Author Archives: Jemdeafhistory

Mm, what an annoying chap telling me his excuse over the disability car park at the Pak n Save – Clarence Street, Hamilton?

First of all, he is NOT A DISABLED man.

I took the disabled senior man – Rob (his name is not real) to do his food grocery at Pak n Save, Clarence Street, Hamilton at noon time today. First we went to have lunch at Burger King, Hamilton and talked over the past week though signing because we are deaf plus he has other disabilities. His other disabilities are CP as in Cerebral Palsy, speech impaired and low English.

We arrived to find one disabled car park space free but there was a grey/white or silver car in front of us. We thought he was pulling out, BUT we were wrong. He drove into the disabled car park and called out the young boy who he was waiting with a full load of foods in the trolley by the huge glass windows. Then he was loading all the food items in the back of his car while the young boy standing there waiting. The young boy noticed us and telling the man about us. I watched his lip moving as he was talking to the young boy. The man said five minutes, five minutes.

Rob was holding his mobility permit card holder that showed a proof that he is entitled for us to park the car in the disability car space. This man does not have one at all! Because we can see through the window of my car to his car.

Finally he walked over to me, there was no apologised from him to us. His excuse was he can not find anywhere to park and his grandson had to wait with full food in the trolley near the disabled parking etc… I merely told him firmly that I don’t take his words for this excuse and he went on saying that his son in law working in Pak N Save. His son in law said it is okay to park and pick up his grandson in the disabled car park.

I told him it is illegal to do that even any staff failed to accept or fail to take responsibility for allowing any family members even friends to park in the disabled park. I told him that there is plenty of parent’s car parking available. He declined this and the conversation was over. He walked away and drove off without anymore apologised.

Sigh!

After they left and I drove up to park in the same spot. We continue to do the food shopping inside. Then I went over to talked to the manager about the incident and advised the manager to speak to ALL STAFF about the guidelines and the rules over who is allow for parking the car, etc.. It is NOT for a drop or pick up car spaces.

I wish people need to learn how to respect and accept that disabled car park is for All disabled people who have a mobility permit holder card.

Try to read the messages here…. Is the ordinary person’s writing, or a slow learner like an ESOL person’s writing?

These messages were from the Deaf people who I am supporting them. Note: Surname withheld and removed from the messages were confidential for anyone in public.

How about this one? Can you understand this language?

1. Buon pomeriggio, impariamo oggi il linguaggio dei segni. (Italian)

2. Kia ahiahi, kia ako tatou mo te reo tohu i tenei ra. (Māori)

3. Dea-tráthnóna in iúl dúinn faoi theanga chomhartha inniu. (Irish)

4. Goede middag laat ons vandaag nog leren over gebarentaal. (Dutch)

5. Gelinka wanaagsani waxaynu baranaynaa luqadda dhegeysiga maanta (Somali)

I will put these language into our English sentences and you will see the difference in the English language. (Note – I am a deaf linguist).

1. Good afternoon, let us today the sign language.
2. Good afternoon, let us learn for sign language.
3. Good afternoon, let us know about sign language today.
4. Good afternoon, let us today yet learn about sign language.
5. Good afternoon, we are learning sign language today.

It is impossible to correct the English language from other language such as Somalia, Irish, Italian. The correct English language we use today, is ‘Good afternoon, let us learn about sign language today.’

With our NZSL, it is not based on English or other language. NZSL is a true and natural language that conveys information via a wide range of movements and expressions. NZSL is not a mime or gestures. NZSL is not a universal ‘Deaf’ language.

Here is two movie clips on communicate with any Deaf person in NZSL.

example of NZSL1

example on NZSL 2

In the term of language such ‘special needs’, ‘hearing impaired’, or ‘disabled’ and theses words are in the term of medical terminology. I was watching one of the YouTube and there was a guy  comedian who have disabilities on Uk Talent show. He mentions about too many words ‘special” everywhere such as Special Needs,  Education, Special Equipment. Then he said what about Special Forces!

