纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 063伊费头像（8）

 

But there's a sense in which the Ife sculptures have also become embodiments of a whole continent, of a modern Africa confident in its ancient cultural traditions. Here's Babatunde Lawal again:

"And then of course today many Africans, and Nigerians in particular, are proud of their past, a past that was denigrated¹ as being crude, primitive² in the past. And then to realise that their ancestors were not as backward, as it were, as they were portrayed³ - it was a double source of joy to them. This discovery unfurled a new kind of nationalism in them, and they started walking tall, feeling proud of their past. And then contemporary artists now seek inspiration from this past, to energise their quest for identity in the global village that our world has become."The discovery of the art of Ife is, I think, a supreme⁴ example of a widespread cultural phenomenon: that as we discover our past, so we discover ourselves. And more: to become what we want to be, we have to decide what we were. Like individuals, nations and states define and redefine themselves by revisiting their histories.

In the next programme we're going to be in China, where the interpretation⁵ of history has always been a central part of the political debate. We'll be at the same date as the Ife head, and with an equally high-status object... but we'll be looking not at ritual bronze, but at sacred porcelain⁶.

伊费雕像在一定意义上也成了整个非洲大陆的象征，成了后殖民时代的非洲对自己悠久的文化传统的信心之源。对此，巴巴汤迪拉沃尔解释说：

如今，许多非洲人，尤其是尼日利亚人，对自己的过去（那一度被世人误认为原始而野蛮的历史)引以为豪，他们意识到自己的祖先并不像以前想象的那样不开化，备觉欣喜。这种认识使他们体验了一种新的民族主义。他们开始挺直腰板，表达对过往历史的骄傲。在我们这个已经成为地球村的世界，现代艺术家也开始从这一历史中寻找灵感，激发自己探求身份认同。

伊费艺术的发现足以作为某种普遍的文化与政治现象的典型而载入教科书：了解过去，让我们得以了解自己以及更多的事物。一个人若立志将来有所成就，必须首先认清自己的过去。在这一层面上，国家与民族亦然。它们也在通过不断地追溯历史来重新定义自己。伊费的雕像已是一个鲜明的民族与地区身份的标志。

 

1 denigrated   

v.诋毁，诽谤( denigrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The critics have denigrated our efforts. 评论家贬低了我们的努力。 来自互联网
• For that whole group of citizens whose appeals for assistance have been similarly and irresponsibly denigrated. 为所有的申诉求助后，被同样不负责任的诋毁的公众。 来自互联网

2 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

3 portrayed   

v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中，他始终把自己说成是受害者。
• The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

6 porcelain   

n.瓷；adj.瓷的，瓷制的

参考例句：

• These porcelain plates have rather original designs on them.这些瓷盘的花纹很别致。
• The porcelain vase is enveloped in cotton.瓷花瓶用棉花裹着。