ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chinaka Hodge - Writer, educator
Poet, playwright, filmmaker and educator Chinaka Hodge uses her own life and experiences as the backbone of wildly creative, powerful works.

Why you should listen

Chinaka Hodge is a writer and educator from Oakland. She received her BA from NYU’s Gallatin School and studied Writing for Film and Television at  USC’s School of Cinematic Arts MFA program. Her work has been featured in Believer Magazine, Teen People Magazine, Newsweek, San Francisco Magazine, on PBS and NPR, and in two seasons of HBO’s Def Poetry. She was an Associate Producer on Simmons Lathan presents Brave New Voices for HBO.

She is a Cave Canem Graduate Fellow, was a playwright-in-residence at SF Playwrights Foundation and serves as a Visiting Editor at The California Sunday Magazine. She is an inaugural Senior Fellow at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

More profile about the speaker
Chinaka Hodge | Speaker | TED.com
TEDWomen 2016

Chinaka Hodge: What will you tell your daughters about 2016?

Chinaka Hodge: Utawaambia mabinti wako nini kuhusu mwaka 2016?

Filmed:
1,264,818 views

Kwa maneno makali kama vipande vya glasi, Chinaka Hodge anaukata wazi mwaka 2016, na kuwacha miezi 12 za vurugu, huzuni, hofu, aibu, ujasiri na matumaini ya mwagike nje katika shairi hili la kiasili kuhusu mwaka ambao hamna kati yetu atausahau
- Writer, educator
Poet, playwright, filmmaker and educator Chinaka Hodge uses her own life and experiences as the backbone of wildly creative, powerful works. Full bio

