Needs of deaf people given ‘low’ priority
New Zealand Sign Language must be given official recognition as a language or it will die, Deaf Association President Jennifer Brain says.
- Deaf Organisations
- Sign Language
- TV/Media
Taonga source:
The Dominion
Reference number:
SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, A1992-030
Bibliographic source:
The Dominion, 5 July 1991
Copyright status:
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Note:
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2007
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Deaf people being left on the outer
A shortage of sign language interpreters means as many as 7700 deaf people are struggling to access services in their communities.
2006
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: February 2006
2004
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Sign of the times
Sign language interpreter Rosie Henley translates for the deaf beside Speaker of the House Jonathon Hunt as MPs debate legislation making New Zealand sign language an official language.
2006
video – Taonga source: Handmade Productions Aotearoa
Sign of the Times: The Story of New Zealand’s Visual Language
In April 2006, New Zealand Parliament declared NZSL to be an official language - the culmination of a 20-year battle by the deaf community, and a true hallmark in the recognition of their native language. 'Sign of the Times' is about the deaf New Zealanders who fought to have their language recognised as a real language and as a viable means of communication. The film documents the community's celebration of the official recognition of their language and looks at the community's ongoing hopes and aspirations for their language and culture.
1985
video – Taonga source: Victoria University of Wellington
First interpreting course graduation – 1985
The Sign Language Interpreting course graduation ceremony September 1985, after 14 weeks training.
1989
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: April 1989
1994
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
NZ gets 8 more NZSL interpreters from the first AIT Diploma class
The first graduates of the Diploma in NZSL Interpreting course will start working in the community, enabling Deaf people to achieve their rights to access a range of settings and services.
1991
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Journal: June 1991 (Vol. 5, No. 2)
2005
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Sign of the times
Wilton resident David McKee, who has been profoundly deaf by birth, is excited by the prospect of New Zealand sign language becoming the country's third official language saying it would legitimise his mother tongue and acknowledge the fact that deaf community has its own language and culture.
1985
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald
Good sign for the deaf
A course to train professional interpreters for the deaf, now being run in Auckland, is the first of its kind in New Zealand.
1997
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
A kōrero with Riwia Fox, Māori NZSL interpreter
Riwia Fox, an interpreter is interviewed about her work as a trilingual interpreter. At that time, Riwia was one of only two qualified NZSL interpreters in New Zealand who are Māori, with the other being Stephanie Awheto.