1. Describe the problem or case question students are to analyze:

Transcription

1 Natinal Interpreter Educatin Center (NIEC) Nelsn Mandela s Funeral Case Study 1. Describe the prblem r case questin students are t analyze: In 2013, an individual withut credentials, training r cmpetence was hired t interpret the funeral f Nelsn Mandela. Hw can interpreter and Deaf cmmunities wrk tgether t ensure that interpreting quality is nt cmprmised in high prfile r rutine events? 2. Backgrund & Cntext: The Funeral: Mandela s stature as a leader, man f integrity and father figure f Suth Africa (SA) ensured that the funeral wuld be a glbal event. He was als greatly admired by the Deaf cmmunity in SA. Click here t view the testimnial: t- nelsn- mandela Event planners arranged fr signed language interpretatin fr the funeral including a platfrm interpreter at the venue and televised interpretatin filmed at a separate lcatin. The interpreting and Deaf cmmunities knew the persn selected as the platfrm interpreter, Thamsanqa Jantjie, as a pser. He had been the subject f cmplaint fr sme time. The interpreters selected fr the televised wrk were qualified Suth African Sign Language interpreters. The cmpany respnsible fr referring Mr. Jantjie fr this assignment is rumred t have been perated by a senir member f the Suth African ruling plitical party. It disappeared after the funeral. The criteria fr interpreter selectin are nt knwn. Fr mre infrmatin abut Mr. Jantjie and his presence at the funeral, click here: africa- interpreter.html?_r=0 Fr a Suth African news perspective, click here: ver- sign- language- interpreter- at- madiba- memria/ Typically in the US, events that include high- ranking elected fficials require that all participants underg a backgrund check. It is nt knwn what, if any, backgrund checks were perfrmed in this instance. Deaf & Interpreting Cmmunities: Within SA, there are fur universities that research and teach Suth African Sign Language (SASL). Interpreter educatin prgrams are limited. DeafSA is a strng

2 lbby and Deaf service rganizatin and lcal interpreters wrk clsely with the rganizatin. The Suth African Translatrs Institute (SATI) is currently the nly rganizatin that has an interpreter accreditatin system in place. There are Suth African Sign Language- accredited interpreters (SASLI) wh are SATI members. These interpreters have been vetted in the peer assessment prcess that the accreditatin entails and that invlves members f the Deaf cmmunity as well as currently accredited interpreters. SATI als has a Memrandum f Understanding with the Deaf Federatin f Suth Africa (DeafSA) fr the accreditatin f SASLI. There are currently less than 10 SASL interpreters accredited with SATI. SASLINC is a private entity that prvides SASL interpreter services. SASLINC has three staff members that are accredited with SATI. In 2011, SA hsted the XIV Wrld Cngress f the Wrld Federatin f the Deaf. This is a significant gathering f Deaf rganizatins and individuals frm arund the wrld. This successful event is a testament t the rganizatinal effectiveness f DeafSA. Here is a qute frm Braam Jrdaan, a Deaf Suth African: He (Mandela) was a champin fr the rights f peple with disabilities and was always inclusive when talking abut human rights. The fake interpreter saga presented an pprtunity fr all f us t act as catalyst t prmte and prtect the rights f Deaf Suth Africans. The current rati f SASL interpreter per Deaf citizens is 1:10,000. All relevant gvernment departments, public entities and natinal representative rganisatins f Deaf persns need t wrk tgether t accelerate the agenda fr full recgnitin f Suth African Sign Language (SASL) as a twelfth fficial language, a natinal accreditatin system fr Suth African Sign Language interpreters, and the develpment f Suth African Sign Language (SASL). If SA transfrms itself t becme fully accessible, with the adaptatins in place t facilitate equal access and equal pprtunities fr the deaf and hard f hearing in this cuntry, then we can say that President Mandela s dream f a Rainbw Natin has als been realised in ur deaf and hard f hearing cmmunity which at this pint, we cannt. The internatinal Deaf and interpreter cmmunities represented by the Wrld Federatin f the Deaf (WFD) and the Wrld Assciatin f Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) decried the situatin and urged plicy makers arund the wrld t embrace the UN Cnventin n the Rights f Persns with Disabilities. Click here t read the jint statement (this link seems t dislike Safari, try anther brwser if need be):

