ds_0101_hlibok_cap_01.mp4

ds_0101_hlibok_cap_01.mp4

Analysis

Hlibok, Bruce

Deaf Education New York (State) New York

Storytelling

Deaf, Theater for the

Deaf, Writings of the, American

American Sign Language literature

After answering questions related to his previous night's performance of The Deaf Mute Howls, Hlibok shares his experiences working with oral Deaf teenagers in NYC. Hlibok worked in a mainstream program encouraging the students to tell their stories. These writings were later developed into a play Deaf Watch: Silence! For most of this session, Hlibok shares the writing and stories created by the students he worked with. Simon Carmel describes ASL and number stories in Deaf Folktales, starting at 49:37​.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections

ASL Literature Conference (1991 National Technical Institute for the Deaf)

1991

2018

moving image

mp4

VHS

93 minutes

American Sign Language

English

RITDSA.0101

Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections

Karen Christie ASL Literature Collection

2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature

https://albert.rit.…

https://archivesspa…

New York - Rochester

Henrietta Campus

RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
GATHERING,

AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE,

THE FIRST AMERICAN
SIGN LANGUAGE

LITERATURE CONFERENCE.

AND SO MANY OF US DON'T KNOW
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ASL LIT

AND DEAF LIT.

OBVIOUSLY, ASL LIT INVOLVES
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE,

BUT DEAF LIT DOES NOT.

THAT'S DEPENDENT
ON READING ENGLISH.

SO I HAD A PLAN, AN AGENDA FOR
THIS EVENING, BUT I'M NOT SURE

IF I WANT TO DO THIS.

I WANT TO SEE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS
WERE OF THE PERFORMANCE

LAST NIGHT.

I LOVE TO GET REJECTION FROM
PEOPLE BECAUSE IF I HEAR

THAT REJECTION, I KNOW
I'M ONTO SOMETHING.

SO I MAKE AN IMPACT
ON OTHER PEOPLE.

I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT LAST NIGHT'S PERFORMANCE,

BUT I HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT UP
TO THE MAJORITY FOR A VOTE.

YOU ALL IN THE AUDIENCE
ARE THE MAJORITY.

I'M GOING TO LEAVE
THIS UP TO YOU.

WE CAN EITHER DISCUSS LAST
NIGHT'S PERFORMANCE BRIEFLY

AND THEN I CAN GET ON TO
TALK ABOUT MY NEW PROJECT.

DO PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT
BOTH OR JUST ONE OR THE OTHER?

BOTH. OK, I'M SEEING
PEOPLE WANT BOTH.

FOR LAST NIGHT'S PERFORMANCE,
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP TO

QUESTIONS FIRST.

MAYBE 2 OR 3 QUESTIONS, AND THEN
WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THAT,

I WILL FOCUS ON
THE NEW PROJECT.

IS THAT ACCEPTABLE?

EVERYBODY'S SITTING THERE.

YOU'RE JUST LIKE MY
SIGN LANGUAGE STUDENTS,

ABSOLUTELY SITTING
THERE WITH NO MOVEMENT.

YES, NOD YOUR HEAD "YES"
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.

OH, SOMEBODY WANTS
4 OR 5 QUESTIONS.

OK.

6 OR 7 QUESTIONS? NO.

I THINK I'M GOING TO LIMIT
IT TO 3--3 QUESTIONS.

SO WHAT WERE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT
LAST NIGHT'S PERFORMANCE?

YOU WANT A 4th QUESTION?

WELL, MAYBE THE 4th QUESTION,
I CAN LEAD INTO MY NEW PROJECT.

THAT'S WHAT THE 4th
QUESTION WILL BE.

SO WHAT DID YOU THINK?

- WHY DID YOU DO THIS PLAY?

- WELL, I RECOGNIZED
THAT DEAF PEOPLE TYPICALLY

SOCIALIZE WITH EACH OTHER.

I'M FROM NEW YORK, AND THERE ARE
DIFFERENT GROUPS OF DEAF PEOPLE

WITHIN THE CITY,
BUT I'M FINDING THAT ALL OF US

DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
DEAF CULTURE HISTORICALLY.

WE HAVE NO HEROES.

NONE.

PEOPLE GO, "OH, YEAH, THERE'S
THAT PERSON OR THAT PERSON."

OH, VEDITZ?

YES, HE DID THAT SIGN LANGUAGE
FILM, WHICH WAS BEAUTIFUL

BUT IT WAS SHORT,
BUT WHO WAS VEDITZ?

WHAT WAS HIS FAMILY LIKE?
WHAT WAS HIS UPBRINGING LIKE?

I WANT TO KNOW MORE.

SO, I'LL DEFINITELY BE DOING
SOME MORE INVESTIGATION INTO

HIS LIFE LATER.

I FOUND THIS FASCINATING BOOK
WRITTEN BY ALBERT BALLIN.

WHEN I WAS READING IT, I
FELT THIS SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.

I WENT AHEAD WITH THE BOOK. IT'S
CALLED "THE DEAF MUTE HOWLS."

BALLIN WROTE IN THIS BOOK
THAT DEAF PEOPLE WERE FURIOUS.

AND THEY STILL ARE.

DEAF PEOPLE TYPICALLY ARE
STILL FURIOUS, AND I CAN'T

ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

THOSE WHO ARE FURIOUS HAVE
TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

ONLY THEY KNOW WHY
THEY ARE SO ANGRY.

IS IT COMING FROM SHAME?

IS IT COMING FROM
PAST MISTAKES?

PEOPLE LEFT LAST NIGHT,
IN THE PERFORMANCE. THEY LEFT.

I UNDERSTOOD WHY THE HEARING
PEOPLE LEFT BECAUSE WE HAD NO

VOICE INTERPRETER,

BUT DEAF PEOPLE LEFT AS WELL.

AND I THINK SOMETHING
INSIDE OF THEM,

PERHAPS SHAME OR GUILT,
MADE THEM LEFT.

AND WHAT'S INTERESTING IS,
NO DEAF PERSON WHO LEFT

CAME UP TO TELL ME
WHY THEY LEFT.

SO THAT SILENCE
SPEAKS VOLUMES.

THERE'S A QUESTION
FROM THE AUDIENCE.

- I FOUND IT VERY
INTERESTING IN YOUR DISCUSSION

OR PERFORMANCE
ABOUT A.G. BELL.

THERE ARE BOTH GOOD AND BAD
ASPECTS RELATED TO THE MAN,

BUT IT'S CONFUSING.

WHAT'S THE GENERAL CONSENSUS
RELATED TO A.G. BELL
AMONG DEAF PEOPLE?

OH, HEARING PEOPLE I KNOW,
BUT WHAT ABOUT DEAF PEOPLE?

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE
READING ABOUT THE GOOD AND BAD

REVIEWS OF A.G. BELL WHILE
YOU WERE DOING THIS PLAY,

AS A PERSON?

- WELL, AS A MAN, I KNOW
THERE ARE DEAF PEOPLE THAT

WERE WILLING TO ACCEPT HIM.

WELL, IT'S LIKE...

WHO CAN SAY?

SOME PEOPLE CAN SAY
A PERSON IS TOO GOOD,

THEREFORE WE HAVE
TO DESTROY THEM?

AND WITH A BAD MAN,
WE ENCOURAGE HIM?

YOU KNOW, A.G. BELL ENCOURAGED
LAWS TO BE PASSED WHERE DEAF

PEOPLE COULDN'T MARRY
OTHER DEAF PEOPLE.

THAT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE
MOST DEAF CHILDREN ARE BORN

FROM HEARING PARENTS.

BUT HIS THOUGHT PROCESS WAS
A LITTLE BIT OFF, A LITTLE

BIT SKEWED.

SO IN THAT AREA, I LOOK
AT HIM AS A "BAD" MAN.

I DON'T SAY HE'S EVIL,
BUT HIS...

I DON'T KNOW. HE HAD AN ODD
THOUGHT PATTERN ABOUT HIM.

- I HAVE BOTH A
COMMENT AND A QUESTION.

I'M REALLY FASCINATED
OF THE SIGNING I SAW.

I KNOW, 30, 40 YEARS
AGO, WE USED TO SIGN

"DEAF AND DUMB"
OR "DEAF-MUTE."

WE STARTED FROM THE EAR,
AND WENT DOWN TO THE MOUTH,

AND THAT BECAME THE
SIGN FOR "DEAF."

AND THE SIGN FOR "HEARING"
USED TO BE FROM THE EAR,

AND NOW IT'S FROM THE MOUTH,
INDICATING SPEAKING.

SO IT'S CHANGED OVER TIME.

SO WE SEE "DEAF" GOING
FROM THE EAR TO THE MOUTH.

BUT YOU WENT FROM THE EAR
AND THEN A HAND SHAPE

OVER THE MOUTH.

WAS THERE A REASON THAT YOU
USED THAT PARTICULAR SIGN?

- FOR CLARITY,

FOR "DEAF AND DUMB." I REALLY
WANTED TO PUT EMPHASIS

ON THE "DUMB,"
THE WORD "DUMB."

IF YOU PUT IT ON YOUR
FOREHEAD, IT MEANS "STUPID."

BUT IF YOU PUT IT ON
YOUR MOUTH, IT MEANS YOU

CAN'T TALK.

SO I WAS PLAYING
WITH THE SIGNS.

SO INSTEAD OF "STUPID,"
IT'S "DUMB ON THE MOUTH."

AND I THINK I'M ALLOWED
TO PLAY WITH THE SIGNS

A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK THAT'S ALLOWED.

- IN YOUR PLAY, THERE'S
THE DEAF MAN WHO CHALLENGES

A.G. BELL.

I WAS JUST WONDERING IF
THAT'S BASED ON FACT.

- YES, IT DID HAPPEN.

HE WAS CHALLENGED.

A.G. BELL'S WIFE MABEL WAS
DEAF, BEAUTIFUL, AND NOT

TOO SMART.

SHE WAS YOUR
TYPICAL HOUSEWIFE,

JUST A HOUSEWIFE.

WHAT HAPPENED TO HER BEYOND
THAT, I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT SHE

DID ACTUALLY HELP HER HUSBAND
BELL IN THE DEVELOPMENT

OF THE TELEPHONE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT.

SHE HELPED DEALING WITH
HOW SOUND IS CONVERTED TO

VIBRATIONS, AND HE WAS ABLE
TO USE THE VIBRATIONS TO TEACH

DEAF PEOPLE TO TALK.

JUST AN INTERESTING FACT.

I THINK WE HAVE
ANOTHER QUESTION.

- I WAS THINKING ABOUT ALL
THE VARIOUS SIGNS FOR "DEAF"

AND "DEAF-MUTE" AND HOW
YOU USED IT FOR EMPHASIS,

BUT THAT CHARACTER WAS NOT
ASHAMED OF BEING DEAF.

- OH, NO. THAT CHARACTER
WAS NOT ASHAMED AT ALL.

- BUT I DO NOTICE TODAY THAT
DEAF PEOPLE RESENT THE SIGN

OR WORDS "DEAF-MUTE,"
"DEAF-MUTE."

