me to come to join加入 them.
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並請我和他們一起。
02:09
They want to teach me about my destiny命運.
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他們想教我一些關於我命運的事情。
02:13
I thought every一切 seven-year-old七十歲 went through通過 this.
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我想我七歲已經歷了這一點。
02:15
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:19
"Baby寶寶 girl女孩,
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“親愛的女孩,
02:21
someday日後 the world世界 will be in trouble麻煩.
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世界將有一天陷入困境。
02:24
People will forget忘記 their wisdom智慧.
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人們會忘記自己的智慧。
02:27
It will take elders'長老“ voices聲音
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這將需要長者的聲音
02:30
from the far corners角落 of the world世界
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從遙遠的角落
02:33
to call the world世界 into balance平衡.
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呼籲世界進入平衡。
02:37
You will go far away.
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你會去很遠的地方。
02:39
It will sometimes有時 be a lonely孤獨 road.
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在孤獨的路上。
02:42
We will not be there.
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我們不會在那裡。
02:44
But you will look into the eyes眼睛
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但你表面上
02:46
of seeming表面上的 strangers陌生人,
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是陌生人,
02:49
and you will recognize認識 your ohanaOHANA,
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你會識別您的"奧哈納",
02:52
your family家庭.
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你的家庭.
02:54
And it will take all of you.
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和它將帶走你的一切。
02:57
It will take all of you."
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它將帶走你的一切。"
03:01
These words, I hold保持 onto
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這些話,我緊握
03:04
all my life.
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於我的一生.
03:06
Because the idea理念 of doing it alone單獨
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因為獨自這樣做的想法
03:09
terrifies嚇壞了 me.
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使我驚恐萬分。
03:12
The year is 2007.
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這一年是2007年。
03:15
I'm on a remote遠程 island in Micronesia密克羅尼西亞.
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我在密克羅尼西亞的一個偏遠的島嶼.
03:18
Satawal薩塔瓦爾環礁 is one half-mile半英里 long
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薩塔瓦爾島是半英里長
03:21
by one mile英里 wide.
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一英里寬的地方。
03:24
It's the home of my mentor導師.
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這是我導師的家。
03:26
His name名稱 is Pius皮烏斯 Mau PiailugPiailug.
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他的名字叫Pius Piailug.
03:28
Mau is a palu帕盧,
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茂 是一個"帕盧",
03:30
a navigator航海家 priest牧師.
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一位航海家牧師。
03:32
He's also considered考慮
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他也被認為
03:34
the greatest最大 wave finder發現者 in the world世界.
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是世界上最大波濤的發現者。
03:37
There are fewer than a handful少數
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現在只有很少
03:39
of palu帕盧 left on this island.
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"帕盧"留在這個島。
03:42
Their tradition傳統 is so extraordinary非凡
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他們的傳統是如此平凡,
03:45
that these mariners水手 sailed航行
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這些水手航行
03:47
three million百萬 square廣場 miles英里 across橫過 the Pacific和平的
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三百萬平方公里渡過太平洋彼岸
03:50
without the use of instruments儀器.
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而無需使用工具。
03:53
They could synthesize合成 patterns模式 in nature性質
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他們可以協同自然界的模式
03:56
using運用 the rising升起 and setting設置 of stars明星,
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用星星的起落,
03:59
the sequence序列 and direction方向 of waves波浪,
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波浪的序列和方向,
04:02
the flight飛行 patterns模式 of certain某些 birds鳥類.
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某些鳥類的飛行模式。
04:05
Even the slightest絲毫 hint暗示 of color顏色
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甚至是雲底最淡淡的
04:08
on the underbelly軟肋 of a cloud
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顏色的一點提示
04:10
would inform通知 them
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會使他們知道
04:12
and help them navigate導航 with the keenest最敏銳的 accuracy準確性.
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並幫助他們以最大精度導航。
04:18
When Western西 scientists科學家們 would join加入 Mau on the canoe獨木舟
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當西方的科學家乘坐 茂 的獨木舟
04:21
and watch him go into the hull船殼,
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看著他走進了船身,
04:23
it appeared出現 that an old man
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他似乎像一位老人
04:25
was going to rest休息.
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正在休息。
04:27
In fact事實, the hull船殼 of the canoe獨木舟
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事實上,獨木舟的船身
04:29
is the womb子宮 of the vessel船隻.
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是該船隻的孕育處。
04:31
It is the most accurate準確 place地點
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這是感受波浪的方向
04:34
to feel the rhythm韻律 and sequence序列
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的節奏和序列
04:37
and direction方向 of waves波浪.
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最準確的地方.
04:39
Mau was, in fact事實,
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茂,事實上,
04:41
gathering蒐集 explicit明確的 data數據
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用他的整個身體
04:43
using運用 his entire整個 body身體.
