Midtown Hotels Indonesia invited hotel employees in Surabaya to attend an introductory workshop on Tuli (Deaf) culture and sign language, guided by TIBA (Tim Bisindo Dan Aksesibilitas) and TATULI (Cerita Teman Tuli), for better insight on hotel guests who can also be Tuli people.
In close regards to Tuli culture, the term itself has long been known as “tunarungu” in medical terms (loss of hearing), which has a negative connotation for the Tuli community. But now, the term “Tuli” is more familiarly used with a capital “T”, which more positively and comfortably signifies their identity.
20 Tuli participants from Midtown Hotel Surabaya, Midtown Residence Surabaya, Crown Prince Hotel Surabaya and Verwood Hotel & Serviced Residence Surabaya – ranging from reception team, waiters, Human Resources team, restaurant department heads to General Managers – attended the class. Mr. Wawan from TIBA provided a good deal of material about Tuli culture, one of which is about how to communicate using Bisindo (Indonesian Sign Language): which is done with expressions and gestures, using verbal language by looking at lips, and through writing via pen strokes or gadgets.
“The introduction program of Tuli culture and sign language is expected to be more valuable for hospitality workers who are required to be able to communicate well to all guests without exception, such as those with special needs including Tuli people,” concluded Mr. Dony Manuarva as Corporate General Manager of Midtown Hotels Indonesia.
In the next session, non-deaf participants were invited to learn the sign language alphabet letters from A to Z by Cerita Teman Tuli’s Kak Abhi. Patiently and flexibly, Kak Abhi gave instructions on moving their fingers to form all the letters in turn. Occasionally, the movement of raising hands, opening palms and shaking them elicited applause, because it showed success in achieving pleasant communication.
With the help of a sign language interpreter, Alya – an active Surabaya university student – bridged the communication gap between non-deaf people and Tuli people. As stated by Kus Andi from Corporate Public Relations Midtown Hotels Indonesia, to all participants present, “Let’s communicate in two directions, not just from Tuli people who try to understand, but from we as non-deaf people, who must also be able to adapt to the culture of Tuli people.”
The workshop ended with a game being played, wherein lines of 10 people each lined up behind to convey a set secret sentence that has been demonstrated back to other friends in turn using only sign language with hand gestures.
“It was incredibly exciting, it was my first experience learning sign language, which will help me as a hotel receptionist,” said Fitri, a Midtown Residence Surabaya hotel receptionist, describing her experience. “In the past, I have had several (Tuli) Deaf guests, but we could only communicate through writing due to limited understanding; with this new knowledge, even just a little bit, we can at least make deaf guests feel more comfortable later.”
For more information on Midtown Hotels Indonesia, view their website here: midtown.id.
