ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Hetain Patel - Artist
In his compelling stage works, Hetain Patel uses powerful imagery and storytelling to examine questions of identity.

Why you should listen

"What determines our identities anyway?" asks Hetain Patel. As a child, Patel wanted to be like Spider-Man or Bruce Lee; later, he aimed to be more like his father, who displays a much different kind of bravery. From these ambitions, Patel's new show Be Like Water examines shifting identities of all kinds, using dance and bold imagery to power a story of self-examination and self-creation. 

As a conceptual artist, Patel has used photography, sculpture, installation and performance to challenge cultural identity. For his work, he has grown a mustache exactly like the one his father wore when he emigrated from India to the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and remixed the practice henna tattooing to incorporate English words and comics books. Patel's conclusion about identity: that it is an ever-shifting game of imitation. 

 

More profile about the speaker
Hetain Patel | Speaker | TED.com
Yuyu Rau - Dancer
Yuyu Rau's dance skills span a wide range, from ballet to contemporary to Chinese classical.

Why you should listen

Yuyu Rau is a dancer trained in ballet, contemporary and Chinese classical dance. Born in Taiwan and now a resident of the United Kingdom, Rau has performed with a wide range of dance companies and worked with choreographers like Wayne McGregor, Javier De Frutos, Luca Silvestrini and Douglas Thorpe.

Yau has toured with conceptual artist Hetain Patel, performing in his stage work Be Like Water. In the piece, Rau acts as Patel's translator, and often stands in to help him tell his story. 

More profile about the speaker
Yuyu Rau | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2013

Hetain Patel: Who am I? Think again

Kumaan ahay? Mar kale feker

Filmed:
2,878,196 views

Sidee baan u go'aan sanaa qofkaan nahay? Majaajiladii layaabka laheed ee Hetain Patel uu ka jilaayay aqoonsiga, luqada iyo lahjadaba--- misna idinku taxadiyeenayo inaad si qoto dheer leh u fekertaan intii aad kaliya si muuqal sare ahaaneed u fekeri laheeden. Khilaawo farxad sare leh oo ay asiga iyo majaajilste YuyuRau jilayeen, oo ay ku baroorisay ama ku dhiiri galisay Bruce Lee.
- Artist
In his compelling stage works, Hetain Patel uses powerful imagery and storytelling to examine questions of identity. Full bio - Dancer
Yuyu Rau's dance skills span a wide range, from ballet to contemporary to Chinese classical. Full bio

