Story and Photographs by AMBER HELD Special to the Palisadian-Post Language is humanity’s greatest gift. It expresses thoughts, feelings and hopes. At Cape Coast School for the Deaf in Ghana, West Africa, the distinctiveness of the language embodies the culture, which I have strived to reveal in photos. Most of the images I have selected involve the hands in some activity: exchanging information, washing hands or holding something. In his book “Seeing Voices,” Oliver Sacks eloquently describes the beauty of sign language: “Sign can evoke a concreteness, a vividness, a realness, an aliveness, that spoken languages, if they ever had, have long since abandoned.” As a student at Boston University majoring in visual anthropology, I took a leave of absence last spring to participate in the School for International Studies study abroad program in Ghana, West Africa. The framework for a 10-week cultural immersion process included traveling to seven of the 10 regions, living with homestay families in a rural village and in the capital city of Accra, attending lectures, hands-on workshops, and participating in daily activities. This all lead up to a fieldwork independent study project. Equipped with a stipend, contacts and field resources, I was given four weeks to compile a written report and prepare an oral presentation of my research. My project, “Disability Not Inability,” is a photographic essay and case study at Cape Coast School for the Deaf. Refreshing my American Sign Language skills was the first step in participating at Cape Deaf. Most of the students were new to the language, so we were learning together. Some of my students wrote pidgin English on the chalkboard or could lip-read. In any case, the barrier came down when I danced to the vibrations of the drums at their cultural troupe rehearsal. After wrapping their cloth around my waist, we performed the Bima dance, celebrating the completion of exams, as well as marking the last day of my three weeks with them. By documenting the students’ daily activities at this residential school, I appreciated all their talents. The vocational potential for the deaf is high. Headmaster Robert Harrison Akyea exclaimed, “The future is bright! The school will enable them to establish businesses. At first, people were hiding their deaf children, but this time they are bringing them to us.” Because the students constantly use their hands, they just need to be encouraged to use them for skills and crafts. Akyea wants to provide this support: “The deaf need self-esteem, they need to know they have a lot to offer. We encourage them by giving them opportunities in many fields and endeavors.” Direct experience gives Cape Deaf students the confidence they need to practice and master these crafts. “My attitude has changed positively since living at Cape Deaf,” says student Bangalee FoFana. “I want to have a good education because deaf education is more precious than GOLD.” Not only does he recognize the importance of his education in Ghana, but he is sensitive to deaf people everywhere. “It is very important to help our deaf brothers and sisters over the world to know about our culture.” Deaf awareness sends the message that there are opportunities to learn new skills, communicate and live a fulfilling life. If you want to provide resources for Cape Coast School for the Deaf you can contact ambrheld@bu.edu. Amber Held, a Palisades High School graduate, is a senior at Boston University. Her black-and-white photo depicting intertwined hands (above left) won honorable mention in a School for International Training photo contest.
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