
1962
article – Taonga source: The Auckland Star
Seven to make debut at ball for the deaf
Seven young girls will make their debut at a ball to be held by the Auckland Deaf Society; they will dance the debutante walz without hearing the music.

1992
article – Taonga source: Western Leader
Marae for the deaf
A marae with a difference will open tomorrow in Kelston - it is for deaf children. Pupils of Kelston Deaf Education Centre will be able to learn more about Maori culture and marae protocol.

1997
video – Taonga source: AUT Visual Languages Section
Memories of Perry Strawson
Perry Strawson entertains with stories and funny tales from his life; what it’s like to enjoy sports and travel as a young Deaf man.

NZSL Stories


1969
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: October 1969 (Vol. 6, No. 4)
NZSL Stories


1987
article – Taonga source: Sunday Times
Getting the deaf off their hands
Auckland film-maker Ann Andrews has embarked on a project that Television New Zealand initially regarded as unpalatable last year She is making a film about deaf people. Anne is allowing the deaf to use their first language – sign language.


1968
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: 1968 (Vol. 6, No. 1)
NZSL Stories


2004
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti
Being Māori Deaf: Interview with Patrick Thompson
Raw footage of an interview with Patrick Thompson attempting to connect with a Māori culture he was denied growing up. Patrick provides a voice for Māori Deaf, to grow understanding about the challenges they face, and to promote the importance of NZSL.




1987
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Journal: June 1987 (Vol. 1, No. 2)




NZSL Stories


1973
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: 1973 (Vol. 10, No. 2)


1955
video – Taonga source: Susan Hamilton
School for the Deaf pupils visit Auckland Zoo
Deaf pupils visit Auckland Zoo and enjoy group rides on an elephant at the zoo.




NZSL Stories


1962
video – Taonga source: Susan Hamilton
Driver training for Deaf students
Two traffic officers visit Kelston to teach older Deaf students the drivers road code.




NZSL Stories


2017
video – Taonga source: Meghan Coppage
Memories of Susan Hamilton
Susan Hamilton is interviewed by Meghan Coppage, where she recounts a range of experiences from her life. From growing up at a Deaf school, to her memories of time in the Deaf community in bygone days, to seeing the changes at Kelston Deaf Education Centre including the transition to new school building.




1989
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: March 1989


NZSL Stories


1998
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Communicate: Summer 1998






1991
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Communicate: December 1991




NZSL Stories


1963-64
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: Summer 1963-64 (Vol. 1, No. 2)
NZSL Stories


2013
video – Taonga source: Attitude Pictures
Young and Deaf: Dean’s Story
Dean Buckley is a young Deaf man on a mission. Only eighteen years old, Dean's already experienced a great deal of adversity, and now he's determined to become a leader and advocate for other Deaf teenagers. First up, taking on the challenges of Youth Parliament, representing Deaf MP Mojo Mathers.




1980
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: June 1980 (Vol. 3, No. 2)


NZSL Stories


1988
article – Taonga source: NZ Woman’s Weekly
They’re naturals for the part
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.
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.




1997
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
Eunike Mose, Pasifika Deaf student
Eunike Mose, a profoundly deaf Samoan high school student, and her mother Heather, talk about the challenges of being Deaf, particularly in relation to the family’s Pasifika heritage, and education.






1985
video – Taonga source: Victoria University of Wellington
First interpreting course graduation – 1985
The Sign Language Interpreting course graduation ceremony September 1985, after 14 weeks training.




2017
article – Taonga source: Western Leader.
Milestone in deaf education
A multimillion dollar education centre is helping deaf students communicate. More than 400 people attended the opening of the Kelston Deaf Education Centre (KDEC) rebuild on February 28, 2017.




2011
video – Taonga source: Asia Downunder
I’m Deaf, Let’s Talk
Meet Karishma Mohan, one of the faces of NZSL Week 2011. Here, we get a glimpse of Karishma's life – both home, work and socially. She is studying to become a teacher with a practicum at Kelston Deaf Education Centre's pre-school.




1959
video – Taonga source: Susan Hamilton
Sports Day at Kelston School for the Deaf
The School for Deaf annual sports day is held at Kelston with athletics, long jumping, relay races and performances.




NZSL Stories


1965
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: Spring 1965 (Vol. 3, No. 1)
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.


1996
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
A look into the new bilingual approach at Kelston Deaf Education Centre
One of the goals of 1996’s Deaf Awareness Week was to better educate New Zealanders about New Zealand Sign Language, and as part of this, One Network News visited Kelston Deaf Education Centre in Auckland. KDEC which has a new bilingual teaching method using both NZSL and English.






1991
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
Two Deaf children sign a karakia
A karakia, the Lord’s Prayer, is given by two Deaf children using NZSL for the ‘Marae’ television series. This clip also contains Māori captions of the te reo Māori lyrics.






1989
video – Taonga source: Deaf Aotearoa
National Foundation for the Deaf promotional video
National Foundation for the Deaf produce a promotional video explaining their role and the purpose of their member organisations.


NZSL Stories
















