Our excursion to Copenhagen!

First, I must say Happy Halloween!!! I know it's a silly American holiday but ... :)
We just returned from Copenhagen... what a busy week! We went to different places every day and learned a lot about the Deaf community in Denmark. A few were particularly interesting to me...

Castberg tour
Redtop, a Deaf leader, gave us a tour in his beautiful sign language about Dr. Castberg, the "father" of Deaf Education in Denmark. It was a fascinating story and touching to learn how events unfolded. Because of this man, Denmark has had sign language in the Deaf Education system since the 1800s rather than being influenced by the neighboring oral Germany.

Deaf TV
Denmark has 40 hours of Deaf TV programming every year. We learned about the history beginning in the 60s and the different programs they provide for different age groups. It was fun for me to learn about Deaf TV because America hasn't had any Deaf programming since the early 90s.

CI meeting
We met with an audiologist who works with Cochlear Implants. She explained about the device and how it works, as well as what has been happening in Denmark. In the past year, 98% of Deaf babies have been implanted and we asked her questions about this happening. She emphasized that CIs can benefit ALL Deaf people- ranging from hearing the birds singing to becoming completely "hearing". She was unable to give straight answers and kept on "blaming" the parents- saying over and over that the parents chose this for their children. They are responsible for researching and making the informed decision to proceed with implantation. She even went so far saying that she is not responsible for the long-term effects and other psychological issues that may happen with the child. Very interesting...

Update

We covered a wide variety of topics in the past two weeks... we also took breaks from focusing on DEAF issues by playing golf, completing several brainteaser activities and watching a film that showed characteristics of high power distance and about how people react to change. (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest with Jack Nicholson- very good movie!!!! I also highly recommend the book!)

Last week, Peter Niemela, a Finnish living here in Denmark, came and discussed different components of the Deaf World with us. He focused on history and sports and shared his "Deaf Stamp" collection with us. (105 stamps in all. Many focused on Helen Keller, sign language and L'Epee- there was even one of a Cochlear Implant! Very interesting!) As Peter was sharing historical information and pictures with us, I couldn't stop thinking about how important it is for our Deaf youth to learn about our history and to have that a part of the school curriculum. As children learn about important figures in history, they also need to learn about Deaf Education and how it developed throughout the world. They need to know about Milan and what has happened in the past century. They also need to understand why residential Deaf schools and Deaf Clubs are so important to the Deaf World and their part in our history. They need to learn about the revolutions in the Deaf community and all the accomplishments that we've made in fighting for our rights. Knowing about our history and the important figures in our community would benefit Deaf youth in so many ways. If they know their roots and where they came from, they can better understand who they are now and why they live the way they do. They would not feel lost. They would also have a sense of pride in who they are, be confident in the Deaf World and what it has to offer and share this positive attitude with others. Also, if we know our history, we can learn from the mistakes- both our own and others'. That way, we can lessen the chance of making the same mistakes- ones that can cost us years and years and one lost child too many. Knowing about past accomplishments and what people have done for the Deaf World in the past can also instill a sense of gratitude and inspire Deaf youth to fight for future generations.

Deaf Culture and the Deaf Community

Deaf Culture: it is a common topic of discussion and debate in the Deaf Community. When Deaf people gather at events or conferences, this topic will somehow creep into conversations and the results may be unpredictable! Frontrunners has been discussing this topic at length but it seems like more questions than answers can be found! Why is that?
I feel that it's hard to define Deaf Culture simply because it involves so much and the members are so diverse. For as long as I can remember, I've always known that there are many different "kinds" of Deaf people- we all have different experiences with sign language, our families, education, etc. We are also scattered all over the world so it's harder to keep the culture steady like other territorial cultures can.
Hilde Haualand, a Deaf(!) anthropologist from Norway, came for one day this week. We seized the chance and asked her many questions about Deaf Culture and the Deaf Community. Her answers confirmed what we had already known, it is impossible to perfectly define a culture. Culture is a process and is constantly changing; cultures are influenced by other cultures, especially the majority culture. This has happened with the Deaf Culture- the hearing community has always been somehow a part of our community. In fact, this is how Deaf Culture was created in the first place! The Deaf people as an oppressed group came together to create a group that emphasizes sameness (deafness and sign language) and to unify against the oppressors. Deaf Culture may also differ in places around the world. In places such as Europe and America, the foundation of the Deaf Culture and Community are the Deaf Club and Deaf School (residential schools built in the 1800s). Some countries do not have these- their culture may be based on something else like clubs and community events. Also, some Deaf Clubs and Schools are closing- will that affect Deaf Culture? Not only that, but with the advances in technology and improved education, the future of the Deaf Community will look very different.

