Telling the story of the Naxos Museum in the Italian Sign Language (LIS) to deaf children and adultsstarting a virtuous path in the name ofinclusionof the knowledge of the ancient world rendered accessiblein its oral form – the most fascinating and engaging, especially for children – even for those who, in communication, learning and everyday life, have to do without one of the five senses.
It’s the program of Naxos Taormina Archaeological Parkdirected by Gabriella Tiganofor Sunday 8 October, on the occasion of the now traditional event F@Muor the National Day of Families at the Museumwhich the Park in collaboration with Civita Sicilyconcessionaire of museum education services, has decided to dedicate it specifically to deaf children: an initiative in line with the 2023 theme of the F@Mu, “Open the museum” and inspired by one of the objectives of the PNRR Culture: museum accessibility through the removal of physical and cognitive barriers in museums, libraries and archives. A project, financed by the PNRR, on which the Naxos Park has been working for a few months with the Polytechnic Foundation of Milan.
The group of visitors will be led by a deaf educational operator, Jose Puglisiwho works for Civita on the Park sites (Ancient Theatre, Isola Bella, Museum and archaeological area of Naxos) and who, upon request, accompanies groups of deaf visitors to discover the archaeological and landscape heritage of the Naxos Taormina Park, explaining the history of the places in sign language. “Aware that this competence in the LIS language represents a value – commented the director Tigano – we thought of making it available to visiting families with deaf people, to make the Museum and the archaeological area of Naxos an increasingly inclusive and accessible space, where the experience of knowledge and amazement at the beautiful and the new is a moment of joy and cultural growth within everyone’s reach”.
We start at 10 with one guided tour at the Archaeological Museum where one of the operators from Civita Sicilia, together with Josè Puglisi for the translation into LIS, will tell the young guests the story of the finds on display, focusing on those in terracotta: statuettes for religious rites, bowls and jugs for water and wine, jars for ointments for body care, toys for children, little animals and a little terracotta doll with jointed limbs, a “Barbie” of the ancient world. It will be the starting point to explain the fundamental function of clay – modeling and cooking which hardens it and makes it practical in the kitchen and in the transport and preservation of food – and then move on to the “operational” phase of the educational workshop. With the guidance of a terracotta artisan supported by the LIS translation operator, the little guests will experience the use of the potter’s wheel and clay modeling. The workshop and the visit are free for children.
Also the MaFra, the archaeological museum of Francavilla di Siciliajoins the F@mu with a guided tour scheduled for 4 pm by Drachmathe cultural association led by the archaeologist Grace Solomon which takes care of the educational workshops for the little ones. The focus of the day will be on the MaFra vases, all of various shapes and intended for different uses, many of which are surprising. For all visiting children there will be F@Mu notebook, the publication in simplified and codified language at European level to explain words and concepts understandable to all. The visit and workshop on Sunday 8 October at MaFra are free and are organized by Dracma in collaboration with the Naxos Taormina archaeological park and the Municipality of Francavilla di Sicilia.