1989
article – Taonga source: The Press
Games crowd pleaser blind and deaf
One of the crowd favourites at the sixteenth World Games for the Deaf has been the blind and deaf wrestler from Canada, Pier Morten. Although being disadvantaged by not being able to see his opponents, Morten fights tenaciously and reacts speedily to holds applied on him.
NZSL Stories
2021
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald.
Deaf Northlander Eddie Hokianga urges Māori to turn their hand towards trilingual interpreter roles
Northland sign language tutor Eddie Hokianga has taken up the task of ensuring the region's deaf Māori community is heard. Hokianga (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Porou) has spent the last three years teaching te reo sign language to help fill a national void of interpreters fluent in the discourse.
1983
article – Taonga source: NZPA
Fears for deaf climbers
Seven Japanese climbers, members of the Tokyo Deaf and Mute Climbing Society, flew on to Mt Cook yesterday, ignoring warnings of avalanche danger near their base camp.
1969
article – Taonga source: Pam Witko
Deaf Runner Hopes Panel Will Listen
The deaf Lynndale athlete is endeavouring to gain selection for the forth coming Deaf Olympics to be held in Yugoslavia in July.
2016
article – Taonga source: The Press.
Deaf chef Kristofer Jonsson encourages others to break through barriers
Kristofer Jonsson is a calm and quiet chef, never yelling at anyone in the kitchen, and for good reason – he's deaf. "I focus on the visual side – you can look at the colour, where things are browning."
Do you have old newspaper stories about the Deaf World?
1985
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
Pam and Kaz take life in their stride
Says Pam: “I think for me I live in two worlds and have two languages, the deaf language and the hearing language. I speak the deaf language because I was brought up with it.”
1983
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
Speech for the deaf
The Minister of Broadcasting was getting in some last-minute swot on sign language, in preparation for a speech tonight to an audience made up mainly of deaf people.
1961
article – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Team for deaf games backed
The Auckland Deaf Society has reversed a previous decision and decided to support the team being sent to the Olympic Games for deaf people in Helsinki in August by the Wellington Deaf Sports Club.
2021
article – Taonga source: Nelson Mail.
Face masks creating anxiety and stress in the Deaf community
Stress and anxiety is bubbling in the Deaf community as it struggles to communicate with the public through face masks. They were “struggling” at the supermarket because they relied on lipreading to communicate. “Masks are creating a bit of a problem."
1989
article – Taonga source: Pam Witko
Second gold to U.S. cyclist
At the basketball, also at Cowles Stadium, the New Zealand women beat Australia, 91-65, to notch the host country's first win in the sport. New Zealand led 45-26 at half-time and is now in the running for the bronze medal.
NZSL Stories
Help us with correcting text in newspaper articles
1987
article – Taonga source: Lesley Schischka
Skipper sails on silent seas – Deafness no bar to contest racing
One local mariner, 66 year old, Laurence Schischka and his family, enjoy and succeed in sailing in total silence. Schischka, his wife Sylvia and their sons are oblivious to the creaking of the spars, the whir of winches, the thundering of wind billowing sails, even the sloshing of waves against the hull.
1953
article – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Deaf Institute To Be Started In Auckland Soon
The Friends of the Deaf has paid £3000 for a three-quarter acre site at 166 Balmoral Road and in the new year it will begin to erect there the first permanent institute for deaf adults in New Zealand.
NZSL Stories
1989
article – Taonga source: Pam Witko
Going for gold
New Zealand's Michael Lynch is on target for a gold medal in the 200m butterfly event at the World Games for the Deaf.
NZSL Stories
1985
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
An ear for the deaf
The 600 people in Wellington at last have their own sign interpreter. Rachel Locker was appointed as sign language interpreter for the deaf on Monday.
NZSL Stories
1989
article – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Sign language boost
Research on the complex sign language that deaf New Zealanders have created could push education authorities to recognise the language's authenticity. It has taken an American linguist to document the distinctive language.
Do you know of an online article that SignDNA should link to?
1992
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
Police complain to TVNZ about Curry documentary
The Ivan Curry documentary has prompted the deaf community to insist that professional sign language interpreters be used in all police and court work in future.
1997
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald
Art of surviving in silence
An interview with Abbie Twiss on World Deaf Awareness Day, and the start of New Zealand's National Deaf Awareness Week. Here, Abbie looks out from her Elam studio. "My thoughts go much faster than I can write."
1991
article – Taonga source: The Chronicle
Coping with deafness in a hearing world
Cushla and Brian talk about their lives – being Deaf, their experiences at school, employment, and communication.
2002
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
In full voice
This fascinating book provides insight into a community about which most people are unaware. This is the world of Deaf culture, of Deaf as an identity, not a disability or deficit – Deaf with a capital D.
2006
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Good signs
The Wellington Association for Deaf Children camp at the Silverstream Retreat at the weekend let families immerse themselves in "deaf culture".
We welcome your ideas about improving SignDNA!
1985
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
Cricket in silence
Wayne Riggs (Wellington) beats Shaun Ruffel (Taranaki) to the wicket in a practice game by members of the Central District Deaf Sports team before the Saturday match against an Australian deaf team.
1985
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Job Advertisement: Interpreters for the Deaf
Applications are invited for the first New Zealand course of interpreter training.
NZSL Stories
1974
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Deaf people can now use the telephone
So far, four teleprinter phonetype telephones have been installed in the homes of totally deaf people in the Wellington area. They can be hired from the Wellington branch of the New Zealand deaf communications network.
1980
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
Split over how to teach deaf worries parent
Parents of deaf children would be saddened to hear that educationists oppose teaching deaf pupils the technique of "total communication", a parent has stated in a letter to the Post.
2014
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Fewer Kiwis can use sign language
James Whale can speak as well as any 5-year old but sometimes he lets his hand do the talking. The Wellington boy and his family are among the dwindling number of Kiwis who can use NZSL.
What is our current priority for article collection?
1989
article – Taonga source: NZ Woman’s Weekly
The ‘silent’ games, a resounding success
A magnificent success is how organisers described the World Deaf Games in Christchurch. The 112-member New Zealand team – the biggest yet – won seven medals.
NZSL Stories
2001
article – Taonga source: The Napier Mail
Terror in the quiet
Napier Deaf brother and sisters – Doreen Howell and Ray Forman – talk about their experiences in the 1931 earthquake.
1981
article – Taonga source: Margaret Coutts
Games Loss ‘A Blow’ For Deaf Team
New Zealand athletes who took part in the World Deaf Games in Cologne arrived home unhappy about losing their bid to host the 1985 Deaf Games in Christchurch.
NZSL Stories
1992
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
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.
2005
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Sights set on cup – Passage to India a thrill for Kiwis
After having the rug pulled from under them four years ago, the New Zealand deaf cricket team heads to India today for the World Cup.
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