Hi, you can see can’t you, our house is a little different from the others on the
street, that’s because well we’re a little bit different. I’m Mark Berry and I’m
deaf just like everybody else in my family, welcome to our house and welcome to our world.
This is our mum, she’s tidying up after us all again.
I’m Carolyn, my sign name is this because I have rosey cheeks.
In deaf culture most people have a special sign that refers to an aspect of their personality.
My name means “big smile”. Here’s my sister, she’s texting as usual.
I don’t always text! I’m Kylie, I’m 18. I was flatting before, now I’ve moved
back here, I’m saving money and then I’ll go to Auckland.
Her sign name refers to the way she used to suck her fingers when she was little.
If you’re inside wondering where my dad is he’ll definitely be outside for a bit
of quiet time with his love birds. Dad…
Hi my name is Peter, my nick name or sign name is Popeye and that’s because when I
was younger and used to ask questions and my eyes used to pop out of my head. My hobby
is the love birds, I like to breed them and I’ve been doing that for just over ten years
now. I’m interested in crossing the colours. It’s a good time out if the kids have been
arguing I come out and have a break.
Now I’m going to introduce you to my younger sister Rachel. She really loves music (more
than the rest of us) and the reason for that is her hearing is much better than the rest
of the family and she can hear more.
Hi my name’s Rachel, my sign name is Rachel because when I was little I used to have curly
hair and I have more hearing. This is my family member Honey who is also our family dog.
The older three children went to Van Ash School for the Deaf but Mark wants to find his place
in the hearing world.
I am a deaf person, I’ve had that upbringing of being in deaf culture so I have to learn
the majority culture which is hearing society. If I make mistakes along the way that’s
fine, it’s never too late to learn.
Rachel went to Avonside Girls High.
Sometimes when I’m in the hearing world I feel like signing and when I have to do
a speech at school I have to talk, sometimes I don’t feel comfortable but in the deaf
world I can do both. Deaf people are impressed “wow you can speak”.
What feels really different is deaf people are really straight up and will say if they
don’t like you so you know where you stand but with hearing people I’m sometimes not
sure, have they understood me? If deaf people are talking to one another if you’re uncertain
you’d say “what are you talking about?”.
Personally I think deaf people are more fun – no offence!
Rachel acts as an interpreter for her family.
They can’t say which one they want so they ask me to come along to speak to them and
tell them what they want and it’s a lot easier for them.
In six out of ten cases deafness is genetic. Carolyn and Peter were both born to hearing
parents so weren’t sure if their children would be deaf.
No it didn’t matter at all. Our aim was to have healthy children – deaf, hearing,
disabled – we were going to accept them.
This is Bunnings where I’m working to save for uni next year. I enjoy working here, it’s
helped me gain confidence, learning how to lip read. I’m independent making friends
my own age… I like it, it’s good fun.
Staff here made Mark feel welcome. His boss has even learnt basic sign language.
Hi Mark
Hi how are you?
I’m good thanks.
I’m just wondering what you want me to do.
OK great work. Can you please go and get a wave and bring it here and pull down all the
product to fill up the shelves.
The biggest effort has been made by Mark because it must have been pretty scary for him to
come and work with a whole lot of hearing people. We did a night where we all wore ear
plugs for an evening just to try and get an idea of what it was like to be deaf and I
found that the biggest challenge that I faced being deaf for that night was to not know
if people were talking to me or to feel that I was left out so after experiencing that
we’ve made a very concerted effort to make sure that he’s included in everything.
The only hurdle that I can see is people’s attitude. He has a fabulous attitude when
he’s working and wanting to communicate and wanting to help people, it’s just the
hearing people and how much patience do they have.
When I meet a customer that doesn’t want to use pen and paper to communicate I fine
that disappointing because I know that I can help but their attitude stops that. They think
I can’t help and ask another staff member for assistance instead.
How much do you need?
Probably only 2 litres.
Mark spent a year in America, he went to high school there and says people were supportive.
While I was in America I learnt that hearing people in the US have a more advanced attitude
and this was through years of lobbying by deaf people. Deaf people aren’t stupid.