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

Some of the items featured in ‘The New Zealand Catholic Deaf Newsletter: August 1978 (Vol. 1, No. 2)’:

The newsletter will be named “Ephpheta” with the sub-title being ‘N.Z. Catholic Journal for Deaf People’.
Nineteen (19) delegates from New Zealand attended the Australasian Catholic Conference in Canberra – Father B.Wegrzyn, the Chaplain to the Deaf of the Wellington Archdiocese; four Dominican Sisters (three from Feilding and one from Auckland); eight adult deaf (all from Wellington Archdiocese) and six hearing people (three mothers of deaf children, one sister of a deaf person, and two lay teachers).
Danny Beech will depart Palmerston North for Auckland in January 1979; he will do a year’s study of the Christian Leadership Course. Apart from his already has demanding duties as national secretary of the N.Z. Amateur Deaf Sports Association, Vice-President of the N.Z. Association of the Deaf, secretary of the Manawatu Deaf Society, Danny has also been chairman of the Catholic Deaf Committee, co-editor of the Catholic Deaf Newsletter and Chairman of the reunion committee for the St. Dominic’s School, Feilding.
Tony Oswald will be the new chairman and Maree Caroll as vice-chairperson of the renamed Manawatu Catholic Deaf Association.

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NZSL story – Taonga source: Tony Walton

From New Lynn to Avondale: A Necessary Move

Tony served as President of the New Zealand Association of the Deaf from 1999 to 2003. At the time, the focus was on supporting Deaf youth – not relocating. But when asbestos was discovered in the ceiling of the New Lynn building, with removal costs estimated at $600,000, a major decision had to be made. With support from a funder willing to underwrite the risk, the building was sold and a new location was secured. The Avondale office officially opened in November 1999.

NZSL story – Taonga source: Tony Walton

Tony Walton on Building a More Accessible Deaf Aotearoa

Tony reflects on his involvement with the New Zealand Association of the Deaf (now Deaf Aotearoa). In 1989, during the World Deaf Games, New Zealand had only two or three qualified NZSL interpreters – a serious shortage. NZDSA was strongly sign-based, while the NZAD board leaned more oral. After the Games, Tony joined NZAD as a delegate to learn how it worked, eventually becoming President. His focus was on Deaf youth, leading to the creation of Friends of Young Deaf (FYD), better Māori engagement and involvement with more NZSL interpreters. One key goal was to have 13 interpreters nationwide, giving every major town and city access. Interpreter pay and access were limited back then – very different from today.

Brian Henry

Danny (Daniel) Beech

Danny (Daniel) Beech

Elizabeth Hines (Ooteman)

Elizabeth Hines (Ooteman)

Father Brian Wegrzyn

Father Brian Wegrzyn

Gerald Koat

Jackie Davidson (Koat)

Jackie Davidson (Koat)

Maree Carroll (Ward)

Maree Carroll (Ward)

Margaret Tippett

Margaret Tippett

Mary Johnson

Peter Tait

Ray Whiting

Shona Simpson

Sister Gemma

Sister Mercedes

Sister Mercedes

Tony Oswald

Taonga source:

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Reference number:

SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, CDC1978-1-3-MJN

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