oh the excitement of learning a new language.
went to a @mavspaceid signature class on sign language yesterday with pak @hermanhandoyo and bu @wind.utami from @inaslijakarta . it was a fun-packed two-hour session spent with kind-hearted people.
we can speak of the session from so many angles. it was that rich. we can see it from an inclusivity perspective—making a more inclusive world, which is appealing. we can marvel at the fact that the language is so natural and expressive—which is a bonus for me as it would help me become more animated.
there is also a curious point that, in indonesia, formal education teaches Sibi sign language, while Bisindo is used in everyday life. or we can simply talk about the excitement of learning a new language, with all cultural layers. told you it was rich.
among all the richness, there is one that i want to highlight: when pak herman and bu winda explained the difference between “tuli” and “tuna rungu”. pehaps the english equivalence would be between deaf and hearing-impaired.
the word “tuna” or “impaired” implies “a deficit or that something is wrong (or broken) that makes a person less than whole”—an explanation i heard from them and took from washington uni website.
deaf people prefer the word deaf. it is part of their identity, and they were born that way. my favourite part was when pak herman and bu winda explained that deaf people had a different way of hearing. yes, not less; just different.
the session has sparked my interest. i have put the intention to learn more. let’s!
ps: thanks, mavspace, for such a beautiful session. and a special thanks to @kidsyogatina for capturing this heartwarming moment in a video.
chipping in 