Monday, December 22, 2008

Cartooning class for deaf students

2nd assignment
Although this assignment was in two languages I didn't understand, I learned soo much in the two hours I was there writing and shooting. I got totally ripped off by a cab driver as well! Ahh you live and learn...

A cartooning instruction class was held at the National Campus of Balkumari, Lalitpur this Monday for 27 deaf students to introduce them to creative and visual job opportunities in the future.

National Campus Principal, Sarah Giri, a sign language specialist, interpreted for the deaf students as guest lecturer and cartoonist, Yogesh Khapangi, spoke in Nepali. The goal of the class was to give the deaf community an example of a vocational option, and help them see art in different ways.

"We organized this program as a step towards social inclusion for deaf students in academics," said Giri.

The deaf culture is a visual one, according to Giri, and forms of art such as painting and cartooning, for example, give the deaf more advantages in the visual communication world.

Khapangi specializes in cartoons, graphics and illustrations and is also the Vice President of Cartoonists' Club of Nepal (C'CON). Giri invited him to lecture because he can be a role model for deaf students and the deaf community. During his hour and a half lecture, Khapangi displayed the basics of how to draw a human figure, and when to use the proper materials, such as sketching pencils and markers.

The students participated, interacted, and got to practice cartooning and drawing techniques with the pencils and sketch books that they were allowed to keep.

"This is not for entertainment, the deaf have enriched my life, so I am trying to enrich theirs," concluded Giri.

by Tess McEnroe
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
(myadventuresinnepal.blogspot.com) Cartooning class for students

DEMOCRACY COMIC BOOK PROMOTES CIVIC PARTICIPATION BY NEPALI YOUTH

POKHARA - The U.S. Embassy’s American Center launched a democracy comic book here today with the help of famed Nepali cartoonist Durga Baral (“Batsayan”). The one-time publication promotes civic participation by Nepali youth.



The four-page color publication, “Democracy Comic Book - Dream of a Prosperous Nepal” (in Nepali: “Sammunat Nepalko Sapana”), was commissioned and funded by the American Center. Cartoonist Batsayan unveiled a copy of the comic book before a large gathering of school children. The event was co-sponsored by the American Center, Pokhreli Youba Sanskritik Pariwar, a Nepali cultural organization, and Samudaik Sambandha Kendra, the Community Information Center of Pokhara.

The comic book’s plot focuses on two youths and teaches the importance of civic participation by all young people to build a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic Nepal. It is intended to motivate Nepali youth to overcome frustrations of existing political, economic, and social challenges by getting involved and contributing to their nation. Ultimately, the story teaches, the next generation will play a powerful role in shaping Nepal’s future.

Sharon Hudson-Dean, deputy director of the American Center said at the event: “Nepal is a very old nation, and yet a very young democracy. These next few years will be critical as Nepal seeks to establish itself as a member of the democratic nations of the world. Nepali youth have an important role to play and should participate in the process to ensure that they receive the peaceful, free, and democratic future that they deserve.”

The comic book, along with a teacher’s guide, will be distributed to various youth audiences throughout Nepal. Popular Nepali playwright Ashesh Malla and artist Yogesh Khapangi created the comic for the American Center.

September 19, 2006 (by: nepal.usembassy.gov)

Cartoon communication

SRISHTI ADHIKARI

Eager hands shoot up as the instructor calls for someone to illustrate how an angry man would look in a drawing. A student in the front row walks up to the whiteboard and places a simple zigzag line on the side of the man's head. It is only when the students raise their hands and shake them to applaud their friend's efforts that you realise they are all deaf.



"The deaf world is a visual world," says Sarah Giri, who led a recent cartooning workshop for the deaf at the National Campus in Balkumari. "Everything is picture, action and no sound. The deaf look at the world as a cartoon book."

With the help of cartoonist Yogesh Khapangi, the workshop aimed to provide the deaf with a skill that might lead to employment, or at least personal enjoyment. Most of the 27 participants were students from the school for the deaf in Naxal. Their deft hands, which guided the markers with such ease and confidence, showed no sign of them being new to drawing cartoons as they displayed an uncanny knack for expressing action and sensation visually.

Giri, who calls herself culturally deaf and has been working with the deaf for eight years, has introduced deaf culture and sign language on the National Campus in an attempt to raise people's awareness.

For Khapangi it was a totally new experience. "When Sarah first put forth this idea, I didn't think I could do it because I don't know sign language," he said. "But when she offered to act as the translator I agreed to do it."

