Rinkoo Barpaga

Sign language Consultation, Translation and Dramaturg.

Rinkoo have a highly motivated to be learned in the sign language.  Rinkoo first language is Urban Sign Language which I developed in his home town, the ghetto community who were migrants under the Commonwealth Act after World War II.  

Whilst Rinkoo attended a mainstream primary school where sign language wasn't allowed, he discovered Urban Sign Language where he lived in Handsworth, North West Birmingham and from that he decided wanted to go to a signing secondary school.

At Braidwood I finally discovered the richness of BSL, though as the teachers were hearing I believed this damaged the BSL I received.  After he left school as Rinkoo's intersectionality created double barriers, around 1995/96, Rinkoo is wasn't really welcomed at Birmingham Deaf Club just because he was a Brown person and he struggled to become involved in the Birmingham Deaf community and in other regions around the UK. 

After several years looking for work Rinkoo finally secured a position as a screen translator for ITV's SignPost in Newcastle.  He was offered a place on the foundation BSL Linguistics course at Durham University and coperated with the professional Deaf team as a sign language translator.  When working at in the studio Rinkoo was monitored by a Deaf BSL monitor (mostly from the older Deaf community).  They helped him improve his BSL grammar, verbs, contexts, and so much more.  

After 3 years, Rinkoo left ITV and moved to London to work for MTV, as an Urban Sign Language translator on TV.  Rinkoo then went on to work in theatre as a sign language dramaturg and have worked as a Deaf Relay Interpreter for last three years.

Rinkoo have a vast practical experience of understanding the translation process from working in the Media, Theatre and as a Relay interpreter. He started to be an informal translator for Deaf people when Rinkoo was 8 years old; ordering food at McDonalds for his friends. Rinkoo have been involved in the Deaf community for around 30 years and was actively involved in deaf sports, youth club and was a boarder at Derby Deaf college.  Rinkoo also have moved around England a lot. 

Rinkoo is an in-vision translator for TV with much experience and knowledge in linguistic interpretation and qualifications in linguistics from Durham university. He also acts as a Deaf relay interpreter with a specialism in foreign sign languages and working with refugees. Rinkoo is fluent in British and American Sign Languages, as well as verse in Japanese Sign Language, learnt for a theatre performance in Tokyo, and experienced in Indian Sign Language from time spent in the country.

Consultant: Rinkoo is a dramaturg sign language for art based performances in TV, film and theatre. His consultation is focussed on visual performances of British Sign Language, Signed Support English, Urban Sign Language, gesture and mime. Rinkoo can advise, revise and sharpen visual performances using his vast knowledge of signed languages and experience in translation from an artistic standpoint. 

Rinkoo currently enjoying learning Japanese sign Language.