By Anthony Thanasayan


The term "Deaf culture” is increasingly becoming a popular and hip concept in the world of the Deaf these days. Notice that I spelt “Deaf” with a capital “D” instead of a small “d”. 

Deaf culture is a new philosophy and understanding among the Deaf community, and it is slowly catching on. Deaf people feel that Deafness is a difference rather than a disability. It is a vital part of their identity and cherished as much as ethnicity, gender and religious background. 

Persons who belong in this “cultural” group use sign language as a common language and cultural bond based on what they describe as “their history of oppression.” They may, or may not, choose to use speech to communicate.  

The lowercase “d” for “deaf” is a general term which encompasses many groups of people, most of whom who do not identify themselves as being part of the cultural Deaf community. People who are deaf are usually those with residual hearing and who communicate by using speech instead of sign language.  

Definitions of deafness vary in different regions, but it is usually connected with people with profound hearing loss who choose to associate mainly with hearing persons. 

Whatever ideas or perceptions one may have about the Deaf or those having a hearing impairment, Lucy Lim-Yip of the Majudiri Y Foundation for the Deaf in Kuala Lumpur says it is time for society to realise the importance of Deaf culture.  

“Whether you are an educator, parent or even a Deaf individual, it's necessary to understand and appreciate that people who live in a silent world think and act differently than those in the hearing world,” Lim-Yip explains.  

She goes on to say that educators and teachers of the Deaf need to be mindful that the Deaf learn and comprehend things in ways whereby alternative techniques are often required. 

“Employers should realise their unique skills when trying to match jobs for the Deaf, and parents may need to rethink their present strategies in helping their hearing-loss children to effectively cope with their conditions.” 

As for the general public who largely belong to a non-Deaf community, the assistant manager and sign language interpreter of the Deaf foundation strongly believes it is high time to look beyond the perceptions of the Deaf being a disabled group and to appreciate the Deaf as a group of people who have a unique and undiscovered culture. 

“The hearing establishment is sometimes so powerful that they tend to drown out the “voice” of the Deaf,” explains Lim-Yip who is non-Deaf. “This doesn"t help in removing the invisible wall that exists between the Deaf and the non-Deaf, ultimately dividing people from people. 

“This is why the Deaf don’t get the same opportunities in education, in jobs and even in seeking medical attention, as their hearing peers.”  

Lim-Yip offers a good example of how the Deaf are disadvantaged in the hearing world: Imagine if one or two non-Deaf students were in a classroom of, say, 40 Deaf students, and being taught by a Deaf teacher who only uses sign language as the medium of instruction.  

The hearing students with no knowledge of sign language have no choice but to sit through the classes because there are no hearing schools in their village.  

They are also forced to fit into the culture of the Deaf, befriend only their kind and be expected to pass a major exam like SPM – all using sign language! 

“What are the chances of someone succeeding under such circumstances?” asks Lim-Yip.  

“This is the exact situation that many Deaf students find themselves in. They struggle daily with the written language – a communication and language structure which is foreign to their culture,” Lim-Yip points out. “More so, in a classroom where the others are hearing classmates, and they have little or no access to support systems like sign language interpreters.” 

Against such dismal surroundings, the Majudiri Y Foundation is trying to raise awareness about the Deaf Culture. 

Lim-Yip disclosed that the foundation is already in the process of publishing a book on the Deaf culture, entitled Deaf Culture – Perspectives from Deaf Malaysians.  

“Our counterparts in the West already have many books on the topic and even though we are a little late in coming up with one, we’re quite sure that ours will be just as special and serve as a useful guide to younger Deaf generations in Malaysia,” says Lim-Yip.  

According to her, Perspectives will include a brief history and introduction of Deaf communities throughout Malaysia and detailed documentation on the Deaf culture in the country.  

Apart from also touching on the hearing culture, it will cover many Deaf issues and feature inspiring short stories from Deaf individuals and about Deaf-related events.  

Deaf Culture – Perspectives from Deaf Malaysians, a resource book for educators, sign language students and parents of the Deaf, is scheduled for release in September, in conjunction with International Deaf Day.  

The book is supported by a grant from Ford Conservation & Heritage. 

For further information, contact: Majudiri Y Foundation for the Deaf,
26A, Jalan Padang Belia, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2274 3766 / fax: 03-2274 0839
e-mail: lucy@mydeafoundation.org
website: www.mydeafoundation.org