Testimonio Objetivo

Testimonio Objetivo is a musical realization of my personal creation story from my birth in Puerto Rico, through my childhood, and into my adult present and future. The composition centers on an original Spanish text that is drawn from experienced and remembered life-events, and my feelings and perceptions about them. The composition represents a musical, symbolic, and textual narrative that articulates experiences that provides insight into how I, as a person, was formed. The composition is performed using a data-driven musical instrument that employs a Wacom tablet and Kyma system.

The text does not follow any common literary form and might best be understood as existing at a point between being a literary stanza, lyrics of a song, and libretto of an opera. But it is really none of these. The text reads more like a legal court testimony, a testimony that is presented factually and without emotional expression.

Text and Translations

Spanish	English	Chinese
Cuando mis padres me llevaron de Puerto Rico a la parte continental de los Estados Unidos, el barco en el que viajamos estaba rodeado de tiburones.	When my parents brought me from Puerto Rico to the mainland of the United States the boat we traveled on was surrounded by sharks.	当我的父母将我从波多黎各带到美国大陆，那条我们乘坐的船周围环绕着鲨鱼。
Debería haber sabido entonces las experiencias que me esperaban.	I should have known then the experiences that awaited me.	我当时就应该知道，即将到来的是怎么样的一段经历。
De niño mis apodos eran “jigaboo” y “spic and span.”	As a child my nicknames were “jigaboo” and “spic and span.”	小时候我的绰号是“jigaboo” 老黑和“spic and span.”
Yo no sabía lo que significaban. Era ignorante.	I didn’t recognize their meanings. I was ignorant.	我没有认识到这些字眼的含义，那时的我懵懂无知。
Como mi madre percibía en mí “una sensibilidad profunda,” me advirtió que el mundo trataría de explotarme y aprovecharse de mí.	Because my mother saw “deep sympatico” within me, she warned that the world would seek to exploit and take advantage of me.	因为我的母亲在我身上看到了“强大的共情能力，她警告我这个世界会设法占我的便宜并且利用我。
Mi padre me dijo que habría gente que diría ser mi amiga o supuestos aliados que intentarían “meterme un cuchillo por el culo.” Así hablaba él.	My father told me that there would be people who claimed to be my friends or allies would try to “shove a knife up my ass.” [He spoke that way.]	我的父亲告诉我，会有一些自称是我朋友或盟友的人，会试图“把刀插进我的屁股”。[他就那样说话]
Ambos pronósticos resultaron ser ciertos.	Both forecasts turned out to be true.	这两个预测都变成了现实。
Tal y como las mujeres sienten dolor a causa de la crítica (y las consecuencias de ella) que las cataloga injusta y negativamente de mandonas, agresivas, duras, o controladoras, y sienten un tipo de empujón que las hace retroceder hacia los estereotipos femeninos tradicionales, yo también sufro los aguijonazos de acciones dirigidas en mi contra que tratan de extinguir el estereotipo imaginado de macho latino debido a las acciones decisivas que yo tomo, o a la pasión y confianza en mí mismo que demuestro.	Just as women wince at the criticism (and consequential actions) when unfairly and negatively labeled as bossy, pushy, abrasive, or controlling, and feel the push that directs them back towards traditional female stereotypes, I feel the sting of actions directed against me that seek to extinguish the imagined Latin macho stereotype projected on me because of the decisive actions I take or the passion and confidence I display.	正如女性对外界批评感到不适（和反感），当她们被不公平地、负面地贴上专横、粗暴或控制欲的标签，并且感受到指引她们退化的社会压力推回到传统女性的刻板印象，我感受到别人对我带刺的攻击，他们试图扼杀我身上的拉丁男子气概，因为我果断的行为，或是我展现出的热情和自信。
El silencio al observar a mis amigos es hondo, profundo, y maravilloso.	The silence of observing friends is deep, profound, and spectacular.	观察朋友的沉默是深沉、深刻且壮丽的。
Dado que cada Karen que encuentro me hace su fugitivo, camino por bosques de hostilidad y lucho contra muros blancos que perdurarán toda mi vida.	Because Karens make me their fugitives, I walk in forests of antagonism and contended with white walls that will endure my lifetime.	因为每一个凯伦都把我当成逃犯，我走在充满恶意的森林中并与这些白墙作斗争，这将持续我的一生。
Taíno, africano, y español, yo soy la mezcolanza nueva, hecha por la historia reciente.	Taino, African, and Spanish, I am the mongrel (hybrid), new, made by recent history.	泰诺人，非洲人，和西班牙人，我是多个种族的混血儿，是由最近的历史造就的。
Soy muchos en uno.	I am many in one.	我是众多的个体汇聚为一个。
La subyugación tormentosa no puede correr más rápido que mis muchos corazones victoriosos.	Torturous subjugation cannot outrun my many victorious hearts.	痛苦的压制不能夺走我坚信的必胜之心。
Y hasta el final derribaré obstáculos, andaré por nuevos caminos, y emprenderé viajes en los que el misterio será eterno.	And to the end I will move obstacles, walk new paths, and pursue journeys where mystery remains eternal.	直到最后，我将移除障碍，我将走上新的道路，并追求旅程，那些充满神秘永恒的旅程。