Reconsiliation voices from the past to the future - a deafblind perspective

The progress of Finland’s Truth and Reconciliation Process for the Deaf and Sign Language Users started in September 2025 and will end in December 2027. The secretariat is operationally independent and autonomous but is administratively a part of the Finnish Ministry of Justice and placed in the Department for Democracy and Public Law.

Johanna Mesch

Johanna Mesch is a Professor of Sign Language. She has pioneered various approaches to studying Swedish Sign Language and tactile Swedish Sign Language from both linguistic and pragmatic perspectives. She is now working as General Secretary for Finland’s Truth and Reconciliation Process for the Deaf and Sign Language Users at the Department for Democracy and Public Law, Autonomy and Equality, the Finnish Ministry of Justice.

Aarne Pirkola

My name is Aarne Pirkola, and I am a sign language user with deafblindness. I communicate using tactile sign language. I serve as the Vice President of the Finnish Deafblind Association.

I have been involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Process for the Deaf and Sign Language users since 2021. And from June 2025, I have been a member of the steering group of the Truth and Reconciliation Process.

I participate in the steering group meetings with the support of interpreters specialized in deafblindness.

Teatteri Totti - Our lives in art

The process has included reflection on what kinds of strengths and resources a deafblind person may have when they cannot see or hear, as was the case with Frans himself. Together, different artistic and stage-related solutions have been developed.

Teatteri Totti has extensive experience in a wide range of performance forms, from sign language opera to interactive performances. Sign language, culture, personal experience and the development of new and artistically challenging productions are strongly present in its work. In addition, Teatteri Totti has organized various workshops, including workshops on sign language poetry.

In the keynote presentation, we will talk about the documentary play Frans, which was previously produced as a co-production with Riksteatern Crea. The central character of the play, Frans, was a signing deafblind person, and the role of Frans was performed by deafblind actor Aki Pirkola.

Our lives in art

The keynote presentation focuses especially on deafblind artistic expression through tactile signing, without limits. We will discuss what kinds of elements and special features can be realized on stage when a performance is also built through touch and bodily experience.

Actor Aki Pirkola will present a short physical role performance in which bodily and linguistic expression come together. He has developed the performance together with deafblindness expert Tuija Mustonen and director Marita S. Barber. The audience will also have the opportunity to experience a poetry performance.

Aki and Tuija will share their artistic experiences and discuss the possibilities for developing deafblind artistic work. Director Marita S. Barber will share insights gained during the process about new forms of performance. This artistic exploration is still ongoing.

Teatteri Totti continues to develop deafblind artistic work. A new human-centered play about Frans Leijon will premiere in summer 2027.

Marita S. Barber

is a Finnish Sign Language theatre director, actor, dramaturg, and writer. She played a key role in establishing Teatteri Totti as an independent professional theatre and has been instrumental in securing ongoing state funding for its work. Marita has extensive experience in Deafblind artistic projects, including directing FRANS, a performance exploring Deafblindness that toured in Finland and Sweden. Beyond theatre, she creates sign language poetry, writes scripts, and produces digital content. She has also worked extensively in performing arts education and community-based artistic activities. Her international experience spans countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, making her a highly respected voice in Deaf and Deafblind arts.

Tuija Mustonen

is a Deafblind professional, educator, and artist from Helsinki, Finland. A native user of Finnish Sign Language, she was diagnosed with Usher syndrome at the age of 14 and has dedicated much of her work to supporting Deafblind communication and inclusion. Tuija works at the Deaf Folk High School, where she supports deaf immigrant students, and also teaches tactile sign language. Alongside her professional career, she is an active creator of sign language poetry and visual art. She contributed as the Deafblindness expert for FRANS, Teatteri Totti’s acclaimed production exploring Deafblindness. Through her work, Tuija combines lived experience, education, and creativity to promote greater understanding of Deafblind culture and communication.

Aki Pirkola

is a Deafblind advocate and artist from Helsinki, Finland. Deaf since birth, he is a native user of Finnish Sign Language and has Usher syndrome type 1. His journey into the arts began in 2020 through a European Deaf drama camp in Norway, where he explored theatre, Visual Vernacular, Deaf theatre history, and creative workshops. The experience sparked a deep interest in artistic expression and inspired him to pursue a path as an artist. It was also there that he first began imagining what art created by and for Deafblind people could be. Today, Aki shares his unique perspectives on Deafblind culture, creativity, and inclusion through his work and presentations.