Does anyone remember this story or movie about the Siamese Twins – Eng and Chang?

Why the deaf researcher/blogger type this story in this Deaf History? It is more than anyone can admire their lives and their children. First of all, let start with these conjoined twins. The blog would not be a boring one and the same as an old story to someone else. The deaf blogger will try the best to convince some exciting or give anyone amazes to learn more about them.

Retraced back to Thailand as formerly known as Siam before 1939.

The Siamese Twins born on fishing boat in the impoverished village – the Mekong, Samut Songkhram Province during the reign of King Rama II to a Thai-Chinese family in Samut Songkhram in 1811. Samut Songkhram, Thailand

Their names were Eng and Chang. As babies, they were face to face of each other and their mother – Nok, did stretching the band until Eng and Chang were able to stand side by side. Their father – Ti-eye, died of smallpox epidemic when Eng and Chang were young around 1819. Ti-eye was a fisherman of Chinese descent. Eng and Chang were outdoor athletic types, and they spend hours of swimming, running and playing with other children just like an ordinary life in the village.

One day, a visitor – Robert Hunter who he was a British merchant came to the village and saw them swimming in the river – Menam River, while Robert was on a fishing boat during the dusk time. First, Robert thought he saw a strange animal, then Robert noticed when he came closer and realised it was human.

In 1829, Robert Hunter and Abel Coffin – a sea captain took Eng and Chang to America where Robert and Coffin established a travelling ‘freak show’ from 1829 to 1839. Hunter lied to Nok by selling them into slavery and later on, a nasty rumour spread around the village, Nok believed Eng and Chang were dead. BUT Christian missionaries tracked down the town and found Nok. The Missionaries told Nok that her sons were alive and married with children in 1845. It had been fifteen years Nok never see them; unfortunately, Nok died four years later.

Here is a photo of Eng and Chang along with their wives and sons. Their wives were sisters -Sarah and Adelaide Yates.  They have 21 children. Eng and Sarah have got eleven children, and Chang and Adelaide have got ten children.

Chang and Eng Bunker with their wives and 18 of their 22 children. (unattributed / Syracuse University)

At the age of 58 years, it was noted that Chang, who was located to the left of Eng, had a hearing loss in both ears and that Eng had a loss that was greater in the left ear. It is proposed that these hearing losses may have been caused by muzzle-blast injury from hunting and that only the right ear of Eng was privileged to experience the protective effect of head shadow. Hearing loss

Here is the short video about Eng and Chang along with ASL (American Sign Language) and caption. The link below here.

Mutter Museum American

There is more come in the next blog.