I also found it very interesting that Hilde said people belonging to minority groups are natural anthropologists. I find this absolutely true! We are constantly evaluating cultures and trying to figure out how to behave in different cultures. We are bicultural because we, as Deaf people with our own language and norms, live in a Hearing society. We face many hearing people everyday wherever we go.

Hilde explained about Deaf People being part of a Global Village when we gather at international events. We also create a Global Village at national or local events. Like I said before, we are constantly surrounded by the Hearing community so when we gather, it is like a temporary play world where normal rules are replaced by close and egalitarian communitas. The experience is intense because time is short- we use the time to socialize, share ideas, network and more. It is a time when deafness is normal and everyone is surrounded by people like us. We tend to say that we are "home" when we attend these events and participate in the temporary Global Villages.

It was a great day and I enjoyed learning from Hilde! As for the topic of Deaf Culture- all I can say is... to be continued! :)

World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)

Last week, a well-known American (from Sweden) came and worked with us for almost two days. Yerker Andersson has been working at Gallaudet for many years and developed the Deaf Studies department in the 1990s. I had heard about this man but never had a chance to meet him- it was so great being able to learn from him and even to sit down and drink tea with him! :)
Besides working at Gallaudet, Yerker has also been involved in the WFD for many years- as Vice President 1975-1983 and President from 1983 to 1995. It was fascinating listening to him describe his experiences working with different countries and the cultural clashes that happened.

Yerker explained how society followed the medical model of deafness and focused on "fixing the deafness problem" for almost a century. As an organization, WFD (established in 1951) also followed the medical model until the 1980s. Yerker called 1983-1987 the breaking point when Deaf people declared that we have a culture and should not focus on "becoming hearing." That period was our "revolution" when sign language was being recognized as a true language and that Deaf people are not broken hearing people but rather members of the Deaf Community with its own language and culture. The results of years and years of restlessness and excitement can be seen in the Deaf President Now! Revolution at Gallaudet University in 1988. WFD made many changes- for example, rules were finally established in 1995 requiring only Deaf Delegates to partake in the congress/conferences. (WFD Presidents have always been Deaf).

It is hard to believe that so much has happened in the past 20 years in the Deaf Community around the world in terms of legal rights, acceptance, awareness, etc. Of course, we have to remember that it has come a century too late and that we still have so much to do!

Yerker explained about different organizations around the world that work with WFD. WFD works closely with the United Nations and International Disability Alliance (IDA), which includes the organizations Disabled Peoples' International, World Blind Union, and more. WFD is also involved with the World Health Organization (WHO). I found it very interesting that in 2002, WHO accepted both the medical and social model for deafness. I couldn't help but think- what an accomplishment! But it happened in the 21st century!?!?

I enjoyed having Yerker here tremendously and hope to see him again at Gallaudet someday!

Our excursion to Finland!

