Humanities Nebraska Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities - Chris Abani

Chris Abani Author

09/11/2014 Added

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[00:00:00.333][APPLAUSE]
[00:00:11.333]>> GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO THE FIRST LECTURE OF THE
[00:00:23.133]2014-2015 E.N. THOMPSON FORUM, AND TO HUMANITIES NEBRASKA,
[00:00:27.166]GOVERNOR'S LECTURES IN THE HUMANITIES.
[00:00:28.700]I'M THE INTERIM PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AND AM
[00:00:32.633]ONE MEMBER OF A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
[00:00:37.533]UNIVERSITY, THE E.N.
[00:00:39.367]THOMPSON FORUM AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.
[00:00:42.233]EARLIER TODAY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF TALKING TO A LARGE AUDIENCE
[00:00:48.667]ON THE C-SPAN TOUR OF UNIVERSITIES INVOLVED IN THE BIG
[00:00:53.700]TEN.
[00:00:53.967]AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I RECEIVED IS -- I'M AN
[00:00:57.934]ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE PROGRAM IN ENGINEERING, WHY SHOULD I TAKE
[00:01:01.567]HISTORY?
[00:01:02.967]AND I MYSELF AM A SCIENTIST BY TRAINING, BUT I FOUND THAT TO BE
[00:01:06.500]A PRETTY EASY QUESTION TO ANSWER, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT
[00:01:09.567]PRECEDED US ON C-SPAN WERE ARGUING GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES.
[00:01:13.867]AND THIS CALLER HERSELF WOULD BE A VOTER AND NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND
[00:01:16.867]THOSE.
[00:01:17.166]AND I POINTED OUT THE IMPORTANCE THAT EVERYONE HAVE A BROAD
[00:01:21.300]EDUCATION IF THEY'RE ENTERING A UNIVERSITY PROGRAM.
[00:01:24.800]THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S E.N.
[00:01:27.934]THOMPSON FORUM LECTURE SERIES IS THE CREATIVE WORLD.
[00:01:30.266]THIS COULDN'T BE MUCH CLOSER TO THE HEART OF MY WIFE KAREN AND
[00:01:34.734]I, SINCE FOR MANY YEARS WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CONECO, A
[00:01:40.500]NOT FOR PROFIT IN OMAHA THAT FOSTERS CREATIVITY.
[00:01:45.867]YOU WILL HEAR FROM A VARIETY OF FASCINATING INDIVIDUALS ON HOW
[00:01:50.467]CREATIVITY FUELS OUR WORLD. AND IT DOES FUEL THE WORLD.
[00:01:53.767]IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY IN SOCIETY, IT IS
[00:01:58.367]TO FOSTER CREATIVITY.
[00:01:59.800]BECAUSE THAT IS REALLY WHAT DRIVES THE HUMANITIES FORWARD.
[00:02:05.000]I WOULD LIKE TO APPLAUD THE E.N.
[00:02:09.967]THOMPSON FORUM COMMITTEE.
[00:02:10.834]AND THE MANY OTHER PARTNERS WHO WORK TO CONTINUE THIS
[00:02:17.033]OUTSTANDING LECTURE SERIES, REACHING STUDENTS AND THE
[00:02:21.200]PUBLIC.
[00:02:21.533]THANK YOU ALL.
[00:02:24.433][APPLAUSE] >> AS MOST OF YOU KNOW,
[00:02:29.367]TONIGHT'S SCHEDULED SPEAKER WAS NATASHA TRETHEWEY, RECENT POET
[00:02:37.166]LAWETTE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
[00:02:40.333]SHE HAD A DEATH IN HER FAMILY AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH HER
[00:02:43.934]AND THE LOVED ONES AROUND HER.
[00:02:45.433]WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE INSTEAD HAVE ANOTHER CREATIVE FORCE WITH
[00:02:49.166]US THIS EVENING.
[00:02:51.200]CHRIS ABANI.
[00:02:51.633]YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT HIS AMAZING BACKGROUND IN A MOMENT.
[00:02:55.867]EARLIER TODAY DR. ABANI VISITED THE UNL CAMPUS AND HAD ENGAGING
[00:02:59.967]DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS.
[00:03:01.100]IF HE'S AT ALL LIKE ME, PROBABLY THE BEST PART OF BEING ON
[00:03:05.000]UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IS DEALING WITH STUDENTS. WE APPRECIATE
[00:03:07.867]THAT HE HAS JOINED US THIS EVENING ON SHORT NOTICE.
[00:03:13.533]FOR SHARING HIS THOUGHTS WITH THIS LARGE AUDIENCE WHO'S WITH
[00:03:16.967]US TONIGHT.
[00:03:17.900]AS YOU LISTEN TO THE LECTURE THIS EVENING, PLEASE NOTE THAT
[00:03:21.467]IN THE PROGRAM THERE'S A DETACHABLE PAGE -- SINCE YOU CAN
[00:03:26.033]TEAR PAPER -- WHERE YOU CAN WRITE ANY QUESTIONS, THEN HAND
[00:03:28.233]THEM TO THE USHERS TO USE IN THE Q AND A SESSION THAT FOLLOWS.
[00:03:32.467]THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
[00:03:34.266]AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO ANDREW ALEXANDER
[00:03:40.033]AND DAVID BENTAIN, TO SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH YOU AND INTRODUCE
[00:03:48.834]THE FIRST LADY OF THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.
[00:03:52.767]THANK YOU.
[00:03:54.500][APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, DR. LINDER.
[00:04:05.233]AND WELCOME EVERYONE.
[00:04:06.333]ON BEHALF OF HUMANITIES NEBRASKA, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
[00:04:09.133]YOU R A MOMENT TO EXPRESSION OUR APPRECIATION TO THE E.N.
[00:04:14.133]THOMPSON FORUM AND TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, ARREST
[00:04:17.800]GOVERNOR'S LECTURE IN THE HUMANITIES CO-SPONSOR.
[00:04:20.632]TONIGHT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT IS THERE PARTNERSHIP.
[00:04:23.233]I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF THE GOVERNOR'S LECTURE
[00:04:27.667]CO-CHAIRS, THEIR COMMITTEE, OUR FOUNDATION PRESIDENT, MARILYN
[00:04:31.133]HADLEY AND ALL THE STAFF AT HUMANITIES NEBRASKA.
[00:04:33.667]PLEASE NOTE IN YOUR PROGRAM THE OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS FROM
[00:04:36.266]ACROSS NEBRASKA WHO SERVE ON THE BOARDS OF HUMANITIES NEBRASKA
[00:04:39.533]AND OUR PARTNER, THE NEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT.
[00:04:43.500]THEY ARE DOING A GREAT SERVICE TO OUR STATE.
[00:04:45.533]WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE HOSPITALITY OF OUR HOST, THE
[00:04:50.400]LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS, AND FIRST LADY SALLY GANUM, FOR
[00:04:53.867]BEING WITH US TONIGHT.
[00:04:55.033]EARLIER THIS EVENING AT A BENEFIT DINNER, HUMANITIES
[00:04:57.400]NEBRASKA PRESENTED OUR HIGHEST AWARD FOR ENCOURAGING PUBLIC
[00:05:01.100]UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF THE HUMANITIES IN NEBRASKA,
[00:05:03.700]THE AWARD IN THE HUMANITIES.
[00:05:05.934]SINCE 1980, HUMANITIES NEBRASKA HAS BEEN HONORING THOSE WHO HELP
[00:05:10.266]THE HUMANITIES TO FLOURISH IN OUR STATE.
[00:05:12.533]THE AWARD RECOGNIZES AN INDIVIDUAL, INSTITUTION,
[00:05:16.667]BUSINESS OR COMMUNITY THAT HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION
[00:05:18.467]TO THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMANITIES IN NEBRASKA.
[00:05:22.100]PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE AWARD ARE LISTED IN YOUR PROGRAM AND WOULD
[00:05:25.800]ANY WHO ARE WITH US TONIGHT PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
[00:05:35.533][APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU.
[00:05:43.834]TONIGHT'S BENEFIT DINNER WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO PRESENT THE 2014
[00:05:48.367]AWARD IN THE HUMANITIES TO LONG TIME ADVOCATE ROBERT NEFACY.
[00:05:54.767]BOB HAS DONE A LOT OF GOOD IN OUR STATE FOR NUMEROUS CAUSES
[00:06:00.100]BUT NONE MORE SO THAN THE FLOURISHING CREATED THROUGH THE
[00:06:05.233]NEBRASKA CULTURAL ENDOWMENT.
[00:06:07.066]READ ABOUT BOB IN YOUR PROGRAM AND JOIN ME IN THANKING HIS
[00:06:13.567]CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HUMANITIES NEBRASKA.
[00:06:14.900]BOB, PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN ALL THANK YOU.
[00:06:17.333][APPLAUSE] >> CONGRATULATIONS, BOB.
[00:06:27.166]IT'S A VERY WELL DESERVED HONOR.
[00:06:29.700]AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PRINTED PROGRAM, THE GOVERNOR'S LECTURE
[00:06:32.867]ON THE HUMANITIES IS SUPPORTED BY A GENEROUS GROUP OF
[00:06:37.433]INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP ADVANCE HUMANITIES
[00:06:41.333]NEBRASKA'S MISSION.
[00:06:42.300]WHICH IS TO PROVIDE ALL CITIZENS WITH ACCESS TO THE HUMANITIES.
[00:06:47.600]LAST YEAR HUMANITIES NEBRASKA REACHED MORE THAN 450,000
[00:06:52.433]NEBRASKANS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE HISTORY, LITERATURE,
[00:06:58.633]CULTURE, AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE HUMANITIES.
[00:07:02.367]THAT REACH WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF
[00:07:05.700]MANY OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT.
[00:07:08.266]PLEASE HELP ME THANK ALL OF THESE GENEROUS SPONSORS FOR
[00:07:11.867]SUPPORTING THE HUMANITIES IN NEBRASKA.
[00:07:14.200][APPLAUSE] >> DURING THE LAST TEN YEARS WE
[00:07:24.200]HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE AS FRIENDS OF THE GOVERNOR'S
[00:07:30.300]LECTURE SERIES THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, DAVE
[00:07:38.000]HEINEMAN, AND SALLY GANUM, THE FIRST LADY.
[00:07:42.266]TO INTRODUCE THE SPEAKER, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE
[00:07:45.700]FIRST LADY OF THE STATE OF NEBRASKA, SALLY GANUM, WHO IS AN
[00:07:52.767]APPRECIATED SUPPORTER OF THE HUMANITIES NEBRASKA.
[00:07:56.033]SALLY?
[00:07:56.367][APPLAUSE] >> HAVE TO GET THIS DOWN TO MY
[00:08:11.934]SIZE A LITTLE BIT.
[00:08:14.200]I WILL KEEP IT VERY SHORT THIS EVENING.
[00:08:16.467]AND GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE 2014 GOVERNOR'S LECTURE IN
[00:08:21.600]THE HUMANITIES.
[00:08:22.500]FOR 19 YEARS THIS LECTURE SERIES HAS HELPED INSPIRE DISCUSSION ON
[00:08:28.266]HUMANITIES, RELATED TOPICS, THAT CERTAINLY IMPACT OUR CIVIC AND
[00:08:33.232]PUBLIC LIVES.
[00:08:34.166]AND I ALSO WANT TO SHARE TO YOU TOO THAT DAVE IS VERY SORRY THAT
[00:08:42.767]HE COULDN'T JOIN US THIS EVENING.
[00:08:45.367]HOW MUCH WE DO APPRECIATE THE WORK HUMANITIES NEBRASKA DOES TO
[00:08:50.767]BRING HUMANITIES PROGRAMS TO OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
[00:08:55.500]AND I KNOW THE GOVERNOR WOULD CERTAINLY WANT YOU TO KNOW,
[00:09:00.333]THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE FOR ALLOWING HIM TO HAVE A ROLE IN
[00:09:05.233]THIS EVENT FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS.
[00:09:08.800]THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING THIS EVENING POSSIBLE.
[00:09:12.166]AND NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE, TRULY MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU
[00:09:17.333]OUR FEATURED SPEAKERS.
[00:09:19.600]TONIGHT'S SPEAKER, CHRIS ABANI, IS KNOWN AS MANY THINGS.
[00:09:26.233]POET, NOVELIST, ESSAYIST, SCREEN WRITER, AND HUMANIST.
[00:09:31.367]THROUGH HIS TED TALKS AND NUMEROUS ESSAYS, HE HAS HAD AN
[00:09:36.900]INTERNATIONAL VOICE ON HUMANITARIANISM, ART, ETHICS,
[00:09:41.900]AND OUR SHARED POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITY.
[00:09:44.500]BORN IN NIGERIA, DR. ABANI IS A RECIPIENT OF A GUGGENHEIM
[00:09:55.033]AWARD, A HEMMINGWAY BOOK PRIZE, A BEYOND THE MARCH
[00:09:58.633]AWARD AND MANY OTHER HONORS MUCH HIS ESSAYS HAVE BEEN
[00:10:03.400]FEATURED ON BOOKS IN ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY AS WELL AS IN
[00:10:07.333]NUMEROUS MAGAZINES.
[00:10:10.066]HIS NOVELS INCLUDE "SONG FOR NIGHT," THE "THE VIRGIN OF
[00:10:15.767]FLAMES," GRACE LAND, AND MOST RECENTLY, "THE SECRET HISTORY OF
[00:10:29.767]LAS VEGAS."
[00:10:30.567]HIS POETRY INCLUDES NO NAME FOR RED.
[00:10:38.000]HIS DEGREES INCLUDE AN MA IN ENGLISH, GENDER AND CULTURE FROM
[00:10:43.200]BIRK BECK COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY LONDON, AND A PH.D. IN
[00:10:46.900]LITERATURE AND CREATIVE WRITING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
[00:10:51.300]CALIFORNIA.
[00:10:51.700]HE HAS RESIDED IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 2001 AND
[00:10:56.834]CURRENTLY LIVES IN CHICAGO, WHERE HE IS A BOARD OF TRUSTEES
[00:11:02.100]PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.
[00:11:05.500]WE'RE CERTAINLY GLAD THAT YOU COULD COME BACK TO NEBRASKA.
[00:11:08.700]AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN WITH ME AT THIS
[00:11:12.633]TIME IN GIVING HIM A WARM NEBRASKA WELCOME.
[00:11:17.800][APPLAUSE]
[00:11:37.734]>> CHRIS ABANI: GOOD EVENING.
[00:11:38.500]YOU GOING TO DO THAT MIDWESTERN THING AND JUST BE LIKE, YEAH,
[00:11:43.333]WHATEVER?
[00:11:44.066][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: GOOD EVENING.
[00:11:47.734]>> AUDIENCE MEMBER: GOOD EVENING.
[00:11:48.734]>> CHRIS ABANI: WHAT A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO BE HERE.
[00:11:50.800]I HAVE NEVER BEEN INTRODUCED BY A FIRST LADY BEFORE, THAT'S LIKE
[00:11:57.533]AWESOME.
[00:11:58.000]AND TO BE INTRODUCED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SO GENEROUS AND SO
[00:12:03.600]KIND IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME IS WONDERFUL.
[00:12:05.834]SO I'M BACK IN NEBRASKA AGAIN.
[00:12:07.533]YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ME, APPARENTLY.
[00:12:11.500]AND SOMETHING I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT NEBRASKA, I
[00:12:16.867]WENT TO IMO STATE UNIVERSITY IN NIGERIA.
[00:12:21.300]IT USED TO BE FIVE STATES AND BROKE INTO I THINK AT THE TIME
[00:12:25.467]15 STATES.
[00:12:25.900]WE DECIDED WE'RE GOING TO COMPETE WITH AMERICA.
[00:12:29.300]I THINK WE NOW HAVE 50.
[00:12:31.333]WE'RE PUSHING FOR 51.
[00:12:32.867]SO EVERY NEW STATE SET UP A UNIVERSITY.
[00:12:35.834]SO THE UNIVERSITY NEEDED TO BE BUILD VERY QUICKLY AND IT NEEDED
[00:12:40.166]ACCREDITATION, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA,
[00:12:43.567]NOT ONLY HELPED BUILT IT, BUT TOOK THE CURRICULUM AND GAVE US
[00:12:48.033]ACCREDITATION.
[00:12:48.467]MANY WAYS I'M ALUMNI OF THIS UNIVERSITY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
[00:12:52.934]IT.
