Perceptions of Maori deaf identity in New Zealand

Following the reframing of "Deaf" as a cultural and linguistic identity, ethnic minority members of Deaf communities are increasingly exploring their plural identities in relation to Deaf and hearing communities of affiliation. This article examines Maori Deaf people's perceptions of identity, during a coinciding period of Tino Rangatiratanga (Maori cultural and political self-determination and empowerment)1 and the emergence of Deaf empowerment. Interviews with 10 Maori Deaf participants reveal experiences of enculturation into Maori and Deaf communities and how they negotiate identity in these contexts. Consistent with the model of contextual identity in Deaf minority individuals of Foster and Kinuthia (2003), participants expressed fluid identities, in which Maori and Deaf aspects are both central but foregrounded differently in their interactions with hearing Maori, Deaf Maori, and the wider Deaf community. This New Zealand case study illustrates how changing sociopolitical conditions affect Deaf minority individuals' opportunity to achieve and express identification with both Deaf-world and family heritage cultures.