Super 16mm archive of Jodee’s childhood

VO: My childhood was typical in many ways

I lived the Australian suburban dream with my two older brothers and my mum and dad.

We had camping holidays, pool parties and Women’s Weekly birthday cakes.

Super 16mm footage

Supplied footage of Jodee’s show

Personal

VO: It wasn’t until I was five years old when I got lost in Kmart, that I realised my family didn’t talk like everyone else.

Excerpt from PERSONAL:

JODEE as Kmart teller: We have a lost child, a lost child named Jodee. Could her mum please come meet her here at the front desk…

JODEE as her Mum: Where were you? I was worried?

JODEE as herself: But the lady made an announcement…

JODEE as her Mum: But I’m Deaf! You know that!

Jodee in car

VO: I’ve spent my whole life moving between two worlds – the world of the hearing and the world of Deaf people

I’m a Coda…a child of deaf adults.

Jodee meet and greet her parents

JODEE (signs): Hi, how are you?

Jodee IV with parents

JODEE: Mum and Dad, you know I'm going to America.

PARENTS: When?

JODEE: Oh, next week

PARENTS: So soon ! JODEE: Yeah.

DAD: What about communicating? The American Sign Language (ASL)…are you going to be able to understand it?

JODEE:

Well, ASL is a different language…I know a bit but it’s mostly going to be visual communication.

VO: I’m headed to the US – to a camp for Codas.

JODEE: There'll be cooking, games, conversations…

VO: I went to Coda camps as a kid, in Australia. It was a great way to connect with other Codas about the joys and challenges of growing up as a hearing person in a Deaf family.

DAD: We were surprised to find out that you were hearing. God gave us that gift. But we knew it was going to be different because we had two Deaf sons.

MUM: You were different as a baby. (JODEE LAUGHS)

MUM: When you slept, you’d wake up, and be startled by the sounds.

JODEE: What was I like as a teenager? Was I frustrating? Did I complain about having to interpret for you? I’m curious, can you tell me?

MUM: Most of the time, you'd be making lots of phone calls behind my back Jodee!

JODEE: I always loved loud music...

MUM: Good luck. Why don't you take me with you?

DAD: Why don't I hide in your suitcase and you take me?

TITLE

Camp Coda

Children of Deaf Adults

By Jodee Mundy OAM, Louis Dai, Georgina Davies

NEW YORK GVS

VO: My first language is Auslan and it’s one of 300 different sign languages used around the world.

Here in the US, at least half a million people use American Sign Language or ASL.

Yum Cha

VO: In New York City…

BEVERLEY’S MUM (JESSICA):

Be careful, the food is hot.

… Coda sisters, Beverley and Everlee, are getting excited about their first ever Coda camp

CLEMENT: So the camp is coming soon, right? BEVERLEY: I'm excited about marshmallows, swimming…

CLEMENT: Diving? BEVERLEY: Yeah, diving.

CLEMENT: We’ll have games where you’ll get splashed in the face.

BEVERLEY: I’m not scared.

Chinatown Externals of shop Jodee walking

NATSOT

VO: After lunch I meet the whole family at the grocery store they own and run.

JODEE: Hello, my name is Jodee. MUM-IN-LAW: Hi, how are you?

JODEE: Nice to meet you. JODEE: I’m from Australia.

BEVERLEY: I have a cousin in Australia.

VO: Clement, is one of the camp organisers. He tells me why this Coda camp is different.

CLEMENT: I’ve seen other Coda camps here in America. We've seen they do exist but they don’t match our values. We wanted to emphasise Asian values, to teach Asian values and Asian activities, so that they can have fun with their Asian culture.

Shots of Beverly and Everlee in store

JODEE: You have two Codas…Um…They live in the Deaf world and the hearing world. What are the challenges?

CLEMENT: For Deaf parents, you never know if you’re going to bond…

You see some Deaf people and I notice it’s a struggle for them. Their children don’t sign. It’s frustrating. I have to teach my children how to sign. It’s very important to communicate and have that relationship.

I want that bond to remain with me for life, you know…

Now with this camp, this is an opportunity for them to learn and build on their culture.

Camp begins

DAY 1

Pennsylvania morning

People getting setup for camp, including setting up banners saying MADA and Camp intro

VO: This is the first ever Asian-American Coda camp. And it has an ambitious mission. Over three days, Codas will be immersed in the Deaf world. Camp leaders want to teach Asian family values. All through sign language

MARIE ROSE : If your child does not know how to sign, we will teach your children through activities and help them acquire more sign language skills.

VO: The camp leaders are mostly Deaf adults.

CLEMENT: Has everyone signed the waiver form?