[00:12:54.066]IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
[00:12:55.500]IT'S UNFORTUNATE TO BE BACK UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
[00:13:00.200]HAVE HAPPENED.
[00:13:01.900]BUT NATASHA IS SUCH A PROFESSION AL AND A GRACIOUS HUMAN BEING,
[00:13:06.700]SHE WOULD WANT FOR THIS TO GO ON.
[00:13:08.033]I ALSO WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WORKED TO BRING ME HERE IN
[00:13:12.333]THE HUMANITIES, THE VARIOUS HUMANITIES BOARDS.
[00:13:16.133]ALL THE STAFF, AND EVERYONE THIS EVENING WHO HELPED RAISE
[00:13:21.834]TONIGHT, I THINK, $170,000 FOR THE HUMANITIES IN NEBRASKA.
[00:13:26.166]IT'S KIND OF REMARKABLE.
[00:13:28.600][APPLAUSE] >> CHRIS ABANI: OKAY MY FEE IS
[00:13:37.867]150,000.
[00:13:38.367]SO...
[00:13:38.667][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: SO -- SO HERE'S
[00:13:44.467]THE THING.
[00:13:45.834]SO I -- I WAS, O -- KNOW, MY GIRLFRIEND HAS BEEN NAGGING ME
[00:13:50.367]TO GET HEALTHY.
[00:13:51.700]SO FINALLY, I SAID FINE, I'LL WALK.
[00:13:58.767][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: WE WERE HIKING
[00:14:00.900]AND I GOT A CALL FROM MY AGENT WHO I SHARE WITH NEBRASKA.
[00:14:05.400]SHE SAID CAN GO YOU TO NEBRASKA ON TUGS TO GIVE A TALK ON
[00:14:09.133]WEDNESDAY?
[00:14:10.200]AND I WAS LIKE, I'LL THINK ABOUT IT.
[00:14:13.100]AND THEN I GOT A CALL FROM KUAME DAWES, WHO IF YOU DON'T KNOW, IS
[00:14:18.166]A FRIEND OF MINE.
[00:14:19.266]SO HE SAYS, SO CHRIS, I HEAR YOU'RE COMING TO NEBRASKA.
[00:14:24.433][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: SO -- SO I
[00:14:26.433]OFFER THIS BECAUSE WHEN I AGREED TO IT, I WAS ON THE PLANE ON
[00:14:31.066]TUESDAY HEADING HERE, AND I REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE A TALK.
[00:14:36.233][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: AND SO -- AND I
[00:14:38.100]THOUGHT I'LL PULL OUT SOMETHING FROM MY TED TALKS.
[00:14:40.600]AND THEN I STARTED LOOKING AT THE TWITTER FEEDS AND THE TED
[00:14:44.567]TALKS WERE CIRCULATING AMONGST YOU AND I THOUGHT I CAN'T COME
[00:14:47.033]AND DO THAT.
[00:14:47.667]SO I WROTE YOU A TALK.
[00:14:49.734]I WROTE YOU A TALK YESTERDAY.
[00:14:51.300]HOPEFULLY YOU'LL LIKE IT.
[00:14:54.834][APPLAUSE] >> CHRIS ABANI: AND SO WHAT I
[00:14:58.834]REALLY WOULD LIKE TO PLAY WITH, WITH THE TALK, IS SORT OF -- I
[00:15:02.300]DON'T LIKE TALKS TO BE DEFINITIVE.
[00:15:04.467]I DON'T THINK WRITERS SHOULD TELL US HOW TO THINK.
[00:15:08.200]I THINK WRITERS SHOULD OPEN UP QUESTIONS THAT MAKE US THINK.
[00:15:11.300]SO THE WHOLE POINT OF THE TALK IS TO MAKE US THINK.
[00:15:13.900]AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE A VERY GOOD Q AND A AND TALK ABOUT
[00:15:17.500]ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
[00:15:19.100]I'LL READ THE TALK AND THEN -- AND THEN I THOUGHT THAT GIVEN
[00:15:24.500]THAT NATASHA COULDN'T BE HERE, AND GIVEN WHAT HAPPENED, I
[00:15:27.834]THOUGHT I WOULD OPEN WITH ONE OF HER POEMS CALLED AT DUSK.
[00:15:31.400]AND THEN MOVE INTO THE TALK.
[00:15:34.200]BUT BEFORE THAT, I KNOW ONE JOKE.
[00:15:37.667]AND THE ONLY JOKE I KNOW, I TELL IT ALL THE TIME.
[00:15:40.200]SO YOU HEARD IT BEFORE, JUST YAWN.
[00:15:42.967]BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT JOKE TO KIND OF THE CONVERSATION I THINK
[00:15:45.667]WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS EVENING ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE HUMANITIES
[00:15:49.333]AND THE IDEA ABOUT HUMAN CHARACTER AND HOW WE NEGOTIATE
[00:15:54.100]DIFFICULTY.
[00:15:54.500]BECAUSE I THINK REALLY THIS IS THE THING, THE WORK THE
[00:15:59.834]HUMANITIES DO IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT RAMIFICATIONS.
[00:16:03.300]THEY'RE A MEASURE OF THE HEART OF A PEOPLE.
[00:16:06.600]AND HOW WE FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO EXPLORE THOSE DIFFICULTIES OF
[00:16:10.900]THE HEART.
[00:16:12.467]AND HOPEFULLY COMPLETELY -- NOT DISRESPECTFUL, BUT VERY
[00:16:18.934]IRREVERENT WAYS. THERE'S NOTHING MORE IRREVERENT THAN A
[00:16:22.967]JOKE.
[00:16:23.367]I HAVE BEEN TO SOUTH AFRICA MULTIPLE TIMES AND I'M AMAZED
[00:16:28.800]WITH HOW SOUTH AFRICANS COPE WITH THE POST APARTHEID MOMENT.
[00:16:34.700]THIS ONE IS REALLY SAFE.
[00:16:36.934]SO BASICALLY IT'S AFTER MANDELA'S INAUGURATION.
[00:16:40.900]AND A GROUP OF PEOPLE, EIGHT PEOPLE HAVE COME IN FROM WHAT
[00:16:43.900]ARE CALLED THE HOMELAND PLANE ON SIX SOUTH WHITE AFRICANS AND
[00:16:53.333]TWO, A MAN AND HIS SON.
[00:16:55.233]30 MILES OUTSIDE OF PRETORIA, ONE OF THE ENGINES DIES AND THE
[00:17:00.600]CAPTAIN COMES ON LINE AND SAID LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ONE OF OUR
[00:17:05.834]ENGINES DIED WE ARE CARRYING TOO MUCH WAIT.
[00:17:09.700]IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SOUTH AFRICA WE WOULD LIKE VOLUNTEERS
[00:17:12.767]TO JUMP OFF THE PLANE.
[00:17:14.400]SO NOBODY MOVES. AFTER A LITTLE WHILE, HE SAYS LADIES AND
[00:17:17.333]GENTLEMEN, STILL IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE NEW SOUTH
[00:17:19.834]AFRICA, I THINK WE SHOULD GO ALPHABETICALLY.
[00:17:23.400]WILL ALL THE AFRICANS PLEASE JUMP OFF THE PLANE.
[00:17:26.767][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: AND NOBODY
[00:17:28.367]MOVES. AND SO HE SAYS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WITH ALL THE
[00:17:32.033]BLACKS PLEASE JUMP OFF THE PLANE.
[00:17:33.767]AND NOBODY MOVES.
[00:17:35.967]AND SO HE SAYS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WOULD ALL THE
[00:17:41.400]COLOREDS PLEASE JUMP OFF THE PLANE AND NOBODY MOVES.
[00:17:43.667]THIS LITTLE BOY IN THE BACK OF THE PLANE TURNS TO HIS FATHER
[00:17:46.667]AND SAYS FATHER, IF WE'RE NOT AFRICAN AND NOT BLACK, AND NOT
[00:17:50.000]COLORED, WHAT ARE WE?
[00:17:51.400]AND HE SAID, TO ME, MY SON, WE ARE ZULUS.
[00:18:00.200][LAUGHING] [APPLAUSE]
[00:18:02.633]>> CHRIS ABANI: SO YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT
[00:18:06.400]IRREVERENCE IN YOUR HEART AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR DAY.
[00:18:09.734]AT DUSK.
[00:18:13.500]BY NATASHA TRETHEWEY.
[00:18:14.800]AT FIRST I THINK SHE'S CALLING A CHILD, MY NEIGHBOR.
[00:18:18.867]LEANING THROUGH HER DOORWAY AT DUSK.
[00:18:20.967]STREET LAMPS JUST STARTLING TO HUM THE BACKDROP OF EVENING.
[00:18:25.500]THEN I HEAR THE HIGH PITCHED WEEDING WE SEND OUT TO ANIMALS
[00:18:30.467]WHO ONLY KNOW SOUND AND NOT THE MEANING OF OUR WORDS.
[00:18:35.200]HERE, HERE.
[00:18:36.500]NOR HOW THEY SOMETIMES FALL SHORT.
[00:18:39.400]IN ANOTHER YARD BEYOND MY NEIGHBOR'S SIGHT, THE CATALYSTS
[00:18:42.133]HER EARS, TURNS FIRST TOWARD THE VOICE THEN BACK TO THE STAGS OF
[00:18:49.800]FIRE FLIES FLICKERING NEAR HER HEAD.
[00:18:52.467]SHE CAN'T DECIDE WHETHER TO LEAP OVER THE HEDGE, THE ROW OF
[00:18:56.266]FLOWERS AND BOUND ON TO THE PORCH INTO THE STEADY CIRCLE OF
[00:18:59.967]LIGHT.
[00:19:00.333]OR SAY WHERE SHE IS, LUMINOUS POSSIBILITY, ALL THAT WOULD KEEP
[00:19:04.333]HER AWAY FROM HOME, FLITTING BEFORE HER.
[00:19:07.834]I LISTEN AS MY NEIGHBOR'S VOICE TRAILS OFF.
[00:19:10.834]SHE'S GIVEN UP CALLING FOR NOW.
[00:19:13.433]LEFT ME TO IMAGINE HER INSIDE THE HOUSE WAITING, PERHAPS IN A
[00:19:17.967]CHAIR, IN FRONT OF THE TELEVISION, OR WALKING AROUND
[00:19:20.600]DOING SMALL TASKS.
[00:19:22.633]LEFT ME TO WONDER THAT I TOO MIGHT LIFT MY VOICE, SURE OF
[00:19:27.266]SOMEONE OUT THERE.
[00:19:27.900]SEND IT OVER THE LINES, STITCHING HERE TO THERE.
[00:19:31.433]CERTAIN THE SOUNDS I MAKE ARE ENOUGH PERHAPS TO CALL SOMEONE
[00:19:37.467]HOME.
[00:19:40.033]NATASHA.
[00:19:41.367]THE GRACEFUL WALK.
[00:19:44.867]EPIGRAPH.
[00:19:45.700]CULTURE OF THE MIND MUST BE SUBSERVIENT TO THE HEART.
[00:19:51.734]MAHATMA GANDHI.
[00:19:53.333]EPIGRAPH, IF THE SAND ON THE ROAD TO EGESHAR, CAN BE USED TO
[00:19:58.867]TEACH A CHILD TO WALK, IT CAN BE USED TO TEACH US ALL TO WALK
[00:20:04.066]GRACEFULLY.
[00:20:04.467]PROVERB.
[00:20:04.800]I GREW UP IN A CULTURE RIPE WITH PROVERBS, A THING THE NIGERIAN
[00:20:16.233]WRITER REFERRED TO, NO DOUBT ON THEIR RELIANCE ON PUN, WIT AND
[00:20:20.867]THINKING CREATES A PLAY WITH AND WITHIN LANGUAGE.
[00:20:23.934]PROVERBS WHILE PART OF A PLAY WITHIN LANGUAGE IN THAT CULTURE
[00:20:27.600]ACTUALLY OFTEN MARK A FULL-GROWN ADULT FROM A CHILD.
[00:20:31.266]TO SPEAK WELL AS THE PEOPLE SAY, IS TO HONOR A GOOD CHARACTER.
[00:20:35.467]BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU ARE ALWAYS THINKING.
[00:20:38.166]THE IDEA THAT A PROPER COMMAND OF SPEECH AND THEREFORE OF
[00:20:41.700]LANGUAGE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ONE'S CHARACTERS, IS AN
[00:20:45.233]INTERESTING IDEA.
[00:20:46.233]I HEARD SO MANY PROVERBS GROWING UP THAT I STARTED TO SOUND LIKE
[00:20:50.633]A COMPENDIUM WHEN I SPOKE.
[00:20:54.300]NIGERIAN PROVERBS RANGE FROM THE PROFOUND SUCH AS, IS IT THE
[00:20:58.133]STONE OF THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER THAT SHAPES THE RIVER'S FLOW OR
[00:21:01.667]THE RIVER'S FLOW THAT SHAPES THE STONE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
[00:21:05.400]RIVER?
[00:21:06.433]TO THE PRACTICAL SUCH AS NEVER CHALLENGE A GORILLA TO A
[00:21:11.066]WRESTLING MATCH.
[00:21:12.100][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: TO THE
[00:21:14.600]COMFORTING, SUCH AS PATIENCE CAN COOK A STONE.
[00:21:19.100]TO THE ABSURD A FLOWING RIVER IS NOT A LAKE.
[00:21:23.166]YEAH, REALLY?
[00:21:23.900]AND TO THE OBVIOUS, AND I LOVE THE OBVIOUS, THEY ALWAYS REMIND
[00:21:27.300]ME OF DR. PHIL.
[00:21:27.867]TO THE OBVIOUS, A MAN WHO IS LYING ON THE GROUND NEED FEAR NO
[00:21:33.400]FALL.
[00:21:34.400][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: THERE IS EVEN A
[00:21:36.333]PROVERB FOR PROVERBS.
[00:21:37.700]SUCH AS, TRYING TO FIND A PROVERB TO SUM UP ALL OF LIFE IS
[00:21:41.567]LIKE TRYING TO TIE A KNOT IN WATER.
[00:21:46.200]PROVERBS ARE REMARKABLE BECAUSE THEY ARE THEMSELVES ALLUSIONS,
[00:21:50.333]ALLUSION WILLINGS OF STORIES, THAT REVEAL A COMPLEX WAY OF
[00:21:53.800]LOVE LIFE.
[00:21:55.100]A COSMOLOGICAL COMPLEX, A HUMAN FOIBLE AND SO FORTH.
[00:21:59.967]IN THAT WAY THEY ARE CONTEXTUAL.
[00:22:01.200]BUT SOMETIMES TO UNDERSTAND IT IN FULL ONE MOST KNOW THE
[00:22:04.834]CONTEXTUAL HISTORY AND YET THEY HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH TRANSPORT,
[00:22:08.033]ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY THAT IF THEY ARE LAUNCHED INTO THE WORLD,
[00:22:11.033]EVEN WITHOUT CONTEXT, IF ONE IS TRAINED IN INFERENTIAL
[00:22:14.600]THINKING, ONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID.
[00:22:18.033]MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT AESOP'S FABLES AND THE MORAL COMPLEX OF
[00:22:22.767]EARLY GREEK COMPLEX, PROVERBS FUNCTIONED FOR NIGERIANS IN THE
[00:22:27.767]SAME WAY.
[00:22:28.567]IN AFRIKPO, MY TOWN OF ORIGIN, THERE IS A PROVERB THAT IS A
[00:22:33.500]SOUND, SAHHH.
[00:22:34.567]IT REFERS TO THE SOUND A HOT NEEDLE MAKES WHEN DROPPED INTO
[00:22:39.166]SAND POINT FIRST, SINKING WITH EASE AND ELEGANCE THAT IS
[00:22:42.734]STUNNING AND AWE-INSPIRING.
[00:22:44.934]SO WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A PROFOUND POINT IN A SEEMINGLY REGULAR
[00:22:49.567]CONVERSATION, SOMEONE MAY OFFER, HA, SAHHH.
[00:22:53.934]OR WHEN A CHILD IS FRUSTRATED, AND RESORTS TO ANGER TO EXPRESS
[00:22:58.200]ITSELF, APPARENTLY MAKE THE SOUND WHICH IS BOTH A WARNING
[00:23:03.567]ABOUT AN IMPENDING SPANKING, A REMINDER TO FIND MORE SUITABLE
[00:23:06.967]APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM THEY ARE FACING, BUT ALSO IN A STRANGE
[00:23:11.166]COMPLICATED WAY, A COMFORTING SOUND.