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收集明確的數據。
04:46
It's what he had been trained熟練 to do
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他五歲開始
04:48
since以來 he was five years年份 old.
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就一直被訓練這樣做。
04:51
Now science科學 may可能 dismiss解僱 this methodology方法,
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現在科學可能摒棄這個方法,
04:55
but Polynesian波利尼西亞 navigators導航儀 use it today今天
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但今天波利尼西亞航海家正利用這方法
04:59
because it provides提供 them
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因為它可以為
05:02
an accurate準確 determination決心
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他們的船隻
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of the angle角度 and direction方向
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準確測定
05:06
of their vessel船隻.
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角度和方向.
05:08
The palu帕盧 also had
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"帕盧"也有
05:10
an uncanny神秘的 ability能力
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一種非同尋常的
05:12
to forecast預測 weather天氣 conditions條件
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能對天氣情況
05:14
days in advance提前.
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提前幾天的預測能力。
05:16
Sometimes有時 I'd be with Mau on a cloud-covered雲覆蓋 night
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有時候,我會與 茂 在有雲蓋的晚上
05:19
and we'd星期三 sit at the easternmost東端 coast of the island,
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我們會坐在島嶼最東面的海岸,
05:22
and he would look out,
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而他會向外望。
05:25
and then he would say,
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然後他會說,
05:27
"Okay, we go."
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“好吧,我們走。“
05:29
He saw that first glint閃爍 of light --
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他看到第一次反射的光--
05:31
he knew知道 what the weather天氣 was going to be three days from now.
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他會知道現在到三天後的天氣情況。
05:35
Their achievements成就, intellectually知性上 and scientifically科學,
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他們的成就、智慧上和科學上,
05:38
are extraordinary非凡,
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都是非凡的,
05:40
and they are so relevant相應
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這跟我們在
05:42
for these times that we are in
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度過風暴的時候
05:44
when we are riding騎術 out storms風暴.
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非常相關。
05:48
We are in such這樣 a critical危急 moment時刻
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我們集體的歷史
05:51
of our collective集體 history歷史.
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正處在這樣一個關鍵時刻。
05:56
They have been compared相比
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他們跟宇航員
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to astronauts宇航員 --
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進行了比較-
06:00
these elder長老 navigators導航儀
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這些老航海家
06:02
who sail vast廣大 open打開 oceans海洋
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在廣大的公海
06:05
in double-hulled雙層船殼 canoes獨木舟
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以雙殼獨木舟
06:08
thousands數千 of miles英里
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從一個小島嶼
06:10
from a small island.
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航行千里。
06:13
Their canoes獨木舟, our rockets火箭;
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他們的獨木舟,是我們的火箭,
06:16
their sea, our space空間.
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他們的海,是我們的宇宙。
06:20
The wisdom智慧 of these elders長老
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這些長者的智慧
06:22
is not a mere collection採集
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不是一個單純的收集
06:24
of stories故事 about old people
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在一些偏遠地方
06:27
in some remote遠程 spot.
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有關老人的故事。
06:29
This is part部分 of our collective集體 narrative敘述.
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這是我們的集體敘事的一部分。
06:32
It's humanity's人類的 DNA脫氧核糖核酸.
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這是人類的DNA。
06:35
We cannot不能 afford給予 to lose失去 it.
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我們不能失去它。
06:38
The year is 2010.
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這一年是2010年。
06:42
Just as the women婦女 in Hawaii夏威夷
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正如夏威夷的婦女
06:45
that raised上調 me predicted預料到的,
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提出我的預測,
06:47
the world世界 is in trouble麻煩.
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世界正陷入困境。
06:51
We live生活 in a society社會
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我們生活在一個
06:54
bloated with data數據,
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資料膨脹的社會,
06:56
yet然而 starved飢餓 for wisdom智慧.
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然而缺乏智慧。
07:00
We're connected連接的 24/7,
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我們24/7的相互聯繫,
07:04
yet然而 anxiety焦慮,
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但焦慮、
07:06
fear恐懼, depression蕭條 and loneliness孤單
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恐懼、抑鬱和孤獨
07:09
is at an all-time整天 high.
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是一個歷史新高。
07:11
We must必須 course-correct當然,正確的.
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我們必須方向正確。
07:15
An African非洲人 shaman said,
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一個非洲巫師說,
07:18
"Your society社會 worships崇拜 the jester滑稽演員
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"你的社會崇拜小丑
07:21
while the king國王 stands站立
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而國王則站在
07:23
in plain clothes衣服."
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便衣之中。"
07:30
The link鏈接 between之間 the past過去 and the future未來
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過去與未來之間的聯繫
07:33
is fragile脆弱.
