Skip to main content

I'm a Retired Deaf Activist

I was born to a Deaf person in the middle of a hearing family who does not know sign language and grew up in different ways, neither in the Deaf world nor the hearing world. I studied at a Deaf school using a read-lips method and a mainstream school. So, I'm also a former mainstreamed school alumnus. What was the experience I have become a Deaf person? It was a thrilling journey. Living in an unfriendly country always be challenging. I sometimes was asked why was I born like that and why was I stuck at this family who doesn't know sign language. It felt unfair, though. 

I had been an activist since June 2016 and joined Gerkatin (Gerakan untuk Kesejahteraan Tuli untuk Indonesia) which is a Deaf organization. I worked lots-- such as an interpreter, sign language teacher, public speaker, event committee, coordinator, and lead the group, etc-- and had experienced lots, which downs and ups. It was mixed feelings. Being an activist that what you see it looks fun and cool but either to me and it was really lots of things that I can't say something. I decided to retire as an activist in December 2021. So, why?

I was non-member of Gerkatin and I broke the rules. So, I thought I don't need to be and I want to be an independent person, which I can manage what I do. I resigned and be ready of becoming a Deaf independent. I'm not related with any Deaf organizations and institutions. 

I felt I'm over and I couldn't work like that anymore. I faced politicians, people, communities, lecturers, and another people I've met and argued during my advocacy and campaign. That made I felt tired and always wanted to be done. This was stressful and depression. No one made I feel happy, except I can make Deaf children feel happy of what I give. So, I want to focus my goal and dream, that the only can makes I'm happy with my own life. I don't want to waste my time to serve Deaf people. 

Just want my dream come true first. That's an ultimate goal since when I started off. That's something that I'm going to have to do. I want my dream as I really want to. 

Besides, I felt proud and be grateful became an activist because I had lots of chance to meet the greatest people like I met Deaf British, Americans,  French, and Germans who came to Indonesia. I learned English, International Sign (IS), British Sign Language (BSL), and American Sign Language (ASL). I also met Deaf local greatest people who graduated from foreign universities, like Hong Kong, Australia, United States, and United Kingdom. They made I believe that a native sign language can becomes a successful person and achieve the dream. I was reminded Michael Steven Stein who is a Deaf American lawyer to serve the NAD which is an American Deaf organization in the United States and Nick Palfreyman who is a Deaf sign language linguistic from the United Kingdom has been researched the local sign language in Indonesia since 2007.  They are awesome, smart, and inspiration. They are also polyglot and speak Indonesian and Indonesian Sign Language (BISINDO). So, this is the only part that makes I'm grateful became an activist and lots learned I've gotten. I had coolest chance during my activist career. 

I think I'm over and want to be independently. That's really what I want to do.  But, I never forget my proud community and it will be always. Since I am a Deaf proud and feel reborn to be part of this community, as neither active nor non-active member.  So, I never leave the Deaf community. That's my family.

This is a choice life, I can be happy as soon as possible, whatever happens.  I rely on Him for sure because I can't be alone anymore and would be rely on Him, just give it to Him. He knows what I do and want to do. So, I believe that one.

Thanks, everyone! I love Deaf community. I'm a Deaf proud person and be a native sign language.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SPECIAL LETTER: How It Is Important to Papua and Deaf-Black Community in Indonesia?

Papuan Island (West Papua and Papua) Papua, formerly Irian Jaya, is the largest and easternmost province of Indonesia, comprising most of Western New Guinea [1] . The province is located on the island of New Guinea. Its capital and largest city is Jayapura. The province has a large potential in natural resources, such as gold, nickel, petroleum, etc [2] . Papua has two different provinces, Papua and West Papua. West Papua, formerly Irian Jaya Barat or Irian Barat is a province of Indonesia. It covers the two western peninsulas of the island of New Guinea, Bird’s Head Peninsula, and Bomberai Peninsula, along with nearby islands. Manokwari is the province’s capital, while Sorong is its largest city [3] . Koteka (penis gourd) Papua has cultures, 264 regional languages, tribes, ethnicities, and traditions [1] . The famous tribes are Dani and Asmat tribes.  Dani tribe is located in West Papua and Asmat tribe is located in Papua. Besides, Papuan people also wear their traditional clothes...
Post a Comment
Read more

Gloss, A Forgotten Learning Foreign Language and Translate

I was testing a student who stood up to share her short story in signs in our class. She was so good at signing despite sign language being the third language that she is learning and isn't a native speaker. She was confused about gloss or glosa in Indonesian. That's the thing that is most often forgotten when learning and translating a foreign language. Foreign language teachers almost never teach about gloss to students and yeah, I am sure some do and some do not.  The Gloss (Gr) means when a word is attached to a sign in simple terms. It refers to the way that ASL (American Sign Language) names signs in order to give a sense of the meanings behind them. A word or word that represents that sign does not signify its meaning in any way (source: What Are Glosses in Sign Language/  https://www.ilovelanguages.com/what-are-glosses-in-sign-language ). A gloss happens because it causes when a student who learns a second language but their mind that used to be a native language as bo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Deaflympics, the Attention Less But Much Privileged Being a Deaf Person

The 24th Summer Deaflympics is just starting tonight on May 1 until the closing ceremony takes on May 15. Caxias do Sul, Brazil is hosting the 24th Summer Deaflympics and competing in 17 discipline sports, 78 countries, and over 2.000 athletes, according to the official website Deaflympics. Deaflympics actually takes place in 2021 but pushed back to 2022 due to pandemics and safety reasons.   Unlikely the 2016 Olympics which took place in Rio de Janeiro, the Deaflympics takes place in Caxias do Sul, a suburb of downtown Porto Alegre and apart 3 hours away. Porto Alegre is well-ever hosted the 2014 World Cup. As usual, men's soccer becomes the first sport to start playing before the Opening Ceremony, in which Brazil opened with a loss to Cameroon 3-2, by following the United States Deaf Men's National Team (USDMNT) promising win 4-1 over Iraq.  All sports are played after the Opening Ceremony on May 2. What do the summary that just you are reading about the Deaflympics? De...
Post a Comment
Read more