[00:23:14.467]THIS IS PART OF THE POWER OF THE SEEMINGLY SIMPLE EXPRESSIONS
[00:23:19.467]THAT THEY ARE BOTH THEN FORCING US TO RETHINK THE WAYS IN WHICH
[00:23:22.400]WE APPROACH THE WORLD.
[00:23:23.967]A MNEMONIC DEVICE FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER COMPLEX HISTORIES,
[00:23:28.433]COSMOLOGIES AND CONCEPTS.
[00:23:30.667]A WAY OF CODE SWITCHING THAT PROVIDES MULTIPLE LEVELS OF
[00:23:34.000]CONVERSATION TO GO ON SIMULTANEOUSLY AS IN ONE'S ACT
[00:23:36.967]TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BEING SAID, IS CONDITIONAL AND KNOWING
[00:23:40.467]ALL THE CONTEXT AND REFERENCE OF THE PROVERB.
[00:23:43.467]NOT UNLIKE SESAME STREET, REALLY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
[00:23:46.700]IF YOU EVER WATCHED SESAME STREET AS A GROWN UP, YOU KNOW
[00:23:51.266]HALF THE JOKES ARE NOT FOR THE CHILDREN.
[00:23:53.633]I WOULD -- IT IS ALSO A WAY TO BE ELEGANT IN SPEECH AND
[00:23:56.400]THOUGHT, A WAY TO GIVE GRACEFUL EXITS FROM ARGUMENTS, AND A WAY
[00:24:00.400]TO TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE TO THINK INFERENTIALLY.
[00:24:04.000]AND INFERENTIAL THINKING IS REALLY AT THE CORE OF THIS,
[00:24:07.934]BECAUSE INFERENTIAL THINKING DOES IS ALLOWS PEOPLE TO BUILD A
[00:24:11.600]NETWORK OF SEEMINGLY DISPARATE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING
[00:24:15.633]SIMULTANEOUSLY AND WAVE THEM INTO A COHESIVE HOLE THAT
[00:24:21.066]ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GRACE.
[00:24:24.934]THIS INFERENTIAL THINKING IS CRUCIAL TO CREATIVITY.
[00:24:28.533]ONE CAN ARGUE THE PERFORMANCE OF AN IMPROVISATION WITHIN
[00:24:31.800]LANGUAGE, CULTURE, IDENTITY AND THOUGHT THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED
[00:24:35.734]BY THE LARGER CULTURE.
[00:24:37.033]IN OTHER WORDS, THE WAY IN WHICH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
[00:24:41.700]NOWADAYS USE TEXT AND TEXT MESSAGING TO CONFUSE THEIR
[00:24:45.033]PARENTS AND FORGES NEW WAYS OF BEING IN THE WORLD AS A WAY IN
[00:24:48.633]WHICH A PROVERB WOULD ALLOW A YOUNG PERSON TO INTERACT WITH
[00:24:55.100]ELDERS RESPECTFULLY WHILE FORCING THEM TO RECONSIDER THEIR
[00:24:57.934]POSITION.
[00:24:58.300]THE CONCEPT OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN A THOUGHT IS LIGHTLY MORE
[00:25:02.000]COMPLEX THAN IN WESTERN THOUGHT.
[00:25:04.100]IN AFRIKPO, THE INDIVIDUAL NEGOTIATES A SPACE FOR
[00:25:07.467]THEMSELVES NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE INSIDES OF THE COMMUNAL BUT
[00:25:11.567]RATHER IN SIGH BY OWE SIS SUCH AS THE INDIVIDUAL NEED CAN NEVER
[00:25:16.500]OVERWHELM THE COMMUNAL GOOD BUT LIKEWISE THE COMMUNAL WILL
[00:25:20.967]CANNOT OVERWHELM THE INDIVIDUAL DRIVE.
[00:25:24.066]A KIND OF COMMUNAL INDIVIDUALITY IN WHICH THE PERSONHOOD OF
[00:25:27.367]EVERY WITH YOUR HONOR IS A REFLECTION OF THE COLLECTIVE
[00:25:29.533]WILL AND THE COLLECTIVE WILL ITSELF A REFLECTION OF THE
[00:25:33.400]INDIVIDUAL.
[00:25:33.800]THIS THINKING EXTENDED EVEN INTO RELIGIONS.
[00:25:37.367]IN TRADITIONAL AFRIKPO THOUGHT, THE PORTAL THROUGH WHICH WE
[00:25:41.367]COMMUNICATE WITH DEITY WAS MADE BY A DIVINER.
[00:25:44.600]AND AT THE PORTAL ONE WOULD MAKE SACRIFICES.
[00:25:48.200]TO AVERT THINGS, TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF THINGS, TO APPEAL TO
[00:25:53.834]THINGS.
[00:25:54.400]IF HOWEVER THIS PORTAL, WHICH IS SOMETIMES MISTAKENLY THOUGHT OF
[00:25:58.200]AS A GOD, BECAME TOO GREEDY AND STARTED TO DEMAND SACRIFICES
[00:26:02.367]THAT WERE TOO HEAVY, THE PEOPLE WILL COLLECTIVELY COME TOGETHER
[00:26:05.100]AND DESTROY THE GOD.
[00:26:07.100]THEY WOULD SMASH IT TO PIECES AND SEND SOMEONE OUT TO FIND
[00:26:10.433]ANOTHER DEFINER TO MAKE THEM ANOTHER GOD.
[00:26:12.700]I LOVE THIS IDEA. THE IDEA THAT WE CAN DESTROY THE GOD THAT WE
[00:26:17.500]MAKE, THE GODS OF CONSUMERISM, THE GODS OF FUNDAMENTAL
[00:26:21.567]RELIGION, THE GODS THAT WE DON'T REALLY NEED, THAT NO LONGER
[00:26:25.200]SERVE US, BUT WHICH WE HOLD ON TO BY HABIT.
[00:26:28.367]WITH THIS KIND OF DELICATE NAVIGATION LANGUAGE BECOMES VERY
[00:26:32.166]IMPORTANT AGO A WAY TO NEGOTIATE THINGS GRACEFULLY, TO SAY THE
[00:26:36.633]VERY LEAST.
[00:26:37.200]THIS REMINDS ME OF A THOUGHT THAT STRUCK ME WHEN I FIRST
[00:26:41.066]MOVED TO AMERICA AND STARTED WORKING WITH POETS AND KEPT
[00:26:45.100]HEARING THINGS, LIKE I REALLY WANT A COMMUNITY?
[00:26:47.433]LIKE PEOPLE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE COMMUNITY FOR ME.
[00:26:50.367]BECAUSE I -- AND I THOUGHT, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
[00:26:53.667][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: AND AFTER A
[00:26:54.967]WHILE I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT WHAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT IS
[00:26:58.400]NOT A COMMUNITY.
[00:26:59.200]WHAT IS BEING TALKED ABOUT HERE AS A PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THAT
[00:27:04.200]THEY WANT PEOPLE WHO THINK LIKE THEM, PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH WHAT
[00:27:07.233]THEY SAY.
[00:27:07.800]PEOPLE WHO THINK THE SAME WAY THEY DO.
[00:27:09.533]PEOPLE WITH WHOM THEY CAN LIVE WITH WITHOUT APPARENT CONFLICT.
[00:27:14.266]THIS COULD BE PART OF AMERICA'S POLITICAL MATRIX WHICH HAS TWO
[00:27:20.467]PARTIES, WHICH ARE GALVANIZED AROUND CAPITAL AND POWER, ONE
[00:27:24.800]NOT AS BENEVOLENT AS THE OTHER, BUT THE BEN NFL LENT ONE --
[00:27:33.300]THIRD PARTY ALWAYS DISRUPTS THING, THIS KIND OF IDEA OF
[00:27:37.967]COMMUNITIES THAT SERVE OUR OWN SELF REFLECTION IS A STRANGE
[00:27:44.066]IDEA.
[00:27:44.367]AND MORE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AS FRAUGHT WITH DAILY NEGOTIATIONS
[00:27:47.967]TO SAY ONE MIGHT IN MODERN JERUSALEM BETWEEN SAY AN
[00:27:52.633]ARAB JEW, A JEW, A CHRISTIAN AND PERHAPS EVEN AN ATHEIST WHO
[00:27:56.600]ENABLE AND FRAMES AND WHO HAVE TO DRINK AT THE SAME BAR.
[00:28:01.400]LANGUAGE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES BECOMES THE ONLY WAY TO HOLD
[00:28:04.834]COMPLEX AND CONTRADICTORY THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS WITHOUT
[00:28:08.233]ANY VIOLENCE RESULTING AND WITH ALL THE PARTIES ABLE TO MOVE
[00:28:12.133]FORWARD IN TOTAL FUNCTIONING, EVEN IF ONLY IN AN IDEAL STATE.
[00:28:17.800]THE KIND OF LINGUISTIC THINKING IS PROVIDED WITH A WAYS IN WHICH
[00:28:22.133]PROVERBS AND THE PLAYS WITHIN LANGUAGE THEMSELVES PROVIDE AN
[00:28:26.100]INFERENTIAL WAY OF SPEAKING AND NEGOTIATING.
[00:28:28.967]I SHOULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT INFERENTIAL AND DIRECT.
[00:28:33.967]IN AMERICA WE SPEAK DIRECTLY BUT HEAR INFERENTIALLY BUT THINK WE
[00:28:38.400]HEAR DIRECTLY. SO -- IF -- BUT WHAT I WAS GROWING UP, EVERYBODY
[00:28:42.867]WAS A PROVERB.
[00:28:43.967]SO IF I WAS -- SAY YOU WERE A KID AND HANGING OUT WITH YOUR
[00:28:46.734]PARENTS AND THEY WERE TALKING TO ANOTHER GROWN-UP AND YOU WERE
[00:28:50.567]ACTING OUT, MY DAD WOULD LOOK AT ME AND SAY THINGS LIKE IF YOU
[00:28:53.967]KEEP DOING THAT, VERY SOON YOU WILL BE COUNTING YOUR TONGUE
[00:28:57.834]WITH YOUR TEETH.
[00:29:00.433][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: WHAT NOW?
[00:29:02.000]THAT IS SUFFICIENTLY CONFUSING ENOUGH TO ARREST THE BEHAVIOR
[00:29:07.266]PROBLEM.
[00:29:07.600]SO WHAT STARTS TO HAPPEN IS THAT YOU GROW UP NEVER -- NEVER
[00:29:12.300]REALLY -- THE IDEA IS IF YOU WERE A THINKING PERSON, YOU
[00:29:15.533]DON'T NEED TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO.
[00:29:17.900]IN FACT WE DO IT UNCONSCIOUSLY STILL.
[00:29:20.567]PEOPLE OFTEN DON'T SAY TAKE THE GARBAGE OUT, THEY SAY THINGS
[00:29:23.467]LIKE THAT GARBAGE WON'T TAKE ITSELF OUT.
[00:29:25.767]AND SO THIS IS REALLY WHAT INFERENTIAL THINKING HAS RISEN.
[00:29:30.166]AMERICA WE HAVE COME TO THE POINT WHERE WE WANT TO CONSUME
[00:29:32.800]EVERYTHING DIRECTLY AND NOT HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
[00:29:35.200]IT'S JUST A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN THOUGHT.
[00:29:41.000]SO IN AMERICA, BEING SMARTER, THINKING AND SPEAKING, WE HAVE
[00:29:48.266]REDUCED LANGUAGE OFTEN TO MOSTLY TRANSACTIONAL LEVELS.
[00:29:51.500]TRIPPING IT OF SYMBOLISM, ON A CONSTANT DIALECTICAL JUGGLING
[00:29:56.266]WHAT OTHER CULTURES HAVE TO CONTEND WITH ALL THE TIME.
[00:29:58.767]THE WAY IN WHICH EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS LOADED WITH SOMETHING
[00:30:01.633]ELSE.
[00:30:01.934]YOU KNOW, COME TO THINK ABOUT IT, I THINK MIDWESTERNERS, MAYBE
[00:30:05.433]SOUTHERNERS DO IT BETTER.
[00:30:07.600]SOUTHERNERS LOOK AT YOU AND GO, WELL, I'M GLAD.
[00:30:10.800]THEY'RE NOT REALLY BLESSING YOU.
[00:30:16.734]I THINK IT'S ALL TO SAY ALL AMERICA.
[00:30:19.300]I' THINKING MORE OF A CONTEMPORARY AMERICA IN THAT
[00:30:21.800]SENSE.
[00:30:22.133]WHAT THIS DOES IS MAKES IT EASIER FOR US NOT TO HAVE TO
[00:30:25.367]WRESTLE WITH DIFFICULT CONCEPTS AND THOUGHTS AND PREVAILING
[00:30:27.900]CULTURAL NORMS AND THE PROBLEMS OF COMMUNAL LIVING SUCH AS
[00:30:32.166]RACIAL AND GENDER AND DISABILITY AND OTHER FORMS OF DIFFERENCE
[00:30:34.700]THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE TO NAVIGATE MORE DIRECTLY.
[00:30:37.333]SO WE HAVE KIND OF CREATED A KIND OF INFERENTIAL DIRECTNESS
[00:30:42.400]IF I CAN PLAY WITH THAT FOR A MINUTE.
[00:30:44.767]WHICH IS REALLY INTERESTING.
[00:30:47.734]IN OTHER CULTURE, LANGUAGE CONTINUES TO SERVE NOT FOR
[00:30:51.333]COMMUNICATION BUT TOWARDS SELF UNDERSTANDING.
[00:30:54.400]THE COMMUNICATIONAL, TRANSACTIONAL PARTS OF LANGUAGE
[00:30:56.433]COME SECONDARY.
[00:30:57.567]WHICH IS WHY IF YOU WENT UP TO SOMEONE IN -- AT LEAST AN OLDER
[00:31:02.333]PERSON IN NIGERIAN CULTURE AND SAID SO I CAME ABOUT THE FILE,
[00:31:06.033]THEY WOULD SAY OH, THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU HOW TO TALK?
[00:31:09.433]NOBODY TAUGHT YOU HOW TO TALK?
[00:31:10.834]WHAT YOU START WITH IS HELLO, HELLO.
[00:31:13.633]SO HOW ARE YOUR PEOPLE?
[00:31:14.567]THEY'RE GOOD, THEY'RE GOOD.
[00:31:16.166]SO HOW ARE YOU FINDING THE DAY?
[00:31:18.400]IT'S A GOOD DAY.
[00:31:19.667]WE CAN'T COMPLAIN.
[00:31:20.533]AND THIS GOES OFF FOR LIKE 20 MINUTES BEFORE -- IT'S NOT
[00:31:24.667]UNLIKE A NIGERIAN QUESTION, IF YOU EVER HAVE A NIGERIAN
[00:31:28.533]AUDIENCE ASKING SOMEONE A QUESTION, IT'S FASCINATING.
[00:31:31.166]THEY USUALLY -- HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
[00:31:33.934]THEY SAY MR. ABANI, I HAVE A QUESTION.
[00:31:35.667]AND FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR SPEECH.
[00:31:39.266]IT'S A VERY GOOD SPEECH.
[00:31:40.734]AND BY INCIDENT, IS YOUR BROTHER, CHARLES ABANI, I THINK
[00:31:45.834]I WENT TO SCHOOL --...
[00:31:48.867][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: THERE'S THIS
[00:31:51.700]WHOLE UNPACKING OF FAMILY HISTORY AND THEY HAVE A QUARREL
[00:31:54.200]WITH SOMETHING YOU SAID.
[00:31:55.233]AND IT GOES FOR 25 MINUTES AND AT THE END THEY SAY WOULD YOU
[00:31:58.033]CARE TO COMMENT.
[00:31:58.633]AND I'M LIKE, ON WHAT?
[00:32:00.667][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: THIS IS KIND
[00:32:01.834]MUCH THE WAY THE WAY IN WHICH INFERENTIAL THINKING AND CULTURE
[00:32:06.467]TEND TO WORK.
[00:32:07.266]THE BEAUTY OF THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS STRUGGLING
[00:32:11.367]WITH A DIALECTIC, WITH HOW TO SAY SOMETHING.
[00:32:14.667]HOW BEST TO COMMUNICATE SOMETHING.
[00:32:17.233]HOW BEST TO ASSERT OURSELVES WITHOUT DENYING THE OTHER PERSON
[00:32:20.700]ROOM TO ASSERT THEMSELVES.
