HomePublicationsNFD Communicate: February 1995

NFD Communicate: February 1995

Some of the items featured in the February 1995 (15) Issue of ‘NFD Communicate’:

  • The first ever New Zealand Deaf Nest opened at Kelston; a place where Deaf children, their siblings and CODAs play and learn in a NZSL environment.
  • Team Manager report from Jeff Went on the New Zealand Deaf sports team competing at the 1993 World Games for the Deaf in Sofia, Bulgaria. 
  • A long serving Teacher of the Deaf, Adrienne Unwin, talks about her experience working in Deaf education, from studying at Sumner, to her appointment at Titirangi School for Deaf, during its oral years.
  • NFD employs a new National Co-ordinator for Access 2000, the first Deaf person to be appointed to the position. 
  • A meeting was organised in November 1994 on setting up a Theatre of the Deaf in Auckland. 
  • North Harbour Deaf Club, Auckland’s ‘alternative social Deaf Club’ hosts a Masquerade Ball. The Waitakere Deaf Club was also running, with a fourth Deaf Club rumoured to be set up in South Auckland.
  • Deaf Organisations
  • TV/Media
NZSL story – Taonga source: Jeff Went

Part 3: Marathon Struggles & a Race Against Time to Get Home!

In the final part of the series, Jeff wraps up the New Zealand team’s experience in Bulgaria. The marathon team was frustrated with the poor state of the roads and the air quality, which made conditions difficult. On their journey home, the team nearly faced another hurdle – after their first flight was delayed, they worried they’d miss their Qantas connection. Fortunately, their plane was held back, ensuring they made it home in the end!
NZSL story – Taonga source: Jeff Went

Part 2: Bulgaria on a Budget – The NZ Deaf Team’s Wild Discoveries

Jeff Went continues recounting the team’s time in Bulgaria, where they discovered just how cheap everything was – a loaf of bread and a pack of cigarettes both cost just 20 cents! He recalls his surprise at being handed a thick wad of cash for additional expenses and the challenge of carrying it around. The team also faced another shock – arriving at a swimming pool filled with murky green water! Thankfully, the issue was resolved, and later, Jeff had to accompany an athlete for an audiological test as part of the Games.
NZSL story – Taonga source: Jeff Went

Part 1: Smoking on the Plane?! The NZ Deaf Team’s Shocking Flight to Bulgaria

Jeff Went, Team Manager and NZDSA Delegate for the New Zealand Deaf team at the 1993 World Games for the Deaf in Bulgaria, shares one of the team’s most unusual experiences. To their shock, smoking was completely accepted on the Bulgarian airline – passengers, air hostesses, and even the pilot were lighting up! With smoke drifting throughout the cabin on the long-haul flight, it made for an extremely uncomfortable journey.
NZSL story – Taonga source: Patreena Bryan

Titirangi School for the Deaf: Going home for the holidays

Patreena Bryan, an ex-Titirangi School for the Deaf student reminisces when students would be going home for the holidays, and how they'd all wake up at 5am in excitement for the day (and holidays) ahead!
Taonga source:
National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Reference number:
SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, NFDC1995-0-15-MJN
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