I DON'T MIND IT BECAUSE
MANY OF US CAN'T SPEAK.

IT'S REALLY NOTHING.

THAT'S ALL
I WANTED TO SAY.

- WELL, PEOPLE WHO ARE
INSIDE A GROUP HAVE A RIGHT TO

SELF-IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.

THEY CAN USE A WORD--

LIKE, IF A HEARING PERSON
WERE TO CALL ME "DEAF-MUTE,"

I WOULD SAY, "NO.

I CAN CALL MYSELF THAT,
BUT YOU CANNOT."

IT'S LIKE A WHITE PERSON CALLING
A BLACK PERSON A NIGGER.

BLACK PEOPLE CAN
CALL THEMSELVES THAT.

THEY CAN.

WITHIN THE GROUP,
YOU'RE ALLOWED.

YOU CAN PLAY WITH THE WORDS.

YOU CAN INSULT EACH OTHER.

AND IT WOULD BE THE SAME THING
IF A STRAIGHT PERSON WERE TO

CALL ANOTHER PERSON A FAG.

A PERSON WITHIN THE LGBT
COMMUNITY CAN USE THAT WORD,

BUT SOMEBODY OUTSIDE CANNOT.

SO IT'S ONLY WITHIN A GROUP
CAN YOU USE THOSE WORDS TO

PLAY OR TO OPPRESS EACH OTHER,
DEPENDING ON HOW YOU'RE USING

THE WORD OR USING
THE LANGUAGE,

BUT IT'S ONLY
WITHIN THE GROUP.

ANYBODY WITHIN A GROUP HAS
TO DECIDE WHAT THEIR LANGUAGE

IS GONNA BE, NOT SOMEBODY
FROM THE OUTSIDE.

IT HAS TO BE DONE INTERNALLY.

- LAST NIGHT'S PLAY--
I GUESS I WANTED MORE

CONVERSATION ABOUT--

WAIT. I MISSED
YOUR SPELLING.

OH, THE AUTHOR, BALLIN.

WHY DID THE DEAF CHARACTER TRY
TO CONVINCE A.G. BELL TO SIGN?

BUT YOU DIDN'T SAY WHY
HE REFUSED TO SIGN.

I GUESS I WANTED MORE
ELABORATION ON WHY BELL

DIDN'T SIGN.

- ACTUALLY, THE ORIGINAL
PLAY IS 3 1/2 HOURS LONG.

LAST NIGHT, I CUT IT DOWN TO 2
HOURS, AND SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT

IT WAS TOO LONG?

I HAD ONE PERSON COME UP
TO ME AND SAY,

"WOW, THAT SHOW WAS
ONLY AN HOUR LONG!"

AND I TOLD THEM, "NO.
IT WAS ACTUALLY 2 HOURS."

AND THEY WERE ASTONISHED
THAT THEY WATCHED IT THAT

ENTIRE TIME.
I APPLAUD THEM.

I ALSO APPLAUD THE PEOPLE
WHO SAT THROUGH THE

3 1/2-HOUR VERSION.

ONCE THEY WERE FINISHED,
I ASKED THEM IF THEY WERE OK,

AND THEY WERE DUMBFOUNDED.

SO THE 3 1/2-HOUR PLAY--
I HAD MORE DETAILS IN THAT,

BUT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME,
I HAD TO EDIT.

I HAD TO EDIT IT DOWN
AND CUT OUT SOME PIECES,

SO I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT.

IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE
ABOUT IT, YOU CAN READ

BALLIN'S BOOK.

IT'S OUT-OF-PRINT, I THINK,
BUT GALLAUDET LIBRARY HAS IT

AND NTID LIBRARY HAS IT.

I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I WAS
UP ON THE THIRD FLOOR, AND I

WALKED BY AND I SAW THIS BOOK
ABOUT FAMOUS DEAF PEOPLE,

AND I PULLED IT OUT.

IT WAS BALLIN'S BOOK WITH
HIS PICTURE AND A SYNOPSIS.

AND I USED THAT SYNOPSIS IN
MY PROGRAM LAST NIGHT,

IF YOU READ IT.

IT'S THE SAME SYNOPSIS.

I THOUGHT THAT
WAS PRETTY NICE.

ANOTHER QUESTION.
I HOPE THAT HELPS.

- THAT 3 1/2-HOUR VERSION,
WILL YOU PRODUCE THAT AGAIN?

- I HAVE A VERSION
ON VIDEOTAPE

WITH VOICE INTERPRETATION.

I HAVE IT ON VIDEOTAPE...

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO
SHOW IT, NOT YET.

I'M SAVING THIS.

ONCE I HAVE A COLLECTION,
THEN I'LL ADD IT TO THAT.

THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT
DEAF LIT, ASL LIT.

WE THINK, "OH, ONE
STORY IS ENOUGH."

BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO MAKE
COLLECTIONS, A BODY OF WORK

TO PRESENT, A
COMPLETE SET OF WORK.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO
JUST DO ONE AND DONE.

I WANT TO COMPLETE A
COLLECTION, EXPAND ON IT,

SO I'M HOLDING THE VIDEOTAPE
UNTIL I HAVE A COLLECTION.

AND THEN ONCE I HAVE THAT,
THE VIDEOTAPE WILL

BE PART OF THAT.

I DON'T HAVE THE 3 1/2-HOUR
VERSION ON VIDEOTAPE.

IT'S A 2-HOUR VERSION.

AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO READ
MORE ABOUT THIS, YOU HAVE TO

READ THE BOOK.

ONE MORE QUESTION.

- IS THAT PLAY IN THE BOOK
OF THE DEAF CHARACTERS

IN LITERATURE?

IS THAT STILL IN PRINT, OR
IS THIS A DIFFERENT STORY?

- NO. THE BOOK IS CALLED
"ANGELS AND OUTCASTS."

IT'S A COLLECTION OF
STORIES OF DEAF LITERATURE,

AND THERE'S AN EXCERPT IN THERE
CALLED "THE DEAF MUTE HOWLS,"

BUT IT'S VERY SHORT.

THE FULL VERSION
ISN'T PUBLISHED THERE,

BUT THAT'S A GOOD START.

THAT ONE STORY, AND THEN
THERE ARE MANY OTHER WORKS

IN THAT BOOK,

SO THANKS FOR
BRINGING THAT UP.

THAT COLLECTION,
"ANGELS AND OUTCASTS"--

IT'S A GOOD BOOK.

ALL RIGHT, ONE LAST QUESTION.

- OK, WAS "THE
DEAF MUTE HOWLS"

WRITTEN AS A PLAY FIRST?

- OK, WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE SAW THAT QUESTION.

WAS "THE DEAF MUTE HOWLS"
WRITTEN ORIGINALLY AS A PLAY?

NO.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY
A BOOK, NOT A NOVEL.

IT'S A WORK OF NON-FICTION.

IT INCLUDED HISTORY,
HISTORICAL FACTS.

SO I TOOK INFORMATION FROM THAT
AND THEN WROTE THE PLAY.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND,
BALLIN WROTE IN VERY

ELABORATE ENGLISH.

I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, HE
WAS A VERY SKILLED WRITER.

MANY DEAF FOLKS BACK THEN
WERE SKILLED IN ENGLISH.

OK, I'M GONNA SET THAT ASIDE,
USING THIS COMMENT ON ENGLISH.

GREAT. THAT'S A PERFECT
LEAD-IN TO WHAT I WANT
TO TALK ABOUT NEXT.

SO WE'RE DONE WITH THE PLAY.

IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,
I'LL ANSWER LATER.

SINCE I'VE BEEN WORKING AS
A PLAYWRIGHT, I HAVEN'T BEEN

FOCUSING ON THE TECHNIQUE
AND THE DETAILS AND ANALYSIS.

MY CONCERN HAS BEEN ABOUT
ONCE FOLKS DO ALL

THE ANALYSIS, THEN THEY SAY
THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO DO.

BUT WE NEED TO DEVELOP
MORE WORKS, MORE WRITING.

SO MY TOPIC IS "NOT HOW,
BUT WHAT?"

WHAT IS ASL LIT?

IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO ALL THE
ANALYSIS, ALL THE RESEARCH.

IT'S IMPORTANT,
BUT MY FOCUS IS

ON THE STORIES THEMSELVES.

WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM?

WHO IS TELLING THESE STORIES?

SO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON
A THEATER PROJECT

WITH A GROUP.

A GROUP OF INNER-CITY
KIDS, DEAF KIDS

WHO ARE DEAF-ORAL KIDS.

THESE KIDS TELL ME, "LOOK,
I CAN WRITE GOOD ENGLISH,

"BUT I'M STILL DEAF.

"WHY DO DEAF PEOPLE REJECT ME?

I'M STILL DEAF."

ARE THEY NOT PART OF ASL LIT,
TOO, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ORAL,

EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE
WRITING IN ENGLISH?

SO I WANT YOU TO THINK
REALLY CRITICALLY ABOUT THIS.

ONE THING THAT I WAS
QUITE DISAPPOINTED WITH

IS I WISH I HAD A VIDEOTAPE
OF THEM TO SHOW YOU.

I HAVE ONE, BUT I THOUGHT
TONIGHT WE WOULD ONLY HAVE

A TV SCREEN, AND I DIDN'T WANT
TO SHOW IT ON A SMALL SCREEN.

BUT I FIND OUT THAT WE DO HAVE
A LARGE SCREEN, SO I APOLOGIZE

FOR NOT BRINGING
THIS VIDEOTAPE.

I DID FILM THE STUDENTS
SIGNING THEIR STORIES,

AND I ENDED UP WITH A PROJECT
OF A 20-MINUTE VIDEOTAPE.

MICHELLE BANKS WAS INVOLVED
IN THAT PROJECT AS WELL.

WHAT I ENVISION WAS THESE
STORIES ARE PART OF ASL LIT,

JUST LIKE BEN BAHAN'S "BIRD
OF A DIFFERENT FEATHER" STORY,

BUT ALSO STORIES ABOUT
DEAF LIVES, NOT METAPHORS,

NOT ALLEGORIES.

THOSE ARE BEAUTIFUL,
BUT TRUE STORIES.

WE TEND TO IGNORE THOSE.

STORIES LIKE MYTHS AND
FABLES HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN,

AND THAT'S FINE.

BUT WHERE ARE THE TRUE
STORIES HAPPENING TODAY?

SO I STARTED
COLLECTING THESE STORIES.

THESE STORIES ARE FROM ORAL-
DEAF PEOPLE WHO HAVE WRITTEN

THEIR STORIES WITH THE HOPE
THAT LATER THEY'LL BE SIGNED

AND BECOME PART OF ASL LIT.

BECAUSE TRULY, THEIR STORIES,
THEIR LIVES ARE VERY MUCH

THE SAME AS THE STORIES OF
DEAF PEOPLE WHO SIGN.

I WANT TO SHARE MANY
INTERESTING POINTS--

ONE OF THEM BEING IS THAT ALL
THE WRITING WAS DONE WHEN ALL

THE HEARING PEOPLE
WERE OUT OF THE ROOM.

THE STUDENTS' WRITING
WAS DIFFERENT.