[00:32:23.600]AND THE PROBLEM BECOMES FOR US, IN A KIND OF TRANSACTIONAL
[00:32:27.867]CULTURE WE HAVE CREATED, THAT THE ENTIRE CULTURES, BLACK
[00:32:31.467]CULTURE U WHITE CULTURES, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PART -- IN
[00:32:37.667]MICHIGAN, THERE -- TOWNS CALLED VIKING WHERE PEOPLE THINK
[00:32:41.266]THEY'RE VIKINGS.
[00:32:42.600]AND YET IF YOU ASK THEM IN A KIND OF CONTEXT WHERE AN ISSUE
[00:32:45.600]OF CULTURE OR RACE IS BEING DISCUSSED, THEY WOULD SAY
[00:32:48.200]THEY'RE WHITE FIRST.
[00:32:49.066]I'M LIKE ARE YOU WHILE OR NORDIC. NOT JUST SPEAKING ABOUT
[00:32:58.033]RACIAL DIFFERENCE, THE WAYS IN WHICH WE REDUCE ALL OURSELVES TO
[00:33:02.700]STEREOTYPES, WE CONSUME THINGS QUICKLY AND NEVER HAVE TO THINK
[00:33:05.066]ABOUT WHY WE'RE DOING IT OR WHAT WE'RE DOING IT FOR OR TO EVEN
[00:33:08.166]QUESTION THE RECEIVED NARRATIVE THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ON OURSELVES.
[00:33:11.600]AND YOU FIND THAT EVEN THIS OCCURS IN RELIGION WHERE CERTAIN
[00:33:16.166]FACES REPLACE THE IDEA OF STRUGGLE.
[00:33:18.533]I WAS RAISED CATHOLIC.
[00:33:19.567]WE LOVE A STRUGGLE.
[00:33:20.667]YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S A WAY TO FLAGELLATE YOURSELF.
[00:33:29.233]YOU HAVE TO STRUGGLE WITH THINGS THAT YOU KNOW CAN'T POSSIBLY BE
[00:33:32.300]TRUE THAT THE CHURCH IS TELLING YOU.
[00:33:34.800]AND YOUR RELATION -- [LAUGHING]
[00:33:37.767]>> CHRIS ABANI: LIKE THAT THE POPE IS INFALLIBLE.
[00:33:40.333]THINGS LIKE THIS.
[00:33:41.166]BUT WITH AN ABIDING UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THE
[00:33:45.633]RITUAL, SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL CEREMONIES ALLOW YOU TO ACHIEVE
[00:33:48.734]A CERTAIN KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ALL, THAT WE CALL THE
[00:33:54.467]DIVINE.
[00:33:54.800]AND THE REASON WE TREAT THIS STRUGGLE IS THAT IT ALLOWS US TO
[00:33:58.400]CREATE THESE FUNDAMENTAL ADMINISTRATIONS THAT ARE BASED
[00:34:02.333]ON FEAR AND SAFETY AND SO FORTH.
[00:34:04.400]OF COURSE THE SAD AND INEVITABLE COLLAPSE MUCH DIALOGUE IN THE
[00:34:08.266]NEGOTIATION AND MANY MODERN AFRICAN STATES ALSO POINTS TO
[00:34:11.900]THE -- SOMETIMES FOR EVEN THIS GRACE TO WORK FOR PEOPLE WHO YOU
[00:34:14.867]WOULD THINK ALREADY KNOW HOW IT WOULD WORK.
[00:34:17.500]AND FULLY AWARE THAT TEXTUAL BODIES ARE NOT REAL BODIES.
[00:34:21.533]THAT EVEN THIS HOPE HAS ITS LIMITS.
[00:34:23.800]THE IDEA THAT LANGUAGE CAN TRANSFORM THE WORLD, EVEN THOUGH
[00:34:27.033]I SINCERELY BELIEVE IT CAN, THAT NOTHING EXISTS OUTSIDE OF
[00:34:30.734]LANGUAGE, THAT NOTHING EXISTS OUTSIDE OF STORY.
[00:34:33.199]AND THAT THE STORIES WE TELL THAT WE AFFIRM THE WORLD.
[00:34:37.100]AND SO IF YOU TELL A DIFFERENT STORY, YOU WOULD HAVE A
[00:34:39.699]DIFFERENT OUTCOME.
[00:34:40.900]IN THE SAME WAY THAT I HAD A PERSONAL TRAINER WHO SAID TO ME,
[00:34:44.433]IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT YOU SHOULD GIVE UP EATING CHOCOLATE, BUT
[00:34:47.833]THAT YOU SHOULD TRY AND EAT MORE FRUIT AND -- WHICH IS A
[00:34:53.533]DANGEROUS THING TO TELL TO A PERSON WHO LOVES CHOCOLATE.
[00:34:57.333]BECAUSE I JUST EAT CHOCOLATE FLAVORED FRUIT.
[00:35:01.734]BUT WHAT WE MUST NEVER FORGET IS THAT WHAT WE WRITE, OR WHAT WE
[00:35:05.567]SPEAK WITH IN THE END, MERE WORDS, AND I KNOW THIS ONLY TOO
[00:35:10.233]WELL.
[00:35:10.633]AS A YOUNG MAN IN NIGERIA PROTESTING MILITARY REGIMES WE
[00:35:16.066]WOULD MARCH AGAINST BULLETS, THROWING POEMS AT THEM AND THOSE
[00:35:19.066]POEMS DID NOT STOP THE BULLETS FROM COMING, BUT YET HAPPEN NON.
[00:35:23.367]BUT STILL, AS POWERFUL AS WORDS ARE, AS POWERFUL AS IDEALS ARE,
[00:35:29.333]THEY ARE STILL LIMITED.
[00:35:30.633]HOWEVER DEEPLY WE CAN FILL A -- PHILOSOPHY ABOUT THE
[00:35:38.000]CONCEPTUAL NOTIONS OF DEATH OR OURSELVES, IN THE WORLD OF
[00:35:42.033]TECHNOLOGICAL AMPUTATION, CHILDREN ARE US LOSING ACTUAL
[00:35:46.333]LIMBS.
[00:35:46.633]NOT CONCEPTUALLY BUT REAL BLOOD AND GRISTLE.
[00:35:49.000]THE DANGER AS MUCH AS WE NEED IT, IS THAT IDEAS AND IDEALS ARE
[00:35:53.300]LIMITED TO CONCEPTUAL LOSSES.
[00:35:55.967]AND THAT THIS KNOWLEDGE OFTEN ERADICATES A REAL BODY AND
[00:35:58.934]REPLACES IT WITH A TEXTUAL BODY SUCH THAT EVERY TIME WE SAY
[00:36:04.600]THINGS LIKE GAY MARRIAGE, ERODES REGULAR MARRIAGE, WHAT WE ARE
[00:36:09.667]SAYING IS THAT THESE ARE NOT PEOPLE AND WHAT'S EVEN SADDER IS
[00:36:13.567]THAT WE ARE NOT PEOPLE.
[00:36:15.233]WE ARE ALL BECOME THESE TEXTUAL BODIES. AND THE PROBLEM WITH
[00:36:18.834]TEXTUAL BODIES IS IT LOCKS US OUT OF AN ESSENTIAL TRUTH.
[00:36:24.100]BUT STILL, AND IF WE GO BACK TO THE PROVERB AT THE BEGINNING
[00:36:27.233]ABOUT THE SAND ON THE ROAD, IF WE MUST BE LIMITED BY THE SWAY
[00:36:30.567]OF SAND, WHY NOT MAKE THAT LIMITATION ITSELF A THING OF
[00:36:34.667]BEAUTY?
[00:36:35.800]THIS IS MY STRUGGLE, I AM A BELIEVER IN WORDS, IN STORY.
[00:36:39.033]I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF STORIES.
[00:36:41.467]THAT THEY SHAPE THE WORLD, THAT THEY SHAPE THINGS, THAT THEY
[00:36:46.467]BRING PRESENCE INTO FOCUS, GIVE IT FORM, GIVE US A WAY TO
[00:36:49.467]NEGOTIATE THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE WORLD.
[00:36:51.200]OUR BODY AND THE WORLD.
[00:36:53.700]OUR BODY AND OURSELVES.
[00:36:55.967]ALSO GIVES US WAYS TO CONNECT TO EACH OTHER, A WAY TO BUILD A
[00:36:59.467]COMMON AND SHARED IMAGINATION.
[00:37:02.166]AND WHY WOULD A SHARED NATION BE IMPORTANT?
[00:37:06.767]BECAUSE IT IS THE SUREST WAY TO FLEX THE MUSCLE OF EMPATHY.
[00:37:11.133]EMERGENCE OF OURSELVES IN THE FRAGILE HUMANITY.
[00:37:16.166]IMAGINE THAT YOUR SUFFERING CAN ONLY MEAN SOMETHING IN CONTEXT
[00:37:19.033]WITH ANOTHER PERSON'S SUFFERING.
[00:37:20.834]AN EMERSION THAT DEVELOPS COMPASSION AND COMPASSION I KNOW
[00:37:27.000]PROCEEDS EVERY SELFLESS ACT IN THE WORLD, EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT
[00:37:31.033]AWARE OF IT.
[00:37:31.800]THE COMPASSION OF THE IMAGINATION IS COME FOR THESE TO
[00:37:34.967]THOSE THAT DO THE IMAGINING, THAN THOSE THAT DO THE IMAGINE
[00:37:37.800]WILLING, AS MUCH AS IT MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE.
[00:37:39.900]THE AIM OF THIS COMPASSIONATE IMAGINATION, IT IS TO DRIVE
[00:37:43.900]SELFLESS ACTS INTO THE WORLD, ETHICAL ACTS, ACTS OF LANGUAGE
[00:37:47.066]THAT CHANGE THINGS.
[00:37:48.734]DESIGNED TO EASE THE PASSAGE OF OTHERS.
[00:37:50.767]ACTS WHICH IN TURN MAKE OUR LIVES RICHER AND THUS BETTER.
[00:37:55.567]ACTION IS HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS SELFLESS.
[00:37:58.533]AND FOR US THESE ACTS WE ENFORCE OUR HUMANITY.
[00:38:02.000]WHICH IS A DIFFICULT THING TO DEFINE, BUT ONE FOR WHICH WE
[00:38:06.600]HAVE ALL BUILT RELIGIONS AND CIVILIZATIONS FOR.
[00:38:10.533]THE SOUTH AFRICANS SAY IT IS ABUTU, THE IDEA THAT NOT ONLY
[00:38:14.967]LEARN HOW TO BE HUMAN FROM EACH OTHER, BUT THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY
[00:38:18.266]HARD WIRED TO BE THIS WAY.
[00:38:19.667]AND IF BEING HUMAN IS BASED ON MIMIC RI, ON OTHERS REFLECTING
[00:38:23.600]BACK TO US WHAT IS GOOD, THEN WE CAN SAY THAT OUR HUMANITY IS NOT
[00:38:28.433]SEPARATE FROM ACTION.
[00:38:29.400]AND IF IT IS NOT SEPARATE FROM ACTION, IT CANNOT BE SEPARATE
[00:38:33.000]FROM LANGUAGE.
[00:38:33.900]AND IF IT IS NOT SEPARATE FROM LANGUAGE, IT CANNOT BE SEPARATE
[00:38:39.266]FROM CREATIVITY.
[00:38:39.900]THIS SUGGESTS, THOUGH, THAT IT IS THROUGH ACTION THAT WE COME
[00:38:43.433]TO KNOW OURSELVES.
[00:38:45.033]THAT THE MORE WE CAN BE COMPASSIONATE IN HOW WE IMAGINE
[00:38:48.767]OTHERS, THE MORE WE COME TO TRULY UNDERSTAND OURSELVES.
[00:38:52.867]OF COURSE THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS THAT ACTION WITHOUT THE
[00:38:57.467]COMPASSION'S IMAGINATION WILL OFTEN PROCEED DOWN UNFORTUNATE
[00:39:01.000]AND OFTEN VIOLENT PATHS.
[00:39:02.800]THE HARDEST JOURNEY WE HAVE TO MAKE IS A CONCEPTUAL ONE.
[00:39:05.567]ONE THAT ENSURES THAT THE ACTIONS THAT WE GENERATE ARE
[00:39:09.567]AFFIRMATIVE.
[00:39:10.000]IT IS A STRUGGLE AND IT'S THE PATH TO IT IS NOT LITTERED WITH
[00:39:14.967]HALLMARK SENTIMENTS BUT RATHER WITH A DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS OF
[00:39:17.300]OUR FEARS AND FAILURES AND LIMITATIONS.
[00:39:21.600]AND MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT WE CRAVE AND LOVE CERTAIN KINDS OF
[00:39:27.667]EXPERTS BECAUSE THEIR AFTER RELIGIONS OFFER US WAYS TO NOT
[00:39:32.834]DEAL WITH COMPLEXITY.
[00:39:34.133]I'M GUILTY OF THIS.
[00:39:35.433]I LOVE DR. PHIL NOT BECAUSE ANY OF HIS PSYCHOLOGICAL POWERS BUT
[00:39:39.600]REALLY HIS IDIOMS ARE FASCINATING.
[00:39:43.066][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: HE HAS A SAYING
[00:39:44.500]FOR EVERYTHING.
[00:39:45.233]I THINK HE'S A NIGERIAN.
[00:39:47.967][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: BUT HE SEEMS TO
[00:39:49.967]SPECIALIZE IN ABSURD THINGS.
[00:39:51.166]THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN SHAKE A TREE
[00:39:55.533]DON'T MEAN YOU CAN BAKE CORN BREAD.
[00:39:58.066]LIKE, WHAT?
[00:40:00.100][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: THIS IS NOT
[00:40:01.667]SUCH -- EVERYTHING SOUNDS REASSURING, DOESN'T IT?
[00:40:06.567]SO IN APPROACHING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY, I'M HOPING
[00:40:10.300]THAT I CAN RAISE QUESTIONS RATHER THAN PRESENT ANSWERS.
[00:40:13.266]THAT WE CAN OFFER WAYS TO HELP US ACCEPT OUR VULNERABILITY
[00:40:18.066]RATHER THAN TO SOOTHE YOUR FEARS. AND I AM TRYING MY BEST.
[00:40:21.100]SO PLEASE INDULGE ME AS I ATTEMPT TO BRING TO WORDS THINGS
[00:40:26.400]FOR WHICH THERE OFTEN ARE NO WORDS FOR.
[00:40:28.467]I THINK WHEN VERY YOUNG CHILDREN ARE LEARNING TO WALK, THEY'RE
[00:40:31.633]BROUGHT TO VERY SANDY PLACES.
[00:40:33.266]HERE THEY CAN PRACTICE SAFELY KNOWING THAT THE SAND WILL
[00:40:36.900]CUSHION THEIR FALL.
[00:40:37.667]BUT ALSO THEIR PARENTS KNOW THAT THE VERY INSTABILITY OF THE SAND
[00:40:42.300]FORCES THE CHILD TO DEVELOP VERY QUICKLY THE SMALL MUSCLES AND
[00:40:45.867]MUSCLE RESPONSES NEEDED FOR BALANCE, NEEDED FOR FUNCTION,
[00:40:50.133]NEEDED FOR WALKING.
[00:40:51.266]IT ALSO VERY QUICKLY BONDS A CHILD TO THE EARLY.
[00:40:54.767]THE GROUND BENEATH THEIR FEET, SO TO SPEAK.
[00:40:57.900]IN BOTH SYMBOLIC AND ACTUAL WAY, CREATES A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, OF
[00:41:01.667]PLACE, OF BELONGING AND THUS OF RESPONSIBILITY.
[00:41:04.734]AND THE FIRST THREE TO FIVE DAYS AFTER A CHILD IS BORN, THEIR
[00:41:08.800]FEET NEVER TOUCH THE GROUND.
[00:41:11.967]TRADITIONAL AFRIKPO CULTURE, CHILDREN ARE BORN WITH THEIR
[00:41:14.867]MOTHERS IN A KNEELS POSITION, SUCH THAT THE CHILD COMES OUT
[00:41:17.767]HEAD FIRST AND THE HEAD MAKES CONTACT WITH THE GROUND FIRST.
[00:41:21.467]GENTLY, OF COURSE.
[00:41:23.367]THEY DON'T DROP THEM.
[00:41:24.900]THE IDEA IS THAT THIS FIRST -- PROS TRAGS.
[00:41:31.100]THE WORD FOR IT IS AN FORA BALLET.
