Happy Ever Afters - disability awareness in children's storybooks - based on the book Happy Ever Afters.
DICSEY Example - an easy reader picture book
Celebrate International Day of Disabled Persons
with a book from Namibia!
Nalohima the deaf tortoise written by Gcina Mhlophe and CLaSH, illustrated by Imke Weitzel 1999 ISBN 99916-0-164-9
Gamsburg Macmillan Publishers PO Box 22830, Windhoek, Namibia
"A very long time ago, so long that it is not really important to remember exactly when, it is said that all the creatures of the world - humans, animals, birds, insects - could understand one another. They spoke different languages, yes, but all their languages seemed to connect somehow. Life was generally good in those days. And nobody had ever heard of the word 'deaf'."
Nalohima's family don't know that she is deaf. They think she's stupid. She meets another tortoise who signs with his deaf sister and he tells her about all the other animals who sign and understand each other. He signs to her the words of a song (music included in the book) and she adds her own sign phrases. They travel together to join all the animals as they celebrate the coming of the rains.
'Nalohima the deaf tortoise' is an exception to other books on this website because it is directly intended to help children learn about deafness and the benefits of signing. It does not need further analysis to draw out the obvious issues but these are noted below for the sake of comparison with other books. Also, at the present time (November 2000), it is only available in Namibia or by post from the publisher whose address is above. However, the clarity of this book's message, and its beautiful drawings that carry a lively African atmosphere combine to make this book unique and efforts are being made through the publishers to make it more widely available.
It shows DICSEY elements Disability, Society and Enable.
If needed, a quick link to 'An Introduction to the DICSEY Code' is here.
Nalohima's family don't understand her.
Question: Why? Answer: They didn't know she was deaf because deafness is an invisible disability. Question: Why did they think she was stupid? Answer: They did not understand that her movements were a different way of talking, and they thought Nalohima had nothing to say.
Question: What does stupid mean? Answer: It is an insult that means someone who does not understand how to behave like most other people (society). When people see someone behaving in a way that those around them do not understand, they often call that person stupid, even though it is the person looking on who does not understand. Society can enable themselves and deaf people to talk to each other if everybody knows how to sign.
Kalohima teaches Nalohima how to talk using sign language.
Question: Is sign language from different countries the same? Answer: Like verbal languages, they have developed differently but there are many similarities. Check with a local signer if you would like to learn how to sign, or if you want to know more about signing with people who are both deaf and blind.
Above all, let children enjoy the story!
International Day of Disabled Persons information
Link to Archive page for more suggestions
Return to DICSEY examples page
© K. Saunders 2000/2001