HomeCollectionRūaumoko Komiti – Turi Māori

Tihei mauri ora! Turi Māori are here! SignDNA is proud to present the Turi Māori collection of historic archival taonga. The majority of the Turi Māori collection was donated by the Rūaumoko Komiti, with invaluable footage of wānanga, hīkoi, and other important kōrero. There are also interviews with the late Patrick Thompson, Ivan Tamepo and Michael Wi. All te reo Māori content has captions added by SignDNA in order to make them more accessible. SignDNA looks forward to increasing our collection of Turi Māori archival taonga, please get in touch with us if you have any you would like to donate. Tēnā koutou.

  • Turi Māori
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2004
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti

The Māori Deaf world: Interviews with Whiti Ronaki, Stephanie Awheto and Michael Wi

This raw, edited footage consists of interviews with Whiti Ronaki, Michael Wi and Stephanie Awheto - a trilingual interpreter, on topics relevant in the Māori Deaf world.
Rūaumoko Komiti
2001
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti

Māori Deaf Wānanga

Wānanga held in 2001, involving both Deaf and hearing Māori, focusing on NZSL skills, learning about community and culture as well as socialising and having fun.
Rūaumoko Komiti
2004
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti

Being Māori Deaf: Interview with Patrick Thompson

Raw footage of an interview with Patrick Thompson attempting to connect with a Māori culture he was denied growing up. Patrick provides a voice for Māori Deaf, to grow understanding about the challenges they face, and to promote the importance of NZSL.
Rūaumoko Komiti
2017
video – Taonga source: New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters

Te Tiriti o Waitangi in New Zealand Sign Language

This resource was created for the Treaty Times Thirty project, an initiative by the New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters to translate New Zealand’s founding document, Te Tiriti of Waitangi into 30 different languages.
New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters
1992
article – Taonga source: Western Leader

Deaf learn Maori culture

A Maori house of learning for deaf children was opened at the Kelston Deaf Education Centre in Auckland yesterday after many hours of voluntary work by deaf adults and pupils.
1959
video – Taonga source: Susan Hamilton

Sports Day at Kelston School for the Deaf

The School for Deaf annual sports day is held at Kelston with athletics, long jumping, relay races and performances.
Susan Hamilton
1990s
video – Taonga source: Hilda Tamepo

Deaf kaumatua celebrates 50 years of life at Auckland Deaf Society

The 50th birthday of Ivan Tamepo - a respected Deaf elder – is celebrated at ADS, with a karanga, powhiri, waitaia and celebrations in the back hall and upstairs clubroom.
Hilda Tamepo
2001
article – Taonga source: Unknown

Loud and clear

The deaf community believes it has been misunderstood and misinterpreted for too long. Now it wants to be seen and heard as a group with its own cultural identity.
1995
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive

Michael Wi, Māori Deaf

Michael Wi, is profiled on ‘Marae’, where he shares his experience of growing up as Māori Deaf in a paheka-centric education environment, and learning as an adult about tikanga Māori, and marae protocols.
Television New Zealand Archive
1992
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: March 1992

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
2013
article – Taonga source: Kōkiri Magazine

Māori Deaf Gather

Last year on Queen’s Birthday weekend, Hamilton man Hemi Hema was honoured for his tireless work advocating for opportunities for Māori Deaf. This Queen’s Birthday weekend he was showing that his great work continues – facilitating a hui for Māori Deaf from throughout Aotearoa aimed at focusing on new beginnings for their community.
Kōkiri Magazine
2014
video – Taonga source: Ministry of Education

Ko Wai Au? Who Am I? See My Voice?

A video with six rangatahi communicating their stories of being young Turi Māori (Māori Deaf). The topics they discuss include recognition and acknowledgement of Deaf people in the past, Dame Whina Cooper and the impact of Kelston Deaf Education Centre.
Ministry of Education
2004
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti

Māori Deaf join foreshore hīkoi

Māori Deaf participating in a hīkoi (protest march) in support of Māori claims of ownership of the New Zealand foreshore and seabed.
Rūaumoko Komiti
2014
video – Taonga source: Ministry of Education

Acknowledgements – Ko Wai Au? Who Am I? See My Voice?

An acknowledgement to all the team who helped make the Ko Wai Au? Who Am I? See My Voice? exhibition possible. Ko Wai Au is an exhibition empowering Māori rangatahi who identify as Deaf to communicate with others leading to a wider understanding of aspirations as young Deaf Māori.
Ministry of Education
1979
video – Taonga source: Sue Penman

Trans-Tasman Deaf Games: Opening Ceremony and sports

Coverage of the Trans-Tasman Deaf Games, Lincoln College, Christchurch, 10 January 1979, including opening ceremony and various sports.
Sue Penman
2000
video – Taonga source: Deaf Aotearoa

Deaf Association of New Zealand 2000

A look at the work of the New Zealand Association of the Deaf, presented by Judy Bailey.
Deaf Aotearoa
1996
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: March 1996

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1997
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: Autumn 1997

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
2003
article – Taonga source: Victoria News, Victoria University of Wellington

NZSL dictionary includes te reo Māori

Deaf New Zealanders now have access to te reo Māori vocabulary in the Online Dictionary of NZSL, compiled by Victoria’s Deaf Studies Research Unit.
2004
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti

The experiences of Māori Deaf

This segment from Māori TV’s Te Hēteri focuses on the experiences of Māori Deaf, catching up with Patrick Thompson, Whiti Ronaki, and Hemi Hema.
Rūaumoko Komiti
1989-90
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Summer 1989/90 (Vol. 23, No. 4)

2022
article – Taonga source: The Northern Advocate

Northland marae set up te reo and deaf sign programmes to grow national languages

Twenty marae across Northland want to grow the number of whānau who can speak te reo Māori ... in sign language. An eight week course, He Aha, is about to get under way to help whānau improve communication with tangata turi.
The Northern Advocate
1994
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: March 1994

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
2016
video – Taonga source: Attitude Pictures

Accessible Marae – The Reply

A short video promoting an accessible marae funded by the Think Differently campaign, featuring Mita Moses.
Attitude Pictures
1999
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti

Deaf Association opens its new Auckland office

The Deaf Association of New Zealand opens its new offices on Great North Road, Avondale, Auckland in November 1999.
Rūaumoko Komiti
1993
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: March 1993

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
2022
article – Taonga source: Stuff

Aotearoa’s first Deaf marae celebrates 30 years of empowering Turi Māori

Friday marks 30 years since the opening of the country’s first marae for Deaf and hard of hearing Māori. Since 1992, Rūaumoko Marae, in West Auckland’s Kelston, has been a place where Deaf students can learn about te ao Māori.
Stuff
1994
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: June 1994

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1991
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive

Māori Deaf and Deaf education

A look at the cultural education needs of Māori Deaf students. Māori Deaf are likely to experience more barriers in the education sector. Interviews undertaken by ‘Marae’ shows us that the multiple cultural identities of Māori Deaf are not completely accommodated for with aspirations on how to resolve this.
Television New Zealand Archive
1992
article – Taonga source: Western Leader

Marae for the deaf

A marae with a difference will open tomorrow in Kelston - it is for deaf children. Pupils of Kelston Deaf Education Centre will be able to learn more about Maori culture and marae protocol.