White and Red Independence

By Ketan Kothari
kkothari@sightsavers.org

Every year, on October 15 I am reminded that in spite of the fact of being blind, it is still possible to go miles. White cane which is a constant companion has ensured that we are able to achieve almost everything that we desire. Of course, the significance of white cane cannot be exaggerated.

However, the cane as we know was not the same in the years gone by. It was only in the 20th century that the cane has acquired the shape that we see today. In 1921 one James Biggs claimed to have invented the cane in its present state. In 1930’s, with the support of lions movement the white cane became more popular amongst the blind in Europe and the United States. However, at the end of World War II the importance of the cane grew as many war blinded veterans returned and needed support. In 1950’s Dr. Richard Hoover initiated the “Hoover method of walking” which is even prevalent today.

There was a great demand in the USA in 60’s to designate 15 October as “White Cane Safety Day” and on 6 Oct. 1964 American congress passed a resolution which resulted in President Johnson declaring 15 Oct. as “White Cane Safety Day”

Why white? This has been a question that many people have been asking. White is visible in the dark and ensures safety for the blind while they are negotiating the traffic.

Why Red? Red is the colour that is a signal to stop so if a blind pedestrian is walking on the road, the traffic slows down or even stops.

We are all very proud of our white cane as it not only enables to travel independently but also signifies our independence and gives us confidence to travel all over the place and achieve whatever we wish. Sometimes I say “if all desert, I can still survive but without my cane, I am helpless.