What a week we had! We went to Helsinki, Finland to participate in the International Conference of the WFD for Human Rights. The conference was titled “Our Rights, Our Future” and had speakers who focused on the topic of human rights in the Deaf community. The right to use sign language and to be educated in sign language was the main theme of the human rights conference.
This was my first experience attending an international conference- it was amazing- all the sign languages being used, the different colors and dress, the unity of Deaf Peoples! It was inspiring to see two Deaf members of their country Parliament speak in the conference (Wilma of South Africa and Helga of the Flemish Parliament in Belgium). That got me thinking about Deaf politicians in the USA… have to research on that…
After being a professional and an educator in the Deaf Education field for some time now, it was strange attending a conference as a Frontrunners participant- which now has been termed an extremist group by some! :) As a group, we gave a short presentation and handed out flyers about genocide against the Deaf Community. We also wore t-shirts with a picture of bowling pins representing the Deaf Community and a bowling ball representing genocide. We shared information about how genocide is happening in the Deaf Community- through genetic engineering and the suppressing of sign languages.
Overall, many Deaf people at the conference agreed with us and support using the term genocide. However, some still associate genocide only with murders and devastation (the Holocaust, for example). The UN has established an international definition for genocide- two articles apply to the Deaf Community: forcibly transferring children from a group into another and causing seriously bodily or mental harm to members of the group. I feel that this is absolutely true. I have seen many Deaf children being transferred into the hearing world without having any say in the process and the mental harm that has resulted. Not only that, but also the harm of delayed language development, cognitive thinking and learning that occurs in almost all Deaf children. I do understand the countless parents and educators who believe it is best for the Deaf child to be able to function in the mainstream (aka hearing and normal) society. It is a logical argument for any minority group- in order to survive or to become successful, you have to be able to function in the majority society. However, it is impossible to have the one perfect ideal that everyone can and must follow. (Like my parents always said “What is normal, anyway!?!?“) That is why diversity is finally being embraced nowadays in many nations- resulting in more acceptance in language and cultural differences among peoples. It was interesting for me to learn about the countries that embrace minority groups and language diversity and how the Deaf usually fare better in these countries.
Outside the conference, I met many great people and did some international networking! I also attended a performance with groups from different countries- with drama, dancing and even rapping by Deaf performers! We had a great time and I look forward to attending the next international conference! :) (Hopefully that will be the conference in France next month!)

American Sign Language (ASL) as Genocide in the Deaf World

This is in response to Minna’s questions asking if ASL is our own genocide in the Deaf Community- specifically in third world countries. (See: ASL and 3rd World at www.frontrunners-minna.blogspot.com) Minna is right… ASL can be found in many places around the world. Although the language has been intensively studied and documented and is revered as one of the identifying factors of our Deaf Culture, it has spread outside the good ol’ USA. Why is this? Why is ASL used in many other countries? Is this in fact the genocide of sign languages?
In reference to Africa and other third-world countries that are using ASL today, I don’t think that language genocide is the easy answer to the question why ASL is being used there. The spread of ASL in these countries should be viewed more like natural language development and creolizing.
Andrew Foster, the first Black man to graduate from Gallaudet University, founded 13 Deaf Schools in Africa in the 1900s. Although many of these countries were former British and French colonies, Foster used ASL in his instruction and implementation of Deaf Education. This is viewed as negative by some and may also be viewed as language genocide. However, there are so many factors that need to be considered before declaring it to be genocide. First, these African countries did have their own indigenous sign languages but they were not documented and many hearing educators were not involved in the Deaf Community so they did not know sign language. Foster taught a “crash-course” in ASL vocabulary to many hearing teachers, perhaps because it was convenient and because the native sign languages had not yet been documented. Today, there is a resurgence in the research and protection of many native sign languages in Africa. Before Foster arrived, these African countries may have been using French or British sign languages- should that also be considered genocide? The exactly same thing happened to ASL in the 1800s. ASL was “born” as a creole of Clerc’s sign language from France (which followed the spoken grammar), indigenous sign languages that was already present in America and home signs that had developed. Contact languages that are passed down across generations undergo structural expansion called creolizing. This is a natural process of language development where vocabulary and grammar are borrowed from different languages to form its own. This has happened in many places with both spoken and sign languages, as well as sign languages other than ASL. New Zealand and Australia use a form of British Sign Language. Many European sign languages have borrowed from French Sign Language because L’Epee, a French priest, founded many Deaf schools across Europe in the 1700-1800s.
Of course, it is different nowadays- if someone goes to a different country and forces ASL upon the Deaf Community, that should be considered as genocide. But there are also other factors to consider in today‘s society. The world has become “smaller” through technology (especially the internet) and the English language (particularly American English) has spread rapidly throughout the world. Through globalization, English has become the “language of the world” and many corporations and agencies know that in order to succeed in the business/marketing world, they need to know English. It is natural for the sign language most associated with American English to become the “international sign language” of the world, which happens to be ASL. People associate ASL with English because it is used in the USA, and because of the numerous attempts throughout history to combine the two languages through manual English, SEE, etc. Should we call this the genocide of the Deaf Community? Should we blame English as genocide in the general world of languages? Because as long as English dominates the world, so will ASL in the Deaf Community.

NOTE: It is unfortunate that so many native sign languages have not been recognized and protected. Here, I am not dismissing this occurrence or its disastrous results. Rather, I am focusing on the concept "language genocide" as associated with ASL usage throughout the world.