Lottery grant unlocks hidden history of Highland’s deaf community
A film documenting the lives of profoundly Deaf sign language users in the Highlands, Islands and Moray will be launched at Eden Court, Inverness, on Friday 25th March at 12.30pm.
The film was made by the Highland Council’s Deaf Communication Project. “For years, social history programmes have been made about the lives of hearing people, but Deaf signers here have never had an opportunity to share their extraordinary life stories”, said project manager Jenny Liddell.
“We also had a compelling need to make the film now, because the way people sign is changing. Older Deaf people don’t use as many signs, but instead use their fingers to spell out individual letters. It sounds like a slow way to communicate, but in fact it’s amazingly fast and beautiful to watch, and its part of our heritage. We wanted to capture this wonderful communication style on film while we still can.”
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) agreed with the need to record the Highland ‘finger-spelling’ and awarded the Project nearly £50,000 towards the cost for the three year project.
Two Deaf Researchers Jean Pentland and John Montgomery, interviewed fifteen Deaf signers. “I’m glad this project has been completed”, said Jean. “It’s good for Gaelic that they get so much financial support, but our Highland Deaf language and culture sometimes gets forgotten about”, she continued. “I’m glad people will have the chance to find out more about our community through this film.”
Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said: “I am delighted that HLF has been able to help capture the legacy of Highland ‘finger-spelling’ before it dies out completely. This film is not only extremely interesting and educational for all but will, I’m sure, give Deaf people a stronger affinity with their identity through greater understanding of their history and traditions.”
“It’s been a long journey, but very worthwhile” added Charlie Wilson of Wee TV, the media company which produced the film. “We’ve recorded nine hours of raw footage altogether, which will be held for posterity and research at the Highland Archive Centre and Deaf Communication Project.”
The film is fully voiced-over and sub-titled with an accompanying booklet. A key aim of the initiative is to create opportunities for the wider community to learn about Deaf people’s language, history and culture. Copies will be distributed to the Highland Archive Centre, schools, universities, museums and libraries, and will be invaluable for educating young Deaf people about their own culture and heritage.
David Paul, who is Deaf and lives in Caithness, recalls playing football at residential school while watching in the distance as bombs fell on Newcastle. “I picked up a shell once, it was really heavy. My teacher told me I was mad, that it could have blown the back of my head off!”.
Lena Hay, of Elgin, said, “At the Milan Deaf Olympics in 1957, I was chatting to an American girl and I used my Scottish sign for ‘lemonade’. She was very shocked because to her that was the sign for a very rude swear word!”
Rena Murray, Dingwall, said, “Things are so much better now, I’ve got my mobile phone to keep in touch with friends, and can get an interpreter if I need to go to the doctor or opticians.”
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