Translating performance features in the Hebrew Bible for oral and deaf communities.

Textuality and Orality, as modes of communication, in the biblical social world through the original languages often have an intricate interplay, iterative interrelationship and interaction in the performance and proclamation of Scripture, alongside the accomplishment of the cognitive mastery of the prevailing cultural tradition. The construction of the Canon of Scripture came to us through these performances for predominantly oral communities which were preserved in the original languages of the text through scribal activities. These performance features are integral to the text and its meaning.

These ancient performances were more than recitations, public readings or storytelling. They were dramatic, artful acts and enactments used by skilled artist and gifted orators, who had the ability not just to capture the audiences’ attention, but to draw them during a communication event into participation and personal experiences (Rhoads 2006).

Orality studies gave voice to the silent text. Performance however makes the text visual (Maxey and Wendland 2012). This paper discusses theory and practice and presents case studies of students, equipped in using the principles of Biblical Performance Criticism, who investigate the Hebrew text for its communication event in the context of its oral and scribal cultures, retrieve, reconstruct and analyse the ancient performance features, then reinterpret it through the preparation, translation and contemporary performances for recipient oral and deaf audiences.