Hemi Hema received the Queen’s Service Medal (Q.S.M) in 2012 for his services to the Māori Deaf community. Along with Karen Pointon in the same year, Hemi was the first Māori Deaf person to receive such an honour.
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.
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.
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.
TVNZ’s Marae programme features the friendly game between Deaf Māori & Pacific Island Invitational XV and the Japan Deaf Rugby team. It includes the pre-match team talk with coach Richard Peri, karakia from kaumatua Ivan Tamepo, and discussions with assistant Togia Lanefale. It concludes with highlights of the match which was closely fought but finally won by Japan 20-17.