Stephanie Awheto

Ngāti Ruanui, Taranaki

DATE: Friday 15 September, 1 pm-2 pm

History and Journey of the Māori Deaf Community

Stephanie Awheto, of Ngāti Ruanui/Taranaki descent, is the senior NZSL- English - Māori interpreter in New Zealand. She holds a diploma in sign language interpreting and a B.SocSci in Māori Development. She has been a professional interpreter since 1996. Mrs. Awheto is active in supporting Māori Deaf development activities and in mentoring trilingual Māori interpreters.

Stephanie was the first, and now, one of few trilingual interpreters in Aotearoa New Zealand. She helped create and modify signs to reflect Te Ao Māori. Initially, it was during casual conversations over a cup of tea in her kitchen, as she tried to answer her friend Patrick Wikiriwhi Thompson’s questions about what was being said on the marae ātea. 

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