SignDNA is the home of Aotearoa New Zealand’s visual Deaf history.

Participants in the Annual Convention of the New Zealand Deaf Societies have a full-day picnic at Waihora Park Domain, in Motukarara with plenty of races!

We take you into the home of the Berrys and look at the lives of deaf New Zealanders.

Diamond is a bubbly and active little girl who loves a challenge. Her whānau embraces all three of New Zealand’s languages: English, Te Reo Māori and NZSL. Her mother is determined to improve her NZSL by attending sign language classes so she that she will be able to communicate with Diamond fully as she grows up. Her whānau has a strong commitment to ensure Diamond is exposed to as much NZSL as possible including access to Deaf role models.

During the 1955 Sports Convention hosted in Christchurch, a picnic is held at Motukarara, by Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury.

Ex-pupils talk about their memories and tell stories about St Dominic’s at the 60th reunion in Feilding, during Waitangi Weekend in 2004.

Edited crowd-shot footage of the men’s basketball heat at the World Games for the Deaf 1989, between New Zealand and Sweden. Sweden won the match 126-61.

Deaf New Zealanders take timeout for some sightseeing during a trip to the first, week-long Deaf Way conference in 1989 in Washington DC, USA.