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是脆弱的。
07:35
This I know intimately密切,
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這是我熟知的,
07:37
because even as I travel旅行
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因為即使當我在
07:40
throughout始終 the world世界
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世界各地旅行
07:42
to listen to these stories故事 and record記錄 them,
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去聽這些故事和記錄下來,
07:46
I struggle鬥爭.
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我掙扎。
07:53
I am haunted鬧鬼
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我感到困擾
07:56
by the fact事實 that I no longer remember記得
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因為事實上我不再記得
08:00
the names of the winds and the rains降雨.
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風和雨的名稱。
08:09
Mau passed通過 away
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茂 於五個月前
08:12
five months個月 ago,
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去世,
08:14
but his legacy遺產 and lessons教訓 live生活 on.
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但他的遺產和經驗依然健在。
08:18
And I am reminded提醒
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而我被提醒說,
08:22
that throughout始終 the world世界
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在整個世界上
08:25
there are cultures文化
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大量的文化
08:27
with vast廣大 sums總和 of knowledge知識 in them,
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蘊藏大量的知識,
08:31
as potent有力的 as the Micronesian密克羅尼西亞 navigators導航儀,
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像密克羅尼西亞的航海家一樣強有力的,
08:35
that are going dismissed駁回,
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將會被摒棄,
08:37
that this is a testament遺囑
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這是一個
08:39
to brilliant輝煌, brilliant輝煌
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對卓越,卓越的
08:41
technology技術 and science科學 and wisdom智慧
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技術和科學和智慧
08:44
that is vanishing消失 rapidly急速.
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迅速的消失的見證。
08:46
Because when an elder長老 dies a library圖書館 is burned,
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因為當一個長輩去世,有如一個圖書館被焚毀。
08:49
and throughout始終 the world世界, libraries圖書館 are ablaze熾盛.
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與之世界各地,圖書館都猛烈燃燒起來了。
08:53
I am grateful感激 for the fact事實
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我很感謝事實上
08:56
that I had a mentor導師 like Mau
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我曾經有一個像 茂 的導師
08:59
who taught me how to navigate導航.
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教我如何航海。
09:02
And I realize實現
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我意識到
09:04
through通過 a lesson that he shared共享
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通過一個他的教訓
09:07
that we continue繼續 to find our way.
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使我們繼續尋找道路。
09:09
And this is what he said:
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這是他說:
09:12
"The island is the canoe獨木舟;
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“這島是獨木舟;
09:14
the canoe獨木舟, the island."
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獨木舟,島。“
09:17
And what he meant意味著 was,
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而他的意思是,
09:20
if you are voyaging遠航
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如果你航行
09:22
and far from home,
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和遠離家鄉,
09:24
your very survival生存 depends依靠
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你的生存依賴
09:26
on everyone大家 aboard船上.
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船上的每個人.
09:29
You cannot不能 make the voyage航程 alone單獨,
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你不能孤獨航行,
09:32
you were never meant意味著 to.
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你從未想過。
09:34
This whole整個 notion概念 of every一切 man for himself他自己
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這個人各為己的整體概念
09:36
is completely全然 unsustainable不可持續的.
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是完全不可持續的。
09:38
It always was.
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它始終是。
09:41
So in closing關閉 I would offer提供 you this:
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因此最後我會給你這些:
09:45
The planet行星 is our canoe獨木舟,
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地球是我們的獨木舟,
09:49
and we are the voyagers航行者.
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而我們是旅行者。
09:52
True真正 navigation導航
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真正的導航
09:54
begins開始 in the human人的 heart.
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從心出發。
09:57
It's the most important重要 map地圖 of all.
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這是最重要的地圖。
10:00
Together一起, may可能 we journey旅程 well.
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在一起,願我們的旅途愉快。
10:03
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Elizabeth Lindsey - Explorer, ethnographer
Elizabeth Lindsey is a fellow of the National Geographic Society. Her mission: to keep ancestral voices alive by recording indigenous wisdom and traditions.

Why you should listen

Elizabeth Kapu'uwailani Lindsey wants the world to remember the people who came before us. The actor-turned-anthropologist has made it her mission to find, preserve and share the knowledge and traditions of indigenous populations before they disappear. She’s working with Google to create a geospatial Map of the Human Story, using the indigenous science of wayfinding to chart tales at risk of being lost.

In 2011, Lindsey, who's the first female fellow and first Polynesian explorer at the National Geographic Society, will set out on a 186-day global expedition to document what she calls "teachings critical to navigating the complexity of our times." Lindsey’s 1996 documentary Then There Were None, which chronicled the near-extinction of native Hawaiians, has become a must-see in many history classrooms. She was named Hawaii’s Woman of the Year in 2004.

More profile about the speaker
Elizabeth Lindsey | Speaker | TED.com