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A production this month of the play Children of a Lesser God in Auckland will feature two deaf actors, Bryan Williams and Sheila Gibbons. And the starring role will be played, for the second time, by Gloss actress Miranda Harcourt.

Says Pam: “I think for me I live in two worlds and have two languages, the deaf language and the hearing language. I speak the deaf language because I was brought up with it.”

Wearing a face mask is meant to help slow the spread of Covid-19. But for Tokoroa’s Roger Drower, who is partially deaf, they’ve left him feeling discriminated and isolated.

A Deaf woman is calling for airlines and airports to better equip staff to communicate with Deaf and Hard of Hearing travellers after a “terrible experience” returning to New Zealand from Rarotonga that made her feel she was being “treated like a criminal”.

Barry Kay just wanted to order dinner for his kids at Burger King. The Christchurch builder had written his order in big letters on a piece of paper for the drive-through, as he had done before. But when he handed over his order at the window on Friday, the operator told him to go inside.

One deaf teacher in south Auckland has inspired several toddlers and their parents to learn sign language.

Threading a needle needs a straight eye with a steady hand, which 15-year-old Susan Ovens illustrated through mime at the closing function of Deaf Awareness Week on Sunday. The Deaf Awareness Week function was held in the Downtown complex in Auckland. The Governor General's speech was translated into sign language by the president of the New Zealand Association of the Deaf, Mr B.McHattie. 

This week is Deaf Awareness Week. Nelson Mail reporter interviewed two women from Nelson's deaf community this week: Fliss Maera and Susan Thomas. The Nelson Club has between 25 to 30 members.

Wellington City councillors, renowned for their verbal spats, were staying strangely quiet this morning. As part of Shut Up Day, run by the Deaf Association of New Zealand, the Mayor and councillors were reduced to talking in sign language between 8am and midday.

In Hamilton, there are four deaf units, three at Hamilton West and one at Melville Intermediate. Next year there is going to be a deaf unit at Melville High School.

Kevin Stokes wishes more people spoke his language. He would also like to see it recognised, as New Zealand's third official language, alng with English and Maori.

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.