Everyone is different when we speak or to write to another person like me. I keep typing or writing letters or blogs and I have to stop and read the grammar or content before sending off by email or to post the blogs. Often I realise there is a tiny mistake where I missed after posting out. Not everyone mention if they found an error in the blogs or email letters in replied. If I am typing a official letter to the councillor or to the Prime Minister and I would have my director to check it before sending off first. I keep practicing typing English when I am well enough to do the blogs, a draft book on Hamilton Deaf Units, and making a website on Deaf History and Sign Language. But most of the days, I am not well enough to do this due to my right elbow, arm and the tiredness from having the nerve flaring up on any days or nights.

Donate welcome through Givealttle.com or through my facebook and I would be grateful if you can help and support me.

Givealittle.com – Jean’s project on Deaf History

Facebook website for Deaf History work

The Fourth day of the NZSL Week!

Think about our NZSL and it is our language just you speak English, Korean, French language around the world.

Here is one of the good message for you all…

The good news is that the Parliament decided to use the interpreters for all news from the Parliament. Check out the newspaper – MPs and the Parliament – NZ…..

MPs and the Parliament – NZ  

One of the MPs is doing sign language – see below.

One of the MPs signing at the Parliament

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Deaf History New Zealand and International fundraiser for Sine Peader

A third day of the NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) Week in New Zealand.

I made the Deaf Vlog for the Facebook group – Deaf Vlog (NZ, Australia and UK) this morning. One Deaf mother with a hearing son from Australia, replied to my vlog and the message was ‘how quiet is at my place without any sounds, BUT to see the autumn leaves lying on the ground? A very quiet sound of the wind blowing in the trees.’

Pan flute – The Sound of Silence

Here are a couple of links to YouTube with the captioning for the Deaf people or Hard of Hearing people.

The sound of Silence with captioning – Lords of the Ring

Dana Winner – The Sound of Silence

I turned the sound off when I was doing the video, and I signed a small message about our NZSL Week to Australia, the UK including Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Republic of Ireland and New Zealand in sign language.

The boy’s message made me realised and his ‘experienced on silent’ was living with his Deaf family. The experienced on silent makes no difference to me because I grew up in two worlds – in the Deaf community and in the hearing community.

Looking at the people speaking with their voice everywhere – buildings, car park, rock concert, home, workplace and the parks. Imagine if there was a loud noisy area and people cannot hear each other when speaking. Yep, it would be very difficult for them.

check out the sound in Paris cafe and traffic noise in Paris

For us, many Deaf people communicate in sign language easily – no matter where we are in the places, farm, noisy place. We communicate in sign language through the window, high-rise floor, across the road or across the large ‘crowding’ room. We did not have any problem with communicating than using voice by shouting out or yelling out to other people.

Recently I watched the movie and it called “The Quiet Place” last month.

In John Krasinski’s brilliantly suspenseful thriller, a family must remain silent at all times to avoid the giant predators roaming their post-apocalyptic world. The Guardian Paper Review

I noticed a number of audiences in the same room as me and they were trying to work out the storylines until the end of the movie. A couple who sat near me, they were asking me about the movie and I told them that I am deaf. They were astonished at me. Of course, we have several discussions over cuppa afterwards and they did not know about sign language as they knew very little about Deaf people. Who pays for the cuppa? They paid for me in return of thank you for the information about sign language and Deaf people.

Help Jean to raise money for the blog, Deaf History International projects. My domain is “mydeaf.blog” under WordPress is not ready yet

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Deaf History New Zealand and International fundraiser for Sine Peader

Today is the second day of the NZSL Week, in New Zealand.

I took the Somalian Deaf lady – Alisa* for her shopping after we have a coffee and chat in Hamilton this morning. We were signing as chatting just like everyone else in the cafe and staff asked for the signs such as please, thank you and coffee. The weather was perfect and a warm day during the Autumn season.

Fast forward to the Pak n Save, in Mill Street, Hamilton. we were inside the shopping and people watched us when I was explaining the name of the foods on the shelves even in the vegetable area. They were not nosey, just seeing us – Deaf people communicated with each other. One checkout lady asked for a sign – thank you and I responded the sign – thank you to this staff. the staff repeated the sign to Alisa.

We walked out into the car park and Alisa put her foods at the back of my car. She put the trolley back to the trolley bay.

Something was not right!

One driver, who her car was parked next to my car, she was reversing her car out while Alisa walked behind the driver’s car. The driver gave a glared and scowl at Alisa and lucky Alisa responded back in sign language – DEAF. It was not about where she came from. It was about telling Alisa to look where she is going.

