Author Archives: Robyn

by | April 22, 2013 · 3:54 pm

Tribes at Circa

Yesterday we attended Tribes at Circa theatre in Wellington. I nearly didn’t bother to go, but I am so glad I did. The play is about Billy, a young deaf man and his rather dysfunctional family and other relationships. I love theatre, and I particularly love plays that make me think, make me laugh, and leave me feeling satisfied. Tribes met all those requirements.

It is about finding a “voice”, as each of us needs to do, and belonging. But it is also about being Deaf as opposed to deaf. Tribes scrutinises identity and the ways we communicate with and understand each other on deeper levels.  Exploration of family dynamics around a member who is “different” is subtle and perceptive. Each family member constructs that “difference” in their own way. Tribes explores with moving insight the issues for those of us born with impairments, and those who acquire them later. I can relate to all of that that at a deeply personal level.

The play shows that Sign Language is a subtle and beautiful language, and that Deaf people are not the only ones for whom it can be a essential channel of communication.

Finding identity may not always result in happy ever afters. We discover that communities can be closed, insular in outlook and incestuous – “Everyone has slept with everyone else.” Sylvia says of the Deaf community.

At times I found the necessity to read captions and miss facial expression frustrating. That is my vision impairment.

But don’t think that this is some kind of worthy, earnest preachy play. It isn’t. It is original, funny, award-winning theatre, devoid of sentimentality or mawkishness. I enjoyed it very much.  Deaf and hearing, disabled and non-disabled theatregoers will find Tribes is challenging, entertaining and enriching.

It is unthinkable that that such a play would be denied translation into New Zealand Sign Language. Theatre, including Sign Language is a central and fundamental part of our cultural expression and heritage.

The NZSL interpreted performance of Tribes will be on Friday, 3 May at 8pm.

Tribes is on at Circa Theatre until May 4. Circa is accessible.

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Filed under Disability Issues, Disability Rights, Inclusion, The Arts

by | March 12, 2013 · 1:23 pm

New Zealand Book Month – Include everyone

March is New Zealand Book month.  It is a great initiative. Encouraging people to read our own books is important. Last year during NZ Book Month I blogged The e-reader versus the “real” book.  In whatever format, reading a book is an enriching experience.

Despite the inducement of a five dollar book token there are still people in New Zealand who are denied the delight of reading a book.

Even with the inclusion of e-books, only seven per cent of printed material is available to print-disabled people in New Zealand.

Print-disabled people include blind and low vision people, some Deaf, (for whom written English is their second language to NZ Sign Language,) people with dyslexia, people with other learning disabilities and those who physically can’t hold a book, or whose medication inhibits concentration. This is a sizeable group of people.

Wouldn’t it be great if NZ book month focused on the whole range of book formats and readers? How about a blind or deaf ambassador? I’m sure one of those terrific medal-winning Paralympians could be found to do it. How about encouraging a whole range of print-disabled people to read New Zealand books in all formats along with everyone else?

This group of readers are often forgotten by mainstream publishers and book people generally, but, with an aging population and more disabled children attending their local schools this is a growing audience, (and market,) who deserve better. Encourage them too! Everyone should have the right to read.

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Filed under Disability Rights, Inclusion, Information Accessibility, Media, The Arts

by | February 26, 2013 · 12:06 pm

3D movies decrease cinema accessibility

Many people will have been to see The Hobbit over the holiday season. The 3D “phenomenon” is interesting as it seems to be a case of new technology being even less accessible than usual. By that I mean that it is excluding an even larger number of people than is usual with new technology developments. Depending on which expert you listen to, between two and 12 per cent of all viewers are unable to appreciate video shown in 3D.

As well as the usual vision-related reasons for having difficulty viewing regular movies, 3D has the added requirement that you have binocular vision, that is, you can see out of both eyes at the same time and have good depth perception. If you are able to see the 3D effect but it causes you discomfort, you may have a mild binocular disorder. It is probably worth having your eyes checked out. People who may not usually consider themselves vision impaired will find themselves disabled by 3D technology.

I don’t know how many are captioned either.

Whether or not you choose to view movies in 3D or not depends on whether you have binocular vision, or simply whether or not you want to pay the premium price to see it. The day we went to see it at The Embassy, the cinema director Peter Jackson helped restore to its 1930’s glory, we saw it in boring old 2D, and the cinema was full.

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Filed under Disability Issues, Disability Rights, Inclusion, Media, The Arts

by | February 12, 2013 · 10:15 am

Disability, leadership and social change

Generating change for disabled people is similar to change for any other group, for example women or for Maori, who have fought for and led change for themselves. In the same way disabled people can, and must be leaders and agents of our own social change as well as participating in other movements for social change. To achieve positive change for our community, the community of disabled people, we need good leaders.

To be a leader in your community beyond being a leader in your own life requires some very practical skills and attributes.

Leadership is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration.

Leaders should not be afraid of hard work.

To be a leader you must have followers, so leadership cannot be too individualistically focused. Our community needs energetic, mature, self-disciplined young disabled people who have a sense of service, who have structural and social analysis, who understand our history They must be independent thinkers, with good judgement, beyond “It’s all about me.”

Leadership in a disability context involves a range of practical skills, in no particular order, including;

  • how to run a productive meeting
  • how to successfully facilitate group work
  • problem solving and conflict resolution
  • able to shut up and listen to others
  • how to make a submission to local or national government
  • knowledge of how the disability and other systems work
  • knowledge about rights and how to complain, and how disability rights are connected internationally through the CRPD and its monitoring framework in New Zealand
  • working with others in teams, co-operation and collaboration
  • An understanding of the wider disability community.
  • Knowledge of the legal frameworks around disability
  • Strategic, big picture thinking
  • Know how to focus on the issue and keep it separate from the personal
  • The ability to “hold your own” in the wider community
  • The courage to stand up for your convictions
  • Good communications skills. These could include Sign Language, or the ability to tell a good story simply, for example

A good dollop of passion and a healthy sense of humour are essential.

Many disabled people will find creative ways of acquiring and demonstrating these sills. One person may not have them all. That’s where working together comes in. Different people will also lead in different ways and in different situations. Some may choose to lead in teams.

Aspiring leaders also need to have the opportunities and encouragement to lead. This includes during and upon completion of leadership training. This requires community outreach so potential leaders are not isolated in a self-referential bubble.

If that sounds like a fairly tall order it is. That is the point. Leadership requires effort. But it is perfectly possible and there are people who can and will help. Some people may need more support than others to be leaders. Leadership is not always glamorous and exciting, and real leadership takes hard work and commitment. But you don’t have to wait to do leadership training to be a leader. You can start by being active and involved. Go for it!

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