Plains Indian Sign Language

Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL) was a visual communication system used among various Native American tribes of the Great Plains. It allowed deaf individuals and others to share information across language differences and during rituals or negotiations. PISL incorporated both manual gestures and facial expressions, making it a complex and expressive form of communication. It was often a regional lingua franca, adaptable across tribes with different spoken languages, fostering understanding and community cohesion. Historically, it played a vital role in maintaining social, spiritual, and diplomatic connections within and between Plains tribes.