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ู…ุน ู…ู† ุชุชุญุฏุซ ู…ุฑุฉ ููŠ ุงู„ุฃุณุจูˆุน ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ุฃู‚ู„ุŒ ุณูˆุงุก ูƒุงู† ูˆุฌู‡ุง ู„ูˆุฌู‡ ุฃูˆ ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ููŠุณ ุชุงูŠู…ุŸ
To whom do you speak at least once a week, be it face to face or on FaceTime?
ูƒู† ุนู‚ู„ุงู†ูŠุง ููŠ ุชู‚ูŠูŠู…ูƒุŒ ู„ุง ุฃุชุญุฏุซ ุนู† ุฃุตุฏู‚ุงุฆูƒ ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ูุงูŠุณุจูˆูƒ.
Be reasonable in your assessment; I'm not talking about your Facebook friends.
ุฃุชุญุฏุซ ุนู† ุงู„ู†ุงุณ ุงู„ุฐูŠู† ูŠุดูƒู„ูˆู† ุชุฌุฑุจุชูƒ ุงู„ุนุงุทููŠุฉ ุงู„ุฃุณูŠูˆุนูŠุฉ.
I'm speaking of the people who shape your weekly emotional experience.
ูˆุงู„ุฏุชูŠ ููŠ ุขูƒุฑุงุŒุฃุฎุชูŠ ุงู„ุชูˆุฃู… ููŠ ุจูˆุณุทู†ุŒ ุขุตุฏู‚ุงุฆูŠ ุงู„ู…ู‚ุฑุจูŠู† ููŠ ู†ูŠูˆูŠูˆุฑูƒ: ู‡ุฐู‡ ุงู„ุนู„ุงู‚ุงุช ู‡ูŠ ุงู„ูˆุทู† ุจุงู„ู†ุณุจุฉ ู„ูŠ.
My mother in Accra, my twin sister in Boston, my best friends in New York: these relationships are home for me.
ุฑู‚ู…ู†ุง ุงู„ุซุงู†ูŠ ู‡ูŠ ุงู„ุนู„ุงู‚ุงุช.
"R" number two, relationships.
ู†ุญู† ู…ุญู„ูŠูˆู† ุญูŠุซ ู†ุญู…ู„ ุทู‚ูˆุณู†ุง ูˆุนู„ุงู‚ุงุชู†ุงุŒ ู„ูƒู† ูƒูŠููŠุฉ ุงุฎุชุจุงุฑ ู…ุญู„ูŠุชู†ุง ุชุนุชู…ุฏ ุฌุฒุฆูŠุงู‹ ุนู„ู‰ ู‚ูŠูˆุฏู†ุง.
We're local where we carry out our rituals and relationships, but how we experience our locality depends in part on our restrictions.
ุฃุนู†ูŠ ุจุงู„ู‚ูŠูˆุฏุŒ ุฃูŠู† ุชุณุชุทูŠุน ุงู„ุนูŠุดุŸ
By restrictions, I mean, where are you able to live?
ุฃูŠ ุฌูˆุงุฒ ุชุญู…ู„ุŸ
What passport do you hold?
ู‡ู„ ุฃู†ุช ู…ู‚ูŠุฏุŒู„ู†ู‚ู„ุŒ ุจุงู„ุนู†ุตุฑูŠุฉุŒ ุฃูˆ ุฃู†ูƒ ู„ุง ุชุญุณ ุฃู†ูƒ ููŠ ุงู„ูˆุทู† ุญูŠุซ ุชุนูŠุดุŸ
Are you restricted by, say, racism, from feeling fully at home where you live?
ุจุณุจุจ ุงู„ุญุฑุจ ุงู„ุฃู‡ู„ูŠุฉุŒ ุฃูˆ ุงู„ุญูƒุงู…ุฉ ุบูŠุฑ ุงู„ุฌูŠุฏุฉุŒ ุงู„ุชุถุฎู… ุงู„ุงู‚ุชุตุงุฏูŠุŒ ู…ู† ุฃู† ุชุนูŠุด ุงู„ู…ุญู„ูŠุฉ ุงู„ุชูŠ ูƒู†ุช ุชุนูŠุด ููŠู‡ุง ุทู‚ูˆุณูƒ ุญูŠู† ูƒู†ุช ุทูู„ุงุŸ
By civil war, dysfunctional governance, economic inflation, from living in the locality where you had your rituals as a child?
ู‡ุฐู‡ ู‡ูŠ ุงู„ุฎุทูˆุฉ ุงู„ุฃู‚ู„ ุฅุซุงุฑุฉ ุจูŠู† ุงู„ุฎุทูˆุงุช ุงู„ุซู„ุงุซุŒ ุณูŠูƒูˆู† ุงู„ูƒู„ุงู… ุนู†ู‡ ู‚ู„ูŠู„ุง ุจุงู„ู…ู‚ุงุฑู†ุฉ ู…ุน ุงู„ุทู‚ูˆุณ ูˆุงู„ุนู„ุงู‚ุงุชุŒ ู„ูƒู† ุงู„ุณุคุงู„ ูŠุฃุฎุฐู†ุง ุจุจุนูŠุฏุง ุนู† "ุฃูŠู† ุฃู†ุช ุงู„ุขู†ุŸ"
This is the least sexy of the Rโ€™s, less lyric than rituals and relationships, but the question takes us past "Where are you now?"