IF A HEARING PERSON WAS IN
THE ROOM WITH US, THE STUDENTS

FELT THAT THEY
COULDN'T TELL THE TRUTH.

AND IF THEY TOLD THE TRUTH,
THEY WOULD BE PUNISHED.

ISN'T THAT AWFUL?

THEY HAD THAT FEAR OF A
HEARING TEACHER LOOKING OVER

THEIR WRITING AND JUDGING IT

AND NOT LIKING IT.

SO I WENT AHEAD AND ACTED
OUT FOR THE STUDENTS.

AFTER I DID THE ACTING,
A SOCIAL WORKER GOT UP

AND SAID, "WELL, YOU
JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.

"THESE ARE DEAF TEENAGERS.

IT'S QUITE APPROPRIATE
FOR THEM TO BE ANGRY."

AND I SAID, "I'M 29 YEARS OLD.
I'M NOT A TEENAGER ANYMORE.

"I'M 29 YEARS OLD,
AND I'M STILL ANGRY.

IS THERE SOMETHING
WRONG WITH ME?"

BUT SHE JUST DID NOT
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS

TO BE DEAF.

THEY JUST WANTED TO ARGUE
ABOUT WHY DEAF TEENAGERS

ARE ANGRY.

SO THEY CAN
EXPRESS THIS ANGER.

I'LL SHOW YOU ONE SHORT STORY.

THIS IS WRITTEN BY A GIRL.

I'M GONNA LET YOU KNOW,
THE INTERPRETERS HAVE

A SCRIPT, HAVE THE EXACT
SAME SCRIPT THAT I HAVE.

A LOT OF THE WRITING IS
IN ENGLISH, WRITTEN BY

THE DEAF-ORAL STUDENTS,
AND I'M GOING TO SIGN IT.

SO I'VE MADE SOME
MODIFICATIONS FOR SIGN.

WE CAN ADD ASL LATER.
THAT'S FINE.

ANYBODY CAN DO THAT.

I'M HAPPY TO GIVE THESE
SCRIPTS TO YOU TO TRANSLATE.

BUT THIS GIRL WAS SENT HOME.

SCHOOL WAS FINISHED,
AND SHE WENT HOME.

AND SHE NOTICED HER
MOM WAS CRYING.

AND SHE ASKED HER MOM,
AND HER MOM LOOKED AT HER.

AND MOM SAID, "I'M
A SINNER. I'M A SINNER.

GOD IS PUNISHING ME
BECAUSE YOU'RE DEAF."

AND THE GIRL LOOKED AT HER MOM
AND WENT STRAIGHT UP TO HER

BEDROOM AND CLOSED THE DOOR.

A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER,
THE DOOR OPENS, AND MOM COMES

INTO THE BEDROOM AND
SAYS, "I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T MEAN THAT."

AND THE GIRL LOOKS TO HER MOM
AND SAYS, "I'M A SINNER, TOO.

"I'M A SINNER.

GOD IS PUNISHING ME BECAUSE
GOD GAVE ME HEARING PARENTS."

HEARING PEOPLE LOVE TO
FEEL SORRY FOR DEAF PEOPLE.

AND DEAF PEOPLE FEEL SORRY
THAT THEY HAVE HEARING PEOPLE.

HERE'S ANOTHER EXCERPT I HAVE.

THE GIRL WAS 16 YEARS OLD.

ALL OF THE TEENAGERS I WORKED
WITH WERE BETWEEN 16 AND 17

YEARS OLD.

WONDERFUL STUDENTS,
WONDERFUL PEOPLE.

AS I WAS WORKING WITH THEM,
THEY WOULD SAY TO ME,

"YOU'RE NOT DEAF.

YOU CAN'T BE DEAF.
YOU'RE A TEACHER."

AND I SAID, "YEAH, I'M DEAF,
AND I CAN BE A TEACHER."

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO
GATHER THESE KIDS' STORIES.

WE'VE COLLECTED THE PAST,

BUT WE HAVE TO
COLLECT THE PRESENT.

FOR TALKING ABOUT DEAF
CHILDREN, THESE TEENAGERS--

THEY'RE OUR HISTORY,

THE HISTORY OF OPPRESSION IN
A MAINSTREAM SCHOOL.

WE HAVE TO COLLECT THOSE
STORIES FOR FUTURE,

TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZE
THEM AND TO SIGN THEM.

WE ALREADY KNOW THAT HEARING
TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM

CHANGES THE DYNAMIC...

AND IT MAKES THE ASL
LITERATURE BASED IN FEAR.

STORIES TOLD OUT OF FEAR DON'T
REALLY SEEM TO BE EFFECTIVE.

THE STORIES I COLLECTED
WERE MORE HONEST.

AND THEY'RE ALL HERE.

THEY'RE TRUE.

THIS IS WRITTEN BY
A GIRL WHO COMES FROM
A FRENCH-CREOLE FAMILY,

AND SHE WRITES,
"ENGLISH IS IMPORTANT.

IF I DON'T WRITE IN ENGLISH,
THEN I'M STUPID."

WELL, I GUESS IN ONE WAY,
SHE IS RIGHT.

IF YOU DON'T KNOW ENGLISH...

BUT IT CAUSES THIS
CONTRADICTION IN DEAF PEOPLE.

SO SHE GOES ON TO SAY,
"MY FAMILY LOVES ME

"BECAUSE I'M DEAF.

"THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO SIGN...

"AND I DON'T KNOW
HOW TO ENGLISH.

"THEY SPEAK ONLY FRENCH-CREOLE.

THEY'RE NICE TO ME BECAUSE
WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT."

"BOTH OF US DON'T KNOW ENGLISH,

"BUT MY FATHER DRINKS A LOT
AND BAWLS ME OUT...IN CREOLE.

"WHEN I'M ANGRY, I YELL
BACK AT HIM AND I SIGN.

"NO ONE GETS HURT BECAUSE NO
ONE UNDERSTANDS EACH OTHER.

"BUT WE'RE SAD SOMETIMES.

I GUESS THAT'S OK."

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

PAGE 2 FOR THE INTERPRETERS.

SOME OF THE STUDENTS IN
THE GROUP WERE BLACK,

AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

THEIR STYLE OF SIGNING
WAS REALLY INTERESTING.

SOME OF YOU ATTENDED
THE WORKSHOP LAST NIGHT--

NO, I'M SORRY.

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON
FROM MICHELLE BANKS.

AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T REPLICATE
THEIR STYLE OF SIGNING.

THAT'S WHY WISH I HAD THE
VIDEOTAPE TO SHOW YOU,

BUT ANYWAY, THIS STUDENT
WRITES--NEVERTHELESS, THE MAN

WHO WROTE THIS WAS VERY WISE,
BUT HE EARNED "F"s IN SCHOOL.

AND HERE IT IS.

"I TALK. I SIGN.

"IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ME,
WELL, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU.

"WHY?

"YOUR STORY AND MY STORY.

"THERE'S A MAN AND A WOMAN
WHO HAD A CUTE BABY.

THE MOTHER AND FATHER
TALKED TO THE BABY...

"TALKED AT THE BABY.

THEY DIDN'T REALLY
SEE THE BABY."

"THE MOTHER AND FATHER DECIDED
TO SHAKE THE BABY AND SHAKE

"THE BABY TO GET A RESPONSE,
BUT THEY DIDN'T SEE THE BABY.

"THEY SPANK THE BABY, AND STILL
THEY DIDN'T SEE THE BABY.

"THE MOTHER AND FATHER
BROUGHT IN A DOCTOR TO LOOK

AT THE BABY."

"THE DOCTOR ROUGHLY HANDLED THE
BABY AND YELLED AT THE BABY,

BUT HE DIDN'T SEE
THE BABY EITHER."

"THE DOCTOR PROCLAIMED
THAT THE BABY WAS BROKEN.

THE BABY WAS DEAF AND
DUMB AND SHOULD BE DEAD."

"THE BABY--THE BABY CRIED.

"NO.

"NO, HE DIDN'T CRY.

"THE MOTHER AND FATHER
COULD BE HEARD CRYING.

"THEY GREW FRUSTRATED
AND CALLED THE BABY BAD.

"AND PICKED HIM UP IN
FRUSTRATION AND SHOOK HIM AGAIN

AND COMMANDED HIM TO TALK."

THAT WAS WRITTEN BY
A 15-YEAR-OLD KID.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

- AGAIN, THE
QUESTION WAS REPEATED.

HOW OLD WAS THAT STUDENT?

15.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

"MY MOTHER TOLD ME SHE FELT
PUNISHED FROM GOD BECAUSE I

"WAS BORN DEAF.

"SHE TOLD ME THAT HEARING
PEOPLE WERE BETTER THAN

"DEAF PEOPLE.

WHY? SHE NEVER EXPLAINED."

THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE.

ANOTHER ONE
WROTE, "NO, NO.

"HEARING PEOPLE ARE BETTER THAN
DEAF PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY CAN

"LEARN TO SPEAK
ENGLISH AND SOCIALIZE

"USING THAT ENGLISH.

"HEARING PEOPLE ARE LUCKY
THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO

LEARN TO SIGN."

WOW.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

"I FALL ON MY KNEES PRAYING
TO GOD THAT MY MOTHER WOULD

"LEARN TO SIGN,
BUT SHE WON'T

BECAUSE SHE'S TOO LAZY."

AFTER I WROTE THE PLAY BASED
ON THE WRITING THAT THESE

TEENAGERS DID, TWO OTHER
DEAF PEOPLE WANTED TO

PERFORM THE PLAY.

AND THERE WERE TWO DEAF
MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS THAT BANNED

THIS PLAY.

IT WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST
DEAF PLAY TO BE BANNED

BY A SCHOOL.

ONE OF THE SCHOOLS WAS
THE WHITNEY YOUNG SCHOOL

IN CHICAGO BANNED IT.

AND THE OTHER ONE--OH,
I FORGET THE NAME OF IT.

IT WAS A WHILE AGO.

BUT THEY JUST--
THEY "WEREN'T INTERESTED."

BUT IT WAS SO SURPRISING THAT
THESE SCHOOLS BANNED IT.

THE KIDS WERE SHOCKED BY THAT,

THAT THE PRINCIPAL BANNED
THIS PLAY FROM BEING SEEN.

- WHAT'S THE TITLE
OF THIS PLAY?

- THE TITLE IS
"DEAF WATCH SILENCE."

"DEAF WATCH SILENCE."

THEN I ASKED THE STUDENTS
TO WRITE SENTENCES

WITH REPETITIONS
OF TWO PHRASES.

AND ONE OF THE LINES CAUSED
SUCH CHAOS, MAKING A TEACHER

SO MAD, SHE WALKED OUT.
SHE GLARED AT ME.

BUT I SAID, "THIS IS THE
STUDENT'S WORK, NOT MINE."

HERE'S ONE.

"MY MOTHER IS HEARING.
MY MOTHER IS HEARING.

"SHE LOVES ME A LOT.
SHE LOVES ME A LOT.

"I THANK HER.
I THANK HER.