He was delighted with the outcome. "They showed more interest than the hearing people do. They learned almost six months' worth of course work in the span of one week. During classes there was obviously no noise and their concentration was commendable. I have discovered about eight or ten students who can survive in the professional world."

Sunil Ale Magar, 23, who is studying for a Bachelor of Education degree, described the workshop as an experience of a lifetime. Another trainee, 25-year-old Rashmi Amatya, was offered a job on the spot after the editor of Chunamuna children's magazine saw her cartoons.

"Learning cartooning was so much fun that I wouldn't mind becoming a cartoonist myself, but I want to be a good teacher,"

said Rashmi, who is an artist and has made books for children before. "Some day, I would like to go to different parts of the world and meet different artists."

Kul Prasad Bhattarai, 23, inspired by the workshop, said he would like one day to become a deaf teacher and teach children what he had just learnt.

As Sarah Giri pointed out, the deaf in Nepal are not looking for charity. They want acceptance, recognition and an opportunity to work with the hearing. They want to be regarded as contributing members of the society.

Photo: Minratna Bajracharya

FROM ISSUE # Nepalitimes.com (13 JUNE 2008 - 19 JUNE 2008)

Friday, December 19, 2008

साराको संकेतको जादुमयी दुनियाँ


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गएको सप्ताहन्तमा मैले एउटी यस्ती महिलालाई भेटेको छु जोसँग एकदमै प्रभावकारी, जादुमयी संचार क्षमता छ । जसले तपाईलाई उनको कुराका बारेमा कत्ति पनि अलमलिने समय दिँदैन । मैले भेटेकी यी महिलासँग भएको त्यो जादुमयी संचार क्षमताको बारेमा म तपाईलाई पढ्न अनुरोध पनि गर्दछु, यसकारण कि उनीसँग ती मान्छेका लागि योजना छन्, जो उनको संसारभन्दा परका थिए । उनले जन्मँदै ती मान्छेका संसर्ग पाएकी थिइनन् तर अहिले उनको रूचि, उनको कर्म, उनको योजना, उनको समय सबै ती मान्छेहरूका लागि समर्पित छ ।

भारतका प्रसिद्ध नृत्य निर्देशक संदिप सप्पोरकरले आफ्नो एक अन्तरवार्तामा आफ्नो जीवनको सबैभन्दा बिर्सन नसक्ने क्षण भनेको नेपालमा बहिराहरूलाई ब्याले संयोजन गरेको क्षण रहेको बताएका छन् । सप्पोरकर यस्ता नृत्य निर्दैशक हुन् जसले विश्व प्रसिद्ध गायिका मडोना र शकिरालाई पनि नृत्य सिकाएका छन् र बलिउडमा पनि उनका थुप्रै शिष्यले कमाल देखाइरहेका छन् । यस्ता सप्पोरकरले भनेका छन्, उनलाई विश्वास नै लागेको थिएन बहिराहरूले पनि नाच्न सक्छन् । बलिउडका यी व्यस्त नृत्य निर्देशकलाई मैले कुरा गर्न लागेकी यी महिलाले विश्वाश दिलाइन की बहिराले नाच्छन् र उनीहरूले नृत्यलाई पेशा बनाउन सक्छन् ।

हामी सारा गिरीको र उनको रमाईलो बहिराहरूको संसारको बारेमा कुरा गर्दैछौ । कुनै बेलाको रेडियो नेपालकी समाचारवाचिका अबको उनको परिचय होइन । धेरै संवाददाताले शुरू गरेको झैँ उनको परिचय उनको श्रीमनसँग जोडिएर आउनु उनको क्षमतामाथिको प्रश्न चिन्ह हो । त्यसको बारेमा यो लेखको लेखक पूर्ण रूपले सचेत छ । नेस्नल क्याम्पसको प्राज्ञिक निर्देशक (Director Academics) उनको जागिरे परिचय हो । तर यो लेख बहिरासँगको उनको काम, उनको अनुभव, उनको योजनामा केन्द्रित छ ।