ุฅู„ู‰ " ู„ู… ู„ุณุช ู‡ู†ุงูƒุŒ ูˆ ู„ู…ุงุฐุงุŸ"
to "Why aren't you there, and why?"
ุงู„ุทู‚ูˆุณุŒ ุงู„ุนู„ุงู‚ุงุชุŒ ุงู„ู‚ูŠูˆุฏ.
Rituals, relationships, restrictions.
ุฎุฐ ู‚ุทุนุฉ ู…ู† ุงู„ูˆุฑู‚ ูˆ ุถุน ุชู„ูƒ ุงู„ูƒู„ู…ุงุช ุงู„ุซู„ุงุซ ุนู„ู‰ ุฑุฃุณ ุซู„ุงุซุฉ ุฃุนู…ุฏุฉุŒ ุซู… ุญุงูˆู„ ู…ู„ุก ุชู„ูƒ ุงู„ุฃุนู…ุฏุฉ ุจูƒู„ ุตุฏู‚ ู…ู…ูƒู†.
Take a piece of paper and put those three words on top of three columns, then try to fill those columns as honestly as you can.
ุตูˆุฑู‡ ู…ุฎุชู„ูุฉ ุฌุฏุงู‹ ู…ู† ุญูŠุงุชูƒ ููŠ ุงู„ุณูŠุงู‚ ุงู„ู…ุญู„ูŠุŒ ุนู† ู‡ูˆูŠุชูƒ ูƒู…ุฌู…ูˆุนุฉ ู…ู† ุงู„ู†ุฌุงุฑุจุŒ ู‚ุฏ ุชุธู‡ุฑ.
A very different picture of your life in local context, of your identity as a set of experiences, may emerge.
ู„ุฐุง ุฏุนูˆู†ุง ู†ุญุงูˆู„ ุฐู„ูƒ.
So let's try it.
ู„ุฏูŠ ุตุฏูŠู‚ ุงุณู…ู‡ ุฃูˆู„ูˆ.
I have a friend named Olu.
ูŠุจู„ุบ ู…ู† ุงู„ุนู…ุฑ 35 ุณู†ุฉ.
He's 35 years old.
ูˆู„ุฏ ูˆุงู„ุฏุงู‡ ููŠ ู†ูŠุฌุฑูŠุงุŒ ูˆุฌุงุกุง ุฅู„ู‰ ุฃู„ู…ุงู†ุจุง ุนู† ุทุฑูŠู‚ ู…ู†ุญุฉ ุฏุฑุงุณูŠุฉ.
His parents, born in Nigeria, came to Germany on scholarships.
ูˆู„ุฏ ุฃูˆู„ูˆ ููŠ ู†ูˆุฑู…ุจูˆุฑุบ ูˆุนุงุด ุญุชู‰ ุณู† ุงู„ุนุงุดุฑุฉ.
Olu was born in Nuremberg and lived there until age 10.
ุญูŠู† ุงู†ุชู‚ู„ุช ุนุงุฆู„ุชู‡ ุฅู„ู‰ ู„ุงุบูˆุณุŒ ุฏุฑุณ ููŠ ู„ู†ุฏู†ุŒ ุซู… ุฌุงุก ุฅู„ู‰ ุจุฑู„ูŠู†.
When his family moved to Lagos, he studied in London, then came to Berlin.
ูŠุญุจ ุฃู† ูŠุฐู‡ุจ ุฅู„ู‰ ู†ูŠุฌูŠุฑุจุง-- ุงู„ุฌูˆุŒ ูˆุงู„ุทุนุงู…ุŒ ูˆุงู„ุฃุตุฏู‚ุงุก-- ูˆู„ูƒู†ู‡ ูŠูƒุฑู‡ ุงู„ูุณุงุฏ ุงู„ุณูŠุงุณูŠ ู‡ู†ุงูƒ.
He loves going to Nigeria -- the weather, the food, the friends -- but hates the political corruption there.
ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ูŠู†ุญุฏุฑุฃูˆู„ูˆ ุŸ
Where is Olu from?
ู„ุฏุณูŠ ุตุฏูŠู‚ ุขุฎุฑ ุงุณู…ู‡ ุฃูˆุฏูˆ.
I have another friend named Udo.
ู‡ูˆ ุฃูŠุถุง ูŠุจู„ุบ ู…ู† ุงู„ุนู…ุฑ 35ุณู†ุฉ.
He's also 35 years old.
ูˆู„ุฏ ุฃูˆุฏูˆ ููŠ ู‚ุฑุทุจุฉ ููŠ ุดู…ุงู„ ุบุฑุจ ุงู„ุขุฑุฌู†ุชูŠู†ุŒ ุญูŠุซ ู‡ุงุฌุฑ ุฃุฌุฏุงุฏู‡ ู…ู† ุฃู„ู…ุงู†ูŠุงุŒ ูˆุงู„ุชูŠ ู‡ูŠ ุจูˆู„ู†ุฏุงุŒ ุจุนุฏ ุงู„ุญุฑุจ.
Udo was born in Cรณrdoba, in northwest Argentina, where his grandparents migrated from Germany, what is now Poland, after the war.
ุฏุฑุณ ุฃูˆุฏูˆ ููŠ ุจูˆูŠู†ุณ ุขูŠุฑุณุŒ ูˆู‚ุฏ ุนุงุฏ ู‚ุจู„ 9 ุณู†ูˆุงุช ุฅู„ู‰ ุจุฑู„ูŠู†.
Udo studied in Buenos Aires, and nine years ago came to Berlin.
