“The fresh Gong Gong Was Defeated” —Gooddamorobe: A good “Deaf Town” within the Ghana and its own Relationship Ban to own Deaf Lovers

Adamorobe is actually a community when you look at the Ghana the spot where the historical exposure off a hereditary variety of deafness led to many deaf population. Along the many years, a community indication vocabulary emerged, that is used ranging from deaf and you can hearing members of lifestyle, rendering Adamorobe for the a new host to introduction from deaf people. Yet not, within the 1975, a laws is introduced to reduce the amount of deaf some one into the Adamorobe: deaf anyone don’t marry both to prevent deaf offspring. Ultimately, so it rules threatens the brand new linguistic and you will cultural assortment inside community where in actuality the access to indication vocabulary are omnipresent and you can in which deaf people are perceived as fully effective and you can deserving members of area. This article is organized to one or two sets of stress throughout the village, First of all, hearing people’s allowed and you may addition of one’s deaf inhabitants, as opposed to new want to inhabit a community no (or faster) deaf some one. Furthermore, there’s a tension ranging from deaf man’s contact with, and resistance up against, legislation, this can be a tension which are seen in the new lives out-of relationships ranging from deaf people, and you may abortions when these types of unions produce pregnancies.

step one. Addition

Almost everywhere [during the Adamorobe] new gong gong try defeated [in order to announce and you can spread particular development]. I wondered: what happened? Did things rating stolen? Performed some body score murdered? However, one to wasn’t happening; the message was you to definitely deaf some body you should never marry one another. The latest gong gong was outdone and it also try said that deaf folks have in order to marry reading individuals. Brand new gong gong are outdone, “Just like the deaf with deaf rating pupils who can not tune in to, can’t pay attention to, can’t tune in to.” Ooohh we were surprised. For example a shame…The gong gong try defeated: get married reading, get married hearing. With hearing, not which have deaf. Almost everywhere the newest gong gong is rung: “Wed reading, up coming hearing children are created, hearing are created, reading is actually born. That is a great, that is true. Deaf deaf deaf anybody everywhere, no that isn’t good.” The fresh gong gong is defeated…For example a shame…(regret) [step 1,2].

“New Gong Gong Is Outdone” -An excellentdamorobe: An effective “Deaf Town” within the Ghana and its particular Relationships Prohibition having Deaf Couples

Within this offer, Adamorobe’s eldest deaf woman laments a historical moment. Inside the 1975, for the first year out-of his chieftaincy, Nana Kwaakwaa Asiampong lead a laws-promulgated about community from the a beneficial gong gong beater-your deaf people in Adamorobe are not allowed to get married both because this perform lead to deaf offspring. As an alternative, they want to orobe, deaf-reading unions tend to be less inclined to give forth students you to are deaf.

Adamorobe was a village within the southern area Ghana where 41 deaf anybody real time certainly 3500 reading villagers. Which oddly lot off deaf villagers comes from the brand new historical presence of an effective “deaf gene,” a beneficial Connexin twenty-six R143W mutation that was most likely circulated during the Adamorobe as a consequence of marriages amongst the beginning Akan matrilineal clans, beginning in brand new later eighteenth century . Historically, the requirement to correspond with both in the thick sociocultural channels of Adamorobe has actually webbplatser triggered this new development out-of a local sign language used by one another deaf and you can hearing someone. Adamorobe Indication Words (AdaSL) is famous and you will used by all deaf people in Adamorobe and you can because of the a large part of your own reading population, that have grown up viewing and ultizing what, in addition to Akan, its verbal language . Ergo, Adamorobe is called “ mumfo krow ” when you look at the Akan, definition “deaf village,” to possess since number of individuals in Adamorobe exactly who discover indication vocabulary is higher, they claim that outsiders dont immediately choose that is deaf and you can that is hearing, hence think that folks into the Adamorobe was deaf.