For hearing-impaired individuals who require sign language, sign language is a necessary language for thinking about things, communicating with others, and understanding each other's feelings.
In Kurashiki City, the Sign Language Ordinance was enacted in 2021, and in 2023, Okayama Prefecture also established the "Ordinance on the Promotion of Sign Language and Communication Methods According to the Characteristics of Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment, and Other Disabilities."
This article reports on the event "Kurashiki Sign Language Festival," where sign language users from Kurashiki City gathered.
The 2nd Kurashiki Sign Language Festival
The 2nd Kurashiki Sign Language Festival was held as part of the afternoon session of the regular general meeting organized by the Kurashiki City Association of Hearing Impaired Persons at the "Kurashiki Health and Welfare Plaza, 5th Floor Plaza Hall" in Sasao, Kurashiki City.
On that day, the following individuals gathered together.
- Members and supporting members of the Kurashiki City Association of Hearing Impaired Persons
- Individuals with hearing impairments living in the vicinity of Kurashiki City (hereinafter referred to as the deaf)
- Members of the Kurashiki City Sign Language Circle Liaison Council (hereinafter referred to as the City Sign Language Council)
- Registered sign language interpreters of Kurashiki City
Program
The weather on the day was rainy, but sign language was already being exchanged in the lobby of the Plaza Hall.
Opportunities for individuals to gather are precious.
It seemed that many people were meeting after a long time, and conversations in sign language were lively all around.
The program for the 2nd Kurashiki Sign Language Festival is as follows.
- Skit by registered sign language interpreters of the city
- Quiz and skit by the City Sign Language Council
- Comedy by dedicated sign language interpreters of Kurashiki City
- Sign language song by the Kusa no Kai Sign Language Circle
- Skit by the Kurashiki City Association of Hearing Impaired Persons
Skit by Registered Sign Language Interpreters of the City
The 2nd Kurashiki Sign Language Festival started with a skit by registered sign language interpreters of the city.
Registered sign language interpreters of the city are individuals who have passed the national standardized examination for sign language interpreters and are active as interpreters in Kurashiki City.
I was excited to see interpreters I usually rely on for both personal and public matters.
The skit depicted common scenarios for the deaf, such as communication errors between the deaf and interpreters during interpretation scenes, and imitations of event organizers who do not understand interpretation.
Instead of just ending with "this is common," it also touched on "if we do this, it will improve," providing content that made me think I could practice it the next time I encounter similar situations.
Quiz and Skit by the City Sign Language Council
"City Sign Language Council" is the abbreviation for the Kurashiki City Sign Language Circle Liaison Council, an organization aimed at promoting interaction among sign language circles in Kurashiki City, with the following four objectives.
- Maintain close communication with the Kurashiki City Association of Hearing Impaired Persons and cooperate on mutual projects.
- Engage in sign language learning to facilitate communication with hearing-impaired individuals.
- Hold exchange meetings to promote camaraderie among members.
- Provide information that supports members' activities and engage in related learning and research.
This time, a skit themed around the discrepancies between the "deaf culture" of hearing-impaired individuals and the "hearing culture" of hearing individuals was presented.
For example, in sign language, expressions of modesty are not commonly used. Therefore, when a hearing person offers a gift saying, "It's just a little something," a deaf person might wonder, "Why did you bring something insignificant?"
As it is often said, "Language symbolizes culture," sign language is also a language, and thus deaf individuals possess a slightly different culture than hearing individuals. The skit by the City Sign Language Council likely served as a trigger for the deaf to realize, "So this is how hearing individuals feel!" and for hearing individuals to learn, "If we express it this way, we can coexist comfortably!"
Comedy by Dedicated Sign Language Interpreters
In Kurashiki City, dedicated sign language interpreters are stationed at the main city hall, Mizushima branch, and Kojima branch, ensuring a system where individuals who require sign language can smoothly carry out procedures.
As someone with a hearing impairment, I often rely on them for activities as a community revitalization cooperation team member and for public procedures.
It was a rare sight to see dedicated interpreters who usually work at each branch gathered together, and their energetic dance brought the highest excitement of the day to the venue.
The content was about a phone scam. Since the victim was a deaf person, the perpetrator contacted them via email instead of a phone call. It is reassuring to hear a familiar interpreter at the counter say, "If you ever have trouble, feel free to come consult with us at the counter."
Sign Language Song by the Kusa no Kai Sign Language Circle
Next, there was a sign language song performed by the sign language circle "Kusa no Kai."
Three songs were performed: "Sanpo" from Studio Ghibli, the folk song "Furusato," and the children's song "If You're Happy and You Know It."
The latter two songs seem to be standard songs for sign language performances in other sign language circles as well, and there were audience members in the floor moving their hands along with the songs.
Skit and Gesture Quiz by the Kurashiki City Association of Hearing Impaired Persons
The final stage presentation was a skit by the Kurashiki City Association of Hearing Impaired Persons, the organizer of this event.
The Kurashiki City Association of Hearing Impaired Persons is the only organization composed solely of individuals with hearing impairments in this stage presentation.
The skit realistically depicted the struggles of deaf individuals before the establishment of the sign language interpretation system and how their lives changed after its implementation.
I belong to the generation that was able to request sign language interpreters for necessary situations in both personal and public matters as the sign language ordinance became widespread nationwide when I was about to become independent from my parents. However, these rights were obtained through the struggles of deaf individuals who came before us.
Once again, I felt the necessity for individuals to raise their voices and that I want to be an adult who can create a more livable society for the next generation.
The content was very thought-provoking, filled with laughter and poignant moments, all expressed in sign language without sound.
Typically, performers use sign language expressions that are easy for hearing individuals to read (known as Japanese Sign Language Correspondence), but on this stage, there was a lot of use of sign language expressions (known as Japanese Sign Language) used in communication among the deaf, which was also one of the attractions.
Interpreters and hearing members of the City Sign Language Council also watched the stage with serious expressions.
Conclusion
The Kurashiki Sign Language Festival, where both deaf and hearing individuals gathered, concluded successfully.
From October 18 (Friday) to 20 (Sunday), 2024, the National Deaf Women's Gathering will be held in Okayama Prefecture, with Kurashiki City expected to be one of the venues.
In terms of the unity of sign language users in Kurashiki City, it was likely a meaningful event.
I hope that the "circle of sign language" will continue to expand in Kurashiki City as we approach October.
Data of the 2nd Kurashiki Sign Language Festival
| Name | The 2nd Kurashiki Sign Language Festival |
|---|---|
| Date | March 17, 2024 (Sunday) from 1 PM to 3 PM |
| Location | 180 Sasao, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Free |
