1988
Images – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Team Photo: Auckland Deaf Society Indoor Bowls Club, Easter 1988
NZSL Stories
1880
Object – Taonga source: Deaf Education History Aotearoa NZ
Postcard: Xmas Greetings from Sumner, N.Z. 1880
1993
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Communicate: September 1993
NZSL Stories
1989
publication – Taonga source: Shona McGhie
VXIth World Games for the Deaf, Christchurch: 7-17 January 1989
NZSL Stories
1976
video – Taonga source: Deaf Society of Canterbury
Dunedin vs Christchurch: Indoor Bowls at Christchurch Deaf Club
Dunedin and Christchurch battle it out at the Christchurch Deaf Club’s Armagh Street hall during winter where the mountain ranges around Christchurch are covered with snow!
1987
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
News Review now includes ‘hand sign language’
In 1987, News Review became the first New Zealand programme to incorporate NZSL in its production. The show ceased in 1991 and to date, there has not been a similar programme using Deaf presenters or NZSL in full.
1977
Images – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Team Photo: Auckland Deaf Society Sports Representatives, Wellington 1977
NZSL Stories
1989
article – Taonga source: Christchurch Star
More than 1300 involved
About 100 interpreters have been trained in Christchurch over the last year. The classes were organised by the hearing people but the deaf were the teachers. It is only the second time that New Zealand sign language has been taught in this country.
NZSL Stories
1989
Images – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
N.Z. Badminton Ladies Doubles Medallists: XVI World Games for the Deaf
NZSL Stories
1985
video – Taonga source: Deaf Society of Canterbury
Christchurch Deaf Club picnic at Amberley: Summer 1985
Christchurch Deaf Club hosted its annual picnic at Amberley, north of Christchurch. As usual, there are games aplenty, with the Amberley swimming pool a perfect location to cool off.
1989
video – Taonga source: Manawatu Deaf Society
16th World Games for the Deaf, Christchurch
Opening ceremony and events at the 16th World Games for the Deaf, Christchurch 1989.
NZSL Stories
1991
video – Taonga source: Rodney Roberts
Good old fashioned fun at the Christchurch Deaf Society’s picnic
Footage of the 1991 Christchurch Deaf Society's picnic day held at Spencer Park. On a progressively windy day the local Deaf community gathered to enjoy traditional Deaf community games including tug-of-war, egg throwing, welly throwing, and some less common games such as a dress-up relay.
1977
article – Taonga source: Sarah Cameron
Success Story
The smile tells the story of the latest development in hearing aids, as 10-year-old Christoph Blum of Karori communicates with his mother.
1965
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: Spring 1965 (Vol. 3, No. 1)
NZSL Stories
Est. 1980s
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
The Sign Singing Superstars
Throughout the early 1980s, the New Zealand Deaf community created two sign singing supergroups: The Sign Singers from Auckland, and The Silent Singers from Christchurch. These two groups pioneered Sign Singing as an art form and gained considerable public admiration for their efforts. Both groups made appearances on national Telethon events, and the Auckland group also were regulars on the Stars on Sunday programme, making more appearances than any other single group.
2001
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Loud and clear
The deaf community believes it has been misunderstood and misinterpreted for too long. Now it wants to be seen and heard as a group with its own cultural identity.
1974
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Deaf people can now use the telephone
So far, four teleprinter phonetype telephones have been installed in the homes of totally deaf people in the Wellington area. They can be hired from the Wellington branch of the New Zealand deaf communications network.
1984
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
You and Your Child – Deaf edition
'You and Your Child' programme focuses on Deaf children, education and language and interview some parents about their Deaf children.
1979
video – Taonga source: Dennis Tod
NZ Deaf Sports Convention, Christchurch 1979 – Netball
Coverage of the Netball tournament at the NZ Deaf Sports Convention, Christchurch 1979.
NZSL Stories
1991
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones
NZSL Tutors attend an intensive City Lit Training course in London
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.
NZSL Stories
1988
article – Taonga source: Pam Witko
‘Review’ team getting ready to report
When the 1400 competitors and officials arrive in Christchurch to take part in the World Games for the Deaf, TVNZ's news programme for the deaf will be ready and waiting. The small staff of the weekly programme "News Review" is being boosted by four journalists to cover the events of the three-week games in January.
NZSL Stories
1989
article – Taonga source: The Press
Games crowd pleaser blind and deaf
One of the crowd favourites at the sixteenth World Games for the Deaf has been the blind and deaf wrestler from Canada, Pier Morten. Although being disadvantaged by not being able to see his opponents, Morten fights tenaciously and reacts speedily to holds applied on him.
NZSL Stories
1965
Images – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Team Photo: New Zealand Deaf Sports Team, Tenth International Games for the Deaf, Washington D.C. 1965
NZSL Stories
1979
article – Taonga source: The Press
Mixed doubles badminton at the Trans-Tasman Deaf Games
Carolyn Hamlin keeps a keen eye on the opposition while Lindsay Bamford returns a shot during the mixed doubles Badminton competition of the triennial Trans-Tasman Deaf Games at Lincoln College.
1975
Images – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Team Photo: Auckland Deaf Society Athletics, N.Z. Deaf Societies Convention, 1975
NZSL Stories
1981
article – Taonga source: The Press
Deaf field officer for Christchurch
A field officer for the deaf, Mr David Chilwell, a former president of the Christchurch Deaf Club, has been appointed in Christchurch as a result of a grant from the Lottery Funds Board.
NZSL Stories
1998
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
New Zealand’s first bilingual deaf unit
New Zealand's first official "bilingual" deaf unit attached to a primary school will be opened next week. The unit teaches both NZSL and English. Mr Buchanan, who will head the unit, is one of six deaf teachers teaching the deaf in New Zealand.
1988
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: Easter 1988 (Vol. 10, No. 4)
1989
Images – Taonga source: Margaret Coutts
Team Photo: New Zealand Deaf Sports Team: XVI World Games for the Deaf, Christchurch 1989
NZSL Stories
1981
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
World Deaf Games lost to NZ – but not through Boks
New Zealand was passed over in its bid to host the World Deaf Games in 1985 – but not because of any Springbok tour snub, prominent local sports administrator, Mr Alan Barrett, believes.
NZSL Stories