Immigration in Argentina has a complex history. Argentina experienced waves of immigration throughout the 18th and 1900s, significantly impacting its population’s composition and diversity. Let’s look into the immigration and the deaf community in Argentina.
History of Argentina
Argentina has a rich cultural history with roots in the Incan Empire and Spanish colonization that led to modern Argentina. It’s almost become a cultural melting pot, as the world has seen in the United States and elsewhere. It’s also created quite an interesting contrast for the deaf community.
The Immigration Wave
Photo by Joaquin Carfagna: https://www.pexels.com/photo/waving-flag-of-argentina-on-flagpole-14899674/
The beginning of Argentina was settlements from the Spaniards and some Italian influence. Immigration took full force in the late 19th and early 20th century. There was a wave of Italians, Spanish, Arabs, and Asians. The pattern of European immigration fluctuated from the 1900s into WWII, when Nazis escaped from war crimes they had committed. The identity of Argentines is unique because of Mestizo culture, therefore, it formed a society that isn’t indigenous but not European.
After Argentina gained independence from Spain, it embraced open-mindedness towards immigration. They wanted to create a culture where immigrants could call the country their own and mix their traditions with new ones. During this time, the government also subsidized boats to transport immigrants to the country. Argentina was an attractive place in the New World for people to come to, with natural resources and jobs in agriculture and factory work.
The Sign Language of Argentina
The United Nations estimates 70,000 deaf people are living in Argentina.
In May 2023, the Argentinian government recognized Argentine Sign Language (La lengua de senas, ASL) as one of the official languages. It was a historical moment for the deaf community. The law also requires organizations to incorporate ASL to employ deaf people. This law was also empowering for the deaf community. It promotes an accessible society and equal opportunity in education, health, employment, etc.
Learning a language when immigrating to a country is important to assimilate and build a life there. While Spanish classes for refugees and migrants there aren’t many sign language classes available for deaf people.
Deaf Education in Argentina
Some deaf schools in Argentina offer bilingual education from early years to primary school. However, oralism in Spanish is focused on more. A lot of schools can’t support deaf children because of the absence of sign language. There is also a lack of trained teachers to assist in the schools. Because of the scarcity of deaf schools throughout the country, deaf children have no choice but to attend public schools. There, they are forced into an uncomfortable situation of oralism and not understanding what is going on.
The Impact of Cultural Mixing
Life for an immigrant is difficult enough to assimilate into a new world, and the people of that culture can be welcoming or cold. Argentina has a caucasian self-image, which was evident in the 1800s during the waves of immigration because, as a country, Argentina established its eliteness in the world, hiding its indigenous and African roots.
Yet, people also appreciated the indigenous history, art, and cultural aspects that originate from the indigenous people. It’s still a complicated situation in the present. Racism in Argentina didn’t fade as time progressed. Racial minorities struggle against the grips of the majority society. Deaf people are more likely to live in poverty and lack access to healthcare and education.
Immigrants face hurdles when landing on foreign soil. They are away from family and familiarity. There are also challenges for deaf people because they don’t have immediate access to healthcare or legal services. The deaf immigrants may not understand the language, the culture of social services for special needs, and other factors.
Services Available for Immigrants
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-passport-and-a-compass-7235904/
Services available to immigrants coming to Argentina include relocation assistance, visa paperwork, and access to healthcare. However, during the 1980s, Argentina was under a strict dictatorship, which limited immigrants’ rights. They were prone to detention centers, deportation, and legal employment.
Sorda Sin Violencia
Public assistance for deaf immigrants, especially women, is not readily available. Navigating the justice system, healthcare, and education are not disability-friendly. The women are subject to gender-based violence that requires access to the hospital or the courts, but unfortunately, many deaf women don’t know all their rights.
That’s where Sordas Sin Violencia comes in. It’s an NGO fighting the legal and healthcare barriers for women in Argentina. Their mission is to help social services better understand deaf people and their needs. Once these services can accommodate the needs of deaf people, deaf women will feel more inclined to seek help for their problems. Sordas Sin Violencia partnered with the government of Denmark to design a system that addresses the unique challenges of the deaf community. The project is ongoing, but according to press releases, there are signs of the deaf community moving forward.
The KOMAD Study
The situation changed in 2004 with a new program implemented by the Argentine government. It came with the possibility of studying at a university or temporary work status, giving immigrants a path to residency and later citizenship. These policies make a difference with immigrants having an equitable life like citizens. A study by KNOMAD released a report detailing the barriers immigrants still face, like little access to quality education, healthcare, and legal work status.
In addition, the quality of housing and social services. There is a clear difference between the standard of living between immigrants and citizens. In the city, people living in hotel rooms and squatted housing are usually immigrants. Between 2013 and 2014, there were initiatives to improve the quality of the sewage system and water in these neighborhoods, but the situation still needs to improve.
In conclusion, immigration has played a significant role in shaping the Deaf community in Argentina. It has contributed to linguistic and cultural diversity within the community and influenced the development of Argentine Sign Language. Recognizing the rights and needs of Deaf immigrants remains a challenge to ensure full inclusion and access to services.
There’s more to learn about the experience of the deaf community from all walks of life at https://unspokenasl.com/
Photo Credit to: Photo by Rafael Guimarães
