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CASTRO, Kevin Cedrick R. 2010-06974

Bachelor of Secondary Education (CA-English and SPED)

The Deaf Experience

Culture, in its basic sense, is the existence of a shared beliefs and traditions among a group of people called

community. Amidst the individualities posed by each member of the community, it is culture that connects them

to become a greater entity of unified minds and voices. The emergence of so many cultures around the globe

marks the beginning of a new phase in human development: a period in which diversity is being accepted as part

of the intricacies offered by human evolution and development. With this brief introduction, let me talk about a

culture that has been around for nearly decades now as effect of the determined assertion of people with hearing

impairment of their rights to be given significance to a world dominated by the hearing individuals the Deaf

culture. This paper will have two components: first, a brief definition of what culture is and what qualifies for aculture to become one. The second component will comprise a discussion on what Deaf culture is and how it is

eligible to be called a specific culture.

Sharing similar set of values, norms, history, and tradition, coupled with common language constitute a culture.

Talking of the concept of culture is delving on the intricacies and complexities brought about by a communitys

historical background, ongoing traditions, shared beliefs and values, and other things that has been part of how a

member of that particular society lives his/her daily life. Culture cuts across time and space. Someone from the

West might share the same culture as that from a man in the East. However, in this case, the specific practices of

this culture may vary, depending on the locale in which that culture must be adapted. Both the United States of

America and the Philippines have a Deaf culture in general. Both countries share the same experiences of having

a Deaf culture, but they surely differ with their practices and the use of language (ASL for USA, FSL for the

Philippines), thus creating an American Deaf culture and a Filipino Deaf culture, respectively. Culture works on

the premise provided by the prior experiences of the people who shared these beliefs, at the same time, on the

parameters provided by the local traditions in which the culture must based the common practices among its

members.

Deaf culture is an existing culture. It is not a made-up thing made by deaf just because they wanted to isolate

themselves to the hearing individuals. It is beyond that kind of reasoning. Deaf culture is a product of the prior

experiences, shared beliefs and values, ongoing traditions and norms prized by the Deaf community. Most people

with hearing impairments decided to classify themselves as Deaf, not just deaf. By doing this, they are

acknowledging the fact that they have their own identity that is beyond the parameters of them having sensorial

difficulties.

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Being one with the Deaf culture has nothing to do with the severity of deafness or hearing loss. It is a choice made

by an individual with hearing impairment. No one forces him to be part of it. It is his/her own wilful choice to be

classified as member of the Deaf community.

What are the components of Deaf culture? Aside from having the same individual and collective experiences, they

share the same language, traditions, and values. In the case of the Filipino Deaf culture, the Filipino Sign

Language (FSL) is being used by the Deaf community. FSL, as a big component of Deaf culture, reflects the

culture and beliefs of the Deaf. For example, a church is signed by putting the right hand over the left fist; the

latter symbolizes the rock or an elevated place in which the Church, the former, stood. This just reflects how

Catholic Deaf perceived the Church, an important institution that is superior to them. Aside from that, the Deaf

community values, as what is shown in the documentary Deaf President Now!, collectivism. They are still

individuals, but being unified by one culture in promoting their advocacy is much more significant for them. Deaf

individuals believe that they are interconnected with each other because of this culture.

When it comes to behaviors, manners, and other standard conducts, there are some differences between the Deaf

and the hearing individual. This is due to the differences between the two parties sensorial functioning. An

example of this is bidding goodbye. Since hearing individuals have a good verbal command, just by saying bye!

to a group of friends indicate that that person needs to leave. For a Deaf individual, s/he must approach all people

in the group to bid a personal goodbye. This is rooted to the interconnectedness valued by the Deaf individuals.

Another notable feature of the Deaf culture is the importance of physical feature in remembering people and

visual semiotics in learning. Since they lack the use of auditory and verbal language, they take note of distinct

physical features to identify a person they are talking with. I personally experienced this when Jasmine and her husband assigned a different sign name for me. The former noted my pimples as a distinct physical feature while

the latter noticed the mole on my left eyebrow as my unique features. Of course, I love the latter than the former,

but what it shows is that they think visually. Hearing individuals think through language, but Deaf people will

definitely think in pictures.

The Deaf culture, just like any other culture , rooted from the notion of finding ones identity. Deaf individuals

have their own identities and we must learn to accept that. They do not think like hearing individuals. Hearing

individuals can only understand so little from the Deaf culture. Using the tip of the iceberg, though it is a clich,

might sufficiently describe how hearing individuals might comprehend the culture of the Deaf. A gap between the

hearing individuals and the Deaf community can be diminished, or be abolished, only if both parties learn to

respect and accept the differences of each culture, a significant element to gradually create a much open and

accepting Philippines.