"SHE SEND ME GO.
SHE SEND ME GO.

"GOOD SCHOOL.
GOOD SCHOOL.

"SHE FELT. SHE FELT.

"BUT BUT BUT BUT

"I DO NOTHING.
I DO NOTHING.

"DEAF SCHOOL.
DEAF SCHOOL.

"MOVE TO DIFFERENT CLASS.
MOVE TO DIFFERENT CLASS.

"WE DEAF MOVE AS A GROUP
IN THE SCHOOL.

"WE DEAF MOVE AS A GROUP
IN SCHOOL.

"WE CHAT AND SIGN.
WE CHAT AND SIGN.

"BUT THE TEACHER
BUT THE TEACHER

"TEACHER STUPID.

"WHY THEY TALK?

"THEY DON'T SIGN.

"THEY TEACH.

"THEY DON'T SIGN.

"BUT HOW DO THEY KNOW
EVERYTHING EXCEPT SIGN?

"WHEN I SIGN, THEY NOD THEIR
HEADS UNCOMPREHENDINGLY.

"WHEN THEY TALK, I NOD MY
HEAD UNCOMPREHENDINGLY.

"WHEN A TEACHER ASKS ME
A QUESTION, I LOOK

"AT THE INTERPRETER.

"I'M CONFUSED.

"WHO ASKED ME?

"THE TEACHER OR
THE INTERPRETER?

"I'M CONFUSED.
I'M CONFUSED.

"WHO'S THE TEACHER?
WHO'S THE TEACHER?

"IS IT THE PERSON WHO
KNOWS HOW TO SIGN?

"IS IT THE PERSON WHO
DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SIGN?

"PEOPLE CALL ME STUPID
BECAUSE I CAN'T TALK.

"SO WHY CAN'T I CALL TEACHERS
WHO CAN'T SIGN STUPID?

"WHY CAN'T WE CALL PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T SIGN STUPID?

WHY CAN'T WE CALL PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T SIGN STUPID?"

THIS NEXT ONE IS A
LITTLE MORE POSITIVE.

"GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

"COMMUNICATION,
COMMUNICATION.

"WHY? FUN, FUN, FUN.

"HOURS, HOURS, HOURS.
WASTED, WASTED.

"CLASS WASTED, WASTED, WASTED.
CLASS WASTED, WASTED, CLASS.

"FORGET IT.
TIME TO CHAT.

"TIME TO CHAT.
TIME TO CHAT.

"COME ON

"WITH DEAF FRIENDS,

"DEAF FRIENDS,
DEAF FRIENDS,

"HUDDLED TOGETHER IN A HALLWAY.
HUDDLED TOGETHER IN A HALLWAY.

"HUDDLED TOGETHER
IN A HALLWAY.

"AND WE WHAT?
AND WE WHAT?

"SKIP SKIP SKIP,
SKIP CLASS CLASS.

"BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE

"HEAR BELL?
HEAR BELL? HEAR BELL?

"NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING

"AND, AND, AND,

"WE LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
TO CHAT, CHAT, CHAT.

HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS
AND HOURS AND HOURS."

REALLY, THAT'S TRUE OF A
LOT OF DEAF STUDENTS

IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS.

THEY SKIP CLASSES 'CAUSE THEY'RE
IN THE HALLWAY, CHATTING

AND CAN'T BE BOTHERED
WITH THE BELL.

- A QUESTION FROM THE
AUDIENCE IS DID THEY WRITE

THE REPETITION 3 TIMES?

I MEAN, IS IT
WRITTEN THAT WAY?

- YES. I ASKED THE STUDENTS
BECAUSE WRITING IS SO

DEPENDENT ON SOUND.

AND I DIDN'T WANT SOUND
INVOLVED, SO I WANTED TO

CHANGE IT TO NUMBERS
AS OPPOSED TO SOUND.

SO TO PLAY WITH THE NUMBERS,
THE RHYTHM OF NUMBERS.

AND I GAVE THEM
THAT ASSIGNMENT.

AND IN TRANSLATING THAT INTO
SIGN, WE CAN DO THE SIGN

3 TIMES LIKE THIS, "PLAY, PLAY,
PLAY" OR "CHAT, CHAT, CHAT."

SO IT'S THE RHYTHM OF HOW
MANY TIMES WE DO THE SIGN.

I MET, MET, MET.

YOU CAN JUST SWEEP THE
SIGN BACK-AND-FORTH.

AGAIN, IT'S THE RHYTHM
OF 3 FOR THESE.

I FIND THAT INTERESTING.

- A QUESTION FROM
THE AUDIENCE IS

DO THESE STUDENTS WRITE
IN ENGLISH OR SIGN FIRST?

- I DON'T WANT TO TELL THE
STUDENTS "NO" IF THEY WANT TO

WRITE FIRST.

I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
LET THEM DO WHAT THEY WANTED.

SO MOST OF THEM WROTE FIRST.

I JUST DIDN'T
WANT ANY PRESSURE.

I DIDN'T WANT TO FORCE
THEM INTO ANYTHING.

ONCE THEY GAVE ME THE ENGLISH,
WE TRIED TO FIGURE IT OUT

AND EXPAND ON IT.

OH, THERE'S A QUESTION
COMING FROM THE AUDIENCE.

- IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THERE
IS JUST A LOT OF EMOTION BEING

EXPRESSED, ESPECIALLY ANGER.

IT'S LIKE AN ANGER ISSUE.

I WONDER HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE
THEM TO EXPRESS THIS ANGER,

TO EXPRESS--I MEAN TYPICALLY,
THEY'RE HOLDING BACK

THESE EMOTIONS.

- BECAUSE I WAS DEAF LIKE
THEY WERE, I JUST HAD
A BOND WITH THEM.

THEY FELT I WAS
DEAF LIKE THEM.

TYPICALLY, THEY'RE WITH A
HEARING TEACHER, AND THERE'S

POLICIES THAT SAY
THEY CAN'T DO THIS,

THEY CAN'T DO THAT.

BUT I WAS IN THERE TO SAY,
"YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU

WANT TO DO."

SO THEY FELT THAT
IMMEDIATE CONNECTION WITH ME.

THEY WEREN'T INTIMIDATED.

WE HAD A BOND.

THE PROBLEM IS, SO MANY PEOPLE
WANT TO ANALYZE THEIR WORK.

IF YOU DO RESEARCH WITH A
HEARING PERSON IN THE ROOM,

I BELIEVE IT JUST CHANGES
THE WHOLE DYNAMIC.

EVEN IF THE HEARING PERSON
CAN SIGN, IT CHANGES IT.

IF YOU HAVE MAINSTREAM KIDS
OR GRASSROOTS DEAF FOLKS,

THEY LOOK AT THIS TESTING.

THEY BEEN TESTED
THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.

BUT DEAF PEOPLE TYPICALLY
DON'T TEST OTHER DEAF PEOPLE.

SO THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEING
ASKED BY HEARING PEOPLE TO

TAKE THESE TESTS, AND DEAF
PEOPLE ARE SAYING, "I DON'T

WANT TO BE TESTED BY
HEARING PEOPLE ANYMORE."

SO IT'S A DIFFERENT DYNAMIC

WHEN THERE'S A DEAF
PERSON IN THE ROOM.

THERE IS ONE GIRL THAT
I WAS WORKING WITH.

I WAS WITH THEM
FOR 6 MONTHS.

THIS IS A GIRL.

SHE SAID SHE WANTED TO KILL
HERSELF BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T

EVER BE DEAF.

I WAS SHOCKED BY THIS.

NOW THERE'S A STATE LAW
SAYING THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO

TELL IF A STUDENT WANTS TO
HARM THEMSELVES, BUT I DIDN'T

THINK THIS KID WAS CRAZY.

SHE WAS JUST EXPRESSING A
FEELING THAT SHE HAD NEVER

SAID BEFORE ABOUT
HER DEAFNESS.

SHE DIDN'T MEAN
TO KILL HERSELF.

SHE JUST WAS SO FRUSTRATED.

I THINK SHE ACTUALLY TESTED
TO COME TO NTID, BUT SHE WAS

STILL AFRAID TO COME HERE.

SHE PASSED THE ADMISSIONS
TEST, BUT SHE WAS STILL AFRAID

TO COME HERE.

SHE JUST STILL WAS
FEELING THOSE BARRIERS.

THESE ARE OUR DEAF PEOPLE.

THEY'RE BEING INTIMIDATED.

THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE
THEY'RE HAVING.

- DOES THE GROUP STILL
TRAVEL AND PERFORM THAT WORK

IN DIFFERENT PLACES?

- WELL, I'D LIKE TO EXPAND
ON THEIR WORK AND CREATE

A FULL PLAY FROM THIS.

ALL THESE KIDS WERE FROM THE
CITY, AND HONESTLY, THERE WAS

ONE HARD OF HEARING KID
WHO RESISTED AND WANTED TO

BE HEARING, AND THIS
IS WHAT HE WROTE.

HIS LANGUAGE IS NOT EXACTLY
NICE, BUT... I'M GONNA SIGN

THAT, BUT IT'S HIS WRITING.

SO I HOPE YOU ACCEPT THAT.

HE WRITES,
"I LIKE DEAF GIRLS.

"WHEN I SEE THEM ON THE STREET,
I CALL THEM 'BITCH' AND TRY TO

"SUMMON THEM OVER.

"'LOOK AT THAT BITCH
ON THE STREET.'

"DEAF GIRLS ARE EASY LAYS.

"THEY'RE EASY LAYS
BECAUSE THEY DON'T SCREAM.

"DEAF GIRLS DON'T SCREAM.

"THEY CAN'T HEAR AND
THEY CAN'T TALK.

"THEY ARE EASY FUCKS.

"THEY ARE EASY FUCKS.

"BUT ONE THING I CAN'T STAND
IS THAT THEY'RE ALWAYS SIGNING

AND CAN'T SPREAD THEIR
LEGS WHEN THEIR SIGNING."

SO HE WAS QUITE UPSET THAT
HE COULDN'T BE INVOLVED

WITH THE DEAF KIDS.

HE FEELS LIKE HE'S LEFT OUT
WHEN PEOPLE ARE SIGNING...

THE SAME AS A DEAF PERSON
FEELS WHEN A HEARING

PERSON TALKS.

HE'S FEELING THAT WAY WHEN
A DEAF PERSON SIGNS.

YES, THAT'S TRUE. THAT
COULD BE HIS WEAPON.

- THIS SIGN THAT YOU USE.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT
YOU MEAN BY THAT.

WHAT WAS THE WORD YOU USED?

LET'S LOOK AT THE ENGLISH.

I'M A LITTLE BIT
CONFUSED HERE.

SORRY. COULD YOU
REPEAT THE QUESTION?

IT COULD BE THE SAME AS WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT BLACK CULTURE.

THIS COULD BE A
DEAF CULTURE THING?

- IT WAS NOT A BLACK
PERSON THAT WROTE THIS.

- THIS SIGN YOU USED--
WHAT WAS THE WORD FOR THAT?

- LAY.

THE ENGLISH WORD WAS LAY.

DEAF GIRLS ARE LAID EASILY.