[00:41:35.367]ONE OF THE COMMON PHRASES YOU WILL HEAR PEOPLE TO SAY TO YOU
[00:41:38.934]IS AFFORDABLE.
[00:41:42.600]WHICH MEANS TAKE YOUR HEART AND PUT IT ON THE GROUND.
[00:41:46.467]LITERALLY PUT IT DOWN.
[00:41:47.300]NO ONE IS MAKING YOU PLACE THIS LOAD.
[00:41:51.800]THE CHILD ENTERS IN PROSTRATINGS TO HIS TWO MOTHER, THE
[00:41:56.166]MOTHER THAT IS THE EARTH AND THE MOTHER THAT IS THE BIOLOGICAL.
[00:41:59.500]BECAUSE WITHOUT WOMEN, WE UNDERSTAND THERE IS NO LIVE.
[00:42:03.633]WOMEN ARE THE TRUE MAGICIANS, WOMEN ACTUALLY CONTROL
[00:42:06.834]POWER AND THAT MEN CAN ONLY APPROXIMATE POWER THROUGH WORDS.
[00:42:11.367]THEN BETWEEN -- IT'S TRUE.
[00:42:14.066][LAUGHING] [APPLAUSE]
[00:42:15.133]>> CHRIS ABANI: WHICH IS WHY WE ARE SO DESPERATE TO HOLD ON TO
[00:42:24.867]PATRIARCHY.
[00:42:25.266]BETWEEN THREE TO FIVE DAY, THE CHILD IS BROUGHT OUT OF THE
[00:42:27.834]HOUSE INTO THE WORLD.
[00:42:28.734]AND A DIVINE OTHER IS SUMMONED AND HE PLACES -- A POWDER FROM
[00:42:35.767]THE CAMAROO TREE, THE TREE IS A WOODEN TREE WHICH IS ROUND AND
[00:42:42.166]REPRESENTS THE WORLD.
[00:42:43.500]IT HAS BEAUTIFUL MOTIFS AROUND IT.
[00:42:45.600]AND HE SPREADS THE SAND -- THIS POWDER AND THEY TAKE THE CHILD'S
[00:42:50.100]LEFT FOOT AND THEY IMPRINT IT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAY.
[00:42:52.900]THIS IS CALLED A CENTAIE, YOUR FIRST STEP ON TO THE WORLD.
[00:42:57.500]IT'S A WAY TO CORRECT YOU SYMBOLICALLY WITH THE WORLD.
[00:43:01.166]THE IDEA IS THAT IF YOUR LEFT FOOT IS PLACED FIRMLY, THE FOOT
[00:43:06.166]THAT GUIDES YOUR SOUL, YOU WILL ALWAYS REMAIN ON TOP OF THE
[00:43:10.166]WORLD AND YOU WILL NEVER BE SWALLOWED BY IT.
[00:43:12.033]OVER TIME -- AND THERE ARE OTHER CEREMONIES THAT GO WITH IT.
[00:43:15.667]BUT OVER TIME AS THE CHILD GROWS, COMES THE WALKING ON
[00:43:18.967]SAND.
[00:43:19.266]THE CONCEPT OF WALKING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE APPEARING
[00:43:22.934]THROUGHOUT THIS TALK REALLY THE IDEA WHERE IT BECOMES SO
[00:43:27.300]IMPORTANT WITHIN PROVERBS IS THE CONCEPT OF WALKING, THE IDEA
[00:43:30.133]BEHIND IT AND WALKING IN SAND IS THAT SINCE WALKING IS
[00:43:33.367]INEVITABLE, IT IS ACTUALLY THE ONE THING WE KNOW WE CANNOT DO
[00:43:37.367]WITHOUT.
[00:43:37.700]THEN IF IT IS A THING THAT MUST BE DONE, AS IN THIS IS HOW ALL
[00:43:41.333]THINGS SHOULD BE, THEN IT SHOULD BE DONE WELL.
[00:43:43.667]IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, IT SHOULD BE DONE WELL.
[00:43:46.667]AND TO DO WELL IN MY CULTURE IS TO DO WITH ELEGANCE.
[00:43:50.934]THERE IS NOTHING ELSE.
[00:43:52.934]GRACE IS EVERYTHING.
[00:43:54.667]IN OTHER WORDS, THAT FUNCTIONALITY SHOULD NEVER BE
[00:43:57.367]DEVOID OF GRACE OR ELEGANCE, OF THE NEED TO QUESTION ACTION, TO
[00:44:00.834]REFINE IT, TO ELEVATE IT.
[00:44:03.166]IN THIS WAY THERE IS NOTHING WITHOUT GRACE IN OUR LIVES.
[00:44:05.100]THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS NOT CREATIVE ABOUT US.
[00:44:07.500]AND THIS IS A BASIS OF ALL AFRICAN ART AND CRAFT.
[00:44:12.967]IN AFRIKPO POTTERY WAS A MAINSTAY OF MY CULTURE.
[00:44:15.734]MY FATHER'S PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW AN EXTINCT PEOPLE GO BACK 10,000
[00:44:20.333]YEARS TO NEOLITHIC TIME AND THEY MAKE THE FIRST POTTERY.
[00:44:24.000]AND LATER PEOPLE CAME.
[00:44:25.066]SO POTTERY AND MAKING OF POTS IS CRUCIAL TO WHO WE ARE.
[00:44:29.333]THESE POTS WERE FIRED IN OPEN KILNS.
[00:44:38.467]ON THE GROUND POTS ARE PILED AND SAND IS POURED ALL OVER IT.
[00:44:43.900]AND THE POTS ARE FIRED.
[00:44:45.033]WE CALL THESE PLACES, THE KILNS, AHOHO, WHICH LITERALLY
[00:44:52.166]MEANS THE FIRING.
[00:44:53.233]OVER TIME THE AREA OF FIRING IS ABANDONED SO THE EARTH HAS TIME
[00:44:58.033]TO RECOVER.
[00:44:58.600]AND THE POTTERS MOVE TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
[00:45:02.166]THIS OLD SITE THAT IS NOW FULL OF CLAY AND POTTERY SHARDS TAKES
[00:45:06.867]YEARS TO LOSE ITS HEAT-CAPTURING CAPACITY.
[00:45:11.734]BETWEEN -- SOON THE NOON DAY HEAT COMES, THOSE PLACES, THE
[00:45:16.000]TEMPERATURE OF THAT PARTICULAR GROUND CAN RISE TO 110, 120.
[00:45:21.633]IT'S LITERALLY BLISTERING.
[00:45:23.500]BETWEEN THE AGES OF 8-12, CHILDREN ARE TAKEN TO WHERE
[00:45:28.066]THESE OLD KILNS ARE.
[00:45:30.433]AND ARMED WITH A SMALL CUP OF WATER AT THE HEIGHT OF THE NOON
[00:45:34.667]DAY HEAT WHEN THAT SAND IS SCORCHING, THEY'RE MADE TO WALK
[00:45:37.500]AS SLOWLY AS THEY CAN WITH AS LITTLE SQUEALS OF PAIN AS
[00:45:41.333]POSSIBLE.
[00:45:41.700]AND WITH AS LITTLE JUMPING AS POSSIBLE.
[00:45:44.233]AND WITH A JUDICIOUS USE OF THAT SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER TO COOL
[00:45:47.033]THEIR FEET ON THAT JOURNEY, THEY HAVE TO WALK OVER THIS HOT SAND.
[00:45:51.834]AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
[00:45:54.100]AND OVER TIME IT IS BELIEVED THAT IN THIS WAY ONE LEARNS TO
[00:45:57.667]WALK GRACEFULLY AND ELEGANTLY.
[00:46:00.066]ALWAYS WITH COMPOSURE AND BEAUTY, THROUGH EVEN THE MOST
[00:46:03.400]DIFFICULT MOMENTS OF LIFE.
[00:46:05.300]HENCE THE PROVERB, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TALK.
[00:46:08.567]AND I WAS BORN JUST AS A CIVIL WAR STARTED AND WE ESCAPED.
[00:46:12.600]AND I CAME BACK AT 5, FRESH FROM LONDON, RETURNING FROM THE CIVIL
[00:46:17.166]WA, I PRACTICED THE -- I HAD TO DO IT, BUT I -- YOU KNOW, I PUT
[00:46:22.100]AS MUCH DRAMA INTO IT AS MY SCARED AND SENSITIVE HEART COULD
[00:46:27.200]MUSTER, LITERALLY TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SORRY FOR ME SO I
[00:46:30.500]WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO IT.
[00:46:32.967]IT WAS LIKE A STRIP TEASE, I WOULD SLOWLY STRIP OFF ONE SOCK,
[00:46:36.834]LOOKING VERY SAD THE WHOLE TIME.
[00:46:37.900]AND THEN I WOULD TAKE OFF A SANDAL, LOOKS AS FORLORN AS
[00:46:45.800]POSSIBLE, HOPING TO INSPIRE A REPRIEVE, BUT NO SUCH LUCK.
[00:46:49.166]OVER TIME I HAVE COME TO LEARN THAT THOSE WERE MY EARLY LESSONS
[00:46:53.133]IN CRAFT, IN CREATIVITY, IN THE COMPOSURE THAT IS INTERNAL AND
[00:46:58.000]EXTERNAL THAT WAS SHAPED BY ART.
[00:47:00.500]IN WESTERN THOUGHT, COMPOSITION CREATES BEAUTY.
[00:47:04.233]PERSPECTIVE, SYMMETRY.
[00:47:05.033]THE GOLDEN RATIO.
[00:47:06.667]WHICH IS AN IMPOSSIBLE ONE-SIDED IDEAL.
[00:47:10.734]IN WEST AFRICAN THOUGHT, COMPOSURE, NOT COMPOSITION
[00:47:17.133]CREATES BEAUTY, SERENITY.
[00:47:18.633]THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF A THING, WHAT WE CALL ITS SHAPE, ITS LIFE
[00:47:22.934]FORCE, ITS THING.
[00:47:23.667]THE THING THAT MAKES A THING A THING.
[00:47:27.400]IN URBA, WE SAY THAT BEAUTY IS UALAWY.
[00:47:32.533]IT MEANS THE BEAUTY OF TRUTH OR THE BEAUTY OF EXISTENCE.
[00:47:37.333]THE WORD EWA, IS BEST TRANSLATED TO MEAN EXISTENCE, AN ETERNAL
[00:47:42.100]STATE, TO BE OUTSIDE OF TIME.
[00:47:44.500]REALITY IS HELD BY EWA, A CALABASH OF EXISTENCE.
[00:47:48.667]IS CONNECTED TO AN OLD IDEA THAT HOLDS THAT
[00:47:53.133]IMMORTALITY IS A PERFECT EXISTENCE OR BETTER,
[00:47:56.000]TIMELESSNESS IS THE PERFECT EXIST TURNS.
[00:47:57.800]THIS IS SOMETHING EVERY POET KNOWS.
[00:47:59.600]WE'RE TALKING NOW ABOUT A MOMENT THAT ALL GOOD ART EXISTS IN THE
[00:48:04.000]MOMENT OUTSIDE OF TIME.
[00:48:07.700]WHICH IS WHY PICASSO'S PAINTING -- WHICH IS WHY MONET'S
[00:48:16.200]PAINTINGS EXIST THE WAY THEY EXIST NOW.
[00:48:17.834]IT SUGGESTS THAT ALL TEMPORALITY HAS CHANCE, AN ETERNAL CYCLE OF
[00:48:25.500]EXISTENCE, A LINEAL LEVEL, CULTURAL LEVEL AND A PLANETARY
[00:48:30.233]LEVEL.
[00:48:31.333]EVERYONE'S EWA IS ALWAYS PART OF EBA, AND THE PERFECT BALANCE OF
[00:48:35.834]ALL DEPENDS ON THE SINGLE BALANCE OF EACH.
[00:48:39.633]EBA MEANS BEAUTY.
[00:48:41.066]BUT BEAUTY IS A COMPLEX THOUGHT IN WEST AFRICA.
[00:48:44.567]DOESN'T REFER ONLY TO THE VISAGE OF THING, BEAUTY IS ALSO THE
[00:48:48.700]WORD FOR GOOD, MEANING THAT WHAT IS BEAUTIFUL IS GOOD AS WELL.
[00:48:52.967]WITH A SLIGHT REFLECTION AS A TONAL LANGUAGE UMABECOMES -- THE
[00:48:58.433]WORD FOR KNIFE, OR MACHETE, WHICH MEANS THAT BEAUTY ITSELF
[00:49:05.834]IS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.
[00:49:08.533]A BEHAVIORAL MATRIX AND AN APPRECIATIVE MAY PARTICULAR.
[00:49:11.834]IN BOTH PLACES IT IS A COMMUNAL PROCESS.
[00:49:14.333]BEAUTY IS NOT A CONCEPT THAT WORKS IN ISOLATION.
[00:49:16.800]ONE CANNOT BE GOOD OR BEAUTIFUL WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF
[00:49:20.100]OTHERS. BUT THERE ARE CONCEPTS OF BEAUTY IN EBU THAT ARE VALUED
[00:49:24.600]EVEN MORE THAN EMA.
[00:49:26.500]FOR EXAMPLE, ASAMPT, A BEAUTY MOVEMENT IN BEING FREE, IN
[00:49:31.300]CERTAIN KIND OF COMPLETENESS.
[00:49:32.900]THE WAY FOR INSTANCE IF YOU'VE EVER SEE AN EAGLE AND YOU HAVE
[00:49:36.066]SEEN THE SHIMMER OF THE -- OF WATER ON AN EAGLE'S WING, THAT
[00:49:40.600]IS ASAMPTE.
[00:49:42.834]JUST THE SHIMMER OF THOSE WATER DROPS ON IT IS ALSO.
[00:49:48.967]GRACE, POISE, ELEGANT, OMA, SELF AWARENESS OR BALANCE.
[00:49:54.033]EWA DOESN'T REFER TO COMPOSITION IN THE WESTERN SENSE OF THE
[00:49:56.200]WORD.
[00:49:56.500]IT REFERS ACTUALLY TO AN ESSENTIAL CONFORMITY, TO AN
[00:50:00.600]INNER TREAT.
[00:50:01.633]HENCE, DRIFT WOOD IS BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE IT CONFORMS TO ITS OWN
[00:50:05.233]INNER TREAT.
[00:50:05.667]IT BENDS WITH ITS OWN INNER TRAIT. SO BEAUTY IS A STATE OF
[00:50:11.734]EXISTENCE, NOT SOMETHING UNIQUE.
[00:50:13.066]IT IS SOMETHING THAT IF YOU ARE LUCKY, YOU COME UPON.
[00:50:18.367]YOU OTHERWISE EXIST IN AND AS BEAUTY.
[00:50:22.200]SINCE EWA REFERS TO THE ETERNAL CONSTANT OF A PERSONAL THING OR
[00:50:25.100]SOMETIMES A PLACE, TO CREATE BEAUTY OR EVEN TO PERCEIVE IT IS
[00:50:28.767]TO CAPTURE OR SEE THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF THE THING.
[00:50:32.700]BEAUTY IN WEST AFRICAN THOUGHT LIES IN RECOGNIZES AND
[00:50:36.033]RESPECTING THE UNIQUENESS OF ALL THINGS AND PEOPLE.
[00:50:38.633]BACK TO THOSE PROVERBS, IN THIS CASE ANOTHER ABSURD ONE.
[00:50:42.433]IF YOU ARE TOLLER THAN ME, YOU ARE NOT SHORTER THAN ME.
[00:50:47.600]DUH.
[00:50:48.400][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: TWO -- TO DO
[00:50:51.300]THIS IN YOUR -- ONE MUST CULTIVATE PATIENCE.
[00:50:55.533]SHURU, OR CALMNESS.
[00:50:56.600]WHICH AGAIN LEADS TO ANOTHER PROVERB, SHURU, CALMLY, CALMLY
[00:51:03.033]IS THE FATHER OF CHARACTER.
[00:51:04.967]PATIENCE IS THE SHAPE RESPECT TAKES.
[00:51:06.934]AND THIS IS A NECESSARY PRACTICE.
[00:51:10.066]BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR WEST AFTER KARNS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
[00:51:12.734]THE ESSENTIAL BEAUTY OF WHATEVER CONFRONTS THEM BEFORE THEY
[00:51:16.600]REVEAL THEMSELVES IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT THING.
[00:51:20.133]IN OTHER WORDS, YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY LEARN TO LISTEN, TO
[00:51:24.200]SEE, TO ALLOW YOUR EGO TO MOVE ASIDE FOR A MOMENT.