But there’s also a few Coda adults who will support communication as interpreters.

Shots of kids being naughty in the back swinging the hammock dangerously high.

KIDS: Wait. You have to sign a waiver! My parents aren’t here!

The waiver says you have no regard for your life…

Kids screaming.

Cut back to leadership team welcome

MIN: Have a safe and fun time in camp together. Thank you.

Cut back to chaotic hammock and kids screaming

KIDS:

No more waiver, that’s it. The parents are back, yo. Meeting’s finished…

First camp activity

Kids all gathered round table in new shirts, gradually getting restless and smashing table

KID: I hope we break this table!

PHILIP signing: Okay, hello everyone. Can everyone see me? Please move so you can see me.

KIDS TALKING LOUDLY

PHILIP: Copy me.

KIDS CONTINUE TALKING

PHILIP: Please copy me. Hey… KIDS CONTINUE TALKING BOY MAKES FART SOUND

PHILIP: Quiet! Look at me. Got it? KIDS STILL TALKING LOUDLY.

VO: With kids wandering off and not paying attention…

BOY: How long do we have to do this for? HANNAH (voices) and signs: Deer Ears!

VO: ..the Deaf camp leaders quickly abandon the ASL-only approach…

INTERPRETER: Let me see your antler ears.

VO:..and bring in the Coda camp leaders to interpret into English.

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: Do you guys know what that means?

BOY:..No

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: When we put up our hands to put on our deer ears, you guys have to look at Philip, okay?

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: So right now, are you guys excited to do some activities for your first day?

(KIDS YELL ENTHUSIASTICALLY)

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: Everyone look look look. I know I’m Deaf but I hear a lot of side conversations.

VO: But 18 year old Brandon wants to set an example for the younger Codas.

BRANDON: I know some of them very well and I know they don’t grow up with anyone around them that has similar understandings, especially since having all these parents, they don’t understand what these kids sometimes go through. So I feel like I have to be a role model for them.

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: That’s it! See? Everyone understand?

(JAUNTY MUSIC PLAYS)

Kids getting ready, chatting, playing with each other.

VO: These games are designed to help the kids bond and focus. But some need a push.

JACOB’S MUM (MICHELLE): Come on, Jacob.

Learn how to interact with others. Please. Go with her and learn, ok? Meet others. Come on, stand up socialise with others.

Kids playing flour game, Kids going back to camp.

JODEE: Watching the kids was really interesting. You gotta remember, kids who hear are always attracted to sound first. And to learn to listen with

your eyes takes a really long time. So these games…They're really trying to get the kids to look at the Deaf camp leaders but a lot of them tend to be drawn to the other Coda who’s an interpreter. So yeah games like this…I don't know if it really worked?

Deaf parents relaxing, kids running amok

Dinner prep shots

VO: Whilst the kids play, Deaf parents are taking advantage of this rare opportunity to socialise and connect with each other.

Shots of parents together, cooking, laughing etc

Kids playing volleyball, running around, screaming, etc..

Jacob intro

JACOB: There’s a lot of flies. This place is infested with flies. Probably because it’s nature. Why do bugs exist?

BOY: Some are helpful.

VO: 10 year old Coda, Jacob, was reluctant to join in today. I want to know why.

JODEE: So tell me, do you sign? JACOB: ASL?

JACOB: No.

JODEE: Okay. So how do you talk to your mum and dad?

JACOB: Phone, because they can read. JODEE: You text on your phone to talk with your mum and dad?

JACOB: Yeah, I just put in the letters. And then they just read it.

JODEE: Do you want to learn more sign language?

JACOB: Yes, because I want to talk to my mum more.

JODEE: If you could sign to your mum, what would you want to say to her?

JACOB: Anything like...like I can normally talk to her, like can I have food...But I don't know how to do food.

JODEE: Okay, okay. Are you hoping, by the end of this camp, that you might have some more signs?

JACOB: Yeah.

Jodee reflection on Jacob

Shots of Jacob with other kids…

People eating dinner

Jacob and Jodee chatting at bench (UPSOT)

JODEE PTC: So I’ve just met this kid named Jacob…

UPSOT of Jodee teaching him “Mum, I want a burger please”

JODEE PTC: ..and I can see he’s really hungry to learn how to sign and I find that incredibly emotional to see such a young boy at ten years old still wanting to connect.

Marie Rose IV about Jacob Cutaways of Jacob at camp

MARIE ROSE: Jacob is the second child for this Deaf couple. He's not a very good signer, he can finger-spell here and there, but not really a good communicator when it comes to ASL. They live in an apartment wherein the grandparents are there speaking Chinese, instead of sign language,

And Jacob has to make a choice…am I going to sign or am I going to speak Chinese? The child is making a decision and it’s a tough one. There’s a lot going on with this kid.