3 cntent/uplads/2013/12/wfd- and- WASLI- Press- Release- FINAL- 12- Dec pdf Click here t see what ther Deaf and interpreter rganizatins said: Click here t read the cnventin: SA Gvernment Plicies: Thugh a develping cuntry, SA has demnstrated an penness t Deaf peple and issues related t human rights. Fr example, SA has a Deaf elected fficial, Wilma Newhudt- Druchen, wh is a member f Parliament. Chapter 2, Sectin 16(1) and (2) f the Bill f Rights f the Cnstitutin f the Republic f Suth Africa, 1996 guarantees freedm f expressin and pinin. Sectin 5(a)(iii) f the Cnstitutin places the respnsibility t prmte the develpment, usage and recgnitin f Sign Language as the first language f deaf Suth Africans, with the Pan Suth African Language Bard (PANSALB). A 1997 White Paper n an Integrated Natinal Disability Strategy included the fllwing recmmendatin: Facilitate a prcess fr the develpment f a natinal strategy and prgramme f actin fr the establishment f a central pl f Sign Language interpreters natinally and prvincially; natinal and prvincial Sign Language Pilt Training and Develpment Units, and the inclusin f special language systems and Sign Language interpreters in the natinal guidelines and minimum nrms and standards fr language facilitatin services, training curses (including qualificatins and accreditatin) fr interpreters and cmmunicatin facilitatrs. In 2007, SA became an early signatry t the UN Cnventin n the Rights f Persns with Disabilities (CRPD). Hwever, since the signing and ratificatin f the CRPD and its Optinal Prtcl withut reservatin, SA has nt adequately incrprated the CRPD int its wn legal framewrk and has been lacking in the executin f this Cnventin. SA still has much wrk t d in rder t prvide full access t infrmatin fr deaf peple and t be inclusive f deaf peple in cultural and imprtant public and natinal events. Recent public events invlving gvernment agencies such as the Department f Basic Educatin have ccurred withut SASL interpreters. On March 3, 2014, the SA Parliament passed legislatin t regulate the language practitiner industry including accreditatin and establishment f an advisry cuncil. Click here t read abut the new law:

4 gets- new- law- t- set- standards- fr- interpreters- translatrs Click here t see sme Facebk cverage: 3. Curse f Actin: The result f what we have learned f the cntext described abve, an inept and unstable individual was within striking distance f many wrld leaders. The interpretatin prvided was nnsensical leaving Deaf individuals uninfrmed and bewildered. The Twitter feed and Facebk psts started immediately in SA and arund the wrld. The tpic became the subject f wrld- wide news cverage and the fcus f pardy. With this backgrund in mind, cnsider the fllwing: Suppse yur lcal RID affiliate chapter asked yu t write an article fr their newsletter n this situatin, what are the key issues yu d include? What rle d scial media play in creating internatinal attentin? In what ways can scial media be a hindrance in trying t respnd (e.g., DeafSA was faced with thughtfully respnding t a real- time situatin with cnstant feeds and media inquiries)? Can yu identify psitive elements that ccurred glbally, natinally, and lcally because f this unfrtunate situatin? Is publicity such as this a tl that can be used t further the plicy agenda f Deaf peple and interpreters? If s, hw? Hw can the framewrk described in the article n Relatinal Autnmy be applied t this case? If yu had an pprtunity t interview a Deaf cmmunity leader in SA, what questins wuld yu pse? If yu had an pprtunity t interview a qualified SA interpreter abut this situatin, what questins wuld yu pse? Sme cuntries lack the existence f a strng interpreting and/r Deaf cmmunity and may nt have the equivalent f a Cde f Prfessinal Cnduct t guide decisin- making. Hw can established cmmunities stand in slidarity with them? Hw can an interpreter identify ptential pitfalls t interpreting in a high- prfile situatin such as the ne described abve? What steps can be taken t mitigate thse pitfalls?

5 Read Brandn Arthur s pst n Street Leverage Nelsn Mandela: Have Sign Language Interpreters Disappinted the Wrld and cmment n his suggested actins fr the field t take. mandela- have- sign- language- interpreters- disappinted- the- wrld/ 4. Cnclusin: The nature f this assignment and the extrardinary shrtcmings f the impster make it unique. Hwever, sme benefits have cme frm this unfrtunate event. Interpreter cmpetence is n the agenda f wrld gvernments. The visibility f this event may nt be replicated in future. Hwever, there are recurring situatins clse t hme and acrss the glbe f interpreter incmpetence and/r f high- prfile situatins that magnify the rle f the interpreter and may result in media scrutiny. Let s hpe that lessns learned here will minimize the frequency r severity f such events. 5. Acknwledgements: The NIEC wuld like t thank Dr. Debra Russell and Mr. Braam Jrdaan fr their cntributins t the develpment f this case. Mr. Jrdaan s cntributins as a Deaf Suth African are especially appreciated. Thanks, als, t Mr. Brandn Arthur fr allwing us t link t his Street Leverage article n the funeral. Cpyright 2014 by the Natinal Cnsrtium f Interpreter Educatin Centers (NCIEC). This NCIEC prduct was develped by the Natinal Interpreter Educatin Center (NIEC) at Nrtheastern University. Permissin is granted t cpy and disseminate these materials, in whle r in part, fr educatinal, nn- cmmercial purpses, prvided that NCIEC is credited as the surce and referenced apprpriately n any such cpies.