[00:51:27.967]BEFORE YOU CAN REVEAL YOURSELF.
[00:51:31.500]SO THIS RESPECT WHICH MIGHT BE BETTER THOUGHT OF AS A
[00:51:34.333]THOUGHTFUL RESTRAINT IS TWOFOLD, IS OF RESPECT AND THE RESPECT OF
[00:51:39.033]OTHERS, AND IT IS ITSELF A FORM OF EWA, TO BE BEAUTIFUL IS TO
[00:51:45.834]COMPREHEND OF ESSENTIAL BEAUTY OF EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE
[00:51:48.200]AROUND US.
[00:51:48.767]WE BECOME BEAUTIFUL OR AS THE EBU SAY, RESPECT IS RECIPROCAL.
[00:51:54.567]FOR THE EBU, BEAUTY IS EXTERNAL, MATCHES BEAUTY THAT IS ETERNAL.
[00:52:02.433]BEAUTIFUL AS MUCH FOR THE WAY LIGHT SHIM OTHER OS THROUGH THE
[00:52:05.900]WATER IN ITS FEATHERS AND FLIGHT.
[00:52:08.834]TO SEE BEAUTY IS TO BE BEAUTY.
[00:52:10.567]THEREFORE IT IS ABOUT COMING INTO AN UNDERSTANDING OF ONE'S
[00:52:14.533]OWN CHARACTER.
[00:52:15.000]OR ESSENTIAL NATURE.
[00:52:17.166]THE PRACTICE OF WHICH INVOLVES EFABALA, CALMNESS.
[00:52:23.500]OR PERCEPTION AND SENSITIVITY.
[00:52:26.567]TITO, WHICH IS GENTLENESS.
[00:52:30.400]ORDUNO, INSIGHT, OR ORIGINAL NATIONALITY.
[00:52:33.100]TO BE AN ARTIST IN WEST AFRICAN CULTURE IS TO POSSESS A COOL AND
[00:52:37.533]PATIENT CHARACTER.
[00:52:38.367]AS THEY SAY, EWATUTU, TO BE PATIENT, AND TO BE CALM.
[00:52:43.734]IF YOU LOOK AT THE FACES OF SCULPTURE, YOU SEE THE COMPOSURE
[00:52:49.767]OF BEING THERE, SERENITY, CALMNESS.
[00:52:55.100]WARRIORS, IF YOU LOOK AT AFRICAN ART ON HORSEBACK, WITH A PATIENT
[00:53:00.800]CALMNESS.
[00:53:01.166]LOOK AT GREEK SCULPTURE, THE SAME THING.
[00:53:02.700]IN THIS WAY YOU COME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING
[00:53:06.100]ABOUT IS PRESENT IN EVERY CULTURE.
[00:53:07.967]WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WE HAVE SHIFTED AWAY FROM SYMBOLISM AND
[00:53:12.834]INTO TRANSACTIONALITY.
[00:53:17.667]I'M GOING TO JUMP SOME STUFF THAT DOESN'T REALLY NEED TO BE
[00:53:21.200]SAID.
[00:53:21.500]SO TO MAKE ART, IT SEEMS THAT WE NEED CHARACTER.
[00:53:25.066]BUT NOT CHARACTER IN THE MORAL SENSE.
[00:53:27.767]BECAUSE THAT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.
[00:53:29.967]BUT IN THE SENSE OF COMPOSURE.
[00:53:32.000]THE SENSE THAT WHAT IS BEING DUNDEE SERVES THE HIGHEST
[00:53:35.934]ATTENTION.
[00:53:36.333]AND THE DEEPEST INSIGHT POSSIBLE.
[00:53:39.700]THAT IN FACT, THAT WHEN YOU PERCEIVE THE WORK OF ART, YOU
[00:53:42.600]MUST ALSO APPROACH IT WITH THAT SAME RESPECT.
[00:53:46.934]IN OTHER WORDS, THAT TO BE A GOOD PERSON IS TO BE ABLE TO
[00:53:50.867]UNDERSTAND BEAUTY.
[00:53:51.567]IF YOU CANNOT, YOU CANNOT BE GOOD.
[00:53:54.300]IT IS A REALLY INTERESTING THING AND ALWAYS AGAIN -- WHY, THE
[00:53:59.233]HUMANITIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO US.
[00:54:00.767]ALL OF THIS IMPLIES A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY, WALKS OF
[00:54:05.233]CREATIVITY, CERTAIN ETHIC.
[00:54:06.066]BUT THE ETHICS OF LITERATURE IS NOT JUST FOR WRITERS BUT ALSO
[00:54:09.800]FOR THE READER.
[00:54:10.867]THE WORK OF ART, WHATEVER IT IS, REQUIRES A TRIANGULATION
[00:54:15.533]BETWEEN THE AUDIENCE AND -- IN ORDER TO BECOME COMPLETE.
[00:54:19.100]NO PAINTING IS TRULY UNDERSTOOD NOT EVEN BY IT PAINTER UNTIL
[00:54:23.033]THE VIEWER LOOKS UPON IT AND HAS A REACTION.
[00:54:25.433]WE CAN SAY NO WORK IS COMPLETE UNTIL THIS HAPPENS.
[00:54:28.367]BECAUSE IN ORDER TO EXIST, A THING NEEDS NOT ONLY INTENT AND
[00:54:31.567]VISION, WHICH IS WHERE THE ARTIST COMES IN, OR MATERIAL
[00:54:36.033]EMBODIMENT, WHERE THE ARTWORK COMES IN, BUT ALSO WITNESS AND
[00:54:39.300]CONFIRMATION OF THE RECIPIENT.
[00:54:40.567]OF AN AUDIENCE, A RECEIVER.
[00:54:42.834]SO TO EVEN BE A RECEIVER OF BEAUTY IS TO BE CREATIVE.
[00:54:47.100]THERE IS NOBODY WHO IS NOT CREATIVE.
[00:54:50.033]SO WE CAN ARGUE THAT A BOOK, THAT LITERATURE TRULY COMES INTO
[00:54:54.867]EXISTENCE WHEN SOMEONE READS IT.
[00:54:56.767]READING IS NOT A PASSIVE ACT, IT IS AN INTERVENTION IN ITSELF.
[00:54:59.934]HOW WE READ BECOMES AN INDICATOR OF THE LEVEL AND QUALITY OF
[00:55:03.066]LITERATURE IN A PARTICULAR SOCIETY.
[00:55:05.100]THERE'S ALSO THE LITMUS TEST WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND
[00:55:07.633]HEALTH OF ANY OWE SITE.
[00:55:09.100]ANY SOCIETY THAT DOES NOT EMBRACE THE FULL SPECTRUM OF
[00:55:13.600]EMOTIONAL ART IN ITS LITERATURE INCLUDING AND PERHAPS
[00:55:16.033]PARTICULARLY IS NOT A HEALTHY CULTURE.
[00:55:18.500]NOR ARE ITS READERS ENTIRELY FULLY EVEN ANYMORE.
[00:55:22.066]THE ETHICAL CHARGE NEEDS TO CONFRONT OUR DAILY LIVES BY THE
[00:55:25.033]VEHICLE OF LITERATURE AND ART AND CREATIVITY.
[00:55:27.567]I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT HIGHER ART.
[00:55:29.700]I MENTIONED EARLIER I WAS TALKING TO STUDENTS.
[00:55:32.600]ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOWS IS THE LOVE OF HIP-HOP IN ATLANTA.
[00:55:37.567]A TERRIBLE REALITY SHOW.
[00:55:38.567]THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE THE FULL SPECTRUM IN ART.
[00:55:43.900]YOU HAVE A NORMAN ROCKWELL PAINTING AND A PICASSO.
[00:55:47.467]IN A SIMULTANEOUS EXISTENCE, SO TO SPEAK.
[00:55:50.700]THE ETHICAL CHARGE NEEDS TO CONFRONT OUR LIVES DAILY BY THE
[00:55:53.700]VEHICLE OF LITERATURE AND ART AND CREATIVITY.
[00:55:55.967]NOT TO SOFTEN THE BLOWS OF OUR COMPLEX WORLD.
[00:55:58.100]NOT TO LOOK AWAY FROM DIFFICULTY.
[00:56:00.700]BUT RATHER TO TRANSFORM IT ALL INTO ACTS OF EMPATHY.
[00:56:04.266]TO WITNESS ANOTHER PERSON'S GRIEVE WITHOUT LOOKING AWAY,
[00:56:06.834]WITHOUT THE NEED TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM IT IS HOW WE
[00:56:09.734]BECOME DEEPER AND MORE BEAUTIFUL BEING.
[00:56:12.200]AND ALSO EQUAL MEASURE, TO EMBRACE THE SATIRICAL, FUNNY,
[00:56:17.200]ROMANTIC TOO IS ALSO HOW WE BECOME FULL HUMAN BEINGS.
[00:56:21.166]IT ALL NEEDS BALANCE AND ALL THAT INTRICATE WALKING OVER HOT
[00:56:26.700]SAND, GRACE, HE WILL GASP AND THE OCCASIONAL SQUEAL OF PAIN.
[00:56:30.200]WE AS READERS MUST APPROACH THE WORLD IN THE NARRATIVES AND
[00:56:34.100]HALLS WITH A HUMBLE ACCEPTANCE AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHY WE MAY
[00:56:37.500]NOT AGREE WITH EACH OTHER'S VIEW, WE WILL LEARN TO LIVE IN
[00:56:40.967]COMMUNITIES WHERE DIFFERENCE AND DISAGREEMENT BECOME THE VERY
[00:56:44.100]FICTITIOUS FABRIC OF HARMONY.
[00:56:45.533]WE MUST ALSO GIVE UP READING ABOUT OTHERS AS THOUGH WE ARE
[00:56:49.667]FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGISTS ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE CAUSE OF
[00:56:53.934]EVERYONE ELSE'S PATHOLOGY.
[00:56:54.934]THE FACT REMAINS THIS DRIVE IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR
[00:56:58.100]OWN DEFICIENCIES OF LACK OF GROWTH AS PEOPLE AND AS A
[00:57:02.266]CULTURE.
[00:57:02.767]ETHICAL READING FORCES ETHICAL WRITING. AND WE FIND THAT THE
[00:57:06.300]WORK WE MAKE BECOMES THIS BEAUTIFUL BALANCE.
[00:57:10.367]WHO WILL QUINN ROMANS ALLOW THE SENTIMENTAL NOTIONS OF CHIVALRY
[00:57:16.433]AND -- GIVE YOUNG WOMEN A SENSE OF POWER AND PLACE, A
[00:57:20.333]SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT TO AN EYE QUALITY SO SORELY LACKING.
[00:57:24.100]THE WAY MALE LITERATURE OR MASCULINE DRIVEN LITERATURE
[00:57:29.500]ALLOWS FOR THE UNREALISTIC SWASH BUCKLING WITHOUT MAKING US BEND
[00:57:33.467]TO OTHER SUPERS I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT ALSO AFFIRMS
[00:57:36.900]ALL MEN AS KNIGHTS AND JED DYE WORE WARS.
[00:57:43.533]ALLOW WOMEN TO BE AS FEMININE AS THEY WANT.
[00:57:46.700]WITHOUT ENTITLEMENT TO THEIR BODIES, A COMPLEX
[00:57:52.200]ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GROWING RAPE CULTURE WE SEE AROUND US.
[00:57:56.600]NARRATIVES THAT DON'T MAKE ALL BLACK MEN KILLERS OR ALL WHITE
[00:58:00.433]MEN RACISTS BUT ALL OF US TO BE DIFFICULT.
[00:58:04.734]FOR YOUNG BLACK MEN TO BE NERDS, THEY CAN BUILD STAR TREK REPLICA
[00:58:12.633]SHIPS AND HAVE PLAY AND BE CALLED
[00:58:17.166]CALLED KWAME STATEMENT.
[00:58:19.300]WITHOUT THE PRESSURE TO PERFORM EXAGGERATED MASCULINITY.
[00:58:22.700]THIS IS THE POWER OF A CREATIVE CULTURE.
[00:58:26.100]OF CREATIVITY.
[00:58:27.700]THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DREAMER AND BUILDER,
[00:58:30.834]THE MAKE OTHER AND THE RECIPIENT.
[00:58:32.900]IF WE MUST READ, WE MUST DO SO GRACEFULLY.
[00:58:36.133]HOW WE DOING ON TIME?
[00:58:40.767]GOOD?
[00:58:41.734]TWO MORE PAGES.
[00:58:43.000]I WAS BORN IN DECEMBER 1966.
[00:58:45.800]IN A SMALL TOWN OF SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA, CALLED AFRIKPO.
[00:58:51.200]MY FATHER WOULD CLAIM THAT MY MOTHER'S LABOR WAS ACTUALLY THE
[00:58:55.100]CATALYST FOR THE CIVIL WAR, THAT BEGAN --
[00:58:59.633][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: I THINK --
[00:59:03.033]AFRIKPO WAS A SMALL TOWN AT THE END OF A DUSTY ROAD GOING
[00:59:06.467]NOWHERE.
[00:59:07.233]IT BECAME IMPORTANT IN THAT WAR BECAUSE THAT DUSTY ROAD ENDED IN
[00:59:10.867]THE THIRD LARGEST RIVER IN THE COUNTRY AND ALLOWED ACCESS POINT
[00:59:14.300]INTO THE HOME LANDS, ALLOWING THE NIGERIAN TROOPS TO -- IN THE
[00:59:22.066]RIVER TO THE NORTH, AND THE CROSS RIVER IN THE SOUTH.
[00:59:24.500]MY MOTHER WAS MAKING LUNCH WHEN MY UNCLE CAME RUNNING TO THE
[00:59:27.400]HOUSE.
[00:59:27.867]HE TOLD HER THE NIGERIAN ARMY LANDED AT THE BEACH THREE MIME R
[00:59:31.233]MILES FROM OUR HOUSE AND THEY WERE MARCHING INTO TOWN.
[00:59:34.000]HE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA IF SHE WAS THERE WHEN
[00:59:37.667]THEY ARRIVED.
[00:59:38.533]MY FATHER WAS OUT.
[00:59:40.433]MY MOTHER GATHERED MY THREE BROTHERS, MARK, GREG, AND ME
[00:59:45.233]BARELY A WEEK OLD AND AS MUCH STUFF AS SHE COULD MAKE THE BOYS
[00:59:48.834]CARRY.
[00:59:49.133]IMPORTANT DOCUMENT, PASSPORTS, WATER, CRACKER, A LANTERN, ME
[00:59:52.367]AND AN UMBRELLA.
[00:59:54.567]AND AS WE MADE OUR WAY THROUGH THE LONG LINES OF REFUGEES
[00:59:57.834]FLEEING OUR TOWN, WE WERE TO SEE MANY UMBRELLAS.
[01:00:00.934]AS THOUGH EVERYONE HAD GRABBED ONE TO PROTECT HIMSELF OR
[01:00:05.300]HERSELF FROM THIS RAIN OF WAR OR SORROW.
[01:00:07.500]MY FATHER FOUND US ON THAT ROAD WALKING TO A NEIGHBORING TOWN
[01:00:10.633]WHERE THERE WAS A CATHOLIC MISSION. HE PICKED US UP.
[01:00:13.400]AS WE DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY, OUR CAR THREADING THE NEEDLE OF
[01:00:17.300]ROAD PACKED WITH REFUGEES, THAT CAR MARKED A SHORT-LIVED
[01:00:22.133]PRIVILEGE.
[01:00:22.533]WAR LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD SOMETIMES.
[01:00:24.533]WHAT IT DOESN'T LEVEL, IT CHANGES FOREVER.
[01:00:26.934]AND JUST LIKE THAT, YOU WAKE UP ONE DAY AND LOSE EVERYTHING BY
[01:00:32.133]LUNCHTIME.
[01:00:32.533]WE PARTED WAYS WITH MY FATHER AT DECEMBER 1966.
[01:00:36.600]AT THAT CATHOLIC MISSION WHERE WE HAD GONE TO TAKE REFUGE.
[01:00:40.000]MY FATHER JOINED THE NEWLY MINTED ARMY AND STAYED BACK TO
[01:00:46.066]FIGHTS WHILE WE LEFT WITH A RAG TAG PARTY OF MISSIONARIES. OUR
[01:00:50.900]DESTINATION WAS A TOWN WHERE THE ARMY HAD TURNED A HIGHWAY INTO A
[01:00:54.734]LANDING STRIP FOR THE AIR FORCE AND THE PLANES FLYING WITH
[01:00:58.433]RELIEF AND AID.