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

00:12
Tell your daughtersbinti of this yearmwaka,
0
984
2272
Ambieni ma binti wenu kuhusu mwaka huu
00:15
how we wokeakaamka needingwanaohitaji coffeekahawa
1
3280
2096
jinsi tulivyo amka tukihitaji kahawa
00:17
but discoveredaligundua insteadbadala yake cadaverscadavers
strewnmito about our morningasubuhi paperskaratasi,
2
5400
3816
ila tukapata pindi imemwagwa,
kati ya magazeti ya asubuhi
00:21
waterloggedwaterlogged facsimilesfacsimiles
of our sistersdada, spouseswanandoa, smallndogo childrenwatoto.
3
9240
4800
faksi za dada, mke/mume, watoto wadogo
zilizojaa maji
00:26
Say to your babymtoto of this yearmwaka
when she asksanauliza, as she certainlyhakika should,
4
14600
3616
Mwambie mwana wako kuhusu huu mwaka
atakapo kuuliza, anavyofaa kukuuliza,
00:30
tell her it was too latekuchelewa comingkuja.
5
18240
1576
mwambie ili kuwa imechelewa kuja
00:31
AdmitKukubali even in the yearmwaka we leasedilikodishwa freedomuhuru,
we didn't ownmwenyewe it outrightwazi.
6
19840
4456
Kubali kuwahata ule mwaka tulikodisha
uhuru,hatuku umiliki moja kwa moja
00:36
There were still lawssheria
for everykila way we used our privatesprivates
7
24320
2816
Bado kulikuwa na sheria jinsi
tunavyotumia sehemu zetu za siri.
00:39
while they pawedpawed at the softlaini foldsmazizi of us,
8
27160
2496
ilhali wakivuruga upole wetu
00:41
grabbedumechukua with no concernwasiwasi for consentidhini,
9
29680
2735
wakatunyakua bila kujali ridhaa
00:44
no lawssheria madealifanya for the menwatu
that enforcedkutekelezwa them.
10
32439
2617
Hamna sheria ziliundiwa wanaume
walioitekeleza
00:47
We were trainedwamefundishwa to dodgeDodge,
11
35080
2416
Tulifunzwa ku hepa,
00:49
to wait, to cowerkutojikunyata and coverfunika,
12
37520
2616
kungoja, kuhofia, na kujifunika
00:52
to wait more, still, wait.
13
40160
2896
kungoja zaidi, na bado kungoja.
00:55
We were told to be silentkimya.
14
43080
1880
Tuliambiwa tuwe kimya
00:57
But speaksema to your girlswasichana of this wartimewakati wa vita,
15
45440
2256
Ila ambia ma binti wako
kuhusu muda huu wa vita
00:59
a yearmwaka precededilitangulia by a scorealama of the samesawa,
16
47720
2576
mwaka uliotanguliwa na matokeo sawa,
01:02
so as in two decadesmiongo before,
17
50320
2256
kama miongo miwili iliyopita
01:04
we wipedkufutwa our eyesmacho,
18
52600
1536
tuliyapangusa macho yetu
01:06
lacedlaced casketscaskets with flagsbendera,
19
54160
1896
ma jeneza yakafunikwa na bendera
01:08
evacuatedimeondolewa the crimeuhalifu sceneeneo of the clubklabu,
20
56080
2176
kuondoa eneo la uhalifu wa Klabu,
01:10
caterwauledcaterwauled in the streetbarabara,
21
58280
1296
kwaruza kuomboleza mitaani,
01:11
laidkuweka our bodiesmiili on the concretesaruji
againstdhidi the outlinesyaelezea of our fallenimeanguka,
22
59600
3296
tukailaza mili yetu kwenye sakafu
ya saruji tukiegemea walioanguka,
01:14
criedkelele, "Of coursebila shaka we matteredmattered,"
23
62920
1935
tukalia, "Bila shaka tuna umuhimu,"
01:16
chantedwaliimba for our disappearedkutoweka.
24
64879
1377
tukawaimbia waliopotea.
01:18
The womenwanawake weptkulia this yearmwaka.
25
66280
1600
Wanawake walilia huu mwaka.
01:20
They did.
26
68440
1216
Walilia.
01:21
In the samesawa yearmwaka, we were readytayari.
27
69680
2456
Mwaka huo huo, tulikuwa tayari.
01:24
The yearmwaka we lostpotea our inhibitionkuzuia
and movedwakiongozwa with courageousjasiri abandonkuachana
28
72160
3096
Mwaka tuliopoteza uoga
na kusonga kwa ujasiri
01:27
was alsopia the yearmwaka we staredwakatazama down barrelsmapipa,
29
75280
2496
huu pia ndio mwaka
tulioyangalia chini mapipa
01:29
sangwaliimba of cranesKreni in skiesmbinguni,
duckedducked and parriedparried,
30
77800
2336
tukaimba korongo angani,
tuka hepa na kupangua,
01:32
caughthawakupata golddhahabu in hijabHijabu,
collectedzilizokusanywa deathkifo threatsvitisho vya,
31
80160
2456
kashika dhahabu kwa hijab,
tukapokea vitisho vya kifo,
01:34
knewalijua ourselvessisi wenyewe as patriotswazalendo,
32
82640
1336
tulijifahamu kama wazalendo,
01:36
said, "We're 35 now, time we settledtulia down