सारालाई बहिराको संसारमा मंगोलजस्ती आँखा भएकी भनेर संकेतद्वारा चिनाइन्छ । उनको बुबा दोस्रो विश्वयुद्धमा नेपाली सेनाका तर्फबाट लडेका थिए, म्यानमारको रंगुनमा आमासँग भेट भयो र उनीहरू त्यही 'सेटल' भए । सारा आफ्नो उमेर २५ भन्दामाथि भन्छिन्, सायद उनलाई बहिराहरूका लागि धेरै काम गर्नुछ । आम मान्छेको औसत आयु १०० बर्ष भन्ने गरिन्छ, उनी आफ्नो उमेरलाई २५ मा रोकेर बहिराहरूका लागि काम गर्ने आफ्नो यात्रा लम्ब्याउन चाहिन्छिन् । यो अनुमान हो, उनीसँगको एकघन्टाको सम्वाद र उनका थुप्रै कामका बारेमा जानकारी पाएपछिको यो अनुमान सायद गलत नहोला !

झन्डै छ बर्ष अघि सारासँग संकेत थिएन । उनको संसारमा सुन्ने मान्छेहरू मात्र थिए त्यसैले जीवन अर्कै एउटा नियमित प्रक्रियामा चलिरहेको थियो । उनी एमबिए पढाउँथिन् बेंगलोरको कलेजमा । तर एउटा घटनाले जीवनमा परिवर्तन ल्यायो । सन् २००२मा चन्द्रशेखर इन्सीच्युट अफ स्पीच एण्ड हियरीङमा सप्ताहन्तको कक्षामा उनी भर्ना भएकी थिइन् । एक साँझ एकजना बहिराले कानसुन्नेले बहिराको कुरा बुझ्नै नसक्ने चुनौती दिए तब उनलाई लाग्यो केही गर्नुपर्छ । केही गर्न सकिन्छ । दश साता लाग्यो उनलाई संकेतमा कुरा गर्न, अनि त उनले आफ्नै घर प्रयोग गरेर बहिराका लागि एउटा फिल्म निर्माण र निर्देशन गरिन् । 'ह्यान्डलिङ डिप्रेशन' नामक उनको फिल्म अहिले पनि भारतको कर्नाटका राज्यका विभिन्न बहिरा विद्यालयहरूमा देखाइन्छ । सारा कुराको बीचबीचमा सांकेतिक भाषा यसरी प्रयोग गरिरहेकी हुन्छिन्, मानौँ उनी साँच्चै बहिरी हुन् । उनी बहिरालाई अपांगको कोटीमा राख्न नहुने धारणा राख्छिन् । उनलाई लाग्छ, हामी जो आफुलाई सुन्ने भन्छौ, अपांग त हामी हौ किनकि बहिराहरूको भाषा हामी बुझ्न सक्दैनौ । उनी भन्छिन, 'बहिराहरू मेरा लागि अल्पसंख्यक समुह हुन् जसलाई बहुसंख्यक सुन्नेहरूले हेपेका छन् । बहिरालाई गलत तरिकाले परिभाषित गरेका छन्'

उनले सिकेको सांकेतिक भाषा अंग्रेजी र हिन्दी थिए । नेपालीको संकेत जान्न उनलाई केही समय लाग्यो तर जब सबै भाषा उनले केही समयमै सिकिन् र बहिराहरूलाई आफ्नै निवासमा बोलाएर ब्याले सिकाउन थालिन् । संदिपले साथ दिए भने थुप्रै कक्षा उनी आफैले पनि लिइन् । उनी चाहन्थिन, बहिराहरूको ब्याले सो गर्ने तर नेपालको राजनीतिक परिवर्तनले उनको योजना पर सर्यो ।
अहिले उनी नेस्नल कलेजमा निर्देशकको कुर्सीमा विराजमान छिन् । उनी कलेज र बहिराको भविष्यको बारेमा एकैसाथ सोच्दैछिन् । उनलाई आफ्नो अधुरो सपना पुरा गर्नुछ र बहिराहरूले कान सुन्नेले भन्दा कुनै कम नाँच्दैनन् भनेर देखाउनु छ । छोराछोरी झैँ माया गरेका बहिराहरूलाई व्यवसायिक कलाकार बनाउनु छ । 'बहिराहरू हावामा लेख्छन्', एउटा दैनिकलाई दिएको अन्तरवार्तमा उनले भनेकी छिन्, 'बहिराहरूका आँखा हावामा आकृति पढ्न अभ्यस्त हुन्छन् । उनीहरूमा कहिल्यै चुप लागेर बस्दैनन्, उनीहरूमा संचार झन् सघन हुन्छ । पाँच, सात जना भेट भए भने यति गर्मागर्मी बहस हुन्छ कि बुझ्नुभयो भने तपाई अचम्म मान्नुहुन्छ ।'
सारा संकेतबाट देखाउँछिन् बहिराहरूको दृश्य संसारको वर्णन गर्ने शक्तिको बारेमा । म बहिराको भाषा जान्दिनँ तर मैले केही संकेत छिटो-छिटो उनीसँगै दोहोर्याउने कोशिस गरेको छु । उनी संकेतबाट देखाउँदैथिन् कि कसरी बहिराहरू मानिसलाई उसको कुनै विशेष कुराबाट चिन्छन् र सम्पुर्ण बहिराहरूमा त्यो परिचयको संचार हुन्छ । बहिराहरूको दृश्य वर्णनको कमाललाई व्यवश्थित र व्यवसायिक बनाउन उनले मद्दत्त गर्ने जमर्को गरिन् । केही समय अगाडि कार्टुनिस्ट योगेश खपांगीलाई उनले बहिराहरूका लागि कार्टुन बनाउने तालिमको प्रशिक्षक हुनका लागि आग्रह गरिन् । सांकेतिक भाषा नजान्ने खपांगीलाई कुरा अनौठो लाग्यो, बहिरालाई कान सुन्ने तर सांकेतिक भाषा नजानेकोले कसरी सिकाउने ? तर साराले खपांगीलाई तयार पारिन्, उनको भाषालाई संकेतमा अनुवाद गरेर । साराले एकसाताको कार्टुन कक्षाको सम्पूर्ण कक्षाहरूलाई संकेतमा अनुवाद गरेकी थिइन् र आफु पूर्णत: बहिराझैं भएर ।