ู‡ูˆ ูŠุญุจ ุงู„ุฐู‡ุงุจ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ุฃุฑุฌู†ุชูŠู†-- ุงู„ุฌูˆุŒูˆุงู„ุฃูƒู„ ูˆ ุงู„ุฃุตุฏู‚ุงุก-- ูˆู„ูƒู†ู‡ ูŠูƒุฑู‡ ุงู„ูุณุงุฏ ุงู„ุงู‚ุชุตุงุฏูŠ ู‡ู†ุงูƒ.
He loves going to Argentina -- the weather, the food, the friends -- but hates the economic corruption there.
ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ูŠู†ุญุฏุฑ ุฃูˆุฏูˆุŸ
Where is Udo from?
ุจุดุนุฑู‡ ุงู„ุฃุดู‚ุฑ ูˆ ุนูŠู†ูŠู‡ ุงู„ุฒุฑู‚ุงูˆุชูŠู†ุŒ ูŠุจุฏูˆ ุฃูˆุฏูˆ ุฃู„ู…ุงู†ูŠุงุŒ ู„ูƒู†ู‡ ูŠุญู…ู„ ุฌูˆุงุฒ ุณูุฑ ุฃุฑุฌู†ุชูŠู†ูŠุŒ ูˆูŠุญุชุงุฌ ุชุฃุดูŠุฑุฉ ู„ู„ุนูŠุด ููŠ ุจุฑู„ูŠู†.
With his blonde hair and blue eyes, Udo could pass for German, but holds an Argentinian passport, so needs a visa to live in Berlin.
ูƒูˆู† ุฃูˆุฏูˆ ู…ู† ุงู„ุฃุฑุฌู†ุชูŠู† ูู‡ุฐุง ุฃู…ุฑ ู…ุชุนู„ู‚ ุจุดูƒู„ ูƒุจูŠุฑ ุจุงู„ุชุงุฑูŠุฎ.
That Udo is from Argentina has largely to do with history.
ูƒูˆู†ู‡ ู…ุญู„ูŠุง ู…ู† ุจูˆูŠู†ุณ ุฃูŠุฑุณ ูˆ ุจุฑู„ูŠู†ุŒ ูู‡ุฐุง ุฃู…ุฑ ู…ุชุนู„ู‚ ุจุงู„ุญูŠุงุฉ.
That he's a local of Buenos Aires and Berlin, that has to do with life.
ุฃูˆู„ูˆ ุฐูˆ ุงู„ู…ุธู‡ุฑ ุงู„ู†ูŠุฌูŠุฑูŠ ูŠุญุชุงุฌ ู„ุชุฃุดูŠุฑุฉ ู„ุฒูŠุงุฑุฉ ู†ูŠุฌุฑูŠุง.
Olu, who looks Nigerian, needs a visa to visit Nigeria.
ูŠุชุญุฏุซ ุงู„ูŠูˆุฑูˆุจุง ู…ุน ู„ูƒู†ุฉ ุฅู†ุฌู„ูŠุฒูŠุฉุŒ ูˆุงุฅู†ุฌู„ูŠุฒูŠุฉ ุจู„ูƒู†ุฉ ุฃู„ู…ุงู†ูŠุฉ.
He speaks Yoruba with an English accent, and English with a German one.
ุงู„ุฅุฏุนุงุก ุจุฃู†ู‡ " ู„ูŠุณ ุญู‚ุงู‹ ู†ูŠุฌุฑูŠุง" ููŠ ุงู„ู…ู‚ุงุจู„ุŒ ูŠู†ููŠ ุชุฌุฑุจุชู‡ ููŠ ู„ุงุบูˆุณุŒ ูˆ ุงู„ุทู‚ูˆุณ ุงู„ุชูŠ ู…ุงุฑุณู‡ุง ุฎู„ุงู„ ุญูŠุงุชู‡ุŒ ูˆุนู„ุงู‚ุชู‡ ู…ุน ุนุงุฆู„ุชู‡ ูˆุฃุตุฏู‚ุงุฆู‡.
To claim that he's "not really Nigerian," though, denies his experience in Lagos, the rituals he practiced growing up, his relationship with family and friends.
ูˆููŠ ุงู„ูˆู‚ุช ู†ูุณู‡ุŒ ุนู„ู‰ ุฑุบู… ู…ู† ูƒูˆู† ู„ุงุบูˆุณ ู‡ูŠ ุจุงู„ุชุฃูƒูŠุฏ ุฃุญุฏ ุฃูˆุทุงู†ู‡ุŒ ุฏุงุฆู…ุง ู…ุงูŠุดุนุฑ ุฃูˆู„ูˆ ุจุฃู†ู‡ ู…ู‚ูŠุฏ ู‡ู†ุงูƒุŒ ู„ูŠุณ ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ุฃู‚ู„ ู„ุฃู†ู‡ ููŠ ุงู„ุญู‚ูŠู‚ุฉ ุดุงุฐ.
Meanwhile, though Lagos is undoubtedly one of his homes, Olu always feels restricted there, not least by the fact that he's gay.
ูƒู„ุงู‡ู…ุง ู‡ูˆ ูˆ ุฃูˆุฏูˆ ู…ู‚ูŠุฏุงู† ุจุธุฑูˆู ุณูŠุงุณูŠุฉ ุฎุงุตุฉ ุจุฏูˆู„ ุขุจุงุฆู‡ู…. ู…ู† ุงู„ุนูŠุด ุญูŠุซ ุชูˆุฌุฏ ุจุนุถ ู…ู† ุทู‚ูˆุณู‡ู… ูˆุนู„ุงู‚ุงุชู‡ู… ุงู„ุชูŠ ุชุนู†ูŠ ู„ู‡ู… ุงู„ูƒุซูŠุฑ.