SO I USE THAT SIGN.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
EASY TO FUCK.

AT THAT SCHOOL, THE SEXUAL
TENSION WAS QUITE HIGH.

YOU COULD REALLY SEE IT.

AND IT INFLUENCED HIS WRITING.

DO I HAVE ENOUGH
TIME FOR ONE MORE?

OK. LAST ONE.

I'VE GOT ONE MORE HERE.

OK. ONE STUDENT WROTE THAT
THEY WERE FEELING BAD.

HERE'S WHAT THEY WROTE.

"YOU ARE HEARING.
I AM DEAF.

"WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

"YOU DON'T KNOW MY LANGUAGE,

"AND YOU TELL ME
IT'S NOT MINE.

"YOU ARE HEARING.
I AM DEAF.

"WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

"I WORK HARD TO
LEARN YOUR LANGUAGE.

"AND STILL, YOU MAKE FUN OF
ME EVERY TIME I TRY TO SPEAK.

"YOU ARE HEARING.
I AM DEAF.

"SINCE I WAS BORN, IT'S
ALWAYS BEEN YOUR WORLD,

"ALWAYS YOUR RULES.

"YOU SEE ME AS BEING
WEIRD OR SILLY

"EVERY TIME I TRY TO SPEAK.

"BUT WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH,
YOU LOOK SILLY, TOO.

"YOU ARE HEARING.
I AM DEAF.

"YOU SAY YOU WANT THE BEST
FOR ME, THEN YOU PLACE MANY

"BARRIERS IN FRONT OF ME.

"YOU PLACE UPON ME THINGS TO
ME THAT ARE NOT ME.

"YOU DON'T LEARN MY LANGUAGE.

"I LEARNED YOURS
TO MAKE YOU HAPPY.

"AND WHEN I SEE YOU LAUGH,
EVERY TIME I TRY TO SPEAK,

"IT'S NOT BECAUSE I TRY
BUT BECAUSE MY SPEECH
IS WEIRD AND SILLY.

YOU ARE HEARING.
I AM DEAF."

ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE
ANY QUESTIONS?

YES.

- SO I DO WANT TO ASK.

ARE THESE KIDS WRITING IN
ENGLISH, OR ARE THEY WRITING

IN SIGN LANGUAGE?

- THEY'RE TRYING THEIR
BEST TO WRITE IN ENGLISH.

THEY'RE ORAL STUDENTS
WHO CAN TALK,

BUT I DIDN'T TELL THEM "NO."

I JUST LET THEM--WHAT I
THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT,

THEY HAD TO EXPRESS
THEMSELVES IN WHATEVER WAY.

I DON'T WANT TO TEACH THEM ANY
TECHNIQUES OR WHATEVER THAT

WOULD INTIMIDATE THEM.

I JUST WANTED THEIR
IMAGINATIONS TO FLOW.

THAT'S WHAT I FOUND IMPORTANT.

THE STORIES, THE IDEAS,
ARE IMPORTANT.

THE ANALYSIS CAN COME LATER.

I REALLY THOUGHT THAT THE
ANALYSIS PART IS OUR JOB.

I FEEL THAT COLLECTING
THE STORIES, THAT'S

WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

NO MATTER HOW THEY WRITE
THEM, IN ENGLISH OR ASL,

I JUST WANT THEM TO
COLLECT THEIR STORIES.

BECAUSE ONCE WE GET THEIR
STORIES, WE CAN SIGN

THEM BEAUTIFULLY.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT'S THEIR STORIES.

THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

- SO, DID YOU HELP
THE STUDENTS WITH THEIR

SIGN LANGUAGE?

- THE VIDEOTAPE I HAVE OF
THE STUDENTS--WHAT YOU SAW

RIGHT NOW IS MY SIGNING.

THAT WAS ME
TRANSLATING THEIR POEMS.

THE VIDEOTAPE IS
QUITE DIFFERENT,

HOW THE STUDENTS SIGN IT.

AGAIN, I THOUGHT WE WERE ONLY
GONNA HAVE A SMALL SCREEN,

SO I DIDN'T BRING IT.

- CAN YOU SHOW
US AN EXAMPLE?

- WELL, I'M NOT
HEARING. I'M DEAF.

SO I DID NOT WANT TO
TELL THEM WHAT TO DO.

THERE'S PEOPLE HERE IN THE
AUDIENCE THAT ARE MUCH MORE

SKILLED THAN I TO BE ABLE
TO TRANSLATE THESE STORIES.

WE HAD GOTTEN TOGETHER
AND DONE A PLAY BEFORE.

I REALLY WISH I HAD BROUGHT
THE VIDEOTAPE FOR YOU TO SEE,

BUT I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

NEXT TIME, I WILL.

AT OUR SECOND ASL LIT
CONFERENCE, I WILL BRING IT ALL.

OH, YOU WANT ME TO
BRING THE PLAY AS WELL?

WITH INTERPRETERS?

I PROMISE, NEXT TIME I WILL
HAVE IT WITH INTERPRETERS.

OH, WAIT. THERE'S SOMEBODY IN
THE BACK THAT HAS A QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

- GOING BACK, TALKING ABOUT
DEAF LIT AND ASL LIT,

WHAT IS THE GOAL?

WE HAVE A LOT OF DEAF LIT.

BUT DO YOU THINK IT
OVERLAPS WITH ASL LIT?

AND THEN WHEN WE
TALK ASL LIT,

IS IT JUST TAKING THE
WRITTEN STORIES AND PUTTING

IT INTO SIGN?

DO YOU THINK WE CAN
CHANGE IT INTO ASL?

- DEAF LIT IS ONE THING,
ASL IS ANOTHER.

ASL LIT TYPICALLY IS SIGNED
FIRST AND THEN TRANSLATED

INTO ENGLISH, BUT THEN, DOES
THAT BECOME DEAF LIT OR ASL LIT?

I WISH I HAD BROUGHT THE
VIDEOTAPE OF THE STUDENTS.

I REALLY WISH I HAD BROUGHT
IT SO YOU COULD SEE IT.

WELL, WE COULD DISCUSS
DIFFERENT SIGNING

SYSTEMS, I GUESS.

- IF SOMETHING IS SIGNED IN ASL
AS OPPOSED TO A SIGNING SYSTEM,

THAT'S NOT
THE SAME THING.

- WELL, ONE PERSON COULD SAY
THIS IS ASL AND ANOTHER PERSON

COULD SAY THIS IS NOT ASL.

I GUESS FIRST WE HAVE TO
DECIDE WHAT IS ASL...

OR WHAT IS SIGNED ENGLISH.

WE HAVE TO DECIDE ON
A SIGNING SYSTEM?

I'M GONNA LEAVE
THAT UP TO YOU.

THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.

I WANTED THE STUDENTS--
MY PROBLEM WAS THE STUDENTS.

I WANT THEM--LET'S SAY
IF THEY HAVE A CONCEPT

OR AN IDEA,
IF I IMPOSE A SIGNING

SYSTEM ON IT,
THEY'LL LOSE THAT.

OR VICE VERSA.

IF THEY GET UP THERE AND SIGN
ASL AND I TELL THEM, "NO,

YOU HAVE TO SIGN ENGLISH,"
THEN THEIR IDEA WILL BE LOST.

I WANT TO LEAVE IT UP
TO THE STUDENTS.

IF A PERSON SIGNS ENGLISH
AND YOU TELL THEM THEY

HAVE TO DO ASL,
I'LL LOSE THE STORY.

I'LL LOSE THEIR IDEAS.

I WANT TO GET THE IDEAS FIRST,
AND THEN WE CAN TRANSLATE THEM

INTO WHATEVER
LANGUAGE WE WANT.

- WELL, I SEE THE RAGE
THAT THESE STUDENTS HAVE.

IT'S THE SAME AS
OTHER DEAF PEOPLE.

I MEAN, BASICALLY,
UNDERNEATH IT ALL

THAT RAGES THERE, WHETHER
THEY SIGN OR SPEAK,

THERE'S SOMETHING TO THAT
THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS.

IT'S SO OBVIOUS,

BUT I DON'T KNOW
WHERE THE ANSWER IS.

WE'RE JUST AT THE
SURFACE OF IT.

- WELL, IF YOU USE ONE FORM,
THEN YOU HAVE TO

STICK WITH IT.

AND THEN AGAIN, PARTS OF
THE STORY WILL DISAPPEAR.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT A GOOD
DEAF STORYTELLER, YOU CAN

UNDERSTAND IT.

YOU CAN TRANSLATE IT
FROM ENGLISH TO ASL.

IF THERE ARE DEAF PEOPLE
THAT CANNOT SIGN ASL, WHAT'S

IMPORTANT IS THEIR STORY.

WE CAN EXPRESS IT
IN ASL LATER.

WE CAN TRANSLATE IT LATER.

ASL LIT CAN'T JUST BE
STORIES ORIGINATING IN SIGN.

WHERE BALLIN WROTE, HE
WROTE IN PERFECT ENGLISH,

ELABORATE ENGLISH.

YOU COULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE
THAT, BUT YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN

THAT THAT PERFECT
ENGLISH CAN'T BE PERFECTLY

TRANSLATED INTO ASL.

IT WON'T BE A NATURAL FIT.

THE SAME THING.

I WANTED TO FOLLOW WHATEVER
THE STUDENTS CAME UP WITH,

WHAT THEY CREATED.

I WANTED THEIR THOUGHT
PROCESSES TO BE FREE.

ONE MORE QUESTION.

- YOU DIDN'T IDENTIFY IF
THE STUDENTS WERE BLACK OR

HISPANIC OR WHITE.

I KNOW THEY'RE ALL DEAF,
BUT I'M A LITTLE MORE CURIOUS

ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUNDS.

- I'M NOT ANALYZING
THAT POINT RIGHT NOW.

I'M LOOKING AT THE
COMMONALITIES WHICH

ARE BASICALLY COMMUNICATION
BREAKDOWNS.

THEY ALL HAVE THAT SIMILAR
PATTERN, THAT THEME.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS FOCUSING ON.

I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE
DO MORE ANALYSIS.

- BACK TO THE BEGINNING.

THESE KIDS, NOT FEELING THEY'RE
A PART OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY.

YOU WERE SAYING THAT, CORRECT?

- FOR ME, YES, THEY ARE
PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

I'VE MET TOO MANY PEOPLE
THAT DISAGREE WITH THAT.

"OH, YOU DON'T KNOW ASL?

THEN FORGET YOU."

ALL OF US HAD TO LEARN ASL.

IT'S LIKE, IT'S ODD
THAT PEOPLE THINK THAT,

"OH, DEAF PEOPLE, ONCE
THEY'RE BORN THEY HAVE ASL."

NO. AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
HAS TO BE LEARNED.

OH, SURE, YOU CAN GESTURE,
BUT THE FORMAL LANGUAGE,

QUALITY ASL--QUALITY,
MEANING NOT PERFECT,

BUT UNDERSTANDABLE, CLEAR--
YOU LEARN THAT.

AND YOU DO THAT BY MIXING
WITH PEOPLE, INTERACTING.