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

00:12
Hetain Patel: (In Chinese)
0
906
10397
Hetain Patel: (Hadal Shiiinees ah)
00:23
Yuyu Rau: Hi, I'm Hetain. I'm an artist.
1
11303
3303
Yuyu Rau: Hi, waxan ahay Hetain. faxshaxamiiste ayaan ahay.
00:26
And this is Yuyu,
2
14606
1861
Qoftani waa Yuyu,
00:28
who is a dancer I have been working with.
3
16467
2419
Taaso ah qoobka ciyaarto aan la shaqeeynayay.
00:30
I have asked her to translate for me.
4
18886
3606
waxan ka dalbaday inay ii tarjunto
00:34
HP: (In Chinese)
5
22492
4690
Hp:(Hadal Shiinees ah)
00:39
YR: If I may, I would like to tell you
6
27182
2708
YR: waxan jeclaan lahaa inaan idin sheego
00:41
a little bit about myself
7
29890
1730
wax yar oo nolosheeda ku saabsan
00:43
and my artwork.
8
31620
2296
iyo farshaxankayga
00:45
HP: (In Chinese)
9
33916
5543
HP:(Hadal Shiinees ah)
00:51
YR: I was born and raised near Manchester,
10
39459
3124
YR: Waxan ku dhashay kuna soo koray meel u dhaw Manchester,
00:54
in England,
11
42583
967
ee Wadanka Ingiriiska
00:55
but I'm not going to say it in English to you,
12
43550
3572
Laakin English ma idinkula hadlaayo,
00:59
because I'm trying to avoid any assumptions
13
47122
2761
maxaa yeelay waxan iska ilaalinayaa wax malo ah
01:01
that might be made from my northern accent.
14
49883
3082
taaso la is oran karo waxa keentay lahjadeyda reer waqooyiga.
01:04
(Laughter)
15
52965
2575
(Qosol)
01:07
HP: (In Chinese)
16
55540
9435
HP:(Hadal Shiinees ah)
01:16
YR: The only problem with masking it
17
64975
2512
YR: Mushkilada kaliya aan ugu qarinayo
01:19
with Chinese Mandarin
18
67487
1550
luqada Shiinaha waa
01:21
is I can only speak this paragraph,
19
69037
2718
waxaan kaliya ku hadli karaa halkaan sadar,
01:23
which I have learned by heart
20
71755
1779
oo aan si niyad ah ubartay
01:25
when I was visiting in China. (Laughter)
21
73534
2670
mar aan booqday Shiinaha. (Qosol)
01:28
So all I can do is keep repeating it in different tones
22
76204
3888
Marka isla sadarkii ayaan dhoor cod ku celcelinayaa
01:32
and hope you won't notice.
23
80092
1860
waxan rajeynaya inaadan dareemin.
01:33
(Laughter)
24
81952
5349
(Qosol)
01:39
HP: (In Chinese)
25
87301
4180
HP:(Hadal Shiinees ah)
01:43
(Laughter)
26
91481
1367
(Qosol)
01:44
YR: Needless to say, I would like to apologize
27
92848
3113
Looma baadhno inaan raali galiyo
01:47
to any Mandarin speakers in the audience.
28
95961
4483
qof ku hadlo luqada Shiinaha hadu dhageestayaasha kujiro.
01:54
As a child, I would hate being made
29
102214
2673
Yaraanteyda, waxaan aad u necbaa
01:56
to wear the Indian kurta pajama,
30
104887
2628
in lii xiro dharka hurdada ee Indian-ka,
01:59
because I didn't think it was very cool.
31
107515
2998
maxa yeelay maanan is oran jirin waa qatar.
02:02
It felt a bit girly to me, like a dress,
32
110513
3301
sidii gabar ayaan isku maleeyay inaan u labisanahay
02:05
and it had this baggy trouser part
33
113814
2658
waxay kaloo laheed surwaal aad u weyn
02:08
you had to tie really tight
34
116472
2243
waa inaa aad u xertaa
02:10
to avoid the embarrassment of them falling down.
35
118715
3424
si aad isaga ilaaliso yax yaxa kaaga iman karta hadey kaa dhacaan.
02:14
My dad never wore it,
36
122139
2036
Aabahey waligiis muusan xeran,
02:16
so I didn't see why I had to.
37
124175
2925
anigana sabab aan uxerto maba jirin.
02:19
Also, it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable,
38
127100
3353
Sidoo kale, Maraka qaar kuma niyad furni
02:22
that people assume I represent something
39
130453
2695
iney dadku umaleeyaan inaan matalayo
02:25
genuinely Indian when I wear it,
40
133148
2326
Indian dhab ah markii aan xerto,
02:27
because that's not how I feel.
41
135474
3449
maxaa yeelay taasi ma'ahin sida aan dareemayo.
02:30
HP: (In Chinese)
42
138923
5852
HP:(Hadal Shiinees ah)
02:36
YR: Actually, the only way I feel comfortable
43
144775
2927
YR: Xaqiiqdii, qaabka kaliya aan sami/raaxo u dareemo
02:39
wearing it is by pretending
44
147702
2408
gashitaan dharkaas waa inaan iska dhig-dhigo
02:42
they are the robes of a kung fu warrior
45
150110
3211
ineey yihiin xargaha dagaalyahanka Kun fu-ga
02:45
like Li Mu Bai from that film,
46
153321
2739
sidii Li Mu Bai ee filimkii
02:48
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
47
156060
4313
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
02:52
(Music)
48
160373
5183
(Muusiko)
03:35
Okay.
49
203383
1609
Okey.
03:36
So my artwork is about identity and language,
50
204992
7071
Marka, Fankeygu wuxuu ku saabsan yahay aqoonsi iyo luqad,
03:44
challenging common assumptions
51
212063
2730