खपांगीले तालिमपछि कान सुन्नेलाई छ महिना लागाएर सिकाने कुरा बहिराहरूले एक सातामा सिकेको प्रतिक्रियाले सारालाई निकै उत्साहित बनाएको छ । उनी दंग हुँदै सुनाउँदै थिइन, 'मेरा केटाकेटी गज्जबका छन्' तर उनलाई यी सबमा अझ रंग भर्ने योजना , पुरा नभएको नृत्यको सो गर्ने र संसारलाई नेपालका बहिराको कला देखाउने। त्यसका लागि उनी पहल गर्दैछिन् । सहयोगी हात खोज्दैछिन् । उनलाई थाहा छ, उनका केटाकेटीले कसैलाई निराश तुल्याउने छैनन् तर कान सुन्नेले आफुलाई सपांग भन्ने यो संस्कृतिमा उनलाई केही घम्साघम्सी गर्नै पर्ने भएको छ ।
उनलाई बहिराका अगाडि बोल्न मन लाग्दैन । बहिरालाई 'अन्डरइस्टीमेट' गर्न खोजेको जस्तो लाग्छ त्यसैले उनी संकेतमा बोल्छिन् । उनलाई लाग्छ, कान सुन्नेहरू कान नसुन्नेको भाषा नसिकेर अपांग हुदैँछन् जसरी थुप्रै जर्मन बोल्नेको बीचमा जर्मन नबुझ्ने अपांगझैँ हुन्छ । त्यसैले जर्मन, जपानिज, अँग्रेजी भाषा सिकेझैँ बहिराको भाषा पनि सिक्नैपर्छ । बहिराहरू अनुदान वा सहयोग खोजीरहेका छैनन्, उनीहरू कान्न सुन्ने समुहसँग काम गर्न चाहन्छन्, कान सुन्नेहरूद्वारा उनीहरूको कामलाई स्वीकार गरून् भन्ने चाहन्छन् । समाजको जिम्मेवार सदस्यको नाताले उनीहरू समाजमा योगदान गर्न चाहन्छन् । साराले बुझाउन खोजेको कुरा यत्ति हो । बहिराहरूसँग काम गरेर उनी बहिराको यो कुरा कान सुन्ने सबै मानिसलाई सुनाउन, बुझाउन चाहन्छिन् । उनी आफ्नो आदर्श व्यक्तिको रूपमा हेलेन केलरको एउटा उद्धरण सम्झन्छिन्, 'अन्धोपनले मानिसलाई वस्तुहरूबाट अलग्याउँछ, बहिरोपनले मान्छेलाई मान्छेहरूबाट एक्लो बनाउँछ' त्यसैले उनी बहिराहरूको कुरा सुन्ने समाजलाई संचार गर्छिन् ताकि बहिराहरू यो समाजबाट नएक्लिउन् ।