and foundkupatikana a runningKimbia matempenzi,"
33
84000
3216
kasema, "tuko 35 sasa, mda wa kutulia na
kumtafuta mgombea mwenza,"
01:39
madealifanya roadbarabara mapsramani for infantwatoto wachanga joyfuraha,
shamedkufikirishwa nothing but fearhofu,
34
87240
3136
tukakuza ramani ya furaha mpya ya kitoto,
kutokua na aibu ila ya hofu,
01:42
calledaitwaye ourselvessisi wenyewe fatmafuta and meantmaana yake, of coursebila shaka,
35
90400
2256
tukajiita wanene na kumaanisha,
bila shaka,
01:44
impeccableimpeccable.
36
92680
1216
safi kabisa
01:45
This yearmwaka, we were womenwanawake,
37
93920
1936
Mwaka huu, tulikuwa wanawake,
01:47
not bridesmabibi harusi or trinketstrinkets,
38
95880
1776
sio bibi harusi au kishaufu,
01:49
not an off-brandmbali ya bidhaa genderjinsia,
39
97680
1496
sio jinsia duni,
01:51
not a concessionMkataba, but womenwanawake.
40
99200
2136
sio mawaidha, ila wanawake.
01:53
InstructKuwafundisha your babieswatoto.
41
101360
1296
Wafunze watoto wako.
01:54
RemindWakumbushe them that the yearmwaka has passedilipita
to be dociletulivu or smallndogo.
42
102680
3376
Wakumbushe kua mwaka wa kuwa
watulivu au wadogo umepita.
01:58
Some of us said for the first time
that we were womenwanawake,
43
106080
2616
Wale kati yetu waliosema ni
wanawake kwa mara ya kwanza,
02:00
tookalichukua this oathkiapo of solidaritymshikamano seriouslykwa uzito.
44
108720
2376
kachukua kiapo hiki cha umoja kwa umahiri
02:03
Some of us borealibeba childrenwatoto
and some of us did not,
45
111120
2256
Kuna wale walizaa watoto na
wale hawakuzaa,
02:05
and nonehakuna of us questionedwalihoji
whetherkama that madealifanya us realhalisi
46
113400
2416
na hamna miongoni mwetu
aliuliza ilitufanyawakweli
02:07
or appropriatesahihi or truekweli.
47
115840
1776
au sahihi au kweli.
02:09
When she asksanauliza you of this yearmwaka,
48
117640
2136
Anapokuuliza juu ya mwaka huu,
02:11
your daughterbinti, whetherkama your offspringwatoto
or heirmrithi to your triumphushindi,
49
119800
2905
binti wako, iwapo mwanawe au
mrithi wa ushindi wako,
02:14
from her comfortedkufarijiwa sideupande of historyhistoria
teeteringteetering towardskuelekea womanmwanamke,
50
122729
3007
toka pande ya faraja yake historia,
kiyumba kuelekea wanawake,
02:17
she will wonderajabu and askkuuliza voraciouslyaligeuka,
51
125760
2296
atashangaa na kuuliza kwa lafua,
02:20
thoughingawa she cannothaiwezi fathomfathom your sacrificedhabihu,
52
128080
1935
licha yake kutoweza kuelewa kafara yako,
02:22
she will holdkushikilia your estimationmakadirio of it holyMtakatifu,
53
130039
2777
ataiweka ukadiri wako takatifu,
02:24
curiouslyajabu probinguchunguzi, "Where were you?
54
132840
2496
jambo la ajabu atadadisi,"Ulikuwa wapi?
02:27
Did you fightkupigana?
Were you fearfulhofu or fearsometukio?
55
135360
3016
Ulipigana?
Ulikuwa na hofu au ulihofisha?
02:30
What coloredrangi the wallskuta of your regretmajuto?
56
138400
1856
Nini ilikupa majuto?
02:32
What did you do for womenwanawake
in the yearmwaka it was time?
57
140280
2656
Ulifanyia nini wanawake
katika mwaka uliowasili
02:34
This pathnjia you madealifanya for me,
whichambayo bonesmifupa had to breakkuvunja?
58
142960
2896
Njia hii ulio nitengezea,
mifupa ipi ilibidii ivunjwe?
02:37
Did you do enoughkutosha, and are you OK, mommamomma?
59
145880
2256
Ulifanya ya kutosha, na je uko sawa, mama?
02:40
And are you a heroshujaa?"
60
148160
1216
Na je wewe ni shujaa?
02:41
She will askkuuliza the difficultvigumu questionsmaswali.
61
149400
2416
Atauliza yale maswali magumu.
02:43
She will not carehuduma
about the arctao of your browpaji la uso,
62
151840
2176
Hatajali
juu ya mikunjo ya uso wako,
02:46
the weightuzito of your clutchclutch.
63
154040
1256
uzito wa ufumbata wako.
02:47
She will not askkuuliza of your mentionsanataja.
64
155320
1656
Hatakuuliza kuhusu kutajwa kwako.
02:49
Your daughterbinti, for whomambaye you have
alreadytayari carriedkufanyika so much, wants to know
65
157000
3376
Binti wako, uliyembebea mengi,
anataka kujua
02:52
what you broughtkuletwa, what giftzawadi,
