Taking a walk in the dark

Experience the world as a blind person does at Dialogue in the Dark, a sense-altering, mind-expanding exhibition at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre designed to foster social inclusion.
IMAGINE trying to find your way to a park, a marketplace or even a hectically busy industrial site in complete darkness, with nothing but a walking stick to help you. Now, picture the same scenario with a blind person as your tour guide.

Dialogue in the DarkEven though the idea might sound chaotic and bordering on impossible, the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown is hosting just such an exhibition, the first of its kind in Africa, until late October.

Dialogue in the Dark is a specially constructed and darkened exhibition that allows sighted people to experience the world through the eyes of a blind person.

“Using sounds, wind, temperatures and textures, Dialogue in the Dark conveys characteristics of a series of daily environments, for example a park or a café,” explains Thandi O’Hagan, the centre’s senior public relations and marketing manager. “In a complete reversal of roles, visitors are provided with a sense of security and orientation by their blind or partially sighted guides.”

The exhibition – which is a tour – begins with participants receiving a walking stick; they then walk towards their guide as the light in the exhibition hall dims. Soon they are in full darkness.

Then they meet their guide, whom they cannot see; they have to follow the sound of his or her voice. The guide encourages them to listen for different sounds to figure out where they are.

First up is a walk over a shaky bridge to get to a park, where they can hear the sounds of singing birds and cooling waters from a fountain. They can walk among trees and rest on the benches.

From the park, they walk to the marketplace, passing a car, a bicycle, a dustbin and a big tyre before stopping at the fruit and vegetable stand. Close to the stand is a clothing shop with a display mannequin at the entrance to the store. The last stop for participants is a bar, where they meet a blind bartender.

The tour has been an eye-opener for many, who come out of the showroom with nothing to say except: “Wow, that was an experience and a half.”

Dialogue in the Dark premiered in December 1988 in Germany. It was the idea of Andreas Heinecke, the founder of Dialogue Social Enterprise (DSE), a company that creates learning opportunities to improve the quality of human interactions. At the time, Heinecke worked as a journalist and documentary writer for a broadcasting corporation in Germany. One day, he was asked to develop a training programme for a colleague who had lost his eyesight. Dialogue in the Dark is the result.

The exhibition has travelled the world, raising awareness about human diversity and giving voice to people with disabilities. All the guides are blind and are trained to create a safe environment that seeks to foster empathy and the social inclusion of marginalised people.

It has already been to Europe, Asia and America; its stop at the Sci-Bono is its first foray on to African soil. Already, 6,5 million visitors have experienced Dialogue in the Dark worldwide, and it has provided employment for over 6 000 blind people.

For more information about booking and entrance fees, call the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre on 011 639 8428 or send an email to thandi@sci-bono.co.za.