Both he and Udo are restricted by the political conditions of their parents' countries, from living where some of their most meaningful rituals and relationships occur.
ูŠุตุฑูู†ุง ุงู„ู‚ูˆู„ ุขู† ุขูˆู„ูˆ ู…ู† ู†ูŠุฌูŠุฑูŠุง ูˆ ุขูˆุฏูˆ ู…ู† ุขุฑุฌู†ุชูŠู† ุนู† ุงู„ู†ุธุฑ ู„ุชุฌุงุฑุจู‡ู… ุงู„ู…ุดุชุฑูƒุฉ.
To say Olu is from Nigeria and Udo is from Argentina distracts from their common experience.
ุทู‚ูˆุณู‡ู…ุŒ ูˆ ุนู„ุงู‚ุงุชู‡ู… ูˆ ู‚ูŠูˆุฏู‡ู… ู…ุชุดุงุจู‡ุฉ
Their rituals, their relationships, and their restrictions are the same.
ุจุงู„ุทุจุนุŒ ุนู†ุฏู…ุง ู†ุณุฃู„ุŒ " ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ุฃู†ุชุŸ"
Of course, when we ask, "Where are you from?"
ู†ุญู† ู†ุณุชุฎุฏู… ู†ูˆุนุง ู…ู† ุงู„ุงุฎุชุฒุงู„.
we're using a kind of shorthand.
ู…ู† ุงู„ุณู‡ู„ ู‚ูˆู„ :"ู†ูŠุฌุฑูŠุง" ุนูˆุถุง ุนู† "ู„ุงุบูˆุณ ูˆ ุจุฑู„ูŠู†ุŒ" ูˆูƒู…ุง ู‡ูˆ ุงู„ุญุงู„ ู…ุน ุฎุฑุงุฆุท ุฌูˆุฌู„ ูŠู…ูƒู†ู†ุง ุฏุงุฆู…ุง ุงู„ุชู‚ุฑูŠุจ ู…ู† ุจู„ุฏ ุฅู„ู‰ ู…ุฏูŠู†ุฉ ุฅู„ู‰ ุญูŠ.
It's quicker to say "Nigeria" than "Lagos and Berlin," and as with Google Maps, we can always zoom in closer, from country to city to neighborhood.
ูˆู„ูƒู† ู‡ุฐุง ู„ูŠุณ ุชู…ุงู…ุงู‹ ุงู„ู…ุบุฒู‰
But that's not quite the point.
ุงู„ูุฑู‚ ุจูŠู† " ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ุฃู†ุช"
The difference between "Where are you from?"
ูˆ " ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ุฃู†ุช ู…ุญู„ูŠุงุŸ"
and "Where are you a local?"
ู„ูŠุณุช ู†ูˆุนูŠุฉ ุงู„ุฌูˆุงุจุŒ ุฅู†ู…ุง ู‡ูŠ ุจู†ูŠุฉ ุงู„ุณุคุงู„.
isn't the specificity of the answer; it's the intention of the question.
ุงุณุชุจุฏุงู„ ู„ุบุฉ ุงู„ุฌู†ุณูŠุฉ ู…ุน ุงู„ู„ุบุฉ ุงู„ู…ุญู„ูŠุฉ ุชุชุทู„ุจ ู…ู†ุง ุชุญูˆูŠู„ ุชุฑูƒูŠุฒู†ุง ุฅู„ู‰ ู…ูƒุงู† ุงู„ุฐูŠ ู†ุนูŠุด ููŠู‡ ุญู‚ูŠู‚ุฉ.
Replacing the language of nationality with the language of locality asks us to shift our focus to where real life occurs.
ุญุชู‰ ุฃู† ุงู„ุชุนุจูŠุฑ ุงู„ุขูƒุซุฑ ุชู…ุฌูŠุฏุง ู„ู„ุจู„ุฏ ุŒ ูˆ ู‡ูˆูƒุฃุณ ุงู„ุนุงู„ู…ุŒ ูŠุนุทูŠู†ุง ูุฑู‚ ูˆุทู†ูŠุฉ ูŠุชูƒูˆู† ู…ุนุธู…ู‡ุง ู…ู† ู„ุงุนุจูŠู† ู…ุชุนุฏุฏูŠ ุงู„ู…ุญู„ูŠุฉ.
Even that most glorious expression of countryhood, the World Cup, gives us national teams comprised mostly of multilocal players.
ูƒูˆุญุฏุฉ ู‚ูŠุงุณ ู„ุชุฌุงุฑุจ ู„ู„ุชุฌุฑุจุฉ ุงู„ุฅู†ุณุงู†ูŠุฉุŒ ูุฅู† ุงู„ุจู„ุฏ ู„ูŠุณ ู…ุนูŠุงุฑุง ุฏู‚ูŠู‚ุง.
As a unit of measurement for human experience, the country doesn't quite work.
ุฐู„ูƒ ู…ุง ูŠุฌุนู„ ุฃูˆู„ูˆ ูŠู‚ูˆู„ุŒ "ุฃู†ุง ุฃู„ู…ุงู†ูŠุŒ ู„ูƒู† ูˆุงู„ุฏูŠ ูŠู†ุญุฏุฑุงู† ู…ู† ู†ูŠุฌูŠุฑูŠุง."
