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

Coverage of the Netball tournament at the NZ Deaf Sports Convention, Christchurch 1979.

A good crowd gathers to the deep south, Dunedin for the NZ Deaf Sports Convention in 1983.

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.

Scenes from NZ Deaf Sport Convention in Christchurch 1979, with sports such as shot-put and athletics, including some impressive sprinting and middle distance running.

Members of the Canterbury Deaf community make for a picnic on a lovely day, with tug-o-war and running races.

Jorja loves to interact with Deaf students at her age and is a keen surfer. She uses NZSL at home and with both her Deaf and hearing peers. She attends a regular school, but it doesn’t stop her from being able to mingle with Deaf girls at age. Her mother is determined to allow Jorja to have the best of both worlds – Deaf and hearing.

What was school life was like for pupils who attended St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Feilding? Footage includes hearing tests, classroom teaching, and celebrating a pupil’s 5th birthday with his classmates, before Mass with the Sisters.

On 6th April 2006, members of the Deaf community and supporters gathered on the steps of parliament to celebrate the NZSL Bill passing its Third Reading, becoming the NZSL Act (2006). This marked the end of a long journey to give NZSL official status in Aotearoa New Zealand. This footage was screened on TV3 that evening.

Jeff Went talks about his involvement with Deaf sports and the 1989 World Deaf Games in Christchurch where he volunteered as an ‘international interpreter’ doing 12 hour days over 12 days!

Memories of Jean Monk (nee Robertson) who was a Sumner School for the Deaf student in the 1920s. Students weren’t allowed to sign but could “move their arms around a bit”.