The Village That Signs: Documenting Bali’s Remarkable Deaf Community
Two deaf villagers in Bengkala, Bali communicate in Kata Kolok sign language while a woman weaves traditional textiles on her loom. Photo © Scott Ramsey
By Scott Ramsey, British Documentary Photographer & Filmmaker
Introduction
As a British documentary photographer and filmmaker travelling throughout Asia, my mission has always been to uncover and amplify the stories of overlooked communities. Through visual storytelling for impact, I seek to create authentic connections between viewers and the remarkable individuals I encounter during my journeys. My camera has become a tool not just for documentation but for creating bridges of understanding across cultures and experiences.
The Story Behind the Documentary
My path recently led me to Bengkala village in northern Bali, Indonesia – a place unlike any other I’ve encountered in my years of documentary storytelling. What makes this community extraordinary isn’t immediately visible to outsiders. It’s in the movements of their hands, the expressiveness of their faces, and the profound silence that’s filled with meaning.
In this rural community of approximately 3,000 people, an unusually high number of residents – about 1.4% (42 people) compared to the global average of 0.2-0.3% – are born deaf.[^1][^2] Rather than isolating these individuals, something remarkable happened: the entire village adapted. Almost everyone here, hearing and non-hearing alike, communicates using Kata Kolok (“talk of the deaf”), a unique sign language that evolved naturally within this community over generations.
Gaining Access: Respect and Cultural Understanding
To respectfully approach and document this unique community, I knew I needed local guidance. I enlisted the help of Patrick, an experienced local media professional who understood both the cultural nuances and the importance of proper protocols. Understanding that trust and respect are foundational to documentary work; we arranged a meeting with a village elder to explain my vision and request permission to share their story.
Patrick recommended we purchase traditional Indonesian clothes before our meeting as a sign of respect. On the day of our visit, we went to a local market where I bought a sarong – my first step toward cultural immersion. This seemingly small gesture helped establish that I wasn’t there as a tourist seeking exotic footage but as someone genuinely interested in understanding their community.
The meeting with the elder was successful, and a few days later, we returned to begin filming with the community’s blessing – a crucial aspect of ethical documentary production.
The Heart of the Story: The Women Weavers
What initially drew me to this community was the unique sign language system, but what captured my heart was discovering the resilience and ingenuity of the non-hearing women weavers. These artisans have developed a sustainable way to support their families through intricate textile work, defying expectations about the limitations of deafness in rural Indonesia.
One of these remarkable women is Astari, who married in 2006 and moved to Bengkala. She learned to weave specifically to help support her family and provide food for her hearing one-year-old daughter, Ni Komang.
During our interview, I asked Astari if it’s difficult living in a rural village in Indonesia and raising a hearing daughter when she herself cannot hear. Her answer was striking in its simplicity: no, looking after the baby is never difficult because her neighbours and relatives always help her family. This moment crystallized what makes Bengkala extraordinary – it’s not just that they’ve developed a unique sign language, but that they’ve created a community structure where deafness isn’t viewed as a disability requiring accommodation but simply as another way of being.
It’s worth noting that it’s relatively unusual for children of non-hearing parents to be born with hearing, making Ni Komang’s and Astari’s relationship particularly interesting within this linguistic environment.
Production Approach
Creating this documentary required rethinking my typical production methods. I embraced inclusive documentary filmmaking principles, ensuring the community was represented authentically through their own perspectives.
Throughout the filming process, I worked closely with the village elder, who was instrumental in the project’s success. His deep knowledge of the entire community and fluency in Kata Kolok sign language provided the essential bridge between myself and the villagers. After filming, he carefully reviewed the footage with me, providing invaluable feedback that ensured the village community was happy with how I would share their story and represent their lives.
This collaborative approach to documentary production not only resulted in more authentic storytelling but transformed my understanding of communication itself. The experience reinforced my belief that documentary storytelling has the power to preserve and celebrate unique cultural practices while challenging viewers’ assumptions.