Campfire scene

VO: As darkness blankets the camp,

the kids have been promised campfire treats

KIDS GATHERED ROUND FIRE, BURNING STICKS, RESTLESSNESS GROWS

BOY: They said s’mores but we’re not doing s’mores!

GIRL: Where’s the marshmallows? I want to eat!

GIRL: I think they’re just going to start singing.

VO: But there seems to have been a miscommunication of sorts. Instead, what the camp leaders have planned is a campfire story…in ASL .

Camp leader trying to get attention struggling, ends up just sitting and signing a story that no one pays attention to, shots of bored kids, kids on phones… need to caption all the kids all chatter and not listening to ASL story

GIRL 1: Yo, stop!

GIRL 2: Leave it in the fire, yo. What is wrong with you guys? BOY: We like fire!

CAMP LEADER signing: And what was that? A leaf? Growing and sprouting roots..

Everyone ignores him

Establishers of tent Tent scene

VO: The bi-lingual nature of the camp is causing confusion. So as families turn in for the night, Brandon pulls some of the older Coda kids aside to talk.

BRANDON: I wanted a space where we could talk about the obstacles we go through with Deaf parents.

SAM: For me, I find it very challenging, whenever my mum goes somewhere, she brings me with her because 90% of the time they won't know sign language and I have to interpret, like in a store or a restaurant.

BRANDON: Yeah, I used to take my mum to the bank all the time, and take her to the doctor, and it’s really annoying having to explain to her what everything…Especially big words, like, I don't like, I don't know how to explain melatonin to her.

SAM: For real, bro, for real. It gets like so hard... SOPHIE: It gets embarrassing, too.

SAM: And they give me 20 letters and I'm like, “Bruh, can you spell that slower?”

MELANIE: Like, when you’re doing like legal things, like documents, or like, anything government-related, people will be, like, very impatient and they won’t, like, you can hear it in their voice, like, in their attitude. But also, if you go, like, out into, like, a hospital where they only speak English, my mum, she has to have an interpreter, and if there's no interpreter, they will make them, like, get one. So I don't have to do everything. But there's still things that I do have to do, like, at home.

BRANDON: Yeah, like my dad, he’s really independent. I tell him all the time that I can help him interpret, but he’s always like, “Oh no, I’m fine.” He’ll go on his phone and he’ll just type everything.

JACEN: When I was little, me and my siblings would kind of show off that we have Deaf parents. Like, “Oh my god, we have a second language.” And kids, they think it’s very cool, you know? But um, like, when you’re a Deaf parent, there’s lots of things that are limited to you.

JACEN: We can't choose the way you are born but sometimes you just have to deal with it.

Fade to black

CAMP DAY 2

Early morning shots, people waking up, making breakfast, kids gathering round…

JODEE: Good morning!

JODEE HUGS BEVERLEY

JODEE: Are you having fun? Tell me what's been happening?

BEVERLEY: Today’s water day. JODEE: Yes!

HANNAH CODA INTERPRETER: Kids! Can you

please come to the circle? All kids! Can you please come to the circle?

Shots of kids gathered around ready for the day… restlessly

Side-chat/update with Marie Rose

MARIE ROSE: Last night, there's the last event wherein the kids will listen to an ASL story. We had one volunteer who was signing beautiful sign language story, but then not all children were paying attention. And we found out the other kids are using their iPads, iPhones which is a big no no. So we kind of have to be stern a little bit.

Group crackdown

Back to group gathered around leaders/kids being put in group…

VO: After last night’s show of disrespect, the camp leaders are resorting to a bit of tough love.

CLEMENT/INTERPRETER:

Look up, come on, pay attention. Come on, look up here.

Last thing, come on. Pay attention.

CLEMENT/INTERPRETER: If you’re on the phone…if I notice someone on the phone, I’m gonna make them put it away. I don’t want any phones. No electronics, no nothing.

Let me know, do you understand? Camp is for nature, not technology. Philip trying to wrangle kids

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: You're not gonna go in the pool if you don't pay attention!

So one person talks, nobody swims! No phones, nobody’s got their phones, right?

Kids shuffling off to activity…

Letter-writing/lantern making activity

LETTER WRITING ACTIVITY

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: All of you are going to write on the card and you’re going to say, “Thank you, Mum, we appreciate you.” Remember, your parents work hard for you. We want you to have fun and learn something out of this.

PHILIP/INTERPRETER: And when we’re finished, we’re going to do water activities, so get excited. Everyone understand? Show them you understand, yes or no. Any questions? What?

