Oneida Sign Language Oneida couple develops a sign language to connect with the deaf BY JAMIE MONASTYRSKI T here are signs that Indigenous language revitaliza- tion is growing stronger across the country. From cutting-edge downloadable apps for your handheld devices to webTV tutorials, community circles and major shifts in redesigning curriculum to include Indigenous languages, there is movement. In Oneida Nation of the Thames near London, Ontario, a husband and wife team has been developing an Oneida Sign Language (OSL) that will be used by deaf and hard of hearing people who often feel left out of events because of language and physical barriers. Marsha Ireland and her husband Max want to offer Indigenous people who are deaf and hard of hearing a way to connect with each other and also take part in cultural and community events using their language. “Oneida Sign Language was developed to address the issue of inclusion for the deaf population of Oneida,” Marsha Ireland wrote in an email. “American sign language was limited when it came to fully understanding and communi- cating our tradition. Deaf First Nations people have many issues to be shared with their home communities and need to express them to remove and eliminate any barriers they may face in the future.” Ireland presented the sign language in July at the Indigenous Deaf Gathering held in Oneida Nation. The theme this year was creating a circle of inclusion and for INDIGENOUS TECH SUMMER/WINTER 2018/19 – Chiefs of Ontario Advocate magazine 42 l