DEAF Peoples Experience of theatre as Recreation Abilities for Social Inclusion A presentation to Sh

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DEAF Peoples Experience of theatre as
Recreation Abilities for Social InclusionA
presentation to Shafallah Center's 3rd Annual
International Forum 20th 22nd April 2008 Doha
QatarBy

• Florence Nightingale Mukasa
• Gender and Silent Theatre coordinator Uganda
  National Association of the Deaf
• E-mailsilenttheatre_ug_at_yahoo.com

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Objectives of the presentation

• To share Ugandan Deaf Persons experience in
  Theatre
• To identify the gaps that calls for immediate
  action to achieve social inclusion
• To urge participants, governments and
  international community to support children with
  disabilities to be part of our communities.

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INTRODUCTION

• Country- Uganda
• Third world country found in the Eastern Africa
• Population of 28 million
• 10 of 28m People are PWDs.
• The Deaf are approximately 700,000 people -
  majority being children.
• First country in the world to recognize Sign
  Language in her national constitution

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Introd...

• Association-Uganda National Association of the
  Deaf (UNAD)
• Established in 1973 by Deaf people themselves as
  a non governmental Association
• Vision Best quality life of all Deaf People in
  Uganda
• Mission To advocate for the human rights of Deaf
  Persons, promotion of sign language, access to
  quality services and building capacity of Deaf
  persons
• UNAD carries out Silent Theatre Drama programs
  among many other activities.

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Why UNAD Started Silent Theatre

• To promote Sign Language among the Deaf and
  Hearing communities through theatre.
• To create awareness to the Deaf community on
  critical issues that affects their day to day
  lives like HIV / AIDS, poverty and human Rights
  violation.
• To provide a base for changing negative attitudes
  among the general public.
• To train Deaf people in performing arts.

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WHY THEATRE FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION

• Social inclusion is about reducing inequalities
  between the least advantaged groups and
  communities and the rest of the society by
  closing the opportunity gap and ensuring that
  support reaches those who need it most, The
  Scottish Government, 2008
• I find the above definition meaningful and useful

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Theatre as a tool

• It conveys fun and gives a cause for
  entertainment, laughter, physical flexibility and
  self-governance.
• Silent Theatre? Theatre is performed with no
  sound, voices or speech by Deaf Persons but
  through Sign Language a gestural and visual
  language.
• When the play starts it inevitably enchants the
  audience, transporting them into another world.

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Theatre as a tool

• Some in the audience may be doubtful - watching
  gestures with no speech but slowly almost
  unnoticeably, the audience undergoes a
  transformation
• The Deaf posses amazing ability to excite their
  audience, they are able to entertain, inform and
  educate on issues affecting their children with
  disabilities in their communities.

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Theatre as a tool

• The real actors on stage are Deaf youths, women
  and men with hearing disabilities.
• The actors on stage beautifully twist and turn
  their hands conveying messages in Sign Language.
• The Deaf actors, sing, cry, fight or rude just
  the way real hearing children act in real life in
  our daily life activities that are denied to Deaf
  children.

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The Uganda Success

• The Silent theatre project has been success for
  over 3 years
• Outstanding audience attendance of 5,000
• And has empowered 4 male and 5 female young Deaf
  persons with skills that are employable as actors
  .
• We dream of Hollywood Denzel Washington's of
  this world to be a Deaf youth actor in future.

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Success

• There has been increased awareness among Deaf
  people and the public about Sign Language as a
  first language of Deaf people. This is manifested
  by a number of people who come to UNAD interested
  in learning Sign Language.
• With Theatre in Sign Language Deaf people have
  been sensitized of the dangers of HIV / Aids, how
  they can safe guard themselves, the importance of
  knowing ones status. Hospitals and testing
  centers have now registered more Deaf people
  coming for HIV/AIDs test.
• The community is now aware that PWDs are also
  susceptible to HIV/AIDS
• Societies have been sensitized of the creative
  abilities, theatre skills and potentials untapped
  in Deaf people.

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continues

• The community has embraced and generally accepted
  the role Silent Theatre is doing to improve lives
  of not only the disabled but the whole community
  at large through creation of awareness using
  drama and songs that are educative.
• Deaf people have gained confidence since the
  public has recognized their language which is
  Sign Language. They Can now particiapte in
  decision making and contribute to the development
  of their communities.

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Continues

• Service providers have been sensitized of the
  need to provide Healthy services and including
  PWDs in their programmes. It has greatly changed
  the attitude the service providers had towards
  PWDs.
• Due to the educational level of many Deaf people,
  many cannot read or write, information on
  critical issues such as HIV/AIDs, reproductive
  health issue, human rights is either passed on in
  spoken or written which completely leaves them
  out. Plays about these issues have been written
  and performed in Sign Language which have been of
  great understanding to the Deaf community.
• Deaf actors have improved the skill of performing
  Arts and confidence among the drama members.

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Continues

• Silent Theatre performances have so far created a
  positive attitude among viewers who formally had
  a negative attitude towards Deaf people hence
  inclusion.
• Young Deaf people have developed future goals
  which are positive and done away with inferiority
  complex.

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Contn

• The skills and abilities has witnessed the UNAD
  silent theatre go international, for instance, to
  SWEDEN, DENMARK, SPAIN, NORWAY and IRAN
• International award from IRAN, 2007.
• The families, communities and public of all
  cultures appreciate SILIENT THEATRE entertainment
  and has built a strong partner with other Theatre
  groups and organizations both at local, national
  and international levels.

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Challenges

• In order to attract a big audience, you have to
  do lots of advertising using all medias, but it
  is expensive thus unable to afford.
• The group has now gained popularity, the demand
  for our performances is high but we cannot
  satisfy this demand because of the limited
  funding.

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CONCLUSION

• The Silent Theatre is slowly transforming
  communities, changing communities negative
  attitudes towards PWDs, we must embrace it for a
  better society of everyoneUganda is proud to be
  the first country in Africa to introduce this
  marvelous theatre.

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SUKRAN