anigoo hor istaagayo malaynta lawadaago
03:46
based on how we look like or where we come from,
52
214793
4545
taaso ah sidan aan u egnahay ama meesha aan ka imaanay,
03:51
gender, race, class.
53
219338
3744
jinsiyada, midabka,dabaqada.
03:55
What makes us who we are anyway?
54
223082
3851
Maxaa naga dhigayo waxan aan nahay?
03:58
HP: (In Chinese)
55
226933
5947
HP:(Hadal Shiinees ah)
04:04
YR: I used to read Spider-Man comics,
56
232880
2376
YR: Waxaan aqrin jiray majaajilada Spider-Man,
04:07
watch kung fu movies,
57
235256
1575
oo aan daawan jiray filimada Kung Fu-ga,
04:08
take philosophy lessons from Bruce Lee.
58
236831
2785
waxan kaloo Bruce Lee ka qaadan jiray casharo Falsafad ah.
04:11
He would say things like --
59
239616
1649
Wuxuu dhihi jiray--
04:13
HP: Empty your mind.
60
241265
2087
HP: Niyadaada faaruji.
04:15
(Laughter)
61
243352
1064
(Qosol)
04:16
Be formless, shapeless, like water.
62
244416
6013
Ahaaw Hanaan-laawe iyo Qaab-laawe, sidii biyaha.
04:22
Now you put water into a cup.
63
250429
1990
Biyo ayaa koop ku shubeesa.
04:24
It becomes the cup.
64
252419
2896
waxay noqoneesa koop.
04:27
You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle.
65
255315
3107
Biyo ayaa dhalo ku shubeesa, waxany noqoneesa dhalada.
04:30
Put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
66
258422
3379
Kirli ku shub, weli kirli uunbeey noqoneysa.
04:33
Now, water can flow
67
261801
2649
Biyaha weey qulqulayaan hada
04:36
or it can crash.
68
264450
2650
ama weey burburi karaan.
04:39
Be water, my friend. (Applause)
69
267100
3355
Biyo noqo saaxib. (Sacbis)
04:42
YR: This year, I am 32 years old,
70
270455
4102
YR: Sanadaan ayaan 32-jirsaday,
04:46
the same age Bruce Lee was when he died.
71
274557
3119
isla da'dii uu Bruce Lee jiray markuu dhintay.
04:49
I have been wondering recently,
72
277676
2594
waxaan la fajac-sanaay ayaamankaan,
04:52
if he were alive today,
73
280270
1930
haduu maanta noolaan lahaay,
04:54
what advice he would give me
74
282200
2026
Waano nooce ah ayuu isiin lahaay
04:56
about making this TED Talk.
75
284226
3944
oo ku saabsan sameenta hadalkaan TED.
05:00
HP: Don't imitate my voice.
76
288170
3738
HP: Codkeyda haiska doon doonin.
05:03
It offends me.
77
291908
2071
weey ii gaftaa.
05:05
(Laughter)
78
293979
2030
(Qosol)
05:08
YR: Good advice,
79
296009
1751
YR: waano wanaagsan,
05:09
but I still think that we learn who we are
80
297760
3712
laakin waxay weli umaleynaya inaan baranay qofkaan nahay
05:13
by copying others.
81
301472
2103
nagoo dadka kale iska dhig dhigeeno.
05:15
Who here hasn't imitated their childhood hero
82
303575
4217
Keeban waligiis iskaga dhig dhigin geesigoodi caruurnimo
05:19
in the playground, or mum or father?
83
307792
3895
goobta cayaarta ama hooyo ama aabe iska dhigin?
05:23
I have.
84
311687
2261
Aniga haa.
05:25
HP: A few years ago, in order to make this video
85
313948
4542
HP: Dhoor sano kahor, si aan filimkaan u sameyo
05:30
for my artwork, I shaved off all my hair
86
318490
4005
ee shaqadayda farshaxanka, waxaan iska xiiray tintayda oo dhan
05:34
so that I could grow it back as my father had it
87
322495
3143
si ay hadana iigu soo baxdo sidii aabahey
05:37
when he first emigrated from India
88
325638
2766
markii ugu horeeysay uu kasoo qaxay India.
05:40
to the U.K. in the 1960s.
89
328404
3264
uu U.K usoo qaxay sanadii 1960s.
05:43
He had a side parting and a neat mustache.
90
331668
4130
wuxuu lahaa salaxyo iyo shaarbo nidaamsan.
05:47
At first, it was going very well.
91
335798
2619
markii hore si fiican ay usoo baxeysay
05:50
I even started to get discounts in Indian shops.
92
338417
3050
xita waxan dukaamada India ka helayay qiima dhimis.
05:53
(Laughter)
93
341467
4001
(Qosol)
05:57
But then very quickly,
94
345468
1624
Laakin si dhaqso,
05:59
I started to underestimate
95
347092
1747
xitaa waxan bilaabay inaan quursado
06:00
my mustache growing ability,
96
348839
1680
awooda koritaan ee shaarbaheyga,
06:02
and it got way too big.
97
350519
3402
aad ayuu u weeynaaday.
06:05
It didn't look Indian anymore.
98
353921
2747
Indian maba u ekeen.
06:08
Instead, people from across the road,
99
356668
1843
Halkii aay, dadka wadada marayay,
06:10
they would shout things like --
100
358511
1891
aay ku qeelinayeen hadalo sida---
06:12
HP and YR: Arriba! Arriba! Ándale! Ándale!
101
360402
2216
HP iyo YR: Arriba! Arriba! Ándale! Ándale!
06:14
(Laughter)
102
362618
2001
(Qosol)
06:16
HP: Actually, I don't know why I am even talking like this.
103
364619
2364
HP: Xaqiiqdi, ma aqaano sababta aan sidaa ugu hadlayo.
06:18
My dad doesn't even have an Indian accent anymore.
