In an effort to better understand Deaf culture, Midtown Hotels Indonesia recently organized a workshop for its Surabaya-based hotel employees to learn about Deaf culture and sign language. The term "Deaf" has long been known as "hearing impaired" in medical contexts, carrying a negative connotation within the Deaf community. However, today, the capitalized "D" in "Deaf" is used to signify a positive identity.
Understanding Deaf Culture: Midtown Hotel Staff Learn Sign Language
Midtown Hotels Indonesia invited employees from Midtown Hotel Surabaya, Midtown Residence Surabaya, Crown Prince Hotel Surabaya, and Verwood Hotel & Serviced Residence Surabaya, including front desk staff, waiters, Human Resources teams, department heads, and General Managers, to attend the workshop led by TIBA (Bisindo and Accessibility Team Surabaya) and TATULI (Stories from Deaf Friends) Surabaya.
“The introduction to Deaf culture and sign language is expected to add value to our hospitality professionals, who are required to communicate effectively with all guests, including those with special needs, such as Deaf guests,” said Mr. Dony M., Corporate General Manager of Midtown Hotels Indonesia.
Mr. Wawan from TIBA shared insights on Deaf culture, including various ways to communicate with Deaf individuals. These include using Bisindo (Indonesian Sign Language), relying on facial expressions and gestures, lip-reading, and written communication either through handwritten notes or digital devices.
In the next session, participants were taught the sign language alphabet from A to Z by Mr. Abhi from Stories from Deaf Friends. With patience and skill, Mr. Abhi demonstrated each letter’s hand movements, encouraging participants to practice. At times, participants raised their hands and shook them—a sign language gesture equivalent to applause—celebrating successful and enjoyable communication.
With the help of sign language interpreter Alya, a university student in Surabaya, communication between hearing and Deaf participants was facilitated. Kus Andi, Corporate Public Relations for Midtown Hotels Indonesia, emphasized the importance of mutual understanding: “Let’s engage in two-way communication. It’s not just the Deaf community trying to understand us; we, as hearing individuals, must also adapt to their culture.”
The workshop concluded with a game where participants formed a line and passed along a secret phrase using only sign language, without any verbal communication, demonstrating the power of non-verbal interaction.
“It was an incredibly fun experience. This was my first time learning sign language, which I believe will help me as a hotel receptionist. In the past, I’ve encountered Deaf guests, and due to the communication barrier, we had to rely solely on writing. With this new knowledge, even if it’s just a little, I hope to make our Deaf guests feel more comfortable,” shared Fitri, a receptionist at Midtown Residence Surabaya, reflecting on her experience.