WHEEL POWER
BY ANTHONY THANASAYAN

ALTHOUGH they live mostly in a silent world, there is nothing remotely quiet when it comes to the Deaf community having a good time.

September is traditionally the time of the year when they celebrate International Deaf Day, which falls on the last Sunday of September.

Parents of Deaf children, educators and members of the public who are keen to find out more about the services and facilities available to Deaf persons and their families should make their way to the Auditorium Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur this Sunday. It is the venue for the Deaf Festival 2006 which is held from 10am until 4pm.

This Open Day event is the culmination of a month-long celebration of Deaf awareness activities. About 30 exhibitors from various government agencies as well as associations and societies working with the Deaf will be participating.

The event is organised by the Majudiri Y Foundation for the Deaf in Kuala Lumpur.

A highlight of the occasion is the Foundation’s launching of the book Understanding Deaf Culture – Malaysian Perspective. It contains a brief history and introduction of the Deaf as a community with a cultural identity.

(Incidentally, the word “Deaf” has been spelt with a capital “D” in this article to draw a distinction from labelling the “Deaf” from a medical viewpoint. The capital “D” in Deaf is used in a cultural sense, as a declaration of personal identity rather than an explanation of a hearing ability.)

Understanding Deaf Culture – Malaysian Perspective takes a look at the lives of the Deaf, the struggles and issues they face, and what Deaf education is. It also contains detailed illustrations by Deaf artists and inspiring stories.

“The Deaf Festival is an event which will have something for both Deaf and Hearing persons,” promised K. Ariyathavaratnam, a board trustee member of the Majudiri Y Foundation.

He is also the father of Surendra, who is married to Najinder Kaur. Surendra and Najinder are a Deaf couple.

What Ariya and his wife experienced when they discovered that their son had a hearing loss was a nightmare that all parents of the Deaf experience – when proper guidance and support are not available. They went into depression but, thankfully, it did not last long as they received support from their family and relatives. They also drew strength from their faith.

When Surendra’s deafness was confirmed, Ariya and his wife were, at the same time, relieved that it wasn’t due to some other, more serious condition.

From then on, they went all out to ensure that Surendra had the best support. They got their child started at the age of five years on early intervention programmes that were targeted at improving his language development. Ariya and his wife also did not hesitate to look for help from Deaf communities overseas.

“We had a voracious appetite for any kind of information that could help us cope with the condition of our boy – and we stopped at nothing to get it,” Ariya pointed out.

The experience led Ariya to be involved in a number of NGOs as well as become one of the founding members of the YMCA Parents’ Support group in 1988.

Thanks to Ariya and his wife’s perseverance, Surendra is today a happily married man who is currently involved in activities with the Buddhist Deaf Dharma group.

“Visitors to this Sunday’s Deaf Festival at the DBKL auditorium will not be disappointed,” said Ariya who also offers counselling for the Deaf in areas of employment as well as other issues.

“The public will be able to not only witness the tremendous achievements of our local Deaf community but also have the opportunity to meet and mingle with them in a silent but very eventful world,” he concluded.

# For further information regarding the Deaf Festival, contact Lucy Lim-Yip, Assistant Manager/Sign Language Interpreter, Majudiri Y Foundation for the Deaf, 26A, Jalan Padang Belia, 50470 Kuala Lumpur (TEL: 03-2274 3766 / fax: 03-2274 0839 / e-mail:lucy@mydeafoun dation.org). Visit the website:www.mydeafoundation.org