That's why Olu says, "I'm German, but my parents come from Nigeria."
"ู„ูƒู†" ููŠ ุชู„ูƒ ุงู„ุฌู…ู„ุฉ ุชูƒุฐุจ ุนุฏู… ู…ุฑูˆู†ุฉ ุงู„ูˆุญุฏุงุชุŒ ูˆุญุฏุฉ ุซุงุจุชุฉ ูˆุฃุฎุฑู‰ ุฎูŠุงู„ูŠุฉ ุชุตุทุฏู… ุจุจุนุถู‡ุง ุงู„ุจุนุถ.
The "but" in that sentence belies the inflexibility of the units, one fixed and fictional entity bumping up against another.
" ุขู†ุง ู…ุญู„ูŠ ู…ู† ู„ูˆุบูˆุณ ูˆ ุจุฑู„ูŠู†" ุชู‚ุชุฑุญ ุงู„ุชุฌุงุฑุจ ุงู„ู…ุชุฏุงุฎู„ุฉุŒ ุงู„ุทุจู‚ุงุช ุงู„ุชูŠ ุชุฏู…ุฌ ู…ุนุงู‹ ุŒูˆ ุงู„ุชูŠ ู„ุงูŠู…ูƒู† ุฅู†ูƒุงุฑู‡ุง ุฃูˆ ุฅุฒุงู„ุชู‡ุง.
"I'm a local of Lagos and Berlin," suggests overlapping experiences, layers that merge together, that can't be denied or removed.
ูŠู…ูƒู†ูƒ ุฃู† ุชุฃุฎุฐ ู…ู†ูŠ ุฌูˆุงุฒ ุณูุฑูŠุŒ ู„ูƒู† ู„ุงูŠู…ูƒู†ูƒ ุฃู† ุชุขุฎุฐ ู…ู†ูŠ ุชุฌุฑุจุชูŠ.
You can take away my passport, but you can't take away my experience.
ุชู„ูƒ ุงู„ุชูŠ ุฃุญู…ู„ู‡ุง ู…ุนูŠ.
That I carry within me.
ุฃุตู„ูŠ ู‡ูˆ ูƒู„ ู…ูƒุงู† ุฃุฐู‡ุจ ุฅู„ูŠู‡.
Where I'm from comes wherever I go.
ู„ุฃูƒูˆู† ูˆุงุถุญุฉุŒูุฃู†ุง ู„ุง ุฃู‚ุชุฑุญ ุงู„ุชุฎู„ูŠ ุนู† ุงู„ุฏูˆู„.
To be clear, I'm not suggesting that we do away with countries.
ู‡ู†ุงูƒ ุงู„ูƒุซูŠุฑ ู…ู…ุง ูŠู…ูƒู† ู‚ูˆู„ู‡ ุนู† ุงู„ุชุงุฑูŠุฎ ุงู„ูˆุทู†ูŠุŒ ูˆุฃูƒุซุฑ ู…ู† ุฐู„ูƒ ุนู† ุงู„ุฏูˆู„ุฉ ุงู„ุณูŠุงุฏูŠุฉ.
There's much to be said for national history, more for the sovereign state.
ุงู„ุซู‚ุงูุฉ ู…ูˆุฌูˆุฏุฉ ููŠ ุงู„ู…ุฌุชู…ุน ูˆุงู„ู…ุฌุชู…ุน ู…ูˆุฌูˆุฏ ููŠ ุงู„ุณูŠุงู‚.
Culture exists in community, and community exists in context.
ุงู„ุฌุบุฑุงููŠุงุŒ ูˆุงู„ุชู‚ุงู„ูŠุฏุŒ ูˆุงู„ุฐุงูƒุฑุฉ ุงู„ุฌู…ุงุนูŠุฉ: ู‡ุฐู‡ ุงู„ุขู…ูˆุฑ ู…ู‡ู…ุฉ.
Geography, tradition, collective memory: these things are important.
ู…ุงุฃุชุณุงุกู„ ุจุดุฃู†ู‡ ู‡ูŠ ุงู„ุฃูˆู„ูˆูŠุฉ.
What I'm questioning is primacy.
ูƒู„ ุชู„ูƒ ุงู„ู…ู‚ุฏู…ุงุช ููŠ ุงู„ุฌูˆู„ุฉ ุจุฏุฃุช ุจุงู„ุนูˆุฏุฉ ุฅู„ู‰ ุงู„ุฃู…ุฉุŒ ูˆูƒุฃู† ู…ุนุฑูุฉ ู…ู† ุฃูŠ ุจู„ุฏ ุฃุชูŠุช ุณูŠุนุทูŠ ุฌู…ู‡ูˆุฑูŠููƒุฑุฉ ุนู…ู† ุฃูƒูˆู†.
All of those introductions on tour began with reference to nation, as if knowing what country I came from would tell my audience who I was.
ู…ุงู„ุฐูŠ ู†ุณุนู‰ ุฅู„ูŠู‡ ุญู‚ุงุŒุจุงู„ู…ู‚ุงุจู„ุŒ ุญุณู† ู†ุณุฃู„ ู…ู† ุฃูŠ ุจู„ุฏ ูŠู†ุญุฏุฑ ุดุฎุต ู…ุงุŸ
What are we really seeking, though, when we ask where someone comes from?