104
366983
3004
Xitaa aabahey lahjad Indian maba wato hada.
06:21
He talks like this now.
105
369987
2527
Sidan oo kale ayuu hada u hadlaa
06:24
So it's not just my father that I've imitated.
106
372514
4028
Maahin kaliya inaan aabahey iska dhig dhigay.
06:28
A few years ago I went to China for a few months,
107
376542
3598
Sanado yar kahor waxaan dhoor bil aaday Shiinaha
06:32
and I couldn't speak Chinese,
108
380140
2834
mana awoodin inaan ku hadlo Shiinees,
06:34
and this frustrated me,
109
382974
1812
Aad ayeeyna ii niyad jebin jidhay arinkaan,
06:36
so I wrote about this and had it translated
110
384786
3952
marka arinkaan ayaan wax kaqoray waxaana liigu tarjumay
06:40
into Chinese, and then I learned this by heart,
111
388738
6487
Shiinees, kadibna si qalbiyan ah ayaana u xifdiyay,
06:47
like music, I guess.
112
395225
3197
sida muusi-ga sida aan isleeyahay.
06:50
YR: This phrase is now etched into my mind
113
398422
3341
YH: Oraah-dani waxay hada maskaxdayda ugu sawir matay
06:53
clearer than the pin number to my bank card,
114
401763
2879
si ka sii cad sida nambarka pin-ka ee kaarkeyga bankiga,
06:56
so I can pretend I speak Chinese fluently.
115
404642
3928
marka waxan iska dhigi karaa inaa si fasiix ah ugu hadli karo af Shiineeska.
07:00
When I had learned this phrase,
116
408570
2048
Markii aan bartay Oraah-dani,
07:02
I had an artist over there hear me out
117
410618
2736
waxaan heestay fanaan iga dhageesto
07:05
to see how accurate it sounded.
118
413354
2469
si aan sida saxda ah ugu dhawaaqo.
07:07
I spoke the phrase, and then he laughed
119
415823
2486
Oraah-dii ayaan ku hadlay, kadibna wuu qoslay
07:10
and told me, "Oh yeah, that's great,
120
418309
2811
wuxuuna isheegay,"waa qatar,
07:13
only it kind of sounds like a woman."
121
421120
2373
kaliya sidii dumar ayaad ugu dhawaaqeysa."
07:15
I said, "What?"
122
423493
1462
waxaan dhahay, "Maxay?"
07:16
He said, "Yeah, you learned from a woman?"
123
424955
3922
Wuxuu dhahay, "Haa, dumar miyaad ka baratay?"
07:20
I said, "Yes. So?"
124
428877
2004
I said, "Haa. Marka?"
07:22
He then explained the tonal differences
125
430881
2641
Kadibna wuxuu ii sharaxay farqiga
07:25
between male and female voices
126
433522
2250
u dhaxeeya codadka dumar iyo kan rag
07:27
are very different and distinct, and that I had learned it very well,
127
435772
3802
ineey yihiin kuwa kala duwan misna aan si wacan u bartay,
07:31
but in a woman's voice.
128
439574
1993
laakin asigoo ah cod dumar.
07:33
(Laughter)
129
441567
2223
(Qosol)
07:35
(Applause)
130
443790
7310
(Sacbis)
07:43
HP: Okay. So this imitation business
131
451100
3419
HP: Okay. Marka shaqadaan iska dhig dhigida ah
07:46
does come with risk.
132
454519
1685
waxay leedahay dhib.
07:48
It doesn't always go as you plan it,
133
456204
2708
mar walbo sidaa qorsheesay manoqoneeso,
07:50
even with a talented translator.
134
458912
3470
xitaa adoo heesto turjumaa karti-badan.
07:54
But I am going to stick with it,
135
462382
2286
laakin anigu waan wadayaa,
07:56
because contrary to what we might usually assume,
136
464668
4365
maxaa yeelay wixii lid ku ah wixii aan malaysano,
08:01
imitating somebody can reveal something unique.
137
469033
4099
iska yeel yeelid aad iska yeesh yeesho qof kale waxay cadeyn kartaa wax aan caadi ahayn.
08:05
So every time I fail
138
473132
3255
mar walbo aan ku guul dareesto
08:08
to become more like my father,
139
476387
2556
inaan aabahey oo kale noqdo,
08:10
I become more like myself.
140
478943
3895
waxaan noqdaa sida anoo kale.
08:14
Every time I fail to become Bruce Lee,
141
482838
4582
Mar walbo aan ku guul dareesto inaan noqdo sida Bruce Lee,
08:19
I become more authentically me.
142
487420
3646
waxaan noqdaa anigoo rasmi ah.
08:23
This is my art.
143
491066
1485
Tani waa farshaxankeyga.
08:24
I strive for authenticity,
144
492551
3320
xaqiiq ayaa juhdi ugu jiraa,
08:27
even if it comes in a shape
145
495871
2235
xitaa hadey igu soo wajahdo ayadoo qaab leh
08:30
that we might not usually expect.
146
498106
3696
aanan filaneeynin.
08:33
It's only recently that I've started to understand
147
501802
4236
mardhow ayaan fahmay
08:38
that I didn't learn to sit like this
148
506038
3707
inaan ogaanin inaan sidaan u fadhiisto
08:41
through being Indian.
149
509745
2146
kaliya inaan ahaado Indian.
08:43
I learned this from Spider-Man.
150
511891
3276
Tani waxaan kasoo bartay Spider-Man.
08:47
(Laughter)
151
515167
1738
(Qosol)
08:48
Thank you.
152
516905
1557
Mahadsanidiin.
08:50
(Applause)
153
518462
6016
(Sacbis)
Translated by Jamal Omar
Reviewed by Abdinasser Ahmed

