Deaf cultures and Sign Languages of the world: Benin (Bénin)

Created 10 April 2000, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

Beninese flag David Bar-TzurBeninese flag

map of Benin

Flag: World flag database.
Map: Maps.com - "search" for country, then "Digital Map Graphics"). OR
Map: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection.

For a quick, interesting resource for facts about this and other countries,
try Mystic Planet - The New Age directory of Planet Earth.

Note: A flag next to a link shows what language the website is in. If it is followed by this icon: (video camera: This links to a video), it is a video in that spoken language. A flag followed by Sign Language iconmeans it is in the sign language of that country. globe (international icon)Sign Language iconmeans there is International Gesture.

Bénin langue des signes (Benin Sign Language) Bénin langue des signes (Benin Sign Language) dictionaries Deaf advocacy and politics Deaf education & youth Deaf history and current events
Organizations

Bénin langue des signes (Benin Sign Language)

stained glass ballKamei, N.

golden marble bullet(n.d.).The Birth of Langue des Signes Franco-Africaine: Creole ASL in West and Central French-speaking Africa. Langue des Signes Franco-Africaine (LSFA) is a generic term for sign languages widely used among the Deaf in French-speaking West and Central Africa with two distinctcharacteristics, loan signs from ASL and an influence based on spoken/written French. Inshort, LSFA can be defined as a generic term for creole sign languages consisting of ASL and French in Africa.

golden marble bullet(2006, December 25). History of Deaf people and sign languages in Africa: Fieldwork in the "kingdom" derived from Andrew J. Foster. Tokyo: Akashi Shoten Co., Ltd. 月刊言語』書評で紹介 (2007年6月号) 毎日新聞全国版の書評で紹介 (2007/02/18)『アフリカのろう者と手話の歴史』刊行 (2006/12/25)

Bénin langue des signes (Benin Sign Language) dictionaries

Bar-Tzur, D. Indigenous signs for cities: Benin.

Deaf advocacy and politics

Government implementation of the standard rules as seen by member organizations of World Federation of the Deaf - Association Nationale des Sourds du Benin, Benin.

Deaf education & youth

afrique-jeunes.com. Développement. La dernière journée des manifestations a été marquée à Porto-Novo par la visite d es élèves de l'Ecole des Sourds du Bénin au PAJE. Ils ont été très impressionnés par ce qui s'y fait et ont exprimé le vœu de voir se concrétiser un partenariat entre leur école et le PAJE de Porto-Novo.

Alpha-Signes. Coopération avec le Bénin.Beninese flagSign Language icon

ASUNOES.Centre pour sourds-muets. Porto-Novo, Benin; Center for Deaf Children, employing American Sign Language in the French speaking nation of Benin

EEDI-AGSP Benin. The EDDI Ambassadors' Girls' Scholarship Program in Benin is administered through four local partners: APEM, ASUNOES [Porto Novo Deaf School], Baha'i, and CARITAS.

Surdité en Afrique. 1. BENIN: Centre du programme d'Éducation de Formation et d'intégration sociale des sourds, B.P.897 Cotonou, République du Bénin; École béninoise pour les sourds, B.P. B.P.03-0541, Cotonou, BENIN.

Deaf history and current events

Miles, M. (2005). Deaf people living and communication in African histories, c. 960s - 1960s. There is strong documentary evidence that deaf or hearing impaired men and women, girls and boys, did occupy social space and took roles across the full spectrum of life throughout Africa in earlier centuries, living lives like everyone else and also having some different experiences. Traces and signs of deaf people appear in many sorts of historical document, such as travellers' accounts, legal and genealogical records, government, institutional and missionary archives, linguistic studies, literature, folklore, religious narrative, mime, dance and drama. Many of their experiences have involved severe economic poverty and adversity, stigmatising attitudes and exclusionary practices; yet this has not been the norm everywhere in Africa, and many deaf people have shown great resilience, perseverance, humour and ingenuity in their dealings and communications with the non-deaf world.

Organizations

Association Nationale des Sourds du Benin. Contact info only.

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