COMMITMENT - GLOBAL RESOURCES
Re-authoring Teaching is an international learning community where people from different countries and cultures can pursue their studies in narrative practice and collaborative inquiry, and reflect on developments in their own work. We are committed to creating space to share and disseminate knowledge and practices, while simultaneously honoring the unique features of local culture and language. We are currently experimenting with using both text and voice recordings.
I wish to express my appreciation to the team of translators volunteering their time to provide translation from English:
Spanish: Martha López-Hill, Ítalo Latorre Gentoso, Carolina Letelier, marcela polanco.
French: Pierre Blanc-Sahnoun, Charlotte Crettenand, Elizabeth Feld, Catherine Mengelle.
Portuguese: Regina Jardim
Honoring local context and meanings: Translation poses interesting challenges where metaphors can have different local meanings, analogous to the process of acculturation that marcela polenco experienced in the "re-authoring of narrative therapy" into her Colombian Spanish. Having first learned narrative therapy in English, polanco ironically found she was unable to practice in her Spanish mother tongue; she then embarked on a process of self-apprenticeship to learn narrative therapy in Spanish, drawing from her current English knowledge. Polanco proposes “a therapy of solidarity” as her Latin American version of narrative therapy aspires that honors local linguistic contexts and resists the longstanding cultural and intellectual colonization of English as a “lingua franca.” (see the marcela polenco video, "Colouring Narrative Therapy's Solidarity", Friday Afternoons at Dulwich).
Charlotte Crettenand discovered unique challenges when attempting to translate particular words from English to French relating to the concept of neighborly ways of being. "In English, it's so easy to "invent" new words. It's like a living language. In contrast, French has rules that are difficult to zigzag through," she reported. Charlotte also noticed aspects that seem to go without saying for French-speakers from a European culture, yet were new to Americans. A reference to Eric-Emmanuel Schmidt or the Algerian War required clarification in order to be understood by a person from another culture; the "basic" translation isn't enough. "I'm fascinated to get aware, once again, of the deep cultural imprint of language, words, expressions, turns of phrase that we use daily" Charlotte stated. As a result, Charlotte created footnotes for French-historical references. We also consulted with French-speakers from other countries before coming up with a preferred version.
We experienced a similar process finding consensus bringing together Spanish-speakers from Pranas-Chile and Foro en Español, The Spanish Room, in the Narrative Practice & Collaborative Inquiry Study Group.
"Outsider Witness Practices: “Spreading My Wings”
Martha and Rosa's story, "Spreading my wings," gives us an opportunity to try out combining text and voice recordings including the opportunity to send a recording by iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Together, we are creating a tapestry with the rich texture of our different languages and forming a global reflecting team in four languages. Please note: We always take special care to protect client identity and safeguard confidentiality. Only Martha - as therapist - has direct contact with Rosa.Martha has been working intensely with Rosa - a 20 year old woman - for two years. During the course of their work together, Rosa has made her way through a very painful situation, through which she called herself “a butterfly without wings.” At the completion of their sessions, Martha made a closing document for Rosa to take with her. Martha gives testimony to Rosa's skills and invokes the butterfly metaphor. The document is in the two languages that Rosa speaks (English and Spanish), signed by Martha as a witness and "as a reminder that even though she went through all these difficulties, she has now learned to spread her wings as a butterfly and fly."
Click here to join us in collecting some written and audio reflections in English for Rosa and Martha.
En español
Practicas de Testigos Externos: “Aprendiendo a Extender Mis Alas”
Martha, alrededor de dos años estuvo trabajando con Rosa-una mujer de 20 años. Durante el curso de su trabajo, Rosa ha superado situaciones dolorosas, y como consecuencia de esto ella decía “me cortaron las alas” y soy como una “mariposa sin alas.” Al terminar sus sesiones, Martha hizo un documento final para que Rosa pudiera conservarlo como un testimonio de sus habilidades e invocar la metáfora de la mariposa cuando esto fuese necesario. Este documento fue realizado en los dos lenguajes que Rosa habla (Ingles y Español) firmado por Martha como testigo y como un recordatorio que a pesar ella atravesó por muchas dificultades, ella ahora ha aprendido a extender sus alas como una mariposa y volar”.
Estamos interesados en recolectar mensajes escritos y reflexiones de audio para Martha y Rosa. Qué tal si experimentamos siguiendo sin ser rígidos las Practicas de Testigos Externos de Michael White?
En español: español
En français
Expérimenter la position de témoin extérieur: « Déployer mes ailes » Martha a travaillé avec Rosa – une jeune femme de 20 ans – pendant deux ans. Au cours de leurs rencontres, Rosa a réussi à surmonter une situation très douloureuse, durant laquelle elle se décrivait comme un « papillon sans ailes ». Au cours de nos conversations, lorsque la discussion se focalisait sur le type d'actions qu'elle pourrait initier afin de modifier sa profonde croyance qu'« ils m'avaient coupé les ailes », nous nous re-focalisions plutôt sur ce qui pourrait la rendre capable de voler (d'avoir des ailes) – en nous basant sur ce qui avait de la valeur pour elle, ce qui l'avait soutenue et lui avait donné la force de faire face à ses difficultés à travers les années ».
Nous aimerions recueillir des réflexions écrites et vocales pour Martha et Rosa. Et si on expérimentait une adaptation libre de la pratique du témoin extérieur de Michael White !
En français: français
Em Português
Prática de Testemunha Externa: “Abrindo minhas asas:” Martha vem trabalhando intensamente com Rosa - uma mulher de 20 anos de idade - por dois anos. Durante o curso de seu trabalho em conjunto, foi visto que Rosa superou uma situação muito dolorosa, a partir da qual ela se considerava "uma borboleta sem asas." Ao término das sessões, Martha fez um documento de encerramento que Rosa pudesse levar com ela para casa. Martha foi testemunha das habilidades de Rosa e evocou a metáfora da borboleta. O documento foi escrito nas duas línguas faladas por Rosa (Inglês e Espanhol), assinado por Martha como testemunha e “como um lembrete de que mesmo tendo passado por tantas dificuldades, Rosa já aprendera a abrir suas asas como uma borboleta e voar.”
Estamos interessados em recolher algumas reflexões escritas e em áudio sobre as Práticas de boa vizinhança.
Em Português Português
Can you help?
Please click here if you are bilingual (or tri-lingual!), and would like to chip in some time to this - and future- translation efforts. We will need your help (including translation into other languages).