The hidden history of “Hand Talk”

Summary

This video explores the history and significance of Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL), an ancient communication system used by Native American tribes. Once widely spoken by both deaf and hearing individuals, PISL played a crucial role in commerce, hunting, and diplomacy. Despite its influence on modern American Sign Language (ASL), PISL has been largely erased from history due to the suppression of indigenous languages in U.S. government-run schools. Today, efforts are being made to revive PISL, as it holds deep cultural and historical meaning for Native Americans.

Takeaways

• 👋 Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL) is one of the oldest languages in North America, once widely used for communication between indigenous and non-indigenous people.
• 🤝 PISL, also called 'Hand Talk,' was used for commerce, diplomacy, hunting, and warfare by many Native American tribes, influencing the development of American Sign Language (ASL).
• 🌍 PISL had regional and tribe-specific variations, including Northeast Indian Sign Language and Southwest Indian Sign Language.
• 🧠 By the 19th century, tens of thousands of indigenous people knew PISL, making it a key tool for intertribal communication across a vast area from the Gulf Coast to Canada.
• 🌞 PISL reflects indigenous ways of thinking, measuring time by seasons, the moon, and the sun, with unique signs for concepts like 'war,' 'beautiful,' and 'age.'
• 📜 The language traces back at least to the 1500s, with evidence in rock writing showing signs for 'prayer,' 'elder,' and 'hunger,' suggesting an even earlier origin.
• 🎥 In 1930, General Hugh L. Scott organized a historic gathering of Native leaders to preserve PISL on film, recognizing its decline due to the U.S. government's suppression of indigenous languages.
• 🏫 Native children were punished for using PISL in residential schools, leading to a significant decline in fluent signers.
• 🤟 Today, only a few dozen fluent PISL signers remain, though efforts are being made to revive and preserve the language among both hearing and deaf indigenous people.
• 🌿 PISL carries deep cultural meaning, with signs for specific tribes, and many Native American communities are pushing to incorporate it into education and daily life.

Q & A

What is Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL) and how was it used?

Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL) is one of the most well-documented indigenous sign languages in North America. It was used as a medium for communication among intertribal nations, especially in commerce, gaining intelligence, hunting, and warfare.

What is 'Hand Talk' and how does it relate to PISL?

Hand Talk is a broad term used to describe indigenous sign languages in North America. Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL) is one regional variation of Hand Talk, which was widely used across the Plains, Gulf Coast, and into Canada.

How did PISL influence American Sign Language (ASL)?

Variations of Hand Talk, including PISL, were so commonly used that they influenced the development of American Sign Language (ASL), which is now the predominant sign language in the US and Canada.

What were some of the basic building blocks of PISL?

PISL consists of roughly 4,000 basic words that form its vocabulary. For example, 'war' is signed by combining 'big' and 'fight,' and 'beautiful' is signed by combining 'face' and 'good.'

How does PISL reflect indigenous ways of thinking about time?

In PISL, time is measured using natural cycles. For example, months are measured by moons, days by the sun, and questions about age are asked by referencing the number of winters a person has experienced.

What happened to PISL as a result of US government policies in the 1800s?

In the late 1800s, Native children were sent to government residential schools that enforced an 'English-only' policy. This cut them off from their native languages, including PISL. Children were punished for signing, and this contributed to the decline of the language.

What evidence exists that PISL has ancient roots?

PISL can be traced back to at least the 1500s through Spanish colonizers' journals, but rock carvings and symbols depicting signs like 'prayer' and 'elder' suggest it may be even older.

What efforts are being made today to preserve PISL?

Today, many indigenous people, including Deaf Native Americans, are working to incorporate PISL into everyday life and are advocating for its inclusion in mainstream education to preserve it for future generations.

Why is PISL particularly important for indigenous Deaf Americans?

Indigenous Deaf Americans often use ASL, but ASL lacks signs for cultural elements like Native American tribe names. PISL includes signs for tribes, with gestures that reflect the meaning behind each tribe's name, making it more culturally relevant.

Why is General Hugh L. Scott significant in the history of PISL?

In 1930, General Hugh L. Scott organized one of the largest gatherings of intertribal leaders to document and preserve PISL. He recognized that younger generations were not learning the language, and his efforts were an early attempt to preserve it.