KID-OFF CAMERA: Do we have to do this?

PHILIP/INTERPERTER: They help us. They do a lot for you. And it’ll be fun when we get to the water games, so keep an open mind to the stuff we have to do now.

(PLAYFUL MUSIC PLAYS)

Sit-down IV in car

CLEMENT IV: You know what’s happening with these kids. I’ve started to notice they’re going through stages of opening up.

PHILIP/INTERPRETER UPSOT: And when you

finish, we’re going to make a paper lantern.

CLEMENT IV: Whining... That’s the first stage

MAIRE-ROSE IV: Complain, complain, complain.

CLEMENT: Next is their mid-teens. They’ll become easily angered, upset and the like.

Shots of kids doing letter showing thank you…

INTERPRETER UPSOT: Eyes on Philip! MARIE ROSE: Yeah, discipline! It’s the last call. Shots of kids doing letter showing thank you…

PHILIP & INTERPRETER: So, we’re gonna borrow paper from them, we’re gonna write our thank-you notes...

CLEMENT: But then as they get older, they start to mellow out and learn to interact…

Shots of kids doing letter showing thank you…

INTERPRETER: Ready? You should say

thank you to your parents who work hard for you

Letter-writing activity Jacob

Jacob’s dad (Johnny Ma) IV

VO: Jacob’s dad is hoping the camp activities will help his family connect

JOHNNY MA: My wife and I work a lot of hours. I mean, we work nights together, we work overnights together. And recently now, I'm working days at another job. My kids don't sign a lot because we're not home a lot. We work.

I'd like to spend more time with him and be able to teach him things, teach him more ASL. The main reason we don’t is because I don’t have that much time. I have to make a living to support my family.

Letter-writing activity shots

HANNAH UPSOT FROM LETTER-WRITING

ACTIVITY: Thank you for new shoes! How are you going to walk outside if you don’t have shoes? You have to appreciate your parents. Without your parents, you wouldn’t have so much.

JOHNNY MA: We're hoping after this camp, that when we go back home, I hope it makes things

better at home, you know. That’s what I hope. I hope he feels more open to having communication with me and my wife. I mean, that's what it's all about, right?

Water games

Shots of finished letters and crafts… Kids doing water games

VO: With the appreciation letters and lanterns done, the kids are allowed to play.

JACEN and JACOB throwing WATER BOMBS JACEN and JACOB being friends

JODEE: You both have just met here at the camp, yeah?

JACEN: Yeah, yesterday we met. JACOB: Yeah.

JODEE: Okay. And tell me about getting to know one another. How’s it been?

JACOB: We’ve been chilling in each other’s tents...

JODEE: Yeah?

JACEN: We just, like, really just talk a lot with other people. So I think that’s pretty great.

Shots of water activity games.

VO: Jacob’s new friend is also helping him learn some more sign language.

JACEN: I know how to say “crackers”. JACOB: Crackers...

JACEN: You go like... JACOB: Crackers...

(EXCITED YELLING FROM WATER GAMES)

JACEN: Was there any more you’d like to know? JACOB: Bucket...

JACEN: Bucket? I’m pretty sure it’s “bucket”, like this.

JACOB: Bucket...

Brandon reflection

More shots of water activities/Brandon watching on

BRANDON: I see a lot of myself. It’s just, like, I can see them and I can see how much they’re gonna go through ’cause growing as a Coda, like, there’s so many things you’re gonna go through that almost no one goes through. You’re gonna be given so much responsibility, especially, like, as an interpreter and you're not gonna know what you're gonna have to do or what you're gonna have to say but you're gonna have to figure it out. When I look at them, I reflect like, “That used to be me.” But then now, like, I'm a totally different person ‘cause of the responsibilities I was given.

Shots of kids innocently running around doing water activities.

Like, when I was growing up, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, I just remember I had to take her to the clinic, explain what the doctor says. And I didn't even know, like, what it meant. I think something like that is really heavy on a kid, like, my age. I was like, I think, like 10 or 11.

I was very upset about doing these things, but I think talking about our problems, our annoyances I think that really helped me.

So I feel like that's really important about this camp is that you can make connections with kids like that.

Pool scene

KIDS AND PARENTS HAVING FUN AT POOL

KID: We’re having fun here

Kids and parents laughing.

Coming up

COMING UP

Filial piety session with Sophie

SOPHIE’S DAD: You’ve given me so much and you help me. I love you.

Sophie and Sophie’s dad hug.

AD BREAK

Filial piety session

People gathered around for dinner, eating, enjoying each other’s company.