IF YOU DON'T INTERACT WITH
OTHER DEAF PEOPLE, HOW ARE YOU

GONNA LEARN IT?

WE HAVE TO EMBRACE THEM IN OUR
COMMUNITY AND NOT REJECT THEM

JUST BECAUSE THEY
DON'T KNOW ASL.

FOR EXAMPLE, PETER COOK...
HE DID NOT SIGN

ORIGINALLY, AND
NOW LOOK AT HIM.

HE HAD TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY.

LUCKILY, HE CAME HERE
AND JOINED THE COMMUNITY.

THAT HAPPENS WITH
MANY DEAF KIDS.

IF THEY'RE IN A MAINSTREAM
SCHOOL, THEY HAVE NO OTHER

COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE WITH.

SO IF THEY DON'T KNOW ASL,
THEY JOIN A COMMUNITY AND THEY

DEVELOP LANGUAGE FROM THAT
COMMUNITY... AND LEARN ASL,

THEN THEY'RE FINE.

ENGLISH IS STILL
IMPORTANT AS IS ASL...

ONCE THEY MEET PEOPLE.

I THINK THERE'S
ONE PERSON WHO DID

SOME RESEARCH ON THAT
WHO HAS PASSED NOW.

I THINK HE DIED A WHILE AGO.

ALSO, THERE'S ONE OF
MY STUDENTS WHO WROTE

ABOUT THE GIRLS BEING BITCHES.

HE ALSO HAS PASSED AWAY.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE WE LOST HIM.

WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE HIM
TO TELL THEIR STORIES.

BUT A FEW OF THE OTHER
STUDENTS, I STILL KNOW THEM.

THEY'VE GRADUATED, AND THEY'RE
USING MORE AND MORE ASL.

THEY'VE GOT OUT OF THEIR
SCHOOL--ONCE YOU GRADUATE

FROM A MAINSTREAM PROGRAM
WHERE YOU'RE ONLY WITH HEARING

PEOPLE, YOU GET OUT WHERE
THEY CAN MINGLE WITH MORE

DEAF PEOPLE.

UNLESS HEARING PEOPLE ARE
INVOLVED WITH THEM, YOU CAN

SEE THEIR LANGUAGE CHANGE.

BUT THEY'RE VALID TO US.
THEY'RE VERY VALID TO US.

- TODAY, I'M GOING TO BE
SPEAKING ABOUT ABC AND

NUMBER STORIES AND THEIR
IMPORTANCE IN ASL LIT.

BEFORE I GO ON, WE'LL
LOOK AT MY OUTLINE

SO YOU CAN SEE
WHERE I'M GOING.

I'M SURE YOU REALIZE THAT EACH
COUNTRY HAS THEIR OWN CULTURE,

THEIR OWN LANGUAGE, AS
WELL AS THEIR OWN LIT,

WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN
ANY OTHER CULTURE.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED
WITH DIFFERENT CULTURES

IN LITERATURE, AND I'VE READ
MANY FOLKTALES FROM VARIOUS

COUNTRIES AND HAVE BEEN
FASCINATED HOW OFTEN NUMBERS

AND CHARACTERS ARE
IN THESE TALES.

AND NOW MY INTEREST HAS
SHIFTED TO DEAF CHARACTERS

IN FOLKTALES.

ODDLY ENOUGH,
PEOPLE HAVE SAID

DEAF PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE ASL
LIT, WHEN IN FACT WE DO.

WE'VE HAD ASL LITERATURE IN
THE DEAF COMMUNITY FOR MANY,

MANY YEARS.

I'LL TALK ABOUT ABC STORIES
AS AN EXAMPLE OF ASL LIT LATER

IN THIS PRESENTATION.

WE'VE SEEN A GROWING INTEREST
IN ASL LIT, AND WE HOPE THAT

WILL CONTINUE...

AND HOPE THAT THE BODY OF
ASL LIT GROWS FOR FUTURE

APPRECIATION, FOR DEAF
ADULTS AS WELL AS CHILDREN.

MY TOPIC IS ABC AND NUMBER
STORIES, WHICH ARE BASED

ON A STRONG VISUAL FOCUS
AND CONCEPTUAL LANGUAGE.

IT'S KNOWN IN DEAF CLUBS,
SCHOOLS, AND RESIDENTIAL

PROGRAMS, HOMES--DEAF CHILDREN
AS WELL AS ADULTS WILL TELL

STORIES USING THE
ALPHABET FROM A TO Z.

AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THESE
STORIES FOR MANY YEARS.

OH, BEFORE I GO ON, I WOULD
LIKE YOU ALL TO PREPARE TO

SHOW ME AN ABC STORY THAT
YOU'LL COME UP HERE

AND PRESENT ON STAGE WHEN
I FINISH WITH MY LECTURE.

THEN WE CAN QUESTION YOU, THE
PERFORMER ABOUT THEIR STORY,

AND THAT'LL MAKE US
THINK HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE

DEAF CHILDREN TO DEVELOP
THEIR OWN STORIES

AND ADULTS AS WELL.

SO PLEASE PREPARE FOR THAT.

ABC STORIES AND NUMBER STORIES
ARE A GENRE OF DEAF FOLKLORE.

AND DIFFERENT CULTURES HAVE
THEIR OWN WAYS, JUST LIKE

DANCE OR LANGUAGE.

THESE ARE ALL WAYS OF HOW
MESSAGES CAN BE PASSED FROM

ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER
BY "WORD-OF-MOUTH"

OR IN OUR WORLD, WE SAY
BY "SIGN OF HANDS."

THAT'S HOW WE PASS
ON THESE MESSAGES.

SOME OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW
THE SIGN FOR "FOLKLORE."

WELL, I'VE CREATED ONE
BECAUSE, WELL, PASSING ALONG

A MESSAGE FROM ONE
PERSON TO ANOTHER.

THIS IS THE SIGN I'M USING.

SOME PEOPLE WOULD START THE
SIGN FROM BEHIND THEM MOVING

FORWARD, BUT ALL STORIES
ARE NOT FROM THE PAST.

THEY CAN START
ANYWHERE IN TIME.

BUT TO CLEARLY SIGN IT,
IT'S COMING FROM ONE PERSON

AND BEING PASSED
ON TO ANOTHER.

YOU MAY DISAGREE WITH ME,
BUT THAT'S FINE.

DEAF FOLKLORE CAN
BE GROUPED BY GENRE.

AS YOU SEE HERE, ONE TYPE CAN
BE ABOUT BEING MISUNDERSTOOD,

WHERE HEARING PEOPLE HAVE
MANY MISCONCEPTIONS

ABOUT DEAF PEOPLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE DON'T HAVE
EARS OR THAT DEAF PEOPLE CAN

READ AND WRITE BRAILLE.

THEY HAVE MANY MISCONCEPTIONS
HERE AND ABROAD.

AND HERE'S A DEAF CARTOON.

SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE LIKE
TO HEAR STORIES ABOUT DEAF

DOGS OR CATS.

PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHITE CATS
WITH TWO DIFFERENT EYE COLORS

ARE OFTEN DEAF.

DEAF PEOPLE OFTEN WANT TO SEE
STORIES THAT ARE RELATABLE

ABOUT THE DEAF IDENTITY.

NOW I WANT TO FOCUS ON
SIGN LANGUAGE LORE AND WHAT

THAT MEANS.

IT'S ABOUT A PERSON, HOW THEY
SIGN, AND THEY CAN SHOW THAT

TO A FRIEND OF THEIRS.
IT'S ALSO WHAT WE CALL

THE IQ TEST, AND IT'S FOR
ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES.

SO LET'S LOOK AT ALL THESE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIGN LORE.

AS YOU CAN SEE,
THERE ARE MANY.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE...

WITH A DUEL.

ANOTHER ONE IS USING THE
LETTERS FOR JAWS AND YOUR

FACIAL EXPRESSION.

I WANT TO SHARE WITH
YOU AN EXPERIENCE.

I WAS IN GREECE A FEW YEARS
AGO, AND I SHARED THAT PLAY

ON FINGERSPELLING, JAWS,
AND I NOTICED THE GREEK DEAF

PEOPLE WERE AMAZED AND THEY
REACHED OUT TO ME AS THEY

DON'T HAVE THESE TYPE OF
STORIES IN GREECE AND THEY

YEARN FOR MORE STORIES LIKE
THESE, INCORPORATING THEIR

SIGN LANGUAGE
OR DEAF CHARACTERS.

NOW I'LL SHOW AN EXAMPLE
OF SIGN METAMORPHOSIS.

SO THAT'S A BUTTERFLY. IT
STARTS CRAWLING ON THE GROUND

UP TO THE TREE, AND HE'S
ACTUALLY SPELLING OUT

BUTTERFLY STARTING FROM
A CATERPILLAR, BECOMING

A BUTTERFLY.

SO YOU CAN SEE
THE SIGN CHANGES.

IT'S ACTUALLY YOUR
FINGERSPELLING THAT CHANGES,

AND THERE ARE A VARIETY
OF THESE TYPES OF STORIES.

AS WELL AS TOTAL
COMMUNICATION, WHERE WE

CHANGE THE SIGN.

WHERE THE TEA IS SMOKING
IN THE "C" INSTEAD

OF COMMUNICATION IS A CUP.

AND THEN ANOTHER ONE IS Ph.D.

MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT'S A
DEGREE, BUT WE THINK OF IT AS

PLEASE HELP DEAF--Ph.D.

THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF
AN ABBREVIATION STORY.

ANOTHER ONE IS A CATCH SIGN.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION THAT
HAS NO EASY ANSWER, OR IT CAN

BE ANSWERED IN A
TOTALLY DIFFERENT WAY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT DO YOU
THINK THAT IS ON THE SCREEN?

SOME PEOPLE HAVE CAUGHT IT.

SOMEBODY IN THE
AUDIENCE SAYS, "DOUBT"?

OR ANOTHER PERSON THINKS
IT SAYS, "DO YOU?"

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

I'LL SHOW YOU ANOTHER ONE.

THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE
OF USING "WHEN" AND "BUT."

I'LL EXPLAIN THAT LATER.

WHAT DOES THIS ONE SAY?

IT DOESN'T MEAN WHAT IT MEANS.

IT DOESN'T MEAN "MEAN."

IT MEANS "FORK."

MANY DEAF PEOPLE ARE SKILLED
IN ASL AND CAN PLAY

WITH THE SIGNS.

AND THEY WRITE THESE "IN THEIR
MIND" AND THEY ARE IN PERFECT

ASL, BUT TOUGH TO
TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH.

I THINK WE HAVE A
QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE.

CAN EVERYBODY HOLD UP BECAUSE
WE NEED THE INTERPRETER TO

GET UP HERE?

- IT'S LIKE ON A TYPICAL
FORM WHEN THEY ASK FOR SEX,

AND THEY'RE ASKING IF
IT'S MALE OR FEMALE,

BUT A DEAF PERSON WILL
WRITE "YES" FOR SEX.

- YES, I'VE
HEARD THAT HAPPEN.

THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING
ASKED, BUT THEY PUT DOWN "YES,"

OR THEY PUT DOWN "OH, 3 TIMES
A WEEK" ON A JOB APPLICATION,

BUT THAT'S NOT AN
EXAMPLE OF THIS.

THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE
TO CATCH THE SIGN.

YOU'RE SPEAKING OF A PERSON'S
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY.

SO WHAT I DISCOVERED WHILE I WAS
DURING THIS RESEARCH, I FOUND

I WAS TRYING TO JUSTIFY THAT
ABC STORIES ARE INDEED PART

OF ASL LIT.

YOU SEE,
I'M NOT A PERFORMER.

I COLLECT THESE STORIES, DO
THE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS,

AND THEN, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES
I DO SHOW THEM TO PEOPLE,

MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE
THAT BOTH DEAF AND HEARING

PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
DEAF CULTURE

THROUGH OUR FOLKLORE,
THROUGH OUR STORIES.

WE HAVE TO DO THIS
THROUGH ANALYSIS.

FROM MY OWN WORK LAST WEEK,
I DISCOVERED SOMETHING

RATHER AMAZING.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS LIST
ON THE SCREEN, DOES ANYBODY

RECOGNIZE A PATTERN?

YES, THEY ALL INCLUDE THE
WORD "SIGN," BUT THERE'S ONE

NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES.

ANY GUESSES?

SIGNS?

YES, CORRECT.

THEY'RE ALL SIGNS, BUT
THERE'S ONE PART THAT IS

MUCH DIFFERENT.

ANY GUESSES?

CAN YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCES?

THERE'S SIGN AND
THEN NAME SIGN--

PRESIDENT WASHINGTON,
LINCOLN, AND SO FORTH.

THERE'S NO STORY TO THAT.

ANOTHER ONE IS ABC's, DOING
THE ALPHABET, OR LIKE DUEL,

AND THEY BECOME GUNS.

WE GO DOWN THE LIST, BUT
IF YOU NOTICE DOWN HERE

AT THE BOTTOM...

THESE ARE MUCH DIFFERENT
THAN THE OTHERS.

DO YOU AGREE WITH ME?

GREAT.

SO I'LL SHARE
SOMETHING WITH YOU.

I TRIED TO DETERMINE WHEN
TELLING ABC STORIES STARTED.

I ASKED OLDER PEOPLE
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

SOME SAID THEY SAW THEM
WHEN THEY GOT TO GALLAUDET,

TO COLLEGE.

OTHERS SAID IN THEIR
DEAF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL.

SOME SAID THEY STARTED
SOMEWHERE IN THE 1950s.

OTHERS SAID IN THE 1940s,
BUT NOW MY HYPOTHESIS NOW IS,

IT STARTED IN THE 1940s.

BEFORE THAT, I
JUST DON'T KNOW.

I'VE ASKED OLDER DEAF PEOPLE
HERE IN ROCHESTER,

AND WHEN THEY SHOWED THEM

AN EXAMPLE, THEIR REACTION IS,
"OH, I'VE NEVER EVEN SEEN

THAT BEFORE."

SO THAT'S MY
HYPOTHESIS SO FAR.

I'VE NOT FINISHED
MY RESEARCH YET.

PERHAPS SOME OF YOU MIGHT
ALSO JOIN IN THIS RESEARCH

AND AT OUR NEXT CONFERENCE WE
CAN POSSIBLY NAIL DOWN A DATE.

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF A STORY, AND THEN

WE'LL GO AHEAD IN VIDEO,
AND THEN WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION.

BUT FIRST, I'LL EXPLAIN
THE PROCEDURE, WHAT WE'RE

GOING TO DO.

I'M GONNA SHOW YOU AN ABC
STORY, AND I'M GOING TO ASK

THE INTERPRETER NOT
TO VOICE FOR A WHILE.

ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT ONE.

OH, PARDON ME.

I SHOULD'VE INTRODUCED
THAT LAST STORY.

THE TITLE OF THIS
IS "WHO DID IT?"

THE NEXT PIECE IS A NUMBER
STORY, AND IT'S CALLED

"COWBOYS AND INDIANS."

I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE
ALREADY SEEN THIS BEFORE,

BUT I WANT TO USE IT AS AN
EXAMPLE FOR THIS LECTURE.

IT'S A STORY USING THE
NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 15.

NOW I'M GOING TO SHOW
YOU A VIDEOTAPE.

I GOT THIS FROM
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY.

IT WAS PRODUCED AS PART OF A
PILOT PROJECT, JUST TO GIVE

YOU AN IDEA.

GREAT. NOW CAN WE TURN
THE HOUSE LIGHTS UP, PLEASE?

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
EVERYBODY SEE EACH OTHER.

HOUSE LIGHTS, PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

GOD MADE US SEE
EACH ALL CLEARLY.

AS YOU WATCH THIS, YOU NOTICED
I HAD TO ADD THE WORD "REPLAY"

ON THE VIDEO.

NOW, WHY DO YOU THINK I
HAD TO DO THAT?

I WANTED TO TELL VIEWERS
THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO

REWIND TO REPEAT THAT STORY,
NOT TO HAVE TO SHOW IT OVER

AND OVER AGAIN.

SO THEY COULD SEE
THE STORY TWICE.

THE LAST STORY, I FILMED
AT THE KENTUCKY SCHOOL

FOR THE DEAF
SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

HAD A TERRIFIC STUDENT.

SHE WAS 16 YEARS OLD,
JUST WONDERFUL.

SHE WORKED WITH
NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 25.

I KNOW OF OTHERS WHO'VE
CREATED STORIES WITH NUMBERS

FROM 1 TO 50
OR EVEN 150.

I WANT TO SPEAK NOW
TO THE PROCESS.

FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR
WITH ABC STORIES AND HOW THEY

CAN BE USED TO EDUCATE
HEARING, DEAF, AND ORAL KIDS

AS TO WHAT AN ABC STORY
IS ALL ABOUT.

WE KNOW THAT ABC STORIES
ARE BASED ON A VISUAL
LANGUAGE CONCEPT,

NOT ON A SPOKEN
LANGUAGE CONCEPT.

TYPICALLY, HEARING PEOPLE
DO NOT UNDERSTAND OUR ABC
STORIES, NATURALLY.

NOW I'M GONNA ASK ONE OF
THE INTERPRETERS TO VOICE

MY FIRST ABC STORY
I SHOWED YOU.

AND WE'RE GONNA NEED
SOME HELP OVER HERE...

AS I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT
THE INTERPRETER IS SAYING.

I'LL TELL THE STORY AGAIN
WITHOUT THE INTERPRETATION,

BUT WE'LL HAVE THE SECOND
INTERPRETER SIGN

WHAT THE VOICE
INTERPRETER IS SAYING.

OK, AGAIN, THIS
IS "WHO DID IT?"

OK, NOW I'M GONNA ASK--

OH, WAIT ONE MINUTE.

OK.

AGAIN, NOW I'M GOING TO ASK
THE INTERPRETER TO SIGN TO

THE OTHER INTERPRETER JUST
THE LETTERS IN THE STORY.

SO WE'LL ONLY FOCUS ON THE
LETTERS, NOT THE WORDS.

RIGHT. THE INTERPRETER WILL
HAVE TO DO JUST THE LETTERS.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G,

H, I, J, K,
L, M, N, O, P,

Q, R, S, T, U, V,

W, X, Y, Z.

OK?

THANK YOU.

NOW, THE NEXT STEP,
THE INTERPRETER CANNOT

DO A DIRECT WORD-FOR-
SIGN TRANSLATION.

YOU KNOW, THAT SAYING THAT
"A PICTURE IS WORTH

A THOUSAND WORDS"?

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY A
THOUSAND WORDS IN A FEW SECONDS.

IMPOSSIBLE.

SO I CAN GIVE YOU A FEW
EXAMPLES OF THE WORDS THAT

THEY CAN SAY.

I'LL EXPLAIN HOW
I WROTE THIS LATER.

WE'VE NOTICED THAT DEAF PEOPLE
TYPICALLY DO NOT GIVE

THE TITLE BEFORE THE STORY
BEFORE THEY PERFORM IT,

AS I DID.

I TOLD THE STORY AND THEN TOLD
YOU THE TITLE, "WHO DID IT?",

SO YOU COULD VISUALIZE THAT
IT WAS A STORY ABOUT SOMEBODY

KILLING ANOTHER PERSON.

BUT OTHERS DON'T WANT
TO KNOW BEFOREHAND.

THEY WANT TO VISUALIZE THE
PIECE AS A WHOLE AND THEN ADD

THE TITLE AT THE END,

LIKE IN EUROPE.

OH, THERE'S A BOOK.

YOU KNOW, LIKE THE TABLE
OF CONTENTS IN THE FRONT

OF THE BOOK.

THERE'S INFORMATION THERE.

BUT IN EUROPE, THAT
INFORMATION IS ALWAYS

IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK, SO IT'S
THE SAME PRINCIPLE WITH THIS.

I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS
INTERPRETATION LATER.

BUT THESE STORIES ARE
WIDESPREAD, EVEN THOUGH

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE
THEY STARTED FROM.

WE DO THINK THEY COME FROM
THE DEAF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

OR DEAF CLUBS.

SO I ASKED YOUNG
AND OLDER DEAF PEOPLE

WHERE THEY SAW THESE
STORIES, AND MANY

OF THEM SAID FROM
THEIR TEACHERS.

AND I ASKED IF THEIR TEACHERS
WERE HEARING, AND THE ANSWER

WAS NO, THAT THEY
WERE DEAF TEACHERS.

SO THESE ARE COMING FROM

DEAF TEACHERS WHO WERE TAUGHT
HOW TO TEACH DEAF CHILDREN,

MOSTLY FROM GALLAUDET,

TO THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS,
TO THE DEAF CLUBS

AND THEN OUT INTO
THE COMMUNITY.

I'VE HAD A WONDERFUL
EXPERIENCE FINDING THAT HERE

IN AMERICA, WE DEAF PEOPLE
HAVE THESE ABC STORIES.

OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT.

I'VE ASKED PEOPLE AT
INTERNATIONAL DEAF WORKSHOPS,

THE INTERNATIONAL DEAF
INTERPRETERS WORKSHOP

AT THE WORLD CONGRESS FOR
THE DEAF IN FINLAND IN 1987.

I GAVE AN INTRODUCTION ON
DEAF FOLKLORE AND SPOKE

ABOUT ABC STORIES.

AND A GENTLEMAN FROM SWEDEN
APPROACHED ME AND TOLD ME HOW

FORTUNATE WE AMERICANS ARE
BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH STORIES

IN SIGN LANGUAGE.

SO I ASKED HIM TO GIVE ME
AN EXAMPLE IN HIS LANGUAGE,

AND HE TOLD ME HE COULDN'T.

SO I ASKED HIM TO SHOW ME
SWEDISH FINGERSPELLING.

I'LL SHOW YOU AMERICAN ON
MY LEFT HAND AND SWEDISH

ON MY RIGHT.

SO IT'S QUITE
DIFFERENT THAN OURS.