सारा कुनै नेतालाई बोलाएर बहिराहरूको बारेमा भाषण गराउन चाहन्न् । उनको योजना अलग्गै छ, एउटा भिडियो प्रस्तुती जसमा कान सुन्नेका लागि आवाजको व्यवस्था गरिएको हुन्छ र त्यो कार्यक्रमको थिम हुनेछ, 'वेलकम टु द वर्ल्ड अफ साइलेन्स'

- आन्विका गिरी
३१ साउन, शुक्रबार २०६५, Fri August 15, 2008 (americadarpan.com)

CA And peaceful Nepal in Comics

Comics, especially those of superheroes, are a favorite with children. But they can be an effective medium of education the young minds about other subjects too if presented in a manner they can understand and relate to.

Probably with that in mind, the US Embassy in Kathmandu has recently come out with four comic books, which shed light on various issues of public interest through stories and illustrations. The books will be distributed in school and libraries of all districts of the country.
The four books deal with topics like the Constituent Assembly (CA) as well as how to live in harmony and build a peaceful Nepal. They are published under the titles Haamro Sambidhan Sabha (Our Constituent Assembly), Dwandwarahit Nepal (Peaceful Nepl), Sabai Mili Banaaun Sundar Nepal (Together, Let’s Build a Flourishing Nepal) and Phoolai Phoolko Sundar Nepal (A Magnificent Garland of Beautiful Flowers). All four have stories written by Ashesh Kalla and illustrations by Yogesh Khapangi.
According to William Humnicky, Assistant Public Affair Officer at the US Embassy, they have published altogether 200,000 copies of the four books with 50,000 copies of each title and will send them to schools all Nepal in coming days. He said that they had increased the number of copies this time because of the success of their previous comic book published last year.
Meanwhile, writer Ashesh Malla said that the books would be useful for all groups even if they were especially targeted at schoolchildren. He informed that they would also be starting street plays under some of the four titles from the third week of this October. (PR)

The Kathmandu Post
15 October, 2007

Editorial Cartoon




Ranking: 2º Editorial
Name: Dalai Lama
Author: Antonio Jorge Goncalves
Country: Portugal

The Short History of the Cartoon


Cartoon, pictorial sketch or caricature, by implication humorous or satirical, and usually published in a newspaper, magazine, or periodical. In recent years the word has mostly been used to describe three specific kinds of drawing. These are the political, or editorial, cartoon—the main daily or weekly pictorial comment in a newspaper or magazine, referring to a current political or social issue; the pocket cartoon—a single-column drawing on a topical subject, often on the front page of a newspaper; and the single-joke, or gag, cartoon, which relies for its effect on amusing social commentary or wordplay.

Before the introduction of the term “cartoon” in its modern sense in the 19th century, satirical and humorous drawings of all kinds were referred to as caricatures. Today “caricature” is used mostly to refer to distorted portraiture that emphasizes the characteristic traits of an individual; it may either stand on its own or form part of a cartoon. Beyond these central forms, the term “cartoon” has also been applied to comics, television and film animation, multi-frame jokes published in newspapers, continuity strips, graphic novels, humorous advertising, humorous book and magazine illustrations, and satirical puppetry. Before the introduction of the term “cartoon” in its modern sense in the 19th century, satirical and humorous drawings of all kinds were referred to as caricatures. Today “caricature” is used mostly to refer to distorted portraiture that emphasizes the characteristic traits of an individual; it may either stand on its own or form part of a cartoon. Beyond these central forms, the term “cartoon” has also been applied to comics, television and film animation, multi-frame jokes published in newspapers, continuity strips, graphic novels, humorous advertising, humorous book and magazine illustrations, and satirical puppetry.

What is carTOON ?

The word cartoon has various meanings, based on several very different forms of visual art and illustration. The term has evolved over time.

The original meaning was in fine art, and there cartoon meant a preparatory drawing for a piece of art such as a painting or tapestry.

The somewhat more modern meaning was that of humorous illustrations in magazines and newspapers. Even more recently there are now several contemporary meanings, including creative visual work for print media, for electronic media, and even animated films and animated digital media.

When the word cartoon is applied to print media, it most often refers to a humorous single-panel drawing or gag cartoon, most of which have captions and do not use speech balloons. The word cartoon is not often used to refer to a comic strip.

The artists who draw cartoons are known as cartoonists.