ูˆ ู…ุง ุงู„ุฐูŠ ู†ุฑุงู‡ ุญู‚ุงู‹ ุนู†ุฏู…ุง ู†ุณู…ุน ุงู„ุฌูˆุงุจุŸ
And what are we really seeing when we hear an answer?
ูˆู‡ุฐุง ุงุญุชู…ุงู„ ูˆุงุญุฏ: ุจุงู„ุฃุณุงุณุŒูุงู„ุฏูˆู„ ุชู…ุซู„ ุงู„ู‚ูˆุฉ.
Here's one possibility: basically, countries represent power.
"ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ุฃู†ุชุŸ" ุงู„ู…ูƒุณูŠูƒ.ุจูˆู„ู†ุฏุง.ุจู†ุบู„ุงุฏูŠุด.ู‚ูˆุฉ ุฃุถุนู.
"Where are you from?" Mexico. Poland. Bangladesh. Less power.
ุฃู…ุฑูŠูƒุง.ุฃู„ู…ุงู†ูŠุง.ุงู„ูŠุงุจุงู†.ู‚ูˆุฉ ุฃูƒุจุฑ.
America. Germany. Japan. More power.
ุงู„ุตูŠู†.ุฑูˆุณูŠุง.ุฏูˆู„ ุบุงู…ุถุฉ.
China. Russia. Ambiguous.
ู…ู† ุงู„ู…ู…ูƒู†ุŒ ุฃู† ู†ูƒูˆู† ู…ู† ุฏูˆู† ุฃู† ู†ุฏุฑูƒ ุจุตุฏุฏ ู„ุนุจ ู„ุนุจุฉ ุงู„ู‚ูˆุฉุŒ ุฎุงุตุฉ ููŠ ุณูŠุงู‚ ุงู„ุจู„ุฏุงู† ู…ุชุนุฏุฏุฉ ุงู„ุฃุนุฑุงู‚.
It's possible that without realizing it, we're playing a power game, especially in the context of multi-ethnic countries.
ูƒู…ุง ูŠุนู„ู… ูƒู„ ู…ู‡ุงุฌุฑ ุฌุฏูŠุฏุŒ ูุงู„ุณุคุงู„ " ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ุฃุชูŠุชุŸ" ุฃูˆ" ู…ู† ุฃูŠู† ุฃู†ุช ุญู‚ูŠู‚ุฉุŸ"
As any recent immigrant knows, the question "Where are you from?" or "Where are you really from?"
ูŠูƒูˆู† ุบุงู„ุจุง ุดูุฑุฉ ู„" ู„ู…ุงุฐุง ุฃู†ุช ู‡ู†ุงุŸ"
is often code for "Why are you here?"
ุซู… ู„ุฏูŠู†ุง ูƒุชุงุจุฉ ุงู„ุนุงู„ู… ูˆูŠู„ูŠุงู… ุฏุฑุงุณูˆูŠุณ ู…ู† ู†ุฎุจุฉ ุงู„ูƒู„ูŠุงุช ุงู„ุขู…ุฑูŠูƒูŠุฉ
Then we have the scholar William Deresiewicz's writing of elite American colleges.
"ูŠุนุชู‚ุฏ ุงู„ุทู„ุงุจ ุฃู† ุจูŠุฆุชู‡ู… ู…ุชู†ูˆุนุฉ ุฅู† ูƒุงู† ุฃุญุฏู‡ู… ู…ู† ู…ูŠุณูˆุฑูŠ ูˆุงู„ุขุฎุฑ ู…ู† ุจุงูƒุณุชุงู†-- ูู„ุง ูŠู‡ู… ุฅู† ูƒุงู† ุขุจุงุคู‡ู… ุฃุทุจุงุก ุฃูˆ ู…ุตุฑููŠูŠู†."
"Students think that their environment is diverse if one comes from Missouri and another from Pakistan -- never mind that all of their parents are doctors or bankers."
ุฃุชูู‚ ู…ุนู‡.
I'm with him.
ู„ุฅุทู„ุงู‚ ุตูุฉ ุฃู…ุฑูŠูƒูŠ ุนู„ู‰ ุทุงู„ุจุŒ ูˆุจุงูƒุณุชุงู†ูŠ ุนู„ู‰ ุขุฎุฑุŒ ูˆุจุนุฏู‡ุง ุงู„ุชูุงุฎุฑ ุจุชู†ูˆุน ุงู„ู†ุณูŠุฌ ุงู„ุทู„ุงุจูŠ ูู‡ุฐุง ูŠู‚ุตูŠ ูˆุงู‚ุน ุฃู† ู‡ุคู„ุงุก ุงู„ุทู„ุจุฉ ู‡ู… ู…ุญู„ูŠูˆู† ู…ู† ู†ูุณ ุงู„ูˆุณุท.
To call one student American, another Pakistani, then triumphantly claim student body diversity ignores the fact that these students are locals of the same milieu.
ูˆูŠู†ุทุจู‚ ุงู„ุดูŠุก ู†ูุณู‡ ุนู„ู‰ ุงู„ุทุฑู ุงู„ุขุฎุฑ ู…ู† ุงู„ุทูŠู ุงู„ุฅู‚ุชุตุงุฏูŠ.
The same holds true on the other end of the economic spectrum.