AND THEN I EXPLAINED THAT
HE COULD CREATE STORIES,

GET TOGETHER WITH HIS FRIENDS,
AND TRY TO DEVELOP IT.

HE WAS DOUBTFUL, BUT I
ASSURED HIM HE COULD TRY.

THE NEXT DAY AT THE SECOND
PART OF MY WORKSHOP BEFORE I

COULD BEGIN, HE AGAIN
APPROACHED ME AND SHOWED ME

AN ABC STORY USING
SWEDISH FINGERSPELLING.

I CONGRATULATED HIM, SAYING,
"OTHER COUNTRIES COULD DO

THE SAME."

A YEAR LATER AT THE DEAF WAY
FESTIVAL, I WAS LECTURING

ON DEAF FOLKLORE AND A WOMAN
APPROACHED ME AND ASKED IF I

REMEMBERED A MAN WHO HAD
SAID HE COULD DO AN ABC STORY

IN SWEDISH SIGN LANGUAGE.

"YES, I REMEMBERED HIM."

SHE TOLD ME HE HAD DEVELOPED
BETWEEN 15 TO 25 ABC STORIES,

AND THEY WERE THROUGHOUT
ALL OF SWEDEN NOW.

BRAVO!

NOW I HOPE OTHER
COUNTRIES WILL FOLLOW SUIT.

DEAF CHILDREN AND ADULTS NEED
TO DEVELOP LIT IN THEIR OWN

LANGUAGE FOR THE FUTURE.

NOW, WE DO HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY
IN DEVELOPING AN ABC STORY.

IF YOU RECALL, IF YOU NOTICE, AN
ABC STORY FOLLOWS THE ALPHABET.

BUT IN ONE STORY, I BROKE
THE RULE AND DID NOT USE

A PROPER "T."

INSTEAD, I USED THIS GESTURE,

THIS GESTURE.

SO I BROKE THE RULE
BY USING THIS GESTURE,

BUT IT HAD TO MAKE
SENSE WITHIN THE STORY.

IN ONE OF THE STORIES ON THE
VIDEOS, THEY USED A PROPER "T"

IN FINGERSPELLING,
NOT MY GESTURE.

IF YOU REMEMBER, THAT
WAS ON THE TAPE.

ALSO, TOO, THERE
IS ANOTHER ISSUE.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL
IN TELLING THE "COWBOY
AND INDIAN" STORY.

THE VERY LAST SIGN, IF YOU
SEE, IS THE INDIANS GIVE UP.

MY GRADUATE ADVISOR AT
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY TOLD ME

ABSOLUTELY NO!

I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW
DISCRIMINATORY THAT WAS,

HOW BIASED.

IT JUST SO HAPPENED MY ADVISOR
WAS FLUENT IN INDIAN LANGUAGES,

AND HE TOLD ME WE HAVE
NATIVE AMERICANS HERE ON CAMPUS,

AND WE DON'T WANT TO STEREOTYPE
THEM AS BAD PEOPLE.

SO I HAD TO RESPECT THAT,
AND I WISH TO APOLOGIZE IF I

OFFENDED ANYONE HERE.

I SHOULD NOT
INCLUDE THIS STORY.

I WENT TO SOUTH DAKOTA
LAST AUGUST, AND I DEFINITELY

REMOVED THAT STORY.

I NEED TO FIND ANOTHER
NUMBER STORY TO SUBSTITUTE.

WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF
BIASES OR DISCRIMINATION

IN OUR ABC STORIES.

THAT PROVIDES A
DIFFERENT PROBLEM.

NOW I WANT TO HELP YOU TO
DEVELOP AND RECORD ABC STORIES

FOR THE FUTURE PRESERVATION
FOR WHICH THERE'S A GREAT NEED.

I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHEN
I STARTED AT GALLAUDET,

I WAS ORAL.

I LEARNED ASL THERE.

I WAS FASCINATED BY IT.

WHEN I ENTERED COLLEGE,
I MET AN UPPERCLASSMAN WHO

LOVED SIGNING ABC STORIES.

I WAS HOOKED.

I WOULD ASK HIM TO REPEAT
THE STORY, 5, 6 TIMES.

WELL, HE GRADUATED
AND MOVED ON.

I WAS MAJORING IN ELECTRONICS,
HAVING NOTHING TO DO

WITH LIT WHATSOEVER.

I DECIDED TO CHANGE MAJORS
TO ANTHROPOLOGY, THE STUDY

OF CULTURES, AND I FOUND
FOLKLORE IS A PART

OF ANTHROPOLOGY BECAUSE YOU
CAN FIND CULTURAL REFERENCES

WITHIN ITS STORIES.

SO SPEAKING OF ABC STORIES,
I WENT TO A CLASS REUNION

25, 35 YEARS LATER, AND I MET
THAT PERSON WHOSE ABC STORIES

I SO LOVED AND ASKED THEM
TO TELL ME A STORY.

THEIR RESPONSE WAS THEY
HAD FORGOTTEN THEM.

LOST!

THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED WE
NEED TO PRESERVE OUR STORIES,

AND I'LL SHOW YOU
THE DIFFERENT WAYS.

TO START WITH--OH, GOSH,
THE TIME LIMIT.

I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF.

I STARTED WRITING DOWN THE
ALPHABET AND THEN SITTING

WITH THE STORYTELLER
AND MATCHING VOCABULARY

TO EACH LETTER.

FOR EXAMPLE...

SO IF I WERE TO GIVE
A PERFORMANCE, THEY COULD

PULL OUT THE SHEET AND
HAND IT TO THE INTERPRETER.

WE NEED THAT.

ANOTHER WAY IS TO FILM
THE STORIES, EITHER

VIDEOTAPE OR FILM.

YEAH, THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH
VIDEOTAPE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T

LAST FOREVER.

IT'LL KEEP FOR 5 TO 10 YEARS
AND THEN WEAR OUT.

WE DO NEED TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT
TO BE BIASED AND ELIMINATE

SOME STORIES.

WE NEED TO PRESERVE THEM ALL.

WE NEED TO FILM ALL TYPES OF
STORYTELLERS, EVEN IF THEY'RE

TERRIBLE SIGNERS.

WE'RE TRYING TO
CAPTURE THEIR IDEAS.

WE NEED THAT WORLD VIEW.

I WOULD LIKE IN THE FUTURE
TO DO ANALYSIS AND COMPARE,

FOR EXAMPLE, HOW PEOPLE START
A STORY WITH KNOCK ON THE DOOR

AND OPEN IT AND LOOK, AND
YET THEY END IT DIFFERENTLY

DEPENDING ON WHO
THE TELLER IS.

WHY DON'T ALL THE
STORIES LOOK THE SAME?

I'M INTERESTED IN HOW
THEY DEVELOPED IT FROM
THEIR PERSPECTIVE,

HOW THEIR MIND WORKS.

LAST ONE.

THIS IS FROM MITCHELL ROBERTS,
WHO'S FROM CALIFORNIA,

AND IT'S A NUMBER STORY
GOING FROM 0 TO 11.

SO IT ALL LINKS.

IT'S IMPORTANT

IF A PERSON CAN'T FIND THE WORDS
TO DESCRIBE WHAT THEY WANT,

THEY CAN DRAW IT.

THE LAST SIGN IS 11
FOR TEARS OR SADNESS.

NOW, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN
USE ABC STORIES FOR...

TO DEVELOP MORE
SIGN VOCABULARY,

TO INCREASE ASL PROFICIENCY
AND PRODUCTION,

TO BRING MORE ABC AND
NUMBER STORIES INTO
ASL LIT FOR THE FUTURE,

AND TO ANALYZE DIFFERENT
COGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS

OF DEAF YOUTH AND ADULTS,

A WORLDWIDE PERSPECTIVE
IN ABC AND NUMBER STORIES.

AND LASTLY...

TO INCREASE
THE AMOUNT OF THEM

FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES
ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.

WE NEED THAT.

THIS QUOTE IMPACTED ME DEEPLY.

YOU KNOW, SOME HEARING
PEOPLE SAY, "I JUST DON'T GET

ABC STORIES."

SO I FOUND THIS
BEAUTIFUL QUOTE.

IT'S AS IF YOU'RE
LOOKING THROUGH A MIRROR...

VERY IMPACTFUL.

ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL
THE TIME I HAVE.

SO I THINK WE HAVE TIME
FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS?

OH, WE HAVE 3 MINUTES. OK.

- WHAT DO YOU MEAN
BY SNOWBALL EFFECT?

- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START
WITH A SMALL SNOWBALL

AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, AND
AS IT ROLLS DOWN THE HILL

IT GETS LARGER AND LARGER?

WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED
PEOPLE TO DO IS START

THE STORIES, AND ONCE THEY
START, THEY'LL SPREAD.

AND WE NEED INFLUENTIAL
PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEM.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE
SPEAKER YESTERDAY--OH,
A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO

SPOKE ABOUT HOW CLASSROOMS
SHOULD REQUIRE ALL STUDENTS

TO DEVELOP THESE STORIES,
AND THEN IF THEY

BECOME TEACHERS, THESE
STORIES WILL GO OUT INTO

THE COMMUNITY, TO THE DEAF
SCHOOLS, TO THE DEAF CLUBS.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY
THE SNOWBALL EFFECT.

- I'M NOT SURE IF I WOULD
CALL AN ABC STORY ASL LIT

BECAUSE ABC STORIES USE SO MUCH
SEE--SIGNED EXACT ENGLISH.

SO ARE WE USING HAND SHAPES
OR ARE WE FOLLOWING THE LETTER?

LIKE THE SIGN FOR "CIGAR,"
WE USE AN "R,"

BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE.

WHAT I SEE IS SEE,
AND THAT'S NOT LANGUAGE.

- WELL, THAT'S
A GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, ASL IS NOT AS
PURE AS OTHER COUNTRIES'

SIGN LANGUAGES.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN ISRAEL,
THERE'S NO FINGERSPELLING

IN ISRAELI SIGN LANGUAGE,
NONE AT ALL.

IT'S ALL SIGNS,
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

WHEN WE THINK OF ASL, WE LOSE
SOME OF THE BEAUTY, BUT IT'S

STILL CATCHING UP.

BUT I AGREE WITH YOU IN TERMS
OF WHETHER IT'S A HAND SHAPE

OR A LETTER.

WHEN WE SEE INITIALIZED
SIGNS LIKE "METHOD"

OR THE "W" IN "WORRY,"

YES, I DO AGREE WITH THAT.

OH, I HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF
THE "WORRY" SIGN USING "W"s.

THE GIRL WHOSE LAST POEM I
SHOWED USED THE "W" HAND SHAPE

FOR, OH, GUNS FIRING.

USING THAT "W" HAND SHAPE.

SHE WAS DEVELOPING HER IDEAS.

SO WE CAN ESTABLISH
TWO METHODS.

WE CAN TELL THE STUDENTS,
YOU MUST DEVELOP THE STORY

USING SEE SIGNS OR IN ASL.

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE NEED TO REMAIN FLEXIBLE
AND REMEMBER NOT BE BIASED.

"This project is supported by a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation."

Title supplied by cataloger