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Hetain Patel - Artist
In his compelling stage works, Hetain Patel uses powerful imagery and storytelling to examine questions of identity.

Why you should listen

"What determines our identities anyway?" asks Hetain Patel. As a child, Patel wanted to be like Spider-Man or Bruce Lee; later, he aimed to be more like his father, who displays a much different kind of bravery. From these ambitions, Patel's new show Be Like Water examines shifting identities of all kinds, using dance and bold imagery to power a story of self-examination and self-creation. 

As a conceptual artist, Patel has used photography, sculpture, installation and performance to challenge cultural identity. For his work, he has grown a mustache exactly like the one his father wore when he emigrated from India to the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and remixed the practice henna tattooing to incorporate English words and comics books. Patel's conclusion about identity: that it is an ever-shifting game of imitation. 

 

More profile about the speaker
Hetain Patel | Speaker | TED.com
Yuyu Rau - Dancer
Yuyu Rau's dance skills span a wide range, from ballet to contemporary to Chinese classical.

Why you should listen

Yuyu Rau is a dancer trained in ballet, contemporary and Chinese classical dance. Born in Taiwan and now a resident of the United Kingdom, Rau has performed with a wide range of dance companies and worked with choreographers like Wayne McGregor, Javier De Frutos, Luca Silvestrini and Douglas Thorpe.

Yau has toured with conceptual artist Hetain Patel, performing in his stage work Be Like Water. In the piece, Rau acts as Patel's translator, and often stands in to help him tell his story. 

More profile about the speaker
Yuyu Rau | Speaker | TED.com