VOA常速英语2014--150 Years After Defeat, Sochi Olympics Divide Native Circassians 索契的切尔克斯人

 

150 Years After Defeat, Sochi Olympics Divide Native Circassians 索契的切尔克斯人

SOCHI — As thousands of visitors enjoy the Winter Olympic venues¹ in Sochi, there is a growing argument about the history of the land they were built on. Russia forcefully expelled the indigenous² people of the region, a Muslim ethnic³ group known as the Circassians, 150 years ago.

索契 — 正当数千名游客观赏索契冬奥会的同时，有关这块土地的历史争议却没间断。150年前，俄罗斯驱逐了生活在当地、信奉穆斯林的切尔克斯人。

Stray dogs laze next to fly-bitten cows in the muddy roads, disturbed only by the occasional tractor or beaten-up car. There is a slow hiss⁴ and lingering smell from the old overground gas pipes that snake through the village.

Bolshoi Kichmai seems a long way from the futuristic ice domes⁵ of the Olympic Park, but it is only one hour from Sochi along twisting mountain roads.

Ninety percent of the residents are ethnic Shapsug Circassians, the indigenous Muslim people of the northern Caucasus.

尽管看起来距离奥林匹克公园似乎遥远，但是沿着蜿蜒的山路，博利绍.基希迈村距离索契其实只有一个小时。百分之九十的居民是切尔克斯人，他们是居住在北高加索切尔卡斯亚的穆斯林原住民。艾萨.阿契米兹是这个村庄民俗博物馆的馆长。他以自己的族裔为豪。

'Gallant⁶ soldier'

In the village folk museum, director Aisa Achmizov stokes the fire beneath a cauldron of soup. He speaks proudly of his race.

“The word Circassian can be translated differently, but here it has one meaning - gallant soldier,” he said.

阿契米兹说：“切尔克斯人这个字，有不同的翻法。但是它只有一个意思，那就是英勇的战士。”

Just a few villages like this survive near Sochi. The Circassian population was nearly wiped out in the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in 1860s.

1860年代俄罗斯征服高加索，切尔克斯人几乎被歼灭，只有少数村落幸存下来。

Hundreds of thousands were forced to flee from the beaches of Sochi on boats, and up to a third of these people drowned or starved to death. Georgia has officially recognized the expulsion as genocide.

成千上万人被迫乘船离开索契，大约三分之一的人不是溺死，就是饿死。格鲁吉亚已经正式认定：切尔克斯人被驱逐，是一种种族清洗。

Mixed reaction

Moscow has offered little recognition or apology, angering many of the millions of Circassians living overseas.

不过，俄罗斯并未提出道歉，此举让几百万名居住在海外的切尔克斯人感到愤怒。

In May this year the Circassians will mark 150 years since their defeat at the hands of Russian forces. But Circassian Governing Council local chairman Khalid Talif said few Circassians here appear interested in stirring up history.

今年五月是切尔克斯人败给俄罗斯人、被赶出这片河谷的150周年。不过切尔克斯理事会当地的主席塔里夫说，只有少数切尔克斯人有兴趣挑起历史争议。

"It is an historical fact that Circassians were defeated by Russian forces and became part of Russia," said Talif. "But now, you will not find one person here who wants to break away and be independent of Russia.”

塔里夫说：“切尔克斯人被俄罗斯人打败，并且成为俄罗斯的一部分，是历史事实。目前我们找不到一个想脱离俄罗斯、并且独立的人。”

Last week Chechen Islamist leader Doku Umarov invoked⁷ the history of the Circassians in calling for terror attacks against the Sochi Olympics -- saying the Olympic facilities were built on the bones of dead Muslims.

Aisa Achmizov of the folk museum said those sentiments have no place among the Circassians.

上个星期，车臣伊斯兰派领袖乌马罗夫引用切尔克斯人的历史说，索契建于死亡穆斯林的坟地上，他呼吁对索契冬奥运进行恐怖攻击。不过，艾萨.阿契米兹说，这些情绪性的挑衅不会获得切尔克斯人的认同。

"There is nowhere in the world where blood has not been spilt at some point in history," he said. “The Olympics is a question for the politicians, not for us.”

阿契米兹说：“历史上，没有一个地方没有被血洒过。拿奥运作文章是政客的事，不是我们。”

Inside the Olympic Park, organizers have erected⁸ a ‘Circassian House’ to showcase their culture. Asked by VOA at a news conference about Circassian concerns, Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov gave a robust⁹ defense¹⁰.

主办者在奥林匹克公园内竖立起切尔克斯楼，以展示他们的文化。当被美国之音问到切尔克斯人对历史的关切，索契市长帕霍莫夫在记者会中极力提出辩护。

Last August, Circassians from all over the world came to a convention in Sochi, and not one person had anything bad to say, said Pakhomov, adding that “many visitors thought that the Circassians here are living better than they do. So everything you know is incorrect.”

帕霍莫夫说：“去年八月，来自全球的切尔克斯人到索契参加一个会议，没有一个人提出批评。大部分的人认为生活在索契的切尔克斯人过得比他们还好，因此，你所知道的是错误的。”

The debate over the historic fate of the Circassians in Sochi is happening far beyond the remote valleys of Bolshoi Kichmai, driven mainly by the diaspora overseas.

 

Circassians here appear more interested in self-preservation and teaching their culture to future generations.

有关在索契切尔克斯人历史命运的辩论，主要是由居住海外的切尔克斯人主导，当地的切尔克斯人比较热衷于自保，以及教育未来一代他们的文化。

1 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

2 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

3 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

4 hiss   

v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满

参考例句：

• We can hear the hiss of air escaping from a tire.我们能听到一只轮胎的嘶嘶漏气声。
• Don't hiss at the speaker.不要嘘演讲人。

5 domes   

n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场

参考例句：

• The domes are circular or ovoid in cross-section. 穹丘的横断面为圆形或卵圆形。 来自辞典例句
• Parks. The facilities highlighted in text include sport complexes and fabric domes. 本书重点讲的设施包括运动场所和顶棚式结构。 来自互联网

6 gallant   

adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的

参考例句：

• Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。
• These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

7 invoked   

v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求

参考例句：

• It is unlikely that libel laws will be invoked. 不大可能诉诸诽谤法。
• She had invoked the law in her own defence. 她援引法律为自己辩护。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 ERECTED   

adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立

参考例句：

• A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
• A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。

9 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

10 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。