From Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen: Yesterday The New Age published a shorter version and the Cape Times the full version of my letter sent to the papers. Nothing about us without us: as we head for 3rd December, International day of Disabled people On Thursday last week a few deaf people attended a South African sign language seminar. I emphasize a few deaf people. South Africa Sign Language is our language and presenting at a sign language seminar should be deaf people themselves, users of South Africa Sign language. At the start of the meeting, National Director of DeafSA got up to ask why is a seminar for SASL being presented by hearing people and not deaf people? Why is the panel talking about the deaf and SASL a panel of hearing people. One organisation representative quietly left the panel to allow a deaf person from that organisation to present on the panel. He gave a wonderful presentation. Why wasnt that planned in the first place? The Deaf community is the most marginalised community even within the disability community. Why are deaf people then being more marginalised when it comes to discussions about their own language, sign language. I can count the number of deaf people on my hands at that seminar organised by WC department of culture affairs and sports. It is not only that department but many others who leave out the majority of the deaf people that are suppose to be there. Department of education is planning the SASL caps curriculum but without deaf people taking the lead, without DeafSA being consulted on all levels. Deafsa is an active DPO ( disabled peoples organisation) that lobbys and advocates for the needs and rights of deaf people. Deafsa is also affiliated to World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). Why isnt DeafSA consulted on all levels especially about South Africa Sign Language and its implementation into deaf schools? Our deaf schools do have qualified deaf teachers and deaf teachers aides who are there to assist hearing teachers with SASL. But deaf teachers aides are not being used optimally for many reasons. Deaf teachers aides should be trained and prepared on how they can be used to implement the caps curriculum but the refrain in the department of education is always we dont have deaf people, deaf people cant, deaf people are not educated enough. Why? And how long must the department keep saying that in this 21st century? SASL also has a rich culture and history of our signs, but that rich history and culture is not recognised. Instead its turned into a complaint of too many different signs, too many different regional signs that makes it a problem. We know that the way one speaks Zulu or Xhosa in one area is spoken differently in another region, but that is accepted and respected. Why then cant our South Africa Sign Language be accepted by hearing people? We, the deaf people, know our SASL no matter what region we come from and no matter what region we go to, we still understand each other. So please respect our SASL. Deafsa just finished a week long training program for our deaf social Auxillary workers. This training program is funded by health and welfare seta. This training is done fully in SASL with the writer of this letter as one of the trainers together with a hearing social worker fully conversant in SASL. Why is this kind of training not being done for our deaf teachers aides? Why is this not done within the department of education together with ETDP SETA (education training and development practice)? At the SASL seminar, the MEC of culture affairs and sports told us deaf people must claim your space so is it not time for government and departmental staff to allow deaf people to claim their space, claim their SASL? Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, is Deaf Vice chairperson of DeafSA Vice President of World Federation of the Deaf Former Member of Parliament
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 12:28:24 +0000
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