These Indigenous languages use signs, not sounds
September 7, 2024 11:29 PM Subscribe
These Indigenous languages use signs, not sounds. Indigenous sign languages will be taught alongside Auslan in New South Wales schools by 2026 as statistics show 43 per cent of First Nations Australians older than seven have some form of hearing loss.
In many remote Indigenous communities cooking and socialising primarily happens around the family's open fire which will be burning or smouldering 24/7. Even in a small community with a double digit population this can generate a relentless smoky haze that can be quite debilitating.
I'm not surprised it causes ear problems but it's a deeply entrenched social practice that isn't likely to go away any time soon.
A resource for those interested in an Indigenous sign language or just having a gorgeous and unique coffee table book is Yolŋu Sign Language by Dr Bentley James.
posted by neonamber at 6:06 AM on September 8 [3 favorites]
I'm not surprised it causes ear problems but it's a deeply entrenched social practice that isn't likely to go away any time soon.
A resource for those interested in an Indigenous sign language or just having a gorgeous and unique coffee table book is Yolŋu Sign Language by Dr Bentley James.
posted by neonamber at 6:06 AM on September 8 [3 favorites]
This made me wonder if there were similar rates of hearing loss in Canada among Indigenous peoples, and there seemingly are, and also it's more common in remote areas, largely due to endemic and chronic otitis media (middle ear infections) for Indigenous peoples living in remote areas, making rates of hearing loss among elementary-aged school children in Canada more than five times higher for Indigenous children than other groups of children. This is seemingly something that is common worldwide among Indigenous populations.
The main aspect of this story is super interesting. There are basically no downsides to it and only upsides. I wish that sign language was taught during my schooling!
posted by urbanlenny at 10:36 AM on September 8 [6 favorites]
The main aspect of this story is super interesting. There are basically no downsides to it and only upsides. I wish that sign language was taught during my schooling!
posted by urbanlenny at 10:36 AM on September 8 [6 favorites]
I forgot to add to my comment - thank you in_lieu_of_fiction for that link. I immediately wondered what was the cause of the high prevalence of hearing lost among Indigenous peoples in Australia and the article didn't touch on it.
posted by urbanlenny at 10:37 AM on September 8
posted by urbanlenny at 10:37 AM on September 8
I can't find it now, but there's a podcast about an Australian doctor who works with Aboriginal people, and he said that the reason for the high rate of hearing problems is only partially because of smoke, the underlying cause is the lack of access to routine medical care for indigenous children, that would deal with ear infections and other similar complications.
It's poverty and neglect.
posted by Zumbador at 9:01 PM on September 8 [9 favorites]
It's poverty and neglect.
posted by Zumbador at 9:01 PM on September 8 [9 favorites]
urbanlenny, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have worse medical outcomes in multiple areas (including lower life expectancy) because of a range of factors, including
1. low access to doctors and nurse practitioners and nurses in remote areas - the medical staff aren't there, or are only there one day a week, or it's a six hour drive to the doctor;
2. doctors away from cities are less likely to bulk-bill (bill the government direct, with no cost to patients), which means that Aboriginal people, who are often low-income, often can't afford to access healthcare;
3. many doctors (especially doctors who very recently immigrated to Australia, but not only doctors who very recently immigrated to Australia) are not familiar with healthcare issues that disproportiately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
4. many doctors and nurses are outright racist, altho they would deny this (and in some cases the racism may be unconscious). The number of news articles I have seen about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who presented to an Emergency Department with a life threatening issue like a stroke; heart attack; sepsis; out of control viral fever and were sent home with a panadol (Tylenol/acetaminophen) and died in the next 24 to 48 hours is shamefully high. This happens to non-Aboriginal patients as well sometimes, but it happens FAR MORE OFTEN to Aboriginal patients.
I used to work in Healthcare policy for the Federal government - trust me when I say that healthcare for Aboriginal people is massively underfunded and under-resourced. (and of course costs of providing basic services are often higher due to remote areas and long travel times)
Oh, and many Aboriginal people live in highly overcrowded housing, where germs spread more easily - so lack of access to affordable housing is also part of the issue.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 4:34 AM on September 9 [6 favorites]
1. low access to doctors and nurse practitioners and nurses in remote areas - the medical staff aren't there, or are only there one day a week, or it's a six hour drive to the doctor;
2. doctors away from cities are less likely to bulk-bill (bill the government direct, with no cost to patients), which means that Aboriginal people, who are often low-income, often can't afford to access healthcare;
3. many doctors (especially doctors who very recently immigrated to Australia, but not only doctors who very recently immigrated to Australia) are not familiar with healthcare issues that disproportiately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
4. many doctors and nurses are outright racist, altho they would deny this (and in some cases the racism may be unconscious). The number of news articles I have seen about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who presented to an Emergency Department with a life threatening issue like a stroke; heart attack; sepsis; out of control viral fever and were sent home with a panadol (Tylenol/acetaminophen) and died in the next 24 to 48 hours is shamefully high. This happens to non-Aboriginal patients as well sometimes, but it happens FAR MORE OFTEN to Aboriginal patients.
I used to work in Healthcare policy for the Federal government - trust me when I say that healthcare for Aboriginal people is massively underfunded and under-resourced. (and of course costs of providing basic services are often higher due to remote areas and long travel times)
Oh, and many Aboriginal people live in highly overcrowded housing, where germs spread more easily - so lack of access to affordable housing is also part of the issue.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 4:34 AM on September 9 [6 favorites]
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Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report detailing the findings:
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/557cc818-3c84-4138-b8a5-daf1b35f28ba/aihw-ihw-262.pdf.aspx?inline=true
posted by in_lieu_of_fiction at 1:50 AM on September 8 [10 favorites]