The Centre for Deaf Studies at Wits is celebrating a massive milestone of progress and inclusion—25 years of deaf education and support. To celebrate, its Film and Arts Festival will take centre stage:
Johannesburg, South Africa (28 September 2023) — Wit’s University’s Centre for Deaf Studies is celebrating 25 years of leading deaf education in the country!
A quarter of a century of progress is being celebrated with a wealth of activity programmes, including social events, workshops and panel discussions as well as an anticipated highlight—its Film and Arts Festival.
As the arts are widely recognised for their power to unite people and overcome societal boundaries, this event will spotlight not only the talent in the Deaf community but also create a deeper level of connection that people outside of it can learn from.
The Fest will feature Handspeak, a group of Deaf Korean performers as well as South African Deaf artists: Rainbow Warriors, Tamatie, Ismael Mansoor and the SA Theatre Group LWud—set to perform Pink Tax with a pro SASL Interpreter. It will also showcase films by Deaf artists.
Artistic Director at LWuD Theatre, Noxolo Bhengu, whose play Pink Tax was adapted for the festival on Friday, says she is proud of the experimental piece, which incorporates an interpreter who is specialised in performance interpreting using South African Sign Language.
“Uniting deaf and hearing communities in artistic spaces will help to break down stereotypes and challenge misconceptions,” says Bhengu.
“As theatre makers, artists, and people responsible for facilitating platforms for creative expression and involvement, it is important for us to consciously move towards inclusion and anti-ableism within our industry by recognising that talent and creativity should be accessible to everyone.
“Including deaf artists in mainstream productions is a vital step towards a more inclusive representation of the diverse world that we live in.”
Associate Professor Claudine Storbeck at the Centre for Deaf Studies shares that the 25th anniversary is a great milestone and an opportunity to reflect on successes while fostering even more integration.
“We are excited about the upcoming festival which is a partnership between the Centre and SociGO, a non-profit company run by Deaf young people. Our goal is to showcase deaf talent and build bridges. We are thrilled that the Korean Ambassador to South Africa has come on board by expanding the cultural experience through providing authentic Korean food and drinks before the show.”
Beyond teaching and research, the Centre has also been a key contributor towards building an inclusive society. It is the go-to partner for families of deaf and hard-of-hearing babies, which through the Hi Hopes programme, provides psycho-social and language support to families across six provinces. This reach is increasing. In addition, the Centre has a dedicated SafeSpace programme to support Deaf victims of gender-based violence (GBV)—all of which are well worth celebrating.
All who are interested in learning more about Deaf culture and South African Sign Language are invited to attend the two-day cultural programme, which ends on Saturday, 30 September with a family fun day. The fun day is free and open to all, and all events take place at the Wits Parktown Education campus.
by 