
2017
article – Taonga source: The Northern Advocate
Rugby: Kaikohe’s Mihaka Lemon heading on NZ Deaf Blacks tour
Mihaka Lemon is ready to pull on the black jersey as he heads aboard a plane to England for the first time. The 29-year-old will play for the New Zealand Deaf Blacks on their English tour.


1989
article – Taonga source: Kerry Titcombe
Deaf easily skirt language hurdle
Deaf people can communicate country to country with more ease than those who can speak. It is not because they have an international sign language – each country has its own – but because it is a visual language.

NZSL Stories


1976
article – Taonga source: Manawatu Deaf Society
Twenty First Deaf Sports Convention
This month, the Manawatu Deaf Club will again host the Annual New Zealand Deaf Convention. It will be the twenty-first with over 200 people competing. 160-170 will be from Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Wellington, Christchurch and Southland. Local competitors make up the total.




NZSL Stories


2002
video – Taonga source: Sara Pivac Alexander
International Postcard: New Zealand
DeafTV from Denmark makes a trip to New Zealand to feature the country and its Deaf community on its ‘International Postcard’ series, with scenes from a normal Friday night at the Deaf Club, a trip to the Deaf Association office. The Deaf Danish crew are also welcomed onto the Rūaumoko Marae.





1965
Object – Taonga source: Manawatu Deaf Society
Pocket Patch: International Deaf Games, Washington 1965






1989
article – Taonga source: The Press
Big sporting event on shoestring budget
The Games will be about the same size as the 1974 sporting extravaganza in Christchurch, the Commonwealth Games. Yet it has been orchestrated on a budget of $700,000 – about one-third of the cost of the opening ceremony planned for the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.
NZSL Stories


1985
video – Taonga source: Tony Walton
New Zealand table tennis players battle it out at Los Angeles 1985
The New Zealand table tennis team finds the going tough at the World Deaf Games. Representatives were Adrian Winterburn, John Lovell, Kaz Witko, Thelma May (Coach).
















NZSL Stories


1961
Object – Taonga source: John McRae
John McRae’s Wrestling Bronze Medal: World Deaf Games, Helsinki 1961


NZSL Stories


1964
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: Autumn 1964 (Vol. 1, No. 3)
NZSL Stories


1989
article – Taonga source: The Press
Twelve sports form busy programme
A summary of each sport featuring in the upcoming VXI World Deaf Games in Christchurch – soccer, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, handball, track and field, wrestling, cycling, swimming and badminton, with New Zealand contenders for medals.
NZSL Stories


1964
article – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Deaf Folk Conquer their Handicap
On a recent Saturday, I was lucky enough to meet members of the Auckland Deaf Society at a working bee they were holding to improve the grounds of the city's Deaf Welfare Centre. The centre, incidentially, is a very fine building – it has the biggest sports hall in Auckland with a floor area 110 by 60 feet.




NZSL Stories


1997
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Going in to bat for deaf cricketers
The New Zealand cricket team beat Australia at the Petone Recreation Ground. You would be forgiven for not knowing the match was on. Media coverage, or rather the lack of it, is a major problem for disabled sport.


1980
article – Taonga source: Zealandia
Deaf sponsor nun on trip of faith
The Wellington Catholic Deaf Association is sending a Dominican nun to conferences in Hamburg and Manchester.
NZSL Stories


1989
article – Taonga source: The Press
Drug-testing at Games
Athletes at the sixteenth World Deaf Games will be randomly tested for drug use. Athletes to be tested would be selected before events by the executive of the Committee of the International Silent Sports (CISS).
NZSL Stories


2002
video – Taonga source: Kevin and Lynette Pivac
Extended version: Deaf Rugby World Cup final – New Zealand vs Wales
Extended version: New Zealand play Wales in the Deaf Rugby World Championship final at Eden Park, Auckland in 2002.


NZSL Stories






Est. 1880
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
van Asch Deaf Education Centre (Ko Taku Reo)
van Asch Deaf Education Centre (now Ko Taku Reo; formerly Sumner School for the Deaf then van Asch School for the Deaf). The school has a long and illustrious history, with its services covering a huge geographical spread. Established in 1880, van Asch was the oldest special school establishment in New Zealand and also believed to be the oldest fully government funded residential school in the world. van Asch celebrated its 125th Anniversary in 2005. It merged with Kelston Deaf Education Centre to become Ko Taku Reo in 2020.


2002
video – Taonga source: Sara Pivac Alexander
Asia-Pacific Deaf Youth Camp, 2002
The 2nd Asia Pacific Deaf Youth camp (APDYC) held at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Turangi is featured on ‘Inside Out’. Altogether, there were 43 Deaf youths from 12 countries, 15 youth leaders, 10 interpreters and a couple of guest speakers.





1989
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones
Deaf Kiwis abroad!
Deaf New Zealanders take timeout for some sightseeing during a trip to the first, week-long Deaf Way conference in 1989 in Washington DC, USA.




1985
video – Taonga source: Tony Walton
Opening ceremony of the VX World Games for the Deaf
New Zealand sends 30 athletes to the 15th World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles, with footage of the opening ceremony. The flagbearer for New Zealand was John Ooteman, with Susie Ovens carrying the kiwi mascot. The Gallaudet Dance Company also put on a performance. Footage shows a fly by with a sign saying ‘WELCOME WORLD GAMES FOR THE DEAF’.
















NZSL Stories


2001
Object – Taonga source: Hawkes Bay Deaf Club
Framed Award of Recognition: 45 Years of Volunteer Service – Polly Forman


NZSL Stories


1985
Images – Taonga source: Margaret Coutts
Team Photo: New Zealand Deaf Sports Team, Los Angeles 1985


NZSL Stories


1990
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: Autumn/Winter 1990 (Vol. 24, No. 1)
NZSL Stories


1965
Object – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Souvenir Ribbon: New Zealand – Tenth International Games, Washington 1965






1973
article – Taonga source: Pam Witko
Teacher Of Deaf Dies, Aged 64
The principal of the School for the Deaf, Sumner, died in Christchurch today after a short illness. Herbert Pickering was 64 years old.




1981
video – Taonga source: Manawatu Deaf Society
World Deaf Games, Köln 1981
New Zealand team goes to XIV World Games for the Deaf in Köln, Germany in 1981.




NZSL Stories


1965
article – Taonga source: Mexico City Times
Participants In Olympics For Deaf Visit Mexico City
Seventeen New Zealanders, en route to the tenth annual International Games for the Deaf in Washington D.C., have been squeezing some Mexico City sightseeing into a brief lay-over during their trip. New Zealand's contingent, headed by Stewart Smith, includes a basketball team, wrestler, trackmen, table tennis players and a swimmer.


1998
Images – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Team Photo: New Zealand Deaf Ten Pin Bowling, 1998




NZSL Stories


biography
Profile
Anthony ‘Tony’ Walton (CNZM)
Tony received the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2001 for his services to the Deaf community. Tony has had a broad involvement in many areas of the Deaf community, having been President of the NZ Deaf Sports Association and successfully hosting the World Deaf Games in 1989.
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.


1985
video – Taonga source: Tony Walton
Badminton singles at WGD 1985: Post-game analysis
Watch the New Zealanders on court at the World Games for the Deaf in Los Angeles! Doug Croskery, Jonathan Anton and Janet Watts each give a post-game commentary on the outcome of badminton matches played by Carolyn Hamlin, Lindsay Bamford and Penny Went.
















NZSL Stories
