ุงู„ุจุณุชุงู†ูŠ ุงู„ู…ูƒุณูŠูƒูŠ ููŠ ู„ูˆุณ ุฃู†ุฌู„ูˆุณ ูˆู…ุฏุจุฑุฉ ุงู„ู…ู†ุฒู„ ุงู„ู†ูŠุจุงู„ูŠุฉ ููŠ ุฏู„ู‡ูŠ ู„ุฏูŠู‡ู… ุงู„ูƒุซูŠุฑ ู…ู† ุงู„ู‚ูˆุงุณู… ุงู„ู…ุดุชุฑูƒุฉ ู…ู† ุญูŠุซ ุงู„ุทู‚ูˆุณ ูˆุงู„ู‚ูŠูˆุฏ ุงู„ุชูŠ ุชู…ู„ูŠู‡ุง ุงู„ุฌู†ุณูŠุฉ.
A Mexican gardener in Los Angeles and a Nepali housekeeper in Delhi have more in common in terms of rituals and restrictions than nationality implies.
ุฑุจู…ุง ู…ุดูƒู„ุชูŠ ุงู„ูƒุจุฑู‰ ู…ุน ุงู„ู‚ุงุฏู…ูŠู† ู…ู† ุงู„ุฏูˆู„ ู‡ูŠ ุฃุณุทูˆุฑุฉ ุงู„ุนูˆุฏุฉ ุฅู„ูŠู‡ุง.
Perhaps my biggest problem with coming from countries is the myth of going back to them.
ูƒุซูŠุฑุง ู…ุง ุฃุณุฃู„ ุฅู† ูƒู†ุช ุฃุฎุทุท "ู„ู„ุนูˆุฏุฉ" ุฅู„ู‰ ุบุงู†ุง.
I'm often asked if I plan to "go back" to Ghana.
ุฃุฐู‡ุจ ุฅู„ู‰ ุขูƒุฑุง ูƒู„ ุณู†ุฉุŒ ู„ูƒู† ู„ุง ูŠู…ูƒู†ู†ูŠ "ุงู„ุนูˆุฏุฉ "ุฅู„ู‰ ุบุงู†ุง.
I go to Accra every year, but I can't "go back" to Ghana.
ู„ูŠุณ ู„ุฃู†ู†ูŠ ู„ู… ุฃูˆู„ุฏ ู‡ู†ุงูƒ.
It's not because I wasn't born there.
ู„ุง ูŠุณุชุทูŠุน ุฃุจูŠ ุงู„ุนูˆุฏุฉ ู‡ู†ุงูƒุŒุฃูŠุถุง.
My father can't go back, either.
ุงู„ุฏูˆู„ุฉ ุงู„ุชูŠ ูˆู„ุฏ ููŠู‡ุงุŒ ุชู„ูƒ ุงู„ุฏูˆู„ุฉ ู„ู… ูŠุนุฏ ู„ู‡ุง ูˆุฌูˆุฏ.
The country in which he was born, that country no longer exists.
ู„ุง ูŠู…ูƒู† ุฃู† ู†ุนูˆุฏ ู„ู…ูƒุงู† ู…ุง ูˆู†ุฌุฏู‡ ุชู…ุงู…ุง ูƒู…ุง ุชุฑูƒู†ุงู‡.
We can never go back to a place and find it exactly where we left it.
ุดูŠุก ู…ุงุŒููŠ ู…ูƒุงู† ู…ุง ู„ุง ู…ุญุงู„ุฉ ุณูŠุชุบูŠุฑุŒ ุงู„ุขู‡ู… ู…ู† ุฐู„ูƒ ูƒู„ู‡ุŒ ุฃู†ูุณู†ุง.
Something, somewhere will always have changed, most of all, ourselves.
ุงู„ู†ุงุณ.
People.
ูˆููŠ ุงู„ุขุฎูŠุฑ ู…ุงู†ุชุญุฏุซ ุนู†ู‡ ู‡ูŠ ุงู„ุชุฌุฑุจุฉ ุงู„ุฅู†ุณุงู†ูŠุฉุŒ ู‡ุฐู‡ ุงู„ู‚ุถูŠุฉ ุงู„ู…ุนุฑูˆูุฉ ูˆ ุงู„ู…ุฌูŠุฏุฉ ูˆุบูŠุฑ ุงู„ู…ุฑุชุจุฉ.
Finally, what we're talking about is human experience, this notoriously and gloriously disorderly affair.
ููŠ ุงู„ูƒุชุงุจุฉ ุงู„ุฅุจุฏุงุนูŠุฉ ูุงู„ู…ุญู„ูŠุฉ ุชู†ู… ุนู† ุงู„ุฅู†ุณุงู†ูŠุฉ.
In creative writing, locality bespeaks humanity.
ูƒู„ู…ุง ุนุฑูู†ุง ุฃูƒุซุฑ ุนู„ู‰ ู…ูƒุงู† ุจุฏุงูŠุฉ ุงู„ู‚ุตุฉุŒ ูƒู„ู…ุง ุจุฏุฃู†ุง ู†ุชุญุณุณ ุงู„ู„ูˆู† ูˆ ุงู„ู†ุณุฌ ุงู„ู…ุญู„ูŠุŒ ูˆู†ุชุญุณุณ ุงู„ุฅู†ุณุงู†ูŠุฉ ูˆ ุงู„ุดุฎุตูŠุงุช ุจุดูƒู„ ุฃูƒุจุฑุŒ ูˆูƒู„ู…ุง ุฃุญุณุณู†ุง ุจุตู„ุฉ ุฃูƒุจุฑุŒูˆู„ูŠุณ ุงู„ุนูƒุณ.
