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10. Marlena Smalls and The Gullah: The Revival of a Unique Community
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Does the name Marlena Smalls ring a bell? Probably not. At least not yet.
馬莉娜．史莫斯這個名字聽來耳熟嗎？也許不是，至少到目前為止沒聽過。
If this large woman with an even larger smile and sparkling eyes has her way, however, the language, customs, and songs of the Gullah will become happily familiar to millions of people outside of the Sea Islands.
然而，如果這位大嘴巴、眼睛閃亮的大塊頭女人如愿以償的話，那么海洋群島以外的許許多多的人們將會很樂意知曉格勒人的語言、風俗和歌曲。
For it is Mrs. Smalls' dream that through her and her performing troupe's efforts their Gullah community will no longer be an isolated, anachronistic hangover from the days of slavery in the United States, but a vibrant cultural addition to the 21st century global village.
因為史莫斯太太的夢想就是，透過她和她的歌舞表演團的努力，他們的格勒小區將不再是美國奴隸時代遺留下來的一個封閉而過時的產物，而是21世紀地球村的一支文化生力軍。
The Sea Islands comprise a group of islands just off the southeast U.S. Atlantic coast of South Carolina and Georgia.
海洋群島由美國東南方大西洋沿岸的南卡羅來納州和佐治亞州外海的一群島嶼所組成。
Descendants of slaves settled here tilling the fertile land of these islands and the adjacent coastline.
奴隸后裔在此定居并耕種島上和附近沿岸的肥沃土地。
A rich overlay of a mixture of West African languages onto 17th and 18th century colonial English has resulted in Gullah, a creole language featuring its unique blend of African tongues and pidgin English.
西非語系大量地混入十七、十八世紀殖民時期的英語后就產生了格勒語，一種結合非洲話和混雜英語為特色的獨特克里奧爾語。
Thousands of distinct African words coming from various West African languages have been identified by linguists.
語言學家們已經辨認出數千個來自各種西非語言的確定無誤的非洲文字。
A few words have been added into contemporary mainstream American English.
其中有些文字已被加進現代主流美語中。
These include goober (peanut), gumbo (okra), and voodoo (witchcraft).
這些字包括古柏（花生）、甘波（秋葵），和巫毒（巫術）等。
The word Gullah itself also hails from West Africa.
格勒這個字本身也源自西非。
Many of this ethnic group's given names are taken directly from languages passed down for hundreds of years, such as Abiona and Pitipa.
許多這支少數民族出身的人都直接以幾百年傳下來的語言取名字，例如阿比歐娜和皮提巴便是。
American English is the language used when dealing with outsiders, but Gullah is the language of the marketplace and the home.
美語是用來和外來客打交道用的，但格勒語則是在市場上和家里說的。
As with most African cultures, the Gullah have a rich tradition of music.
和大部分非洲文化一樣，格勒人也有著豐富的音樂傳統。
The banjo, a stringed musical instrument, was an African invention brought over with the slaves to the New World.
班卓原本是非洲人發明的一種弦樂器，后來和奴隸一起被帶到新世界去。
It has been popularized in both North America and Europe over the past 200 years.
在過去兩百年來則風行于北美和歐洲兩地。
A great variety of drums, too, accompanied African music to the colonies in North and South America.
許多各種不同的鼓也隨著非洲音樂傳入美洲殖民地。
Singing both solo and a cappella with rich harmonies was also part of the slave heritage.
獨唱和伴隨著豐富和聲的合唱也是奴隸傳統的一部分。
Despite their demanding and depressing lives, the slaves held their original languages and music as well as their masters' Christianity close to their hearts.
盡管生活艱辛苦悶，奴隸們心中仍緊緊擁抱著他們原本的語言和音樂，以及主人的基督教。
Much of the music today involves church music, also referred to as spirituals or gospel music.
今天他們的音樂摻入了許多教堂音樂，教堂音樂也被稱作心靈音樂或福音音樂。
An evening with Marlena Smalls and her Hallelujah Singers is nothing short of inspirational.
觀賞馬莉娜．史莫斯以及她的哈利路亞合唱團的晚會表演絕不會令人覺得枯燥無味。
They are dressed at times in traditional African clothing, and at other times in the simple and conservative rural dress of Southern U.S. society.
他們一會兒穿著傳統非洲服裝，一會兒穿著美國南方社會簡單的傳統鄉村衣裳。
This unusual performance includes much singing, frequent samples of Gullah as used in the marketplace or between women gossiping.
這獨特的表演節目大部分是歌唱，還不時穿插市集上以及婦女閑聊時所用的地道的格勒語。
A great deal of emphatic body language, and even occasional tribal dance steps to thumping drums and enthusiastic shouting are also features of the performance.
許多夸張的肢體語言，甚至偶爾來上一段和著隆隆鼓聲和熱烈叫喊的部落舞蹈也是表演的特色。
Mrs. Smalls introduces the background to individual songs or other performances to help the audience —— often peppered with overseas tourists —— have a clearer idea of how the Gullah communicate to each other.
史莫斯太太介紹每首歌曲或其它表演的背景，以幫助觀眾——時常夾雜國外觀光客——更加了解格勒人如何彼此溝通。
Even without the helpful introductions, however, music lovers will appreciate the peerless singing quality of the Hallelujah Singers as they render their traditional folk songs with obvious love and pride.
然而，即使沒有這部分介紹的幫忙，當哈利路亞合唱團洋溢著愛和驕傲唱出他們傳統的民謠時，音樂愛好者亦能欣賞他們如天籟一般的聲音。
Interspersed with Mrs. Smalls witty and classy narrative, the evening passes all too quickly.
在史莫斯太太機智而高明的敘述聲中，歡樂的夜晚時光一下就過去了。
It is refreshing to know that some ethnic groups are proudly clinging to their priceless legacies.
得知有些少數民族正驕傲地固守著他們無價的遺產，真是令人振奮。
Despite the tragedy of their origins in slavery, the Gullah have survived and revived to produce a viable, enviable folk culture even amidst the technological wonders of the 21st century.
盡管來自奴隸的不幸出身，格勒人仍在廿一世紀的科技奇跡中欲火重火，努力創造出一個成功在望、令人羨慕的民族文化。
We can be thankful that in concert or on recorded media, Marlena Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers will touch all of us listeners with their heartfelt oral tradition through the magic of music.
我們可以慶幸的是，在演唱會中或錄制好的媒體上，馬莉娜．史莫斯和哈利路亞合唱團將透過音樂的魔力，以他們真心的傳統歌唱感動我們所有的聽眾。
