Michael Wi

The deciding match of the 1998 National Deaf Rugby Interzonal Championship played in Wellington over Easter weekend, and cementing a place in the New Zealand Deaf team that toured Wales in November 1998.

As a warm-up in preparation for their upcoming game vs the Australian Deaf rugby league team, the Deaf Kiwis play against the NSW Deaf rugby league team on 4 June 1988. The game was won by NSW, 18–8.

Footage and interviews from the final Friday night at Deaf Club at Auckland Deaf Society before its long-awaited re-development in 2006.

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.

Māori Deaf participating in a hīkoi (protest march) in support of Māori claims of ownership of the New Zealand foreshore and seabed.

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.

Weekend celebrations are kickstarted with a Māori Deaf kapa haka group to perform a haka powhiri. Vintage teachers such as Les Bury briefly summarise their experiences of working in Deaf education over the years.

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.

In NZSL with subtitles in Māori and English; created in collaboration with native speakers of NZSL, Māori & English, and sign language linguists from the Deaf community, with the purpose to create a NZSL translation that was true to the meaning behind the Māori & English lyrics.

A homemade Sydney documentary on the Australian Deaf Rugby league team’s tour of New Zealand in 1990 from preparation, the tour, the tests, and triumphant return home.

The popular athletics interclub and open championship ran to a tight program, from 8:00am to 12:00 noon. The Oxspring Shield for interclub athletics went to Auckland with 32 points. The 32nd Annual NZ Games for the Deaf in Christchurch provided valuable experience for hosting the World Deaf Games to be held in Christchurch in January 1989. At Cowles Stadium, Shona McGhie and Tony Walton are also interviewed by News Review.

Footage of rugby league training, haka practice, game planning, changing room preparations, and actual game footage of all three matches between the Deaf Kiwis and Australian teams, and even a visit to the hospital for an injured Kiwi player!

Footage of all three men's games of the 2000 National Deaf Rugby Championships at the Canterbury Rugby League Stadium, combined into one clip. Includes pre-match Deaf cheerleading display.

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.

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.

The opening of the Advance Centre, a tertiary support centre for Deaf and hearing impaired students in the Auckland region, attended by Hon Ruth Dyson, Minister for Disability Issues, and Patrick Thompson - Māori Deaf leader.

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.

Mai Time made one of their episodes accessible in NZSL to mark Deaf Awareness Week 1999. KDEC’s sign singing choir and Patrick Thompson made an appearance along with as did Rūaumoko Marae’s kapa haka roopu.