what lightmwanga did you keep from extinctionkupoteza?
66
160400
3496
ulimletea nini, zawadi ipi,
ulizuia nuru ipi kutokomea
02:55
When they camealikuja for victimswaathirika in the night,
67
163920
1936
Walipowakujia waathirika usiku,
02:57
did you sleepusingizi throughkupitia it
or were you rousedroused?
68
165880
2096
ulilala au uliamshwa?
03:00
What was the costgharama of stayingkukaa wokeakaamka?
69
168000
1656
Bei ya kuwa macho ilikuwa nini?
03:01
What, in the yearmwaka we said time'sya muda up,
what did you do with your privilegeupendeleo?
70
169680
3466
Nini, kwa mwaka tuisema saa imefika,
ulifanyia nini upendeleo wako?
03:05
Did you supnitakula on others'wengine squalormazingira?
71
173170
1526
Uliyanywa umaskini wa wengine?
03:06
Did you look away
or directlymoja kwa moja into the flamemoto?
72
174720
2136
Uliangalia kando au uliuangalia moto?
03:08
Did you know your skillujuzi
or treatkutibu it like a liabilityDhima?
73
176880
2536
Uliujua ujuzi wako au
uliutunza kama dhima?
03:11
Were you fooledalipotosha by the epithetsepithets
of "nastynasty" or "lesschini than"?
74
179440
3336
Je ulidanganywa na matusi ya
"gonjwa" au "ndogo kuliko"?
03:14
Did you teachkufundisha with an openkufungua heartmoyo
or a clenchedIliyokunjwa fistngumi?
75
182800
2496
Je ulifunza na moyo mkunjufu
au ngumu iliyokazwa?
03:17
Where were you?
76
185320
1216
Ulikuwa wapi?
03:18
Tell her the truthukweli. Make it your life.
77
186560
1856
Mwambie ukweli. Ifanye iwe maisha yako.
03:20
ConfirmKuthibitisha it. Say, "DaughterBinti, I stoodalisimama there
78
188440
1976
Ithibitishe. Sema,"Binti, nilisimama pale
03:22
with the momentwakati
drawninayotolewa on my faceuso like a daggerKisu,
79
190440
2216
kwa muda,
uliochorwa kwa uso wangu kama sime
03:24
and flungtupwa it back at itselfyenyewe,
80
192680
1336
na kuirusha ilipotoka
03:26
slicingslicing spacenafasi for you."
81
194040
1416
kukata nafasi kwa'jili yako."
03:27
Tell her the truthukweli, how you livedaliishi
in spitekinyume chake of crookedkupotoka oddstabia mbaya.
82
195480
2816
Mwambie ukweli, vile ulivyoishi
licha ya tabia mbaya
03:30
Tell her you were bravejasiri,
83
198320
1256
Mwambie ulikuwa jasiri
03:31
and always, always
in the companykampuni of courageujasiri,
84
199600
2336
na daima, daima ukaungana na ujasiri,
03:33
mostlyzaidi the dayssiku
when you just had yourselfwewe mwenyewe.
85
201960
2296
sana sana zile siku,
ulikuwa wewe mwenyewe,
03:36
Tell her she was bornalizaliwa as you were,
86
204280
1976
Mwambie alizaliwa jinsi wewe ulivyo,
03:38
as your mothersmama before,
and the sistersdada besidekando them,
87
206280
2616
kama kina mama wako mbeleni,
na kina dada kando yao,
03:40
in the ageumri of legendshadithi, like always.
88
208920
2096
Katika muda wa wazalendo, kama kawaida.
03:43
Tell her she was bornalizaliwa just in time,
89
211040
2696
Mwambie alizaliwa kwa muda uliyofaa,
03:45
just in time
90
213760
1280
kwa muda uliyofaa
03:47
to leadkuongoza.
91
215520
1216
kuongoza.
03:48
(ApplauseMakofi)
92
216760
7336
(Vigelegele)
Translated by Nelson Lutta
Reviewed by Joachim Mangilima

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chinaka Hodge - Writer, educator
Poet, playwright, filmmaker and educator Chinaka Hodge uses her own life and experiences as the backbone of wildly creative, powerful works.

Why you should listen

Chinaka Hodge is a writer and educator from Oakland. She received her BA from NYU’s Gallatin School and studied Writing for Film and Television at  USC’s School of Cinematic Arts MFA program. Her work has been featured in Believer Magazine, Teen People Magazine, Newsweek, San Francisco Magazine, on PBS and NPR, and in two seasons of HBO’s Def Poetry. She was an Associate Producer on Simmons Lathan presents Brave New Voices for HBO.

She is a Cave Canem Graduate Fellow, was a playwright-in-residence at SF Playwrights Foundation and serves as a Visiting Editor at The California Sunday Magazine. She is an inaugural Senior Fellow at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

More profile about the speaker
Chinaka Hodge | Speaker | TED.com