Susie Ovens

The Sign Singers perform the song 'Born Free' broadcast on Stars on Sunday in June 1982.

The Sign Singers perform the hit song 'Sailing' broadcast on Stars on Sunday in May 1982. Ian Watkins, introduces the group by saying “…and I’m delighted to welcome back to the programme the deaf sign singers.”

The Auckland Deaf community gathers for the Miss Deaf Auckland competition, organised by Adrienne Killen. The top three are selected to represent Auckland in the upcoming Miss Deaf New Zealand pageant.

The NZ team returns from the XIV World Games for the Deaf, Köln, Germany 1981.

Jane Dent reports on the National Sports Convention for the Deaf held in Auckland during Labour Weekend in 1984. The footage screened on the 6:30pm news on Saturday 20 October 1984.

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

A farewell party is thrown for John and Laura Hunt at the Auckland Deaf Society, prior to their move to Melbourne. The farewell was attended by over 100 members of the Auckland Deaf community.

This project explores the experiences of Deaf New Zealanders in accessing healthcare and health information. 40 Deaf people from around New Zealand share their stories about barriers in this setting as well as strategies they have used in advocating for their right to access information, communication, and make informed decisions.

The New Zealand Sign Language Teacher's Association Hui in October 2018 was a great weekend of professional development for those that teach, and want to teach NZSL.

The Sign Singers perform the song 'I Hear Your Hand' for the Stars on Sunday programme.

Contestants practice their routine at the Auckland Deaf Society clubroom in preparation for the Miss Auckland Deaf competition.

Amateur footage of the Miss Auckland Deaf Beauty Queen Contest held at the Auckland Deaf Centre 1990.

The popular Sign Singers are the first act to perform at the 1981 Telethon Live at the Auckland Town Hall.

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

The grit! The determination! The hours of practice! Finally it’s game day for the first Deaf Netball New Zealand versus Australia in Manawatu. Watch highlights of the gameplay followed by expert post-match analysis and limbo shenanigans at MDS. Good times.

The ‘007’ themed Miss and Mr Deaf New Zealand event, expertly hosted by Victoria Skorikova and Tony Walton was a major fundraising event for the 2nd Asia Pacific Deaf Youth Camp. It was organised in 5 weeks and raised $7,000 towards camp costs.

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.

New Zealand athletes stopover at Los Angeles on the way to the World Games for the Deaf in Köln, and make the most of the trip with a visit to Disneyland!

The Sign Singers perform 'Oh What a Beautiful Day' broadcast on Stars on Sunday in February 1983.

Susie Ovens, a 12-year-old Deaf girl, participates in ‘Star Zone’ showcasing her miming and theatre skills. Susie wins the New Zealand grand prize and a trip to Melbourne, Australia to participate in another show. At the time of her victory there were no communicators or NZSL interpreters, leaving Susie to figure out at the end of the show whether she had won!

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.

The Sign Singers perform the famous carol 'Silent Night' for the Stars on Sunday programme.

A Tu Kokiri student interviews Susie Ovens on her involvement with the infamous Deaf Sign Singers group.

The Auckland Deaf Society Netball team celebrates their 25th Jubilee in April, 2000.