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Humanity takes center stage at TED,

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but I would like to add 
a voice for the animals,

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whose bodies and minds 
and spirits shaped us.

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Some years ago, it was my good fortune

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to meet a tribal elder on an island

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not far from Vancouver.

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His name is Jimmy Smith,

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and he shared a story with me

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that is told among his people,

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who call themselves the Kwikwasut'inuxw.

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Once upon a time, he told me,

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all animals on Earth were one.

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Even though they look different on the outside,

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inside, they're all the same,

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and from time to time they would gather

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at a sacred cave deep inside the forest

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to celebrate their unity.

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When they arrived,

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they would all take off their skins.

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Raven shed his feathers, bear his fur,

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and salmon her scales,

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and then, they would dance.

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But one day, a human made it to the cave

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and laughed at what he saw

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because he did not understand.

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Embarrassed, the animals fled,

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and that was the last time

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they revealed themselves this way.

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The ancient understanding that underneath

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their separate identities, all animals are one,

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has been a powerful inspiration to me.

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I like to get past the fur, the feathers

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and the scales.

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I want to get under the skin.

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No matter whether I'm facing a giant elephant

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or a tiny tree frog,

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my goal is to connect us with them, eye to eye.

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You may wonder, do I ever photograph people?

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Sure. People are always present in my photos,

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no matter whether they appear

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to portray tortoises

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or cougars

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or lions.

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

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As a photographer,

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I try to reach beyond the differences

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in our genetic makeup

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to appreciate all we have in common

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with every other living thing.

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When I use my camera,

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I drop my skin

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like the animals at that cave

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so I can show who they really are.

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As animals blessed

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with the power of rational thought,

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we can marvel at the intricacies of life.

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As citizens of a planet in trouble,

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it is our moral responsibility

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to deal with the dramatic loss in diversity of life.

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But as humans with hearts,

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we can all rejoice in the unity of life,

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and perhaps we can change

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what once happened in that sacred cave.

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Let's find a way to join the dance.

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Thank you.

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(Applause)