[01:00:59.166]WE WOULD MEET UP WITH MY FATHER ONCE MORE IN 1967 WHEN HE FOUND
[01:01:03.367]US AT A REFUGEE CAMP HALFWAY ON OUR WAY TO THIS PLACE.
[01:01:08.133]HE RETURNED TO THE WAR A WEEK LATER, LEAVING MY MOTHER
[01:01:11.767]PREGNANT WITH MY SISTER STELLA.
[01:01:13.567]THE JOURNEY FROM EDI IN 1966 TO THE AIR STRIP IN 1968 WHERE WE
[01:01:20.266]BOARDED PLANE FIRST FOR AN ISLAND AND ON TO LIST BON AND ON
[01:01:23.767]TO LONDON, A DISTANCE OF 200 MILES TOOK TWO YEARS INSTEAD OF
[01:01:28.200]3 TO 4 HOURS.
[01:01:29.700]THE DANGEROUS TRIP WAS MADE MORE SO BECAUSE MY MOTHER WITH FOUR
[01:01:34.266]YOUNG CHILDREN AND ONE ON THE WAY WAS A WHITE ENGLISH WOMAN.
[01:01:37.467]TWO MOVES BEFORE MY MOTHER GAVE BIRTH TO MY SISTER IN A HOSPITAL
[01:01:40.667]THAT WAS BEING EVACUATED DURING A BOMBING RAID.
[01:01:43.934]WHILE THE REST OF THE PATIENTS WERE MOVED TO SAFER LOCATION IN
[01:01:46.533]A PRIMARY SCHOOL A COUPLE MILES AWAY, MY MOTHER HAD TO STAY
[01:01:50.066]BEHIND IN THE HOSPITAL LOCKED IN LABOR AS BOMBS RAINED DOWN FROM
[01:01:54.633]THE AIR FORCE.
[01:01:56.433]ATTENDED ONLY BY THE IRISH NON -- MIDWIFES AND A TERRIFIED
[01:02:02.700]18-YEAR-OLD NURSE WHO MY MOTHER REMEMBERS AS ANGELA.
[01:02:06.500]SISTER SAT WITH MY MOTHER DRINKING TEA AND EATING COOKIES.
[01:02:11.166]WHEELING MY MOTHER'S BED FROM WARD TO WARD AHEAD OF THE BOMBS.
[01:02:15.400]MY SISTER SCREAMED INTO THE WORLD 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE
[01:02:18.367]HOSPITAL WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
[01:02:22.233]SO EVEN IN MOMENTS OF DEATH WE ARE BLESSED WITH LIFE AND THE
[01:02:25.800]GIFTS OF HOT TEA AND COOKIES.
[01:02:27.767]AND EVEN THIS IS SOMETIMES THE GRACE OF WALKING OR RATHER
[01:02:33.166]SURFING A BED FROM WARD TO WARD AHEAD OF A BOMB.
[01:02:36.700]BEFORE SHE DIED SEVEN YEARS AGO MY MOTHER TOLD ME THE THING
[01:02:41.834]ABOUT DIFFICULT TIME, ABOUT LOSS IS THAT WE FORGET THE JOYS.
[01:02:44.533]WE FORGET THAT EVEN IN THE FALLING, WE WERE OFTEN ALWAYS
[01:02:51.667]FLYING.
[01:02:52.000]SO LINK # LINCOLN MAY YOU WALK GRACEFULLY, MAY THE SAND OF THE
[01:03:00.367]ROAD BE KIND TO YOU.
[01:03:01.834]MAY YOU LEARN BALANCE AND THE ART OF FLYING WHILE YOU FALL.
[01:03:05.033]AND MAY YOU LIVE A CREATIVE AND ELEGANT LIFE.
[01:03:09.934]THANK YOU.
[01:03:11.100][APPLAUSE]
[01:03:37.800]>> CHRIS ABANI: THANK YOU.
[01:03:38.567]YOU'RE VERY KIND.
[01:03:39.100]NOW I CAN SEE YOU.
[01:03:40.600]THE TRICK IS TO TAKE YOUR GLASSES OFF.
[01:03:42.600]THEN I DON'T SEE YOU.
[01:03:43.967]THEN I'M NOT SO NERVOUS.
[01:03:47.233]>> KWAME DAWES: THIS IS HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
[01:03:49.266]THIS IS LIKE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.
[01:03:53.333][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: THIS IS
[01:03:58.200]NIGERIA.
[01:03:59.900]>> KWAME DAWES: MY NAME IS.
[01:04:01.033]>> KWAME DAWES: .
[01:04:01.800]I'M WITH THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT IN UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA.
[01:04:05.867]CHRIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT WONDERFUL LECTURE.
[01:04:10.667][APPLAUSE] >> CHRIS ABANI: THANK YOU.
[01:04:17.166]>> KWAME DAWES: NOW, COUPLE OF THINGS.
[01:04:20.166]I'M GOING TO MODERATE THIS SORT OF INTERVIEW SITUATION.
[01:04:22.467]BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE CHRIS TO ANSWER,
[01:04:25.867]THERE ARE USHERS IN EACH OF THE AISLES TO COLLECT YOUR WRITTEN
[01:04:30.200]QUESTIONS.
[01:04:30.734]AND BRING THEM TO THE STAGE.
[01:04:32.433]AGAIN, THERE'S A SPOT IN YOUR PROGRAM TO WRITE DOWN QUESTIONS
[01:04:36.266]AND TEAR OUT FOR THE USHERS.
[01:04:38.567]AND YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT QUESTIONS USING THE HASHTAG
[01:04:44.767]THINGY, NEGOVLECTURE, ON TWITTER.
[01:04:52.667]WE'RE SO HIP IN NEBRASKA.
[01:04:54.333]I WILL ALSO REMIND YOU THAT AT THE END OF THE EVENING, CHRIS
[01:04:57.266]WILL BE IN THE LOBBY SIGNING COPIES OF HIS BOOKS.
[01:05:00.400]WHILE THE USHERS ARE COLLECTING QUESTION, I'D LIKE TO ASK A
[01:05:06.800]QUESTION THAT CAME TO MIND LISTENING TO THE TALK AND
[01:05:09.166]THINKING ABOUT IT, CHRIS.
[01:05:11.066]IT'S CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT CREATIVITY AND I
[01:05:14.367]LOVE THAT WONDERFUL PROVERB AND THEN THE IDEA OF THE ELEGANT
[01:05:17.967]WALK AND THE GRACEFUL WALK AND SO ON.
[01:05:21.600]BUT I'M ALWAYS STRUCK BY AN ARTIST TALKING ABOUT THE VALUE
[01:05:27.133]OF ART.
[01:05:28.100]TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT REALLY THINK THAT ART IS -- IS A
[01:05:34.800]CRITICAL ELEMENT OF SOCIETY.
[01:05:37.200]NEEDLESS TO SAY, AGO A WRITER I'M DEEPLY APPALLED THAT ANYBODY
[01:05:42.500]WOULD HAVE SUCH A NOTION.
[01:05:44.967][LAUGHING] >> KWAME DAWES: BUT I WANT TO
[01:05:46.567]ASK YOU, CHRIS, WHAT HAPPENS -- IF WE TOOK AWAY THE ARTIST, IF
[01:05:52.533]WE TOOK AWAY THE WRITER, WHAT DO WE HAVE LEFT IN A SOCIETY?
[01:05:57.333]WHAT -- WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE ABSENCE OF
[01:06:02.734]THAT CREATIVE INVOLVEMENT?
[01:06:04.934]>> CHRIS ABANI: WELL, SO -- THANK YOU FOR STARTING WITH A
[01:06:06.900]VERY EASY QUESTION, BY THE WAY, KWAME.
[01:06:13.200]>> KWAME DAWES: I TRIED.
[01:06:14.166]>> CHRIS ABANI: THERE IS NOTHING.
[01:06:15.200]EVERY TIME THERE'S AN ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION, WE
[01:06:18.533]DON'T TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE AMAZING GEOGRAPHY OR THE AMAZING
[01:06:26.000]PHYSICIST OF ANCIENT ROME.
[01:06:27.100]WE TALK ABOUT THE ART.
[01:06:29.133]AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M AFRICAN, SO
[01:06:33.934]MY CONCEPT OF WHAT IS RECENT IS DIFFERENT.
[01:06:36.567]TO AN AFRICAN, WHEN THEY SAY JUST THE OTHER DAY, THEY'RE
[01:06:38.934]TALKING ABOUT 400 YEARS AGO.
[01:06:43.300][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: THE SEPARATION
[01:06:44.433]OF THIS IDEA OF ARTS AND SCIENCES IS AS RECENT AS THE
[01:06:49.700]15TH CENTURY.
[01:06:50.767]AND I STILL WOULD ARGUE THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WOULD THINK
[01:06:53.166]OF THE MOST AMAZING SCIENTISTS ARE ARTISTS, WHO CANNOT IMAGINE
[01:06:57.533]EINSTEIN AND NOT IMAGINE HIM AS AN ARTIST.
[01:06:59.467]I MEAN EVEN THE WAY HE SPOKE ABOUT THINGS.
[01:07:02.400]THERE'S NOTHING MORE ELEGANT THAN E= MC SQUARED.
[01:07:10.400]THE QUALM IS WITH THE TECHNICIANS.
[01:07:12.200]MY FATHER WAS SAYING THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE CARS ARE GREAT, THE
[01:07:17.600]MECHANICS MESS THEM UP.
[01:07:18.667]THERE REALLY IS NO SEPARATION BETWEEN WHAT A R IS ARTISTIC AND
[01:07:22.500]WHAT IS NOT ARTISTIC.
[01:07:24.467]AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT EVERYTHING IS ARTISTIC.
[01:07:27.800]THAT IT'S SIMPLY A QUESTION OF HOW WE HAVE COME TO ASSIGN
[01:07:33.133]VALUE.
[01:07:33.467]WE HAVE A HIERARCHY OF VALUE.
[01:07:36.967]AS A KID, THE MYSTERIES OF MAKE-UP.
[01:07:39.667]LIKE YOU'RE A 7-YEAR-OLD BOY AND WATCHING YOUR MOTHER TRANSFORM
[01:07:43.266]IN AN EVENING TO GO OUT.
[01:07:44.700]AND THE COMPLEX ART -- NOWADAYS, YOU KNOW, MAYBELINE MAKES IT
[01:07:53.233]EASY.
[01:07:53.567]MY MOTHER HAD TO POUND THE POWDER AND IT WAS LIKE BEING AN
[01:07:59.834]ALCHEMST.
[01:08:02.934]THE WAY PEOPLE COOK, ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW DOESN'T COOK
[01:08:05.633]WITH A RECIPE.
[01:08:06.867]THEY COOK WITH WHAT THEY FIND.
[01:08:08.233]AND EVEN THE WAY PEOPLE WALK.
[01:08:10.433]EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE DO IS DRIVEN TOWARDS ART.
[01:08:12.567]BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHILE EVERYTHING IS A SCIENCES,
[01:08:18.066]AND PRODUCED, MAKES LICH POSSIBLE, ART MAKES IT
[01:08:23.567]WORTHWHILE.
[01:08:23.966]I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD PRIVILEGE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
[01:08:26.800]IT'S IMPROPER TO SEPARATE THE TWO.
[01:08:28.466]BUT YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE WORLD YOU LIVE IN -- LANGUAGE IS
[01:08:31.166]NOT INVENTED BY TECHNICIANS.
[01:08:34.367]IT WAS INVENTED BY ARTISTS.
[01:08:36.233]PEOPLE WHO POINTED TO THINGS IN THE SKY AND CAME UP WITH NAMES
[01:08:39.600]FOR THEM.
[01:08:40.166]WHO NOTICED THERE'S A GAP -- SEEMS SO OBVIOUS NOW.
[01:08:42.934]BUT WHEN YOU THINK BR THE CONCEPTUAL LEAP IT TAKES TO
[01:08:47.000]POINT TO A STAR AND REALIZE THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN YOUR
[01:08:49.734]FINGER AND THE FINGER POINTING TOO.
[01:08:52.100]INCREDIBLE LEAPS FORWARD IN HUMAN EVOLUTION.
[01:08:54.633]AND SO I THINK THAT ALL -- ALL PEOPLE WHO MAKE BEAUTIFUL -- ALL
[01:08:59.133]GOOD ACCOUNTANTS ARE AMAZING ARTISTS.
[01:09:02.000]AND THE PRISON RIGHT SIDE FULL OF THE REALLY -- THE ONES THAT
[01:09:04.332]ARE NOT SO GOOD.
[01:09:05.834][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: SO THAT'S WHAT
[01:09:07.033]I WOULD SAY.
[01:09:08.000]THERE'S NO WAY TO BE HUMAN WITHOUT ART.
[01:09:11.166]IT DOESN'T EXIST.
[01:09:12.433]AND IF IT WERE EVEN POSSIBLE, IT WOULD -- WE WOULD -- SO HERE'S
[01:09:16.433]AN INTERESTING THING.
[01:09:17.033]IN EUROPE, THE WORD FOR HUMAN BEINGS IS EON, AND MEANS THE
[01:09:25.000]THINKING ONE. TO BE A HUMAN BEING IS PART OF THE
[01:09:29.934]EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS.
[01:09:31.399]OTHERWISE YOU WOULD BE MEAT.
[01:09:32.500]A SIDE OF BEEF.
[01:09:33.734]DEVOID OF CONSIDERNESS, OF ANYTHING THAT MAKES ANYTHING
[01:09:38.265]WORTHWHILE.
[01:09:38.667]KWAME #.
[01:09:42.466]>> KWAME DAWES: .
[01:09:42.966]I GOT A REQUEST HERE.
[01:09:45.100]NOT QUITE A QUESTION.
[01:09:46.834]PHRASED AS A QUESTION, BUT REALLY NOT.
[01:09:49.533]>> CHRIS ABANI: IS IT A COMMAND?
[01:09:51.133]>> KWAME DAWES: A COMMAND.
[01:09:52.200]>> CHRIS ABANI: I CAN DO COMMANDS.
[01:09:54.000]>> KWAME DAWES: WELL, WE'LL SEE.
[01:09:56.233][LAUGHING] KWAME DAWES THE PERSON WOULD
[01:09:59.567]LIKE YOU TO RECITE ONE OF YOUR POEMS FOR US.
[01:10:02.200]I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT YOU REMEMBER AT LEAST A FEW LINES OF
[01:10:05.700]SOME OF YOUR POEMS.
[01:10:10.233]>> CHRIS ABANI: HA...
[01:10:12.100]I HAVE KINDLE.
[01:10:15.333][LAUGHING] [APPLAUSE]
[01:10:18.200]>> KWAME DAWES: SO YOU -- YOU CAN PICK SOMETHING INTERESTING.
[01:10:22.467]>> CHRIS ABANI: I'M ALWAYS AMAZED BY PEOPLE WHO CAN
[01:10:24.633]REMEMBER THEIR OWN POEMS.
[01:10:26.200]KWAME IT'S EMBARRASSING.
[01:10:27.734]THEY'RE SHOWING OFF, CHRIS.
[01:10:29.834]>> CHRIS ABANI: THAT'S WHAT I SAY.
[01:10:30.867]I SAY THEY'RE SHOWING OFF.
[01:10:33.200]>> KWAME DAWES: YEAH.
[01:10:34.900]COMPLETELY.
[01:10:35.300]>> CHRIS ABANI: THE MOMENT I WANTED OF COURSE IS NOT
[01:10:39.100]HAPPENING.
[01:10:39.467]SO -- LET'S SEE.
[01:10:40.166]LET ME SEE IF I CAN REMEMBER ONE SHORT POEM.
[01:10:46.000]LET'S DO A LOVE PEOPLE.
[01:10:47.867]PEOPLE ALWAYS THINK I DO DARK STUFF.
[01:10:49.734]SO WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, MY MOTHER -- MY MOTHER -- AS WITH
[01:10:53.767]MOST MARRIAGES, ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN MARRIED A LONG TIME KNOWS
[01:10:58.867]IT'S ONLY -- PRISON THAT KEEPS YOU FROM MURDERING EACH OTHER.
[01:11:02.900]I'M JUST KIDDING.
[01:11:05.400][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: BUT MY PARENTS
[01:11:07.500]RELATIONSHIP WAS COMPLICATED.
