Kata Kolok, literally meaning ‘deaf talk’ in Indonesian, is a unique sign language that’s the primary means of communication for just 45 deaf people on the entire planet.
Those who visit Bali tend to rely on English, which many locals can speak. Fewer visitors have mastered Indonesian, the official language. Balinese is hardly spoken among those who aren't natives. But up in the jungle of northern Bali, there's an even more elusive, geographically-consolidated language, foreign to even the native Balinese: the KATA KOLOK, a language that's never even been spoken, since it is a sign-language, but understood more than words.
Bengkala is a small village in Bali. It numbers about 3000 people, of whom ~45 are deaf, and it has had a higher than normal deaf-since-birth population for over seven generations. The name of this village in Bali is Bengkala. Every person living here knows how to communicate in sign language. The reason for this is that in most families, one or more members cannot hear or speak. The Kata Kolok sign language is not only used in the village, but in local government offices too.
KATA KOLOK, known as "the talk of the deaf," is a unique, rural sign-language, independent of international or Indonesian sign language. It's been the primary mode of communication in the northern Bali jungle village of Bengkala for generations, where a high percentage of residents are deaf. In Balinese, Bengkala is sometimes called "DESA KOLOK"—the deaf village.
It is very interesting to know the three concepts that explain KATA KOLOK: the KOLOK, KATA KOLOK and INGET. KOLOK is a Balinese term for deaf people: it can mean ‘deaf’ or ‘deaf people’ or ‘mute’, ‘without sounds’, or ‘un-hearable’. In Bengkala, the deaf person’s name is called by beginning with the word ‘Kolok’, for instance Kolok Sudarma, Kolok Pindu, Kolok Santia, and so on. KATA KOLOK derives from Balinese roots, ‘KATA’ (katè), means to speak or utter, and ‘KOLOK’ (kolok), means ‘deaf people’. Thus, KATA KOLOK means the expressions by deaf people, which are sign language. INGET is the Bengkala term for hearing people. Inget derives from the Balinese word meaning ‘remember’ or ‘aware’.
Kata Kolok also has four colour signs: black, white, red and a blue-green term. In addition, two non-conventionalized means are used to provide colour descriptions: naming relevant objects, and pointing to objects in the vicinity.
1995 research article said that the reason for the people to be born deaf and dumb here is the presence of a DNA mutation known as DFNB3. TH DFNB3 gene is known to be present in the village for more than 700 years now.
Many people in the village feel that they have got this deafness due to a curse. According to the local story, there was a fight between two black magicians living here. During this fight, they cursed each other to become deaf. The villagers believe that all the people of the village are from the lineage of these two black magic wizards.
This is a story of survival, knowing that most people in the world would challenge.
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