Unexpected Cultural Immersion
Our final day of filming brought an unexpected privilege – an invitation to a traditional Indonesian wedding being held in the village. As Patrick explained, such invitations are rarely extended to outsiders, typically being reserved for family members and the local community.
This spontaneous inclusion speaks volumes about how documentarians who approach communities with genuine respect can transcend the typical subject-filmmaker relationship. Patrick and I were welcomed with open arms, and we concluded our time in Bengkala embedded in the community’s celebration, leaving with wonderful memories and many new friends.
This wedding experience became an unexpected affirmation of the documentary’s central theme: when communication barriers fall, genuine human connection can flourish in remarkable ways.
The Transformative Power of Inclusion
What the village of Bengkala demonstrates isn’t charity or accommodation – it’s a fundamental reimagining of community. When an entire village learns to sign, the question shifts from “How do we help deaf people communicate?” to “How do we ensure everyone can communicate with each other?”
This shift represents the essence of inclusive communication initiatives. The village didn’t create special programs for deaf residents; they simply expanded their definition of normal communication to include signing. The result is a community where deafness doesn’t determine opportunity or connection.
Impact & Future Possibilities
This documentary aims to do more than inform – it seeks to inspire similar rural disability inclusion efforts worldwide. By showcasing a successful model of community sign language adoption, the film provides a template that could be adapted for other settings where deaf individuals face isolation.
The implications extend beyond deaf accessibility initiatives. Bengkala’s story demonstrates how indigenous communication systems can thrive alongside dominant languages, offering insights relevant to cultural preservation, disability rights, and linguistic diversity.
Collaboration Opportunities
This documentary represents just one of countless untold stories waiting to be shared. As both a photographer and filmmaker dedicated to amplifying voices from Asian deaf culture and other marginalized communities, I can offer organizations a complete visual storytelling package. My dual expertise allows me to create compelling still photography for print materials and websites alongside dynamic video content that brings stories to life.
I actively seek partnerships with:
NGOs working in disability inclusion
Organizations focused on cultural heritage preservation
Educational institutions teaching inclusive design
Foundations supporting community-based accessibility solutions
Media platforms committed to diverse storytelling
My approach to NGO documentary collaboration emphasizes ethical storytelling, community participation, and creating content that serves both awareness and practical application. With both photography and filmmaking capabilities, I can tailor visual narratives to meet the specific communication needs of your organisation.
Watch the Documentary
The Village That Signs: Inside Bengkala's Remarkable Deaf Community.
Journey into Bengkala, a remote village in northern Bali where an extraordinary adaptation has created one of the world's most inclusive communities. In this documentary, British filmmaker Scott Ramsey captures how an unusually high prevalence of genetic deafness led to a remarkable solution: an entire village that communicates using Kata Kolok, a unique sign language that evolved naturally over generations.
Through intimate portraits of daily life, we meet Astari, a deaf weaver who creates traditional textiles to support her hearing daughter, and witness how the community has reimagined what inclusion truly means. The film explores how Bengkala's approach to communication challenges conventional thinking about disability, language, and community support.
This documentary offers rare access to a community where deafness isn't viewed as a disability requiring accommodation, but simply as another way of being. Through respectful collaboration with village elders and community members, this film presents an authentic portrait of a place where the question isn't 'How do we help deaf people communicate?' but 'How do we ensure everyone can communicate with each other?'
Filmed with the full consent and participation of Bengkala village residents.
Director/Photographer: Scott Ramsey
Duration: 20 mins
© 2025 Scott Ramsey
Connect With Me
If your organisation is interested in collaborative documentary projects focusing on inclusive community models, disability rights, or cultural preservation, please reach out. Together, we can create visual narratives that not only document remarkable communities but inspire positive change.
[^1]: Ashley Derrington, “Inclusion for All in Bengkala, Bali’s Deaf Village.” https://www.ashleyderrington.com/blog/post-9
[^2]: Wikipedia, “Kata Kolok.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kata_Kolok