Royce Flynn

A fancy dress party is held at the Canterbury Deaf Society’s clubrooms.

A farewell party and awards evening is hosted by the Christchurch Deaf Club Basketball Club, with awards and prizes given out by Peter Downie.

The New Zealand Deaf team marched on Dominion Road, accompanied by police, with farewell speeches at Auckland Deaf Society before departing for the 15th World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles.

The Christchurch Deaf Club basketball team plays a match in Hokitika in June 1976 versus a hearing team. Geoff Harker’s arm injury is a hot topic of discussion that weekend!

In the history of NZSL teaching, perhaps the most important development was when 8 NZSL tutors attended a two-week intensive teaching course in London in 1991. Watch this condensed version (taking from almost 29 hours of footage!) to get a sense of what the training was like.

Footage of the World Deaf Games in Köln, of New Zealanders in action. Two New Zealand athletes won medals at the games.

The New Zealand basketball team battled it out with Sweden on 13 July 1985, at Pepperdine University, Malibu. The first half went to Sweden, 81 to 25, before the New Zealanders fought back for a better second half, ending with 156 to Sweden and 74 to New Zealand. It was the New Zealand basketball team’s second loss at the Games, having earlier lost to Israel. They came 7th out of 8 teams at the Games.

New Zealand team goes to XIV World Games for the Deaf in Köln, Germany in 1981.

The Australian and New Zealand Deaf men play basketball at the Trans-Tasman Games, held at Lincoln College, Canterbury in January 1979.

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.

The Christchurch Deaf Basketball Club, established in 1951, celebrates their 25th Jubilee on Saturday 31 July, 1976 – with a game between old previous members versus young current members, before a social dance evening at the Armagh Street clubroom.

A packed YMCA hall with supporters watching the Auckland vs Christchurch men’s basketball game.

The Deaf community gather in Christchurch for the NZ Deaf Sports Convention in Labour Weekend, 1975.

Members of the Canterbury Deaf community make for a picnic on a lovely day, with tug-o-war and running races.

The New Zealand team manager, Tony Walton, reports on the team’s results at the Los Angeles 1985 World Deaf Games including where the team stayed and played at.