Katrina Wright Music in the Deaf Culture U.S.

Music & Culture Barbara Shelton March 10, 2014

Music is something that is felt and interpreted on different levels by different individuals. It can vary based on the individuals understanding of the music and their past experiences. It can also vary depending on their individual skills and capacities. In short, while the notes of the music being played do not vary, the interpretation of the music can, based upon the individual hearer. Exploring music in the deaf culture is a great way to understand music on a different, more tactile level. Music and deafness may seem like an odd combination to those who are not familiar with the deaf community, but the appreciation of music does not just extend to those with functioning cochleas. Music can enrich the lives of all individuals, including those who do not have the ability to hear. (Ament, par. 1) Meet Mitch Jensen. Jensen serves as the Interpreter Program Director for the state of Utah (UIP). Jensens job is to oversee the state certification, testing, and training of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters. Jensen has worked for the Division of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 1992, but has been involved in the deaf community since the age of 9 when his brother was born profoundly deaf. Jensen explained that when he was young, deafness was seen as a debilitating condition where the deaf individual would have little chance of success. Often times, the deaf family member was excluded from normal events and activities, simply because they were viewed as incapable of participation. He also explained that it was very common for only

one or two individuals in the family to know ASL. Typically, one parent was very fluent (usually the mother since she was home with the child), while the other parent would either learn to communicate with the child on a different level, or would over time learn sign language. In Jensens case, his mother was the only one who fluently signed. Jensen and his siblings learned sign language over time, but never really became fluent in ASL. It wasnt until Jensen served a two year religious ASL mission to California that he mastered sign language. To this day, Jensens siblings cannot communicate as effectively with their deaf brother as Jensen and his mother can. Deaf culture is very foreign to many hearing individuals, and was once thought of as strange. As with other disabilities, those who do not share the disability can sometimes be ignorant or unaware of the culture. Through those advocating for deaf individuals (including Jensen), there has been a greater amount of understanding for the deaf culture. Dr. Barbara Kannapell, a deaf professor at the Gallaudet University is quoted to say: Deaf culture is a set of learned behaviors and perceptions that shape the values and norms of deaf people based on their shared or common experiences." (Drolsbaugh, What is Deaf Culture, par. 6) Obviously, individuals who share similar backgrounds, beliefs, understandings, or perceptions tend to congregate with one another. In the deaf culture, this is very prevalent and the individuals within the group become a tightknit family. "Deafness is a disability that is so unique, its very nature causes a culture to emerge from it. Participation in this culture is voluntary." (Drolsbaugh, Deaf Again) Perceptions of the deaf culture have changed drastically from the time that Jensen was young. Deafness is not seen as something to be feared. In fact, with the resources

available today, deaf individuals experience life similar to those who are hearing. Sign language is also something that is more prevalent and accepted, rather than simply teaching a deaf individual how to read lips, but that can also depend on the family and their individual preference. Some families will take a pathological approach (Drolsbaugh, What is Deaf Culture), meaning they will look into options they believe will allow their child to interact with the hearing world around them (e.g. hearing aids, cochlear implants, etc). Others will embrace the culture and family-like environment that comes from being deaf. Most of the time, the family structure will depend on whether the parent or child is deaf. In Jensens example, both his brother and brothers wife are deaf. His brother has two sons that are hearing. In the neighborhood where Jensens brother is living, there is a hearing family with a deaf son. These two families would frequently exchange children for several hours so they could familiarize themselves with the deaf and hearing culture, respectively. It is not uncommon for a deaf parent to have a hearing child, so there is extra responsibility for the parent to find resources for their child to learn and speak. Jensen explained that it is very rare for a hearing child with deaf parents not to learn some type of sign language, unless the parent lip reads, or does not use sign language. Today, most families with a deaf sibling will learn sign language along with their parents (if that is their chosen course). The choice can also depend on when the deafness occurs. Some who develop deafness later in life will choose not to learn sign language, and may opt for a more pathological approach. The choice can also depend on the severity of the deafness. Certainly, the family structure within the deaf community is similar to the structure in the hearing community. Parents with deaf children may or may

