Getting Message Over For The Deaf

Getting Message Over For The Deaf

Threading a needle needs a straight eye and a steady hand, which 15-year-old Susan Ovens (left) illustrated through mime at the closing function of Deaf Awareness Week on Sunday.

Susan was told by judges after she won a talent quest recently that she should take up acting as a career.

They did not know she was deaf.

Susan, a fourth-form student at Selwyn College, has also mimed on Telethon last year, and in Australia.

The Deaf Awareness Week function was held in the Downtown complex in Auckland, where hundreds of deaf and hearing people were spoken to by the former Governor-General, Sir Denis Blundell.

His speech was translated into sign language for the deaf by the president of the New Zealand Association of the Deaf, Mr B. McHattie.

Can you help?

NZSL story – Taonga source: Tony Walton

From New Lynn to Avondale: A Necessary Move

Tony served as President of the New Zealand Association of the Deaf from 1999 to 2003. At the time, the focus was on supporting Deaf youth – not relocating. But when asbestos was discovered in the ceiling of the New Lynn building, with removal costs estimated at $600,000, a major decision had to be made. With support from a funder willing to underwrite the risk, the building was sold and a new location was secured. The Avondale office officially opened in November 1999.

NZSL story – Taonga source: Tony Walton

Tony Walton on Building a More Accessible Deaf Aotearoa

Tony reflects on his involvement with the New Zealand Association of the Deaf (now Deaf Aotearoa). In 1989, during the World Deaf Games, New Zealand had only two or three qualified NZSL interpreters – a serious shortage. NZDSA was strongly sign-based, while the NZAD board leaned more oral. After the Games, Tony joined NZAD as a delegate to learn how it worked, eventually becoming President. His focus was on Deaf youth, leading to the creation of Friends of Young Deaf (FYD), better Māori engagement and involvement with more NZSL interpreters. One key goal was to have 13 interpreters nationwide, giving every major town and city access. Interpreter pay and access were limited back then – very different from today.

Bruce McHattie

Susie (Suzanne) Ovens

Susie (Suzanne) Ovens

Relevant Links

Deaf Aotearoa

Taonga source:

Mary Johnson

Reference number:

SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, A1980-018

Bibliographic source:

NZ Herald, 27 May 1987, p.2

Copyright status:

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Note:

This item has been transcribed and/or OCR post-corrected. It also has been compressed and/or edited.