Some years ago, it was my good fortune to meet a tribal elder on an island not far from Vancouver.

幾年前，我有幸在一個離溫哥華不遠的小島上遇到一位部落長者。

His name is Jimmy Smith, and he shared a story with me that is told among his people, who call themselves the "Kwikwasut'inuxw."

他叫Jimmy Smith，在他的部落，人們稱自己為Kwikwasut'inuxw，Jimmy 和我分享了一個在他的部落中流傳的故事。

Once upon a time, he told me, all animals on Earth were one.

他告訴我，很久很久以前，地球上的動物都是同一種生物。

Even though they look different on the outside, inside, they're all the same.

雖然他們外在看似不同，但他們的內在其實都是一樣的。

And from time to time they would gather at a sacred cave, deep inside the forest to celebrate their unity.

有時，在森林深處，他們會聚在一個神聖山洞中，慶祝他們的團結一致。

When they arrived, they would all take off their skins.

當他們都到山洞裡時，他們會褪去皮囊。

Raven shed his feathers, bear his fur, and salmon her scales, and then, they would dance.

烏鴉脫下他的羽毛，熊脫下他的毛皮，鮭魚脫去她的鱗片，接著，他們一起跳舞。

But one day, a human made it to the cave and laughed at what he saw because he did not understand.

但有一天，人類來到了這個洞穴，因為他一無所知，所以便嘲笑了他所看到的一切。

Embarrassed, the animals fled, and that was the last time they revealed themselves this way.

動物們難堪地逃走了，之後他們不再袒露自己。

The ancient understanding that underneath their separate identities, all animals are one, has been a powerful inspiration to me.

古老的理解是，在動物們不同的身份之下，他們都是一體的，這對我來說是一個深深的啟發。

I like to get past the fur, the feathers and the scales.

我想越過毛皮、羽毛和鱗片。

I want to get under the skin.

我想透過皮膚。

No matter whether I'm facing a giant elephant or a tiny tree frog, my goal is to connect us with them, eye to eye.

不論眼前是一隻巨大的象或渺小的樹蛙，我欲透過透過眼神而連結彼此。

You may wonder, do I ever photograph people? Sure.

你或許會想問，我會拍攝人嗎？當然。

People are always presented in my photos, no matter whether they appear to portray tortoises or cougars or lions.

人們總是出現在我的照片中，無論他們好似扮演著烏龜、美洲豹或獅子的角色。

You just have to learn how to look past that their disguise.

你只需要學習如何看透他們的偽裝。

As a photographer, I try to reach beyond the differences in our genetic makeup to appreciate all we have in common with every other living thing.

身為一個攝影師，我試圖超越所有基因帶來的偽裝，欣賞我們和其他生物的共同點。

When I use my camera, I drop my skin like the animals at that cave, so I can show who they really are.

當我攝影時，我像洞穴裡的動物一樣，褪下皮囊以顯現我們的真實的樣貌。

As animals blessed with the power of rational thought, we can marvel at the intricacies of life.

身為擁有理性思維的動物，我們能驚奇於生命的錯綜複雜。

As citizens of a planet in trouble, it is our moral responsibility to deal with the dramatic loss in diversity of life.

身為這顆處於困境中的星球的居民，我們有義務處理生命多樣性所發生的重大損失。

But as humans with hearts, we can all rejoice in the unity of life, and perhaps we can change what once happened in that sacred cave.

但身為有情感的人類，我們能夠為生命的團結一致而欣喜，而我們也許能改變曾在那個神聖的山洞中所發生的事。

Let's find a way to join the dance.

讓我們找個方法加入生命之舞。

Thank you.

謝謝。