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

A sign-singing version of Bay of Plenty musician Tiki Taane's song ‘No Place Like Home' featured on television and online to mark NZSL Week 2018. It was made from flash mob events held in Wellington, Mount Maunganui and Christchurch in March. Participants in Mount Maunganui joined Tiki in person to sign-sing his latest song.

Jared Flitcroft is a filmmaker, a businessman, a family man, and he is Deaf. Despite being fluent in Te Reo and NZSL, Jared faced barriers in the largely hearing-led film industry where so much depended on him hearing and communicating with those around him. Undeterred, he began creating his own inclusive projects.

Cyril Pruden and Douglas Ashley, two founding members of the Christchurch Deaf Club, discuss the club’s history at its Armagh Street location. 

The Governor-General Sir Bernard and Lady Fergusson visited Kelston School for the Deaf on 4 April 1964. They were entertained by swimming and gymnastics display by its deaf pupils.

After Mr Moon has been teaching Van Asch Deaf Education Centre Deaf students street theatre skills, they watch a performance from the Montreal Street Theatre at the New Zealand Festival in Wellington, in preparation for staging their own live performance.

Members somehow manage to find black clothing in their wardrobes and attend a black themed party at MDS. It is also a special evening to award a life membership to Keith Gordon for his contributions over the years.

The Christchurch Deaf Club basketball team travels to Westport during Queen’s Birthday weekend 1975 to participate in the Matai Invitation Tournament. Games are played at the Westport Community Hall. Footage covers players travelling to the West Coast via cars, with a few stops on the way, and a compulsory stop at the pub!

Former Auckland Deaf Society President and life member, Owen Gibbons says that one of his best memories was travelling to the World Deaf Games as part of the New Zealand Deaf basketball mens team. His eyes “literally popped out at what he saw over there!”

The Northern Deaf womens’ team wins the third sevens tournament, comfortably beats Central 60-0 and Southern 34-0. Southern beats Central 34-5.

Susan Hamilton is interviewed by Meghan Coppage, where she recounts a range of experiences from her life. From growing up at a Deaf school, to her memories of time in the Deaf community in bygone days, to seeing the changes at Kelston Deaf Education Centre including the transition to new school building.