The driver was shocked and said nothing. I saw the drama and I tapped on the driver’s window lightly. I spoke to her if she thought about invisible disability than any children or pets behind the car or not. The driver did not know about Deaf as an invisible disability. I said to her if she would like us to wear the label on the front or at the back of our body.

She replied well, perhaps and I told her that many disabled people refused to wear the label as a disability. To wear a label of any types of disability is a medical word for many years. I showed her my hoodie sweater which it had got a message and I said to her to think about when coming across to any person who can not hear the car reversing.  No matter if it was children or elderly people but what about the disabled person including Deaf person in the car park.

I know there are few cars that came in with reversing sensors in New Zealand a couple of years ago. I saw a couple of cars with reversing sensors in the car park with my partner. I asked my partner if he knows about it or not. His reply was yes and it was expensive but safe for anyone to see the sensors or to hear the reversing alarm. I know buses, trucks and large earthmovers have got one BUT not many cars available in New Zealand. Here is one of the websites and I posted the link below.

example of tools reversing alarms and sensors

At the end of the day, my job was over and Alisa said she is to continue to tell people by signing  “DEAF” back: if other people ask questions, scowling at her. This is her sign message as a voice to other people so they need to know and learn that she is Deaf and her language is ESOL/NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language).

*Note: Alisa is not a real name and her real name is protected from other people in any blogs. 

Deaf History New Zealand and International fundraiser for Sine Peader (Jean Masters)

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Tiki Tanne: No Place like Home in NZSL

You may know or heard many songs by Tiki Taane.

Here is the chance for you to watch him along with our Deaf community.

Celebrating our NZSL Week…

Enjoy watching this video…

Fund raise for my Deaf History Research

Yesterday it was Karl Marx’s birthday. He was born on the 5th of May in 1818. Yep, 200 years since his birth. Karl was a German philosopher, economist, historian, political theorist, sociologist, journalist and revolutionary socialist.

I studied his papers under Marxism at the University of Waikato and I never studied Marxism at my high school even in the Deaf Education. This Marxism work was difficult for me to understand and gave me a huge challenge to learn such as the Government, politics, capitalism, labour’s power etc.

So, how about the quotes I found from Karl Marx and compare to the disabilities area in the communities today than in the past. First of all, the first quote as above is about any individuals who have their disability or no disability such as Deaf and he/she express their life as they are to the other people. Marx made this quote unambiguous and loud message to everyone.

The second quote – it is a bit tricky if you can understand or can not understand this message. There are many workers in any buildings, Education or the company and their wages are not all the same even in the working class. Recently on television, there were several issues on midwife and teacher aides’ income because they were receiving low pay on long hours of working in the education/health industries. All the nurses even teacher aides established a protest match in the public and sent off petitions to the Government for their right to the pay rise.

Mm, think about people with disabilities. The people with disabilities excluded in some workplace and education. What about the right to communicate in sign language in the workplace, education, health industries? How can the Deaf people achieve their goal and their right in the community? First of all, they must stand unite and sign their language as their voice out to the public to remove the barrier of discrimination.

Tomorrow in New Zealand, we – Deaf People celebrate our NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) Week.

I wore my hoodie sweater with a Sign Language message on the back. My hearing partner and I went down to Morrinsville yesterday. It is a message to everyone in the public and I am proud to wear it. Tomorrow night I will be wearing it and visit the Scout group in Ohaupo. The Scouts will be learning to signs in the Scout’s Promise and Law. I am a bit rusty in the Promise and Law, because I used to be a Brownie and Girl Guide many years back. My mother was a Scout Leader even my sister was a Brownie and Girl Guide and two brothers were Scouts. I could not find a replaced Deaf person who lives near Te Awamutu as the first Deaf person was not available.  I AM hoping that my right side arm,elbow and hand will improve and to allow me to sign easily without having nerve twitching all over. Then I will have a physio on Tuesday afternoon..

Roll On, NZSL Week starting tomorrow!!

May the 4th be with you! (For any Star Wars Fan)

I stayed home and resting on the May of 4th due to a lot of catching up work loads including travelling to Auckland for the two days workshop. A trip to Auckland and coming home on the second day, I found myself very tiring and it took me a week and a couple of days to recover. Why? I have got a nerve damage in the right elbow, arm and fingers. I am still on the waiting list for the second nerve conduction assessment before going ahead with the options such as a nerve implant transfer, a long-term medicine etc…. Moving on with something else!

