1980
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: September 1980 (Vol. 3, No. 3)
1960
article – Taonga source: The Auckland Star
A winter treat for the deaf
A group of 44 deaf youngsters from Kelston School for the Deaf take a two-day visit to the Ruapehu snowfields.
1965
video – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
St Dominic’s gives a Catholic education to Deaf boys and girls
Several clips of teaching and classroom scenes at St Dominic’s School for the Deaf, with one-on-one speech therapy, oral communication methods, a physical education class, the Rotarians Picnic Drive, playing with jet aeroplanes, folk dancing and their annual Christmas party.
1998
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones
Happy Halloween: Manawatu Deaf Society
With 31st October falling on a Saturday in 1998, Manawatu Deaf Society takes the opportunity to host a Halloween party! The kids in particular look genuinely terrifying, with prizes for the best dressed child and adult!
1990
video – Taonga source: Rodney Roberts
Wrap-up Christmas party at Deaf Society of Canterbury
Deaf Society of Canterbury on Armagh Street celebrates the end of 1990 with a wrap-up Christmas party, and a few speeches!
1991
video – Taonga source: Deaf Society of Canterbury
‘An Oriental Evening’: Golf Club fundraiser
The Christchurch Golf Club hosts a fundraiser at the Armagh Street Clubrooms, organising a social evening - with participants encouraged to come in Chinese Fancy Dress. Origami folding and calligraphy were some of the games on the night. Watch to see who won the compulsory fancy-dress parade!
1987
video – Taonga source: Deaf Society of Canterbury
Social Evening: Wrapping up the 32nd NZ Games for the Deaf
The 32nd New Zealand Games for the Deaf wrapped up with a presentation dinner-and-dance evening at Addington Raceway’s ‘Twiggers’ on Sunday 25th October 1987. A jam-packed evening with plenty of talking, sitting down, a buffet meal, dancing to live music, and group photos, with the venue closing 1.30am!
NZSL Stories
1988
video – Taonga source: Deaf Society of Canterbury
Black and White Fancy Dress Fundraiser for 1989 WGD Christchurch
The Black and White themed Fancy Dress party at Christchurch Deaf Society on 28th May 1988 was a fundraiser for the World Games for the Deaf. Creative members dressed-up as prisoners, punk rockers, Spanish costume dress with bolero, nuns, waitresses, and rugby league players!
NZSL Stories
1979
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: June 1979 (Vol. 2, No. 2)
NZSL Stories
2011
article – Taonga source: Stuff
Special votes win deaf MP a seat
Mojo Mathers' rise to Parliament has been labelled a success not just for the Green Party, but also for the New Zealand deaf community.
2009
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: February 2009
NZSL Stories
1982
article – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Coping in a hearing world
Rachel Noble and Donna Allen, both 17 and profoundly deaf, talk about their experiences in education.
1979
video – Taonga source: Dennis Tod
Old-Time Fancy Dress party, Christchurch 1979
A fancy dress party is held at the Canterbury Deaf Society’s clubrooms.
2016
article – Taonga source: Manawatū Standard
Teaching the deaf since 1973
Teaching for almost 50 years has proved a rewarding career for Terry O'Brien, who has witnessed the development of deaf education. He has seen the transition of deaf education from an emphasis on teaching verbally and through text, to an emphasis on Signed English then NZSL in the 90s.
1981
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: March 1981 (Vol. 18, 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.
2015
publication – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Absolutely Positively Windy Deaf: May 2015
NZSL Stories
1993
video – Taonga source: Hilda Tamepo
John & Laura Hunt’s farewell party
A farewell party is thrown for John and Laura Hunt at the Auckland Deaf Society, prior to their move to Melbourne. The farewell was attended by over 100 members of the Auckland Deaf community.
1970
video – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Teaching the Deaf: St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Feilding
What was school life was like for pupils who attended St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Feilding? Footage includes hearing tests, classroom teaching, and celebrating a pupil’s 5th birthday with his classmates, before Mass with the Sisters.
1991
article – Taonga source: The Chronicle
Coping with deafness in a hearing world
Cushla and Brian talk about their lives – being Deaf, their experiences at school, employment, and communication.
1964
article – Taonga source: Colleen Norris
Special service as deaf marry
Two totally deaf people were married in the Ruawai Methodist Church on Saturday in a service specially modified for the deaf. Mr Moore had spent many hours modifying the service and consulting with the principal of the School for the Deaf, Dr D. Dale.
NZSL Stories
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
1990
article – Taonga source: NZ Listener
That’s the way we sign it
For most of the week, the deaf in New Zealand are shut off from the television communication the rest of us take for granted. But for half an hour each Sunday, they can join the rest of the world, through a special programme called News Review.
2002
video – Taonga source: Sonia Pivac
In memory of Wallace Williams: A Deaf life!
A montage celebrating Wallace Williams’ life and his contribution to the Auckland Deaf community.
NZSL Stories
2009
article – Taonga source: Manawatū Standard.
Scott on mission to learn more
Palmerston North's Annette Scott is hoping to learn how to involve more deaf people in sport when she goes to the Deaflympics in Taiwan next week. Scott is going as New Zealand's Chef de Mission in a 13-strong tour party, which includes six athletes.
NZSL Stories
2021
video – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Wellington Deaf Society: Welcome Home Party!
Wellington Deaf Society finally has a new home, a new Deaf Club! A formal opening on Saturday 24 April 2021 to celebrate its new building since selling its Marion Street building in 2015.
1991
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald
The sounds of silence
Turn the light on, so I can hear what you're saying. It's an old line, but a favourite one among us hearing-impaired people, because it points up how we "hear" with our eyes as surely as blind people "see" with their fingers or their ears.
NZSL Stories
2003
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones
Auckland’s ‘Deaf Grandmother’ celebrates her 90th at ADS!
Kathleen French, Auckland’s ‘Deaf Grandmother’ and a life member of Auckland Deaf Society celebrates her 90th birthday party at the Balmoral clubroom on 24 May 2003 with approximately 140 people attending.
1999
video – Taonga source: Rodney Roberts
Rodney’s Deaf Saturday
Rodney Roberts takes us through the typical Saturday of a Deaf Wellingtonian, with the Manawatu Deaf boys playing a game of rugby (and being well beaten 47 to 7), before taking us on a tour through a Wellington Deaf Society event to farewell an international interpreter.
2000
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones
Black theme fancy dress party at Manawatu Deaf Society!
Members somehow manage to find black clothing in their wardrobes and attend a black themed party at MDS. It is also a special evening to award a life membership to Keith Gordon for his contributions over the years.