The more we know about where a story is set, the more local color and texture, the more human the characters start to feel, the more relatable, not less.
ุฃุณุทูˆุฑุฉ ุงู„ู‡ูˆูŠุฉ ุงู„ูˆุทู†ูŠุฉ ูˆู…ูุฑุฏุงุช" ู‚ุงุฏู… ู…ู†" ุชุฏุฎู„ู†ุง ููŠ ู…ุชุงู‡ุฉ ูˆุถุน ุฃู†ูุณู†ุง ููŠ ุฎุงู†ุงุช ุญุตุฑูŠุฉ ุญูŠุงู„ ุจุนุถู†ุง ุงู„ุจุนุถ.
The myth of national identity and the vocabulary of coming from confuses us into placing ourselves into mutually exclusive categories.
ููŠ ุงู„ูˆุงู‚ุน ูƒู„ ูˆุงุญุฏ ู…ู†ุง ู…ุชุนุฏุฏ ุงู„ู…ุญู„ูŠุฉ ูˆู…ุชุนุฏุฏ ุงู„ุทุจู‚ุงุช.
In fact, all of us are multi -- multi-local, multi-layered.
ุจุฏุก ู…ุญุงุฏุซุงุชู†ุง ุจุงู„ุงุนุชุฑุงู ุจู‡ุฐุง ุงู„ุชุนู‚ูŠุฏ ูŠู‚ุฑุจ ุจุนุถู†ุง ู„ุจุนุถุŒููŠ ุงุนุชู‚ุงุฏูŠุŒ ูˆู„ูŠุณ ุงู„ุนูƒุณ.
To begin our conversations with an acknowledgement of this complexity brings us closer together, I think, not further apart.
ุฅุฐุง ููŠ ุงู„ู…ุฑุฉ ุงู„ู‚ุงุฏู…ุฉ ุงู„ุชูŠ ูŠุชู… ููŠู‡ ุชู‚ุฏูŠู…ูŠุŒ ุฃุญุจุฐ ุฃู† ุฃุณู…ุน ุงู„ุญู‚ูŠู‚ุฉ: "ุชุงูŠุง ุณูŠู„ุงุณูŠ ู‡ูŠ ุฅู†ุณุงู†ุฉุŒูƒู…ุง ุงู„ุฌู…ูŠุน ู‡ู†ุง.
So the next time that I'm introduced, I'd love to hear the truth: "Taiye Selasi is a human being, like everybody here.
ู‡ูŠ ู„ูŠุณุช ู…ูˆุงุทู†ุฉ ู…ู† ุงู„ุนุงู„ู…ุŒ ุจู„ ู…ูˆุงุทู†ุฉ ู…ู† ุนุฏุฉ ุนูˆุงู„ู….
She isn't a citizen of the world, but a citizen of worlds.
ู‡ูŠ ู…ุญู„ูŠุฉ ู…ู† ู†ูŠูˆูŠูˆุฑูƒุŒุฑูˆู…ุง ูˆ ุฃูƒุฑุง."
She is a local of New York, Rome and Accra."
ุดูƒุฑุงู‹.
Thank you.
ุญุธูŠุช ุจุดุฑูู ุนุธูŠู…ู ู„ู„ุณูุฑู„ุฃู…ุงูƒู† ู…ุฏู‡ุดุฉุŒ ูˆุชุตูˆูŠุฑ ุงู„ู…ู†ุงุธุฑ ุงู„ุทุจูŠุนูŠุฉ ุงู„ุจุนูŠุฏุฉ ูˆุงู„ุซู‚ุงูุงุช ุงู„ู†ุงุฆูŠุฉ ููŠ ูƒู„ ุฃู†ุญุงุก ุงู„ุนุงู„ู…
So I've had the great privilege of traveling to some incredible places, photographing these distant landscapes and remote cultures all over the world.
ุฃุญุจ ุนู…ู„ูŠ.
I love my job.
ู„ูƒู† ุงู„ู†ุงุณ ุชุนุชู‚ุฏ ุงู†ู‡ุง ู…ุฌุฑุฏ ุณู„ุณู„ุฉ ู…ู† ุงู„ู…ุดุงู‡ุฏ ุงู„ุฌู…ูŠู„ุฉ ูˆู…ุดุงู‡ุฏ ุดุฑูˆู‚ ุงู„ุดู…ุณ ูˆุฃู‚ูˆุงุณ ู‚ุฒุญ ุบูŠุฑ ุฃู†ู‡ุง ููŠ ุงู„ูˆุงู‚ุน ู‡ูŠ ุฃุดุจู‡ ุจุดูŠุกู ู…ู† ู‡ุฐุง ุงู„ู‚ุจูŠู„.
But people think it's this string of epiphanies and sunrises and rainbows, when in reality, it looks more something like this.
ู‡ุฐุง ู…ูƒุงู† ุนู…ู„ูŠ.
This is my office.
ู„ุง ู†ุณุชุทูŠุน ุชุญู…ู„ ุชูƒุงู„ูŠู ุงู„ู…ุณุงูƒู† ุงู„ูุฎู…ุฉ ู„ู„ู†ูˆู… ู…ุณุงุกู‹ุŒ ู„ุฐู„ูƒ ู†ู†ุงู… ูƒุซูŠุฑุงู‹ ููŠ ุงู„ุนุฑุงุก.
We can't afford the fanciest places to stay at night, so we tend to sleep a lot outdoors.