Opera reimagined by Deaf artists explores historical trauma
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Irene Holub created Manifesto of Silences, a theatrical work performed by six Deaf performers in Australia, to examine the impact of past decisions on Deaf communities.
The production centers on the 1880 Milan Conference, where attendees promoted oralism, teaching Deaf people to speak and lip-read, over sign language. This decision led to the suppression of sign languages worldwide and continues to affect Deaf people today.
The work uses Auslan (Australian Sign Language), Visual Vernacular, dance, projections, and vibrations to communicate, intentionally forgoing interpretation into spoken English to allow a direct experience for Deaf audiences. Biko Shaka, a Deaf artist who attended the premiere, noted the significance of experiencing a performance without intermediaries and reflected on the ongoing effects of language deprivation. Shaka also considered whether constantly revisiting painful historical events helps Deaf people reclaim their narratives or keeps them trapped in the past.
The World Federation of the Deaf estimates that 14 generations of Deaf children have experienced language deprivation as a result of the 1880 conference. Manifesto of Silences concluded with a call for continued advocacy for linguistic equality, suggesting that communal processing of trauma can lead to collective healing.