What so special about the 4th of May? It was not the Star Wars stuff! It was the quote “May the 4th be with you” and it was my partner’s birthday as well.

The morning was glorious and sunny day, four of us – three dogs and myself basking in the sun room. It was a nice relaxing, to feel the warmth ‘sun rays’ and looking out in the blue skies through the French doors. Judging our dogs who loves sunbathing and I saw them how they were relaxing than me. It was the Mother Nature and the word ‘Mother Nature’ can be found as a common personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it. (en.wikipedia)

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities.^[1] It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.^[2]

Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics to abstract concepts such as nations, emotionsand natural forces like seasons and the weather.

The silence bought inside the sun room than any traffic noises can be heard from the other side of the house. Not me surely, just these dogs who keep on look out for me when I am home daily or not. I am a deaf person and I can not hear every sounds just like you but it make no different when I wear hearing aids.

How bliss is the country life here, a spacious property with many gardens such as flowers, trees including fruit trees and a couple of vegetable gardens.

LIfe in the rural was a better opportunity to live than living in the small town or in the city! It is easy way to de stress your work loads or to detox your life by coming home in the rural from the small town or from the city.

Robin Williams’ quote from the Dead Poet’s Society. It is an excellent message to everyone and to spread the positive message rather the negative message.

Many people with disabilities have been let down than a small number of people with disabilities around the world. Look at Robin – did you know that he had got disabilities or not? The answer was YES. He suffered from depression/anxiety, Parkinson Disease, Mental Illness, alcohol/drug addictions, ADD (Attention deflect disorder) and to DYSLEXIA. Wow!

The Deaf people in the community – they struggle to communicate with other people in the community, not in their own Deaf community. Why? Average people who does not have experience or a limit of understanding in sign language out there while other people thinks we sign like ‘monkey gestures’. Often the people are really clueless on what is Deaf and sign language mean to you.

We – the Deaf people, were lucky to have the ability to communicate in a loud noisy room, through the window, across the room or the road, having a sore throat or a person come from Sweden. Anyone who have hearing, they will struggle to understand what a person was talking about in a loud noisy room, unable to speak if they have a sore throat etc.

Did you know that sign language was the first language before speaking or writing?

The earliest written records of a sign language can be found in the fifth century BC in Plato’s Cratylus. Moving on to the sixty century A.D., there was another sign language recorded in the Bible – The first chapter of the Gospel of Luke: Luke:1:62. Fast forward to the 1980’s in New Zealand, our sign language family is BANZSL and BANZSL stand for British, Australian and New Zealand Sign Language. This sign language may be considered dialects of a single language by using the same grammar, manual alphabet and the high degree of lexical overlap. I won’t go further to explain this lingiustic area.

World Sign Language Family

What I am saying that sign language is a visual language or method of communcation. How hard or easy for anyone to learn to communicate in sign language? Do not be put off if you do not know how to communicate with any Deaf person.  No other person will tell any Deaf person to speak than sign. What is Robin saying in the message – start learning the new words by sign language and you will be surprise that you sign naturally by asking for a pen or to drive. That is the sign language we use daily.

fund raising for my project on Deaf History

Mm, the quote in the photo may not be correct for any Blind person or any Deaf person.. perhaps I can re write the quote as follow in “Kindness is a language the blind can hear and the deaf can see.”

The NZSL Week run from the 7th to 13th of May this year. Reflecting back to the 6th of April 2006, the parliamentary bill need to approve the NZSL passed its third reading on the 6th of April 2006. The bill received Royal Assent, (a constitutional formality), on the 10th of April 2006. New Zealand Sign Language became an official language of New Zealand the day after the Royal Assent.

Today there are three languages which are Māori, NZSL and English in New Zealand.

This morning I took a deaf with speech impaired and CP man for his shopping and banking at Westfield Shopping Centre, Chartwell and Pak n Save. Several people including children were watching us in signing conversation. We were not bothered by people and children staring us, because they do not realise or to understand very little about sign language. The staff ask me to reply what are the signs such as in thank you, help, foods, and please. Then the team responded back to the deaf man in signs and his face lighted up and smiled.