My D*List: Cha'nel Kaa-Luke and her dreams for indigenous Deaf communities

My D*List is a series of profiles that allows us to get to know the many diverse members of the disabled, Deaf, blind, neurodiverse and chronically ill communities in Aotearoa. We asked them to explore their hopes for the future (dreams), what they like to do on a night in (drama), their idea of a great night out (disco), favourite food (delicious) and the special friends and whānau in their world (dates).

Dreams

Well my first hope would be to graduate university and finish my undergraduate studies! The end is nearly there but my next hikoi would be to produce research for indigenous Deaf communities that is done, led and contributed to by other indigenous Deaf people.

My hope would be for this research to show how to better engage with our communities on terms that suit us. I’d also love to travel - I only recently took my first trip overseas to Australia so I’m itching to explore.

For my whānau it would be to make sure they are provided for and can understand the importance of the mahi I do. It takes a lot to be comfortable walking in all the worlds I do, and to do so with my whānau beside me is really important. For Aotearoa, it would be to see our land back - is that too optimistic to ask? 

Drama

My ideal night would probably be snuggled up and reading, with a cheeky drink with snacks on the side. I enjoy reading an awful lot, I probably have too many books! My current reads consist of Whiti Hereaka, Jane Austen and some Oscar Wilde. A mix of Māori pūrakau, classic literature and autobiographies take up a lot of my shelf space. 

When I feel like listening and wearing my devices, with my headphones on full blast you’ll most likely hear a mix of hits from Elton John, The 1975, Queen, Corrella, Prince, Sam Smith and various Māori waiata. If you’ve ever been in my car with me you’ll definitely know I have no regard for how loud my speakers are, however I like to think people could have the same taste. 

There are two Netflix shows I absolutely love and could watch over and over again: The Umbrella Academy and Heartstopper. Growing up my youngest brother and I would always imagine we had powers; that we could change the world and defeat evils that we face. The Umbrella Academy is almost nostalgic in that sense, and has perhaps made me see my Deafness as a superpower in itself. When Heartstopper first came out I recall this being one of the first shows I watched that had a visible bisexual character come to terms with who they are. The show gave me a real appreciation for the support I had growing up and for those who perhaps don’t. 

Disco

I absolutely adore board games, dancing and having one too many drinks with my friends! Particularly board game nights alongside a cheese board and some fierce competition is the way to go. Especially if the board game is Ticket To Ride or Exploding Kittens.

I am also always down to boogie the night away, and it might be important to explain why. Upon entering into a cool bar or club, with my friends who maybe don’t know sign language, or perhaps they do and it's too dark - you can understand communication to be difficult, so you’ll probably find me on the dance floor instead of standing around chatting - isn’t that what clubs are for after all? 

Delicious

Honestly if we're going out for dinner it has to be Mexican or Italian food. An enchilada or gnocchi are definitely my go to orders. My favorite thing to cook at home would probably have to be roast vegetables - consisting of kumara, potatoes, red onions and mushrooms, with a medium-rare steak and some cottage cheese on the side.

Super random but you can’t go wrong with some hearty vegetables, a juicy piece of meat and some lumpy cheese. This would probably be very close to my dream dinner, but if you told me there was some hangi or boil up on the table with some fresh rewana bread, I would probably consume more than I should have. 

Dates

If I could list them all I would, but my closest friends are a combination of childhood, high school, and later-in-life friends. This wee board I hold very dear to me, and mean a lot to who I am and the kind of people I surround myself with. They’re all inspiring in their own ways, where they each carry a momentum of their own, that if I jumped on board their ship at any point in their journey it never feels like a burden. These different groups of amazing humans have so much to offer in terms of their kindness, strive and uniqueness.

The phrase ‘I want to be you when I grow up’ is something my mum often says to me, that often sticks with me in just about anything I do. She carries a big influential value on her own. Those who take the time to communicate clearly and ensure I can participate in conversation are the real OG’s! 

Read more My D*List profiles here. Want to contribute your own? Send us an email: kiaora@thedlist.co.nz