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Renata van Reenen: ‘Being Deaf is my identity and culture’

23 September 2022 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin

Renata van Reenen, a master’s student at the University of the Free State (UFS), recalls how a school talk in 1998 by Deaf activist Johan Gouws instilled in her a kind of ‘duty’ to become a champion for Deaf people. Van Reenen, who in 1987 became the first Deaf child in South Africa to receive a cochlear implant, says it was at this talk that she realised that, as a Deaf person, she has her own language, identity, and culture – and that she is not “a person with a disability”.

Van Reenen is currently a language facilitator in the UFS Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) and Deaf Studies, and she believes that Deaf students should be empowered to embrace their attributes. Her interests include exploring different sign languages around the world, Deaf issues, and how Deaf children are supported in schools for the Deaf. “One of my hobbies is to put my creative ideas on paper, and I would like to develop and record these stories in SASL so they can be accessible to Deaf schools as resource materials,” she says. “These materials would then also be accessible when teaching the subject South African Sign Language as a Home Language.”

Van Reenen, who worked as an assistant teacher at a school for the Deaf for seven years, is passionate about SASL and the lived experiences of the Deaf. We asked her to share some views on empowering the Deaf and SASL:

Why is it important to empower Deaf students?

When I was 17, I had no Deaf identity. I did not understand sign language and how it was used – when the Deaf person gave a speech at the school, it changed my life. I realised that I am a Deaf person with my own language, identity, and culture, and that I am not a person with a disability. I strongly believe that Deaf students need to be empowered to fully embrace their identity, language, and culture, and through this expectance show the world who we are. My favourite motto I always share with my Deaf learners is: “Believe in yourself, show them what you can do.” I also encourage them to continuously teach Hearing students the beautiful language, as the famous Deaf quote states: “Sign language is the noblest gift God has given to Deaf people.” George Veditz, the former president of the National Association of the Deaf of the United States, said, “As long as we have Deaf people on Earth, we will have signs.” He protected our language at a time (the early 20th century) when the world strongly believed that Deaf people had to learn through oralism and had to learn spoken language in order to function as a “normal person” alongside hearing people.

As a Deaf person, do you believe the UFS community is doing enough to accommodate you, and how do you feel about being part of the Department of SASL and Deaf Studies?

When I received a link for a workshop I had to attend, I was so overwhelmed when I saw the interpreter on the video link, and knew that it would be extremely helpful for me during my research. The UFS Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support made sure I have full access to any workshops the university provides. It is amazing that my supervisor can also sign. That made me feel at home, being in a Deaf world without communication barriers. The department is an amazing team that supports and encourages me during my studies.

What will you be doing in honour of Deaf Awareness Month?

The SASL Department and I, along with Deaf Studies, have organised a “Signing Space” event in September to bring Deaf and Hearing students together to socialise with each other. This event will give Hearing students the opportunity to learn about the Deaf world. During this event I will give a small presentation such as “Poetry in SASL” that will show that Deaf people have their own literature, and that it forms part of their language, SASL. We will not only focus on presentations but also on fun activities, such as games that are prominent within the Deaf community.

Why did you decide to pursue your MA at the UFS?

During the coronavirus pandemic I applied to the University of Gallaudet in Washington, DC to study for a Master of Education in Sign Language degree. Gallaudet is the world's only university in which all programmes and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students. I was accepted to study further and to ultimately become a teacher or lecturer. My aim was to train Deaf adults to qualify in different areas of SASL, ranging from SASL Linguistics, SASL Pedagogy, SASL Media Production, and so forth. In an ideal world these could be offered as short courses through some tertiary institutions which already offer SASL on undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Unfortunately, I did not have enough support, but I did not let it stop my dream. I decided to change my university of choice and applied at the University of the Free State. I am pursuing my MA degree and continuing my studies as a Deaf person. The University of the Free State is providing and recognising SASL. This is a positive step, as South African Sign Language will soon be the twelfth official language of South Africa.

News Archive

UFS receives R13,7 Million for Research into Prehistoric Organisms

2007-03-27

Some of the guests attending the launch of the research contract are: Dr Siyabulela Ntutela (Deputy Director: Biotechnology at the Department of Science and Technology), Dr Godfrey Netswera (Manager of Thuthuka and the Support Programme at the National Research Foundation (NRF)), Dr Esta van Heerden (Platform Manager and lecturer at the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the UFS), Mr Butana Mboniswa (Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD), and Mr Vuyisele Phehani (Portfolio Manager for BioPAD).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The University of the Free State (UFS) has been awarded a massive R13,7 million contract to conduct research into prehistoric micro-organisms which live under extreme conditions, for example in mineshafts.

This is one of the biggest research contracts awarded to the UFS in recent years.

The biotechnology research contract was awarded to the UFS by BioPAD, a South African biotechnology company that brokers partnerships between researchers, entrepreneurs, business, government and other stakeholders to promote innovation and create sustainable biotechnology businesses.

The project is endorsed by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF), which contributes to the bursaries of the 17 postgraduate students on the programme.

The contract involves the establishment of a Platform for Metagenomics - a technique which allows researchers to extract the DNA from microbes in their natural environment and investigate it in a laboratory.

“Through this platform we will be able to understand deepmine microbial populations
and their potential application in the search for life in outer space. It is most likely
that, if life were to be found on other planets in our solar system, it would probably
resemble that which existed millions of years ago on earth. Apart from all this, these
organisms have unique properties one can exploit in biotechnological application for
South Africa and its community,” said Dr Esta van Heerden, platform manager and
lecturer at the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.
She is assisted by her collegues, Prof. Derek Litthauer and Dr Lizelle Piater.

“The platform aims to tap into the unique genetic material in South African mines
which will lead to the discovery of new genes and their products. These new and unique products will find application in the medical field (anti-cancer, anti-bacterial en anti-viral cures), the industrial sector (nanotechnology, commercial washing agents and the food industry), environmental sector (pollution management, demolition of harmful metals and other toxic waste),” said Dr Van Heerden.

According to Dr Van Heerden, the Metagenomics Platforms stems from the Life in
Extreme Environments (LExEN) programme which was started in 1994 by Princeton
University in the United States of America (USA) in South African mines with grants
from among others the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the USA. Other international collaborators
on the project include Geosynec Consultants Inc. (USA), Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (USA), the University of Tennessee (USA) and in South Africa the
Universities of the Witwatersrand, North West and Limpopo and companies like BHP
Billiton, MINTEK and mining companies like Harmony, Gold Fields and AngloGold
Ashanti.

The research field laboratory of the Metagenomics Platform, which was situated in
Glen Harvey, was moved to the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein. “In this
way the university has become the central hub for all research programmes. We are
also the liaison between the LExEN programme and the various mining companies
involved,” said Dr Van Heerden. The new laboratory was introduced during the
launch of the research contract.

“Our decision to commit BioPAD to this project stems from the company’s commitment to advance human capacity development to strengthen South Africa’s research infrastructure. It is also part of our aim to create and protect intellectual property,” said Mr Butana Mboniswa, Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD.

Talking on behalf of the UFS senior management, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector
of Academic Operations, said that the university shares the excitement to be part of
the exploration of unknown forms of life, the discovery of new genes and
their products and in applying newly gained knowledge to better understand our
universe.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
27 March 2007

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