not choose to have more than one child, or continue to have more children after their deaf child. Deaf individuals also lead normal lives by attending school, outings with friends, learning to drive, dating, marriage, and having families. Social norms that are prevalent amongst the deaf are passed along to their children. One example is to never walk through two individuals having a conversation. Another is to maintain eye contact when having a conversation (which is not as common in the hearing community). (Comparative, par. 26) As you can see, being deaf does not limit the opportunities of the individual. Their ability to understand and enjoy music is no different. Within the deaf and hard of hearing world, there are people not only creating music, but people who love and make music a part of their lives. (Ament, par. 2) While deaf individuals do not experience music the same way one that is hearing experiences music, and is something that may be hard to understand or describe to someone who is outside of the community, it can be felt on a physical level. Dr. Dean Shibata, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Washington believes the brain in a deaf individual may be wired differently than a hearing individual which allows them to experience music on a whole different level. Deaf people sense vibration in the part of the brain that other people use for hearing which helps explain how deaf musicians can sense music, and how deaf people can enjoy concerts and other musical events. (Neary, par. 1) Its fascinating to think that a deaf individual can feel music in a similar way to a hearing individual, even though they cannot hear the music. According to the research done by

Dr. Shibata, this is because music is processed in the same part of the brain for hearing and deaf individuals. Antoine Hunter, founder of the Urban Jazz Dance Company and the President of the Bay Area Deaf Advocates, works to be a role model for the community. As a dancer who is also deaf, Hunter is embracing his role as an ambassador in the deaf community. (Reddick and Nicol, par. 3) Even though many would see the ability to perform to something that is reliant on sound, Hunter has overcome these odds and is an example of someone who can help others in his situation succeed. The deaf culture is a live, vibrant and fascinating culture really, sign language alone is fascinating! Within the deaf culture, artists have emerged and embraced their deafness. In fact, there are several mainstream musicians who have suffered hearing loss. Among these musicians are: Phil Collins, will.i.am and, probably, most famously Beethoven. Sean Forbes has also emerged in the deaf community, with his song Im Deaf. Other artists include: Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish percussionist; Mandy Harvey, an American jazz singer; and Janine Roebuck, a British Opera Singer. Finish artist, Signmark, was the first deaf singer offered a record deal. His music video Smells Like Victory is an exciting infusion of rap and sign language. The music appeals to both the hearing and deaf as it combines subtitles, sign language, music, and words. Signmark discusses how this is his year he is victorious Winners over here. Losers over there and Homies this is my night. Singmark taunts his competitors, almost, with an Im deaf. Im successful. And thats okay. attitude. Hes inspiring, not

only as the first deaf individual to get a record deal, but his music is fun, its upbeat, and as the lyrics say I do it for my people for a good cause. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUtM8_DOVUI

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Bibliography
Ament, Aharona. Beyond Vibrations: The Deaf Experience in Music. Gapers Block, 22 Jul 2010. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. Neary, Walter. Brains of Deaf People Rewire to Hear Music. University of Washington, 27 Nov. 2001. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. Reddick, James, and Jake Nicol. Dancer Antoine Hunter Infuses Art with Deaf Culture . OaklandNorth, 26 Dec. 2013. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. Severins, Amparo. Deaf Culture and Music Videos. AllSignLanguage, 13 Nov. 2013. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. Drolsbaugh, Mark. What is Deaf Culture? Deaf Culture Online. N.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. ---. Parents of Deaf Children. Deaf Culture Online. N.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. ---. ASL: A Paradigm Shift. Deaf Culture Online. N.d. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. Comparative Chart: Deaf and Ethnic Cultures. DeafCulture.com. N.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014. Mendelson, Andrew. 10 Famous Musicians with Hearing Damage. 25 Jul. 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.