‘Dukepa’ is a “Nyaparu Name” – used because someone who shared my first name passed away. It’s a combination of a footy nickname (based on the song Duke of Earl by Gene Chandler) with the suffix ‘pa’ that augments words in Martu Wangka in order to make them finish with a vowel sound and thereby sound balanced. Out of respect because my own name had become Nyaparu, Dukepa was the only name I used while working and living in the Desert. It is now the only name anyone out here with whom I’ve worked (indigenous or non-indigenous) actually knows me by, so is the obvious choice to keep going by.

Interpreting involves real-time spoken language – “on the fly” – in live situations where people need to understand and be understood instantly and accurately (including, but not limited to, many legal and medical contexts). Interpreting is a highly specialised profession due to the training and experience required to accurately and properly work at speed across multiple languages and cultures in real-time.

Translation, on the other hand, typically involves bilingual speakers from two different languages working together to critically analyse, capture and convey cross-cultural meaning, nuance, difference and expression across languages and cultures. Translators can often be utilised to help interpreters prepare and train for specific situations.

Translation is typically a more time-intensive and highly considered process, which should form an integral part of holistic and considered cross-cultural communication and engagement strategies.

To access Indigenous language interpreters in Western Australia, contact Aboriginal Interpreting WA Aboriginal Corporation (AIWA) on 1800 330 331. 

It’s important to do so, because interpreting is a highly skilled, highly trained profession, and one that interpreters deserve to be paid for. Trained interpreters also have access to support for vicarious trauma, training in ethics protocol (such as confidentiality, professionalism, accuracy, neutrality and professional development), and are less likely to misinterpret as they have been trained to be briefed before interpreting, and to ask questions when they don’t understand something. Putting family members on the spot and relying on them to interpret is, in many circumstances, considered highly unethical – especially the more high-stakes those circumstances get.

Short answer: NO

Long answer:

Due to ethical standards, professional standards, quality assurance, personal wellbeing (vicarious trauma) and liability, Dukepa does not offer interpreting services. 

It is critical to use a registered and experienced interpreting service for any urgent real-time interpreting. To access Indigenous language interpreters in Western Australia, contact Aboriginal Interpreting WA Aboriginal Corporation (AIWA) on 1800 330 331.