[01:11:09.667]AND MY MOTHER KEPT THESE COPIOUS DIARIES AS SOON AS THEY WERE
[01:11:15.834]FULL, SHE WOULD BURN THEM.
[01:11:17.133]I WAS READING A -- WRITING A BOOK ABOUT HER AND I TRIED TO
[01:11:20.533]COME UP WITH AN IMAGINED ENTRY.
[01:11:22.667]I'M PROBABLY GOING TO MESS THIS UP.
[01:11:24.967]DAPHNE'S DIARIES ON A WISH TOO PRECIOUS TO SPEAK.
[01:11:28.000]I WANT A MAN WHO LOVES ALL OF ME, WHO DOESN'T WANT TO CHANGE
[01:11:33.100]ANY OF ME.
[01:11:34.000]SEE, I'VE LOST IT ALREADY.
[01:11:36.266]I CAN'T -- GIVE ME TWO MINUTES.
[01:11:39.900]WHY DON'T WE DO ANOTHER QUESTION, I'LL FIND ANOTHER
[01:11:42.800]POEM.
[01:11:43.200]IT'S A GOOD POEM.
[01:11:44.000]I MIGHT GET A PHONE NUMBER TONIGHT.
[01:11:47.066][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: I'M KIDDING.
[01:11:51.000]GOD.
[01:11:51.533]THAT'S WHAT MY NIECE SAYS TO ME ALL THE TIME, GOD, UNCLE CHRIS.
[01:11:55.834]>> KWAME DAWES: WANT TO TACKLE A QUESTION, THEN?
[01:11:57.900]>> CHRIS ABANI: YEAH, LET'S DO A QUESTION.
[01:12:00.500]>> KWAME DAWES: AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
[01:12:04.834]THE POET WENDELL BEERY ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT ARE PEOPLE FOR?
[01:12:08.600]THAT IS THE QUESTION.
[01:12:10.367]WHAT ARE PEOPLE FOR.
[01:12:11.567]>> CHRIS ABANI: WHAT ARE PEOPLE FOR.
[01:12:13.734]WOW.
[01:12:14.266]NEBRASKA IS NOT PLAYING TONIGHT.
[01:12:18.066][LAUGHING] .
[01:12:19.800]>> KWAME DAWES: IT WAS WENDELL BARRY.
[01:12:23.867]>> CHRIS ABANI: YEAH, WENDELL.
[01:12:28.433]SO...
[01:12:30.033]I THINK -- THIS IS WHAT I THINK.
[01:12:35.033]THAT THAT...
[01:12:37.800]THE ONLY IMPETUS IN THE UNIVERSE IS LIFE.
[01:12:40.166]AND THAT LIFE IS ALWAYS REACHING FOR LIFE.
[01:12:42.767]AND SO WHAT PEOPLE ARE FOR, I THINK IN MANY WAYS, IS FOR THE
[01:12:49.400]UNIVERSE TO HAVE A RECORD, A WITNESS OF ITSELF REACHING
[01:12:54.300]ALWAYS FOR ITSELF.
[01:12:55.767]IN EVER-GROWING WAYS.
[01:13:01.767][APPLAUSE] >> KWAME DAWES: OKAY.
[01:13:09.734]THAT'S QUOTABLE.
[01:13:12.867][LAUGHING] >> CHRIS ABANI: WE'RE FRIENDS,
[01:13:20.500]YOU KNOW.
[01:13:21.200][LAUGHING] >> KWAME DAWES: THAT'S GOOD.
[01:13:24.400]I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER QUESTION HERE.
[01:13:25.767]WHICH I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M GOING TO READ IT ANYWAY.
[01:13:30.400]SO USING THE LOGIC OF THAT CAT IN THE CONSTELLATION OF FIRE
[01:13:38.266]FLIES, WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR US WITH OUR LIGHT, OUR PORCHES,
[01:13:44.600]FINE HEDGES, AND THOSE OF US WITHOUT?
[01:13:51.133]DO YOU UNDERSTAND IT?
[01:13:52.934]>> CHRIS ABANI: READ IT AGAIN.
[01:13:55.600]BECAUSE I -- >> KWAME DAWES: I DON'T.
[01:13:57.600]HERE'S THE THING, I SUSPECT IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY PROFOUND
[01:14:01.166]QUESTION.
[01:14:01.734]SO USING THE LOGIC OF THE CAT IN THE CONSTELLATION OF FIRE FLIES,
[01:14:06.500]WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR US WITH OUR LIGHT, OUR PORCHES AND FINE
[01:14:12.300]HEDGES AND THOSE OF US WITHOUT?
[01:14:19.233]>> CHRIS ABANI: UHM...
[01:14:22.000]I -- I DON'T THINK THAT -- EITHER -- THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL
[01:14:32.700]QUESTIONS.
[01:14:33.400]AND DIFFICULT.
[01:14:36.200]I -- I DON'T THINK THAT, UHM, WE'RE EVER WITHOUT.
[01:14:41.500]I THINK THAT WE ARE ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY IMMEASURABLE
[01:14:48.100]BEAUTY.
[01:14:48.433]WE'RE ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY THE CHOICE FOR IMMEASURABLE BEAUTY.
[01:14:53.533]THE QUESTION IS A QUESTION OF NOISE.
[01:14:57.433]AND I'M WRITING A BOOK OF ESSAYS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY
[01:15:00.600]OF BEING AN AMERICAN. BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT THING TO
[01:15:03.900]BE.
[01:15:04.166]AND IT'S CONFUSING TO SAY THAT.
[01:15:06.166]BECAUSE -- AND IT'S PRECISELY BECAUSE EVERYONE THINKS EVERY
[01:15:10.800]AMERICAN HAS SO MUCH PRIVILEGE AND YET THIS IS NOT TRUE.
[01:15:13.600]AND THE IDEA THAT EVERY AMERICAN HAS VERY MUCH PRIVILEGES KEEPS A
[01:15:18.467]LOT OF AMERICANS FROM HAVING VERY MUCH PRIVILEGE.
[01:15:23.533]BUT I THINK THAT WHAT -- WHAT KEEPS US FROM BEING ABLE TO LIVE
[01:15:29.834]IN THESE MOMENTS WHERE WE CAN SIMULTANEOUSLY LOOK AT THE FIRE
[01:15:34.233]FLIES AND RESPOND TO THE CALL OF THE DAY-TO-DAY IS NOISE. AND
[01:15:38.500]I'M THINKING OF NOISE IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE POVERTY.
[01:15:42.567]IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE CLASS.
[01:15:46.100]I TAUGHT STUDENTS WHO OFTEN DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
[01:15:52.967]AND YOU SEE -- UC RIVERSIDE.
[01:15:56.633]AND ALWAYS THE -- A POSITION OF EDUCATION WAS PARTLY BECAUSE
[01:15:59.233]THEY NEEDED JOBS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES.
[01:16:02.633]AND BUT ALSO THERE'S THIS CONSTANT PULL FROM THE
[01:16:05.700]COMMUNITIES THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO EXTRICATE THEMSELVES
[01:16:08.433]FROM, TO RETURN TO LIFESTYLES THEY DIDN'T WANT.
[01:16:12.333]AND I WILL NEVER FORGET TEACHING THE IDEA OF MORAL LUCK.
[01:16:16.500]MORAL LUCK IS -- TO PUT IT BEST, IS -- THERE'S A FAMOUS
[01:16:21.567]PHOTOGRAPH WITH -- OF THE ETHIOPIAN CHILD DURING THE
[01:16:27.734]PICTURE.
[01:16:28.066]AND THE PHOTOGRAPH HAS TO WAIT FOR THE CHILD TO DIE UNTIL R TO
[01:16:33.467]GET THE PERFECT PICTURE.
[01:16:34.333]SO THE IDEA IS WHAT IF YOU HAD FORGOTTEN TO LOAD THE CAMERA.
[01:16:41.000]A FELLOW LEFT A GANG AND HE HAD TO GET THE TATTOOS REMOVED TO GO
[01:16:44.900]TO COLLEGE.
[01:16:45.467]HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, SO PROFESSOR ABANI, IT'S LIKE WHEN
[01:16:52.500]YOU'RE BEING JUMPED INTO A GANG AND YOU HAVE TO RUN TO THE TRAIN
[01:16:56.133]ON A GIRL AND YOU GET TO THE FRONT AND IT'S YOUR SISTER?
[01:17:00.567]THIS IS THE KIND OF NOISE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
[01:17:03.567]THIS IS THE KIND OF NOISE THAT CAUSES FERGUSON.
[01:17:06.633]A NOISE THAT AFFECTS WHITE PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF
[01:17:10.367]DIFFERENT -- SO I THINK THAT THIS REALLY IS WHAT THE PROBLEM
[01:17:13.867]IS.
[01:17:14.133]IN FACT THE POEM CAPTURES IT.
[01:17:16.533]INSTEAD OF IT BEING THE GENTLE CALL OF AN OWNER TO THE CAT, IF
[01:17:20.367]YOU CAN IMAGINE THIS CONSTANT BUZZ OF FREEWAY TRAFFIC IS GOING
[01:17:23.567]TO KILL YOU AT ANY MOMENT AND HERE'S THE FIRE FLY.
[01:17:27.300]THAT'S THE STRUGGLE.
[01:17:30.400]IN THAT CASE THE REAL DIFFICULT THINGS TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE THE
[01:17:34.734]FIRE FLIES INTO THE NOISE WITH YOU.
[01:17:37.433]I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR IT.
[01:17:38.734]BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE STRUGGLE TO DO THAT IS ACTUALLY ENOUGH TO
[01:17:42.934]CREATE SOME KIND OF REDEMPTION.
[01:17:44.900]>> KWAME DAWES: THAT'S GOOD.
[01:17:46.266]>> CHRIS ABANI: LET ME READ A POEM BEFORE WE DO THAT.
[01:17:48.066]I FOUND A POEM.
[01:17:48.967]I COULDN'T FIND THAT ONE.
[01:17:50.233]>> KWAME DAWES: AFTER YOU DO THAT, WE'LL ASK ONE QUESTION AND
[01:17:52.800]I THINK WE HAVE TO WRAP UP.
[01:17:56.600]>> CHRIS ABANI: THIS POEM IS FROM SAJT # SAKT.
[01:18:14.133]THE SECTION IS A -- CALLED PILGRIMAGE.
[01:18:19.467]NO. 1.
[01:18:21.300]NOTHING AS DEFINITE AS PRAYER, A HAND CUPS A SHADOW.
[01:18:27.033]A HEART IS LAID BARE OPEN AS A FLOWER.
[01:18:32.000]SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CARE AND CAN LAST AND WILL YOURS
[01:18:40.266]IS ALIVE.
[01:18:41.233]THE CITY AN A LIAR, MAY I FIND MY WAY IN LOS ANGELES IS A WAY
[01:18:47.700]WE CANNOT BEAR.
[01:18:49.600]AND OVER LOUD MUSIC A WOMEN CALLS TO HER LOVER BUT THERE IS
[01:18:53.433]NO TRUTH HERE.
[01:18:54.867]THE CITY IS A WASH WITH LIGHTS.
[01:18:57.166]EVEN THIS SACRIFICE WILL NOT SAVE US.
[01:19:00.667]I SAY HIGH BUSINESS CUSS AND I MEAN INNOCENCE. I SAY GWAVA,
[01:19:07.033]AND I MEAN CHILDHOOD.
[01:19:08.266]I SAY FATHER AND IT MEANS ONLY THAT.
[01:19:12.033]HAPPEN THAT WE ALL DREAM BUT THE SEA IS ONLY SEA.
[01:19:15.467]HAPPEN THAT WE CALL UPON GOD BUT IT IS ONLY A PRAYER, A BREEZE
[01:19:20.000]ROUGHLY IN A PRAYER BOOK IN A SMALL CHURCH WHERE BENCHES GROWN
[01:19:25.066]IN THE HEAT.
[01:19:26.133]OUTSIDE A PEACOCK WILL NOT BE QUIET.
[01:19:28.000]THERE'S SO MANY WAYS I COULD UNDO THE NIGHT, I COULD UNDO
[01:19:31.433]THE NIGHT MY FATHER DIED IF ONLY I COULD FIND THE FASTEN ENDS OF
[01:19:36.266]TIME.
[01:19:36.567]HERE THE GREEN GRASS IS GREEN EVEN WITH THE ABUNDANCE OF HOME.
[01:19:40.000]EVEN WITH THE WEIGHT OF EXILE.
[01:19:42.367]THERE IS A TREE IN MY FATHER'S BACK YARD UNDER WHICH MY UHM
[01:19:46.500]BELL KAL IS BURIED.
[01:19:48.166]THERE IS NO METAPHOR HERE.
[01:19:49.734]AND BATHING ON A ZINC SHEET ONE NIGHT I SLICE MY ANKLE TO BLEED
[01:19:57.600]MY UMBILICAL AGAIN.
[01:19:58.734]THERE IS A SIMPLE MASS TO SELF, TO MASS.
[01:20:03.567]I CAN SING MY FATHER'S LINEAGE BACK HERE A -- BUT HERE I
[01:20:07.800]STRUGGLE WITH OPRAH TO FIND MYSELF.
[01:20:09.533]WHICH IS TO SAY I COULD ACCEPT PT LABELS BEFORE ME BUT ONLY A
[01:20:13.700]DEEPER CUT WILL SUFFICE.
[01:20:14.934]I AM NOT AN AMERICAN THOUGH I WANT TO BE.
[01:20:17.533]I AM NOT A NIGERIAN EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE MELANCHOLY.
[01:20:21.533]I AM SOMETHING DEEPER STILL FOR NOW EVIL A PLACE HOLDER,
[01:20:25.100]SOMETIMES DREW WIDTH ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE AND A RED
[01:20:28.367]PASSPORT.
[01:20:28.767]PEOPLE SAY CHRIST IF I HAVE SEEN WHAT YOU'VE SEEN, CHRIST, MERCY,
[01:20:32.667]JESUS AND THIS IS MY CRY TOO.
[01:20:34.900]I HAVE SEEN BUT I AM STILL LOST.
[01:20:37.133]THE FOG WILL MOT PART NO MATTER HOW LONG I STRIKE MY STAFF
[01:20:40.934]AGAINST STONE.
[01:20:41.400]THERE ARE SLAVERS IN MY ANCESTRY, SLAVES TOO.
[01:20:45.133]AND SOME NIGHTS I WAKE WITH THE BITTER OF RUSTY CHAINS ON MY
[01:20:50.333]TONGUE AND A WHIP IN MY HAND.
[01:20:53.934]OTHER TIMES COME AND GO AND COME AGAIN.
[01:20:56.433]THERE IS ONLY A MAP FADING IN THE HARSH SUN.
[01:20:59.734]SOME MAY CALL ME A PESSIMIST.
[01:21:02.000]BUT I AM NOT.
[01:21:03.266]THERE IS NOTHING GAINED FROM LOSS.
[01:21:06.100]I DRINK TEA IN THE SHADE AND I BELIEVE IN POETRY.
[01:21:11.734]I AM A ZEALOT FOR OPTIMISM.
[01:21:16.633][APPLAUSE] >> KWAME DAWES: I THINK IT'S A
[01:21:23.467]GOOD NOTE.
[01:21:24.000]THE QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU WAS SIMPLY FROM WALKING WITH
[01:21:28.200]YOUR MOTHER WHILE YOU WERE A REFUGEE, WHAT DO YOU RECALL OF
[01:21:32.133]BEAUTY.
[01:21:32.467]I THINK IN THAT POEM YOU'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTION.
[01:21:35.133]>> CHRIS ABANI: THANK YOU.
[01:21:37.767]>> KWAME DAWES: THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRIS.
[01:21:42.467][APPLAUSE] >> PLEASE HELP ME THANK CHRIS
[01:21:55.900]ABANI AND KWAME DAWES FOR HIS HELP TONIGHT.
[01:21:59.266][APPLAUSE] >> AND A FINAL THANKS TO THE
[01:22:07.533]E.N. THOMPSON FORUM.
[01:22:08.233]AND ALL YOU UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA SUP PORTERS.
[01:22:11.133]MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE NEXT ONE IN THE SERIES, OCTOBER 14TH
[01:22:16.066]AT MIT CENTER AND AT TOMORROWS.
[01:22:21.900]DR. ABANI WILL BE SIGNING BOOKS IN THE FRONT SHORTLY.
[01:22:30.100]DRIVE SAFE.

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Humanities Nebraska Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities - Chris Abani

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