VO: At Coda camp, the organisers hope an activity based on Asian family values will help bring the Coda kids closer to their Deaf parents.

MARIE ROSE/INTERPETER:

Today we want to share with you the real meaning of this camp. We want you to love your parents.

Your very special parents. So you will stand here with your mother or father or parents, and we will ask you a question.

VO: Marie Rose selects 10-year-old Sophie to come forward and face her dad.

SOPHIE FILIAL PIETY SESSION – all signed

MARIE ROSE: How do you show respect and love to your father as a Deaf person?

SOPHIE: I give you hugs, and I help you clean things. When I get older, I will get a car… and a house, then I could help you. Maybe I could stay at your house for a month. Then go home in my car to my home, stay for one week, then go to your house to see if you’re okay!

(CHEERING AND CLAPPING)

MARIE ROSE (looking at Sophie’s dad): How do you show her that you will never pressure her as

a Coda? She's willing to do anything for you but she's a child too.

SOPHIE’S DAD: You’ve given me so much and you help me. I love you. I want to give you something in return. If you’re willing to help me, I’ll give you anything you need. It doesn’t have to be hard work. Thank you for connecting and sharing.

Both hug

VO: Next up is Jacob, but because he hasn’t learn to sign, Marie Rose will interpret for him.

MARIE ROSE: Jacob, how are you going to show your love and respect for your dad?

JACOB: I don’t know…

MARIE ROSE: You don’t know?

JACOB: I don’t know, because I mostly do not, like, see my dad much because every time I come back from school, he’s, like, already at work or asleep.

MARIE ROSE: Daddy’s very tired from work. He’s getting sick. You said a while ago, you want to make him feel better? Yeah?

JACOB: Yeah…

MARIE ROSE: Okay. Do you want to tell him? JACOB: Yeah, but I don’t know how to do it. I don’t know how to do sign language.

MARIE ROSE AND JACOB: I…want…to make… you…

JACOB: To?

MARIE ROSE: To…make…you…feel…better. JONNY AND MARIE ROSE: Typically, when I arrive home I get a hug from Jacob.

MARIE ROSE: Is that true? JACOB: Yeah.

Jacob hugs him

MARIE ROSE: What do you think you can do to communicate with Dad?

JACOB: Learn more sign language?

Marie Rose signs for him and he copies her slowly

MARIE ROSE & JACOB: Learn... JACOB: More...

JACOB: I forgot how to do “American Sign Language”.

MARIE ROSE: American... JACOB: American...

Sign... Language.

JACOB’S DAD signs something

MARIE ROSE: Did you understand what Daddy said?

JACOB: No.

MARIE ROSE: Daddy said, “I’m gonna teach you more sign language.”

JACOB: When we get home?

(CHEERING AND CLAPPING)

BEVERLEY AND CLEMENT FILIAL PIETY SESSION

BEVERLEY: I cherish you.

CLEMENT: I want to spend more time with you during my lifetime now. I want to see you grow up happy, married and having a happy life.

CLEMENT crying: Beverley and Everlee... (CHEERING AND CLAPPING)

People crying

GIRL: Why are you crying?

Morning shots

People making breakfast Jacob’s family signing chat

NATSOT

VO: As campers wake up and start packing up, Jacob and his family are already working on their communication.

JACOB’S MUM: It's the last day of camp, it’s finished, yeah? What have you enjoyed the most? JACOB: Swimming and eating burgers. Friends, eating hamburgers, hot dogs and swimming.

JODEE AND JACOB CHAT

JODEE: Jacob, camping with lots of Deaf people and seeing all the sign language and all the Codas and your families, what are you learning…what are you learning from that?

JACOB: That I'm not the only one in this world that has that. I'm not the only Coda in the world. JODEE: Do you know how to spell Coda?

JODEE & JACOB: C... O... D... A.

JACOB: I’m not the only signer in the world. JODEE: Exactly, yes!

People handing out certificates/medals/letters Photographs

NATSOT – Kids getting certificates, gathering for photos

BRANDON: Growing up as Coda, like we all have these two worlds. We all have an alternate identity, you know?

UPSOT of MARIE ROSE organising kids to takep photos: All right, ready? Ready... One...

BRANDON: Looking at these kids, they look smart, they’re all happy, funny

UPSOT of KIDS SHOUTING: THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS. YAY!

BRANDON: I think their parents are doing just fine. So, like, when you’re growing older, and you, like, express, “Oh my mum’s so embarrassing,” “Oh I don’t understand why my parents do this,” or, “I find it annoying when they do that.” It’s like they do everything in their power to raise you right so be proud of your parents.

EVERYONE SCREAMS: ‘Coda!’ CREDITS