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1992
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post

State needs to protect defendant’s right to a fair trial

Curry, who was deaf after suffering meningitis as an infant, spent two years in jail before being brought to trial on a murder charge a jury took just two hours to throw out.
1991
article – Taonga source: Unknown

Deaf find unfair hearings in court

Deaf people have had unfair trials through lack of interpreters telling them what is happening in courts.
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
1989
article – Taonga source: Kerry Titcombe

Kiwis praised for friendliness

Kiwis were the friendliest people on Earth, the president of the International Silent Sport, Mr Jerald Jordan, told the opening of the sixteenth World Games for the Deaf on Saturday.
Kerry Titcombe
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
  • Jeff Went
1991
article – Taonga source: The Dominion

People Power: Madedra

Madedra, the Manawatu Deaf Drama Group, is putting on a show 'People' which plays at the National Library next Sunday. They have also been invited to perform in the International Festival of Deaf Theatre in Spain but still needed to raise enough money.
1950
video – Taonga source: Susan Hamilton

Titirangi School for the Deaf students picnic at Motuihe Island

Boarding students at Titirangi School for the Deaf are treated to a day out to Motihue Island (Te Motu-a-Ihenga) in the Hauraki Gulf, 17 kilometres from downtown Auckland.
Susan Hamilton
NZSL Stories
  • Patreena Bryan
1991
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: August 1991

Auckland Deaf Society
NZSL Stories
  • John Mansell
  • Doug Croskery
  • Tony Walton
  • Colleen Norris
  • Ruth Jessep
  • John Hunt
1992
Images – Taonga source: Clive Morgan

Team Photo: Wellington Deaf Basketball Team, 1992

Clive Morgan
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
  • Shona McGhie
biography
Profile

Lynette Pivac (MBE)

In 1996, Lynette was awarded the Member of British Empire for her services in Deaf education and sign language. She mostly initiated the development of NZSL resources, the training of NZSL tutors and involvement in NZSL teaching issues at national level. She advocated for NZSL and Deaf Studies to be introduced into Deaf education and was the first Deaf Board of Trustees Chairperson.
2022
article – Taonga source: Stuff

Signing avatar could help Deaf Kiwis order at fast food drive-throughs

Arash Tayebi’s idea to develop sign language avatar technology is personal. And while Kara Technologies is still in the pilot stage, Tayebi hopes the technology will become easier to access as 24/7 teachers or in emergencies.
Stuff
1978
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

New Zealand Catholic Deaf Newsletter: December 1978 (Vol. 1, No. 3)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
1964
article – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Deaf Folk Conquer their Handicap

On a recent Saturday, I was lucky enough to meet members of the Auckland Deaf Society at a working bee they were holding to improve the grounds of the city's Deaf Welfare Centre. The centre, incidentially, is a very fine building – it has the biggest sports hall in Auckland with a floor area 110 by 60 feet.
Auckland Deaf Society
NZSL Stories
  • Kevin Pivac
  • John Schischka
1995
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: February 1995

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NZSL Stories
  • John Mansell
  • Jeff Went
  • Patreena Bryan
2009
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: February 2009

Auckland Deaf Society
NZSL Stories
  • Kevin Pivac
  • Doug Croskery
  • Colleen Norris
  • Shona McGhie
  • Pam Croskery
  • Jonathan Anton
  • Cecilia Waitohi
1993
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive

Sounds or Silence?

In the early 1990s, due to a breakthrough in technology, cochlear implants were starting to become the norm. The Deaf community worldwide viewed cochlear implants as a device that disregarded the need for access to sign language. Others considered such devices a miracle. In 1993, ‘60 Minutes’ investigated this controversial topic in New Zealand.
Television New Zealand Archive
1989
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: August 1989

Auckland Deaf Society
NZSL Stories
  • Jeff Went
  • Doug Croskery
  • Michelle Kruger
  • Colleen Norris
  • Ruth Jessep
  • Terry Kane
  • John Mansell
1978
article – Taonga source: The Daily News

Deaf protest TV licences

Fifty deaf people registered a silent protest outside the Auckland Magistrate’s Court yesterday about what they say is the subtle discrimination of New Zealand against deaf people.
Est. 1982
Object – Taonga source: Manawatu Deaf Society

Manawatu Deaf Society Inc: Sportsperson of Year

Manawatu Deaf Society
1989
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Autumn 1989 (Vol. 23. No. 1)

NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
  • Kevin Pivac
  • Jeff Went
  • Pam Croskery
  • Janet Watt
  • John Hunt
1986
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: August 1986 (Vol. 9, No. 2)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1992
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald

Court scenes show shocking injustice

When 'The Remand of Ivan Curry' concluded last night with the knowledge that a deaf man wrongly accused for murder and imprisoned for two years without trial was finally released with nothing – no apology nor any compensation – the indignation must have risen high in the throats of many viewers.
1982
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Sign Singers: ‘Harmony’

The Sign Singers perform 'Harmony' broadcast on Stars on Sunday in February 1983. They are introduced in sign language, in one of the first examples of a non-Deaf person signing on prime time television.
Dulcie McKie
NZSL Stories
  • Susie Ovens
  • Shona McGhie
1990
video – Taonga source: Jeff Went

Prizegiving evening: 34th NZ Games for the Deaf (Auckland)

The 34th New Zealand Games for the Deaf, hosted by Auckland, concludes with a prizegiving and social evening at Auckland Deaf Society 1990.
Jeff Went
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
  • Shona McGhie
1990
video – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society

Coming Together: A video history of Wellington Deaf Society

A documentary about Wellington Deaf Society created after the 50th anniversary of WDS back in 1988. It includes historic shots of the old WDS at 280 Willis Street, Te Aro, as well as interviews with some of its members.
Wellington Deaf Society
biography
Profile

Jennifer Brain (QSM)

Jennifer received the Queens Service Medal in 2007 for services to the New Zealand Deaf Community. She was well known for her leadership with the New Zealand Association for the Deaf. Jennifer became the first Deaf Leadership Tutor promoting community and Deaf youth leadership, before becoming the first Deaf Chief Executive Officer in 1999. Through her work, Jennifer was ahead of her time with the strategic planning of many Deaf community projects including Deaf awareness and Deaf leadership.
1981
article – Taonga source: NZ Listener

Letter to the Editor: Total communication

Bruce McHattie, having just returned from a world conference for the deaf in Rome, says that New Zealand is so far behind in the rest of the world in services for the deaf.
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
1974
article – Taonga source: Eastern Suburbs News

Successful integration of the deaf depends on community attitudes

If a New Zealand-born person doesn’t speak good English, people are likely to assume such a person is unintelligent. Such an assumption is wrong when the person is born deaf.
1987
article – Taonga source: The Dominion

Communicating from a silent world

Jenny Griffiths, the mother of two profoundly deaf children, talks about communicating with them in Total Communication.
1981
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: June 1981 (Vol. 4, No. 2)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1990
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: August 1990

Auckland Deaf Society
NZSL Stories
  • Terry Kane
  • Jonathan Anton
  • John Mansell
  • Kevin Pivac
  • Doug Croskery
  • Colleen Norris
  • Pam Croskery
2009
video – Taonga source: Kerry Titcombe

Welcome Home – our Deaf athletes – from the Taipei Deaflympics!

The New Zealand Deaf athletes are welcomed back home at the Auckland Airport! New Zealand sent a team of 13 players and officials to the 2009 Taipei Summer Deaflympics. Michael Lynch won gold for karate, with Kerry Titcombe also obtaining bronze in karate.
Kerry Titcombe
NZSL Stories
  • Michael Lynch