2006
article – Taonga source: Unknown
NZ sign language becomes official – Capital D for deaf?
The room is full of waving hands and exaggerated facial gestures. Even though the room is silent the dozen women are "talking" with each other just as volubly as if they were having a chinwag. It is a women's only class in New Zealand's latest offical language - NZSL.
1968
video – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
A Deaf Child in the Family
“A Deaf Child in the Family” is an award-winning film which shows authentic scenes from Deaf education centres at Kelston, St Dominics and Sumner, produced as a resource for families of deaf children.
2004
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti
Connecting with Māori culture: an interview with Joanne Klaver
Raw footage of an interview with solo mother Joanne Klaver, attempting to connect with a Māori culture she was denied growing up, and one of her two sons, Charles, who is also Deaf.
2017
article – Taonga source: Hawkes Bay Today
Stories of Hawke’s Bay’s deaf school heard
Among the schooling communities in Hawke's Bay perhaps one of the most unique is the deaf community; many of whom were taught at Napier's Onekawa Deaf Unit. Their stories, heard over the past two years by resource teacher of the deaf Juliet Clarke, have now been compiled into a one-of-a-kind book 'Hearing Aid Bras and Other Stories 1969-2014.'
2017
video – Taonga source: New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters
Te Tiriti o Waitangi in New Zealand Sign Language
This resource was created for the Treaty Times Thirty project, an initiative by the New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters to translate New Zealand’s founding document, Te Tiriti of Waitangi into 30 different languages.
1968
article – Taonga source: Patreena Bryan
A life few people know
Few people with normal hearing stop to consider the daily frustrations faced by the deaf.
2012
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: March 2012
2003
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: September 2003
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
Aotearoa New Zealand Deaf History: Classroom lesson plans
SignDNA has created six lesson plans that can guide learners through some themes within the archive, such as language change, Deaf gatherings, and Deaf in the media.
1973
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: 1973 (Vol. 10, No. 2)
1988
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: Easter 1988 (Vol. 10, No. 4)
2017
article – Taonga source: Stuff
St Theresa’s School sets example for NZSL friendly schools
A Porirua school is being heralded as a great example of inclusive education. St Theresa's School in Plimmerton is the focus of a new short documentary by van Asch Deaf Education Centre, which will be used as a resource to show how to effectively integrate deaf education and culture into schools.
1997
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald
Art of surviving in silence
An interview with Abbie Twiss on World Deaf Awareness Day, and the start of New Zealand's National Deaf Awareness Week. Here, Abbie looks out from her Elam studio. "My thoughts go much faster than I can write."
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.
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.
1984
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
Job advertisement: Field officer for the deaf – Wellington
A job advertisement for a field officer for the deaf in Wellington, a resourceful person experienced in Social Work to assist deaf clients and carry out liasion and information work on matters relating to deafness.
NZSL Stories
1993
article – Taonga source: The Press
Cash-strapped deaf school axes jobs
Twenty-three of the 39 residential care staff at van Asch College were made redundant yesterday as a result of Government funding cuts last year.
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
1989
article – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Fielding school for deaf closes
New Government policy on educating disabled children has ended more than three decades of teaching deaf children at St Dominic's in Feilding.
2013
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: March 2013
1995
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald
Signs from the silent world
Deaf students have the right to equal access to tertiary education but who will pay for sign language interpreters?
biography
Profile
Lynette Pivac (MBE)
In 1996, Lynette was awarded the Member of British Empire for her services in Deaf education and sign language. She mostly initiated the development of NZSL resources, the training of NZSL tutors and involvement in NZSL teaching issues at national level. She advocated for NZSL and Deaf Studies to be introduced into Deaf education and was the first Deaf Board of Trustees Chairperson.
1980
article – Taonga source: Education News
“Deaf kids aren’t dumb you know?” 100 Years of Education for the Deaf
Van Asch College, as it will now be known, is no longer a school exclusively for the deaf.
1978
article – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Shared Benefits at Sumner
Sumner School for Deaf Children has taken an adventurous step by beginning a trial integration of a class of 'hearing' children into the school.
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
Deaf View conferences
The series of national Deaf View conferences have been organised by Deaf people in New Zealand spanning three decades. Each conference has successfully created a platform for better awareness and understanding of Deaf culture and NZSL language; and nurturing links for a stronger Deaf community at a local, national and international level. They also celebrated the rich achievements and diversity of the Deaf community over the past 30 years as well as often pointing the way forwards, for a better resourced and more empowered Deaf community.
1993
article – Taonga source: The Guardian
Top Communicator
Local man Lindsay Jones has a national reputation as a skilful storyteller. Unless more people learn sign language, however, that recognition is likely to remain limited mainly to the deaf community.
2012
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Deaf Southern Star: 2012 (Vol. 34, No. 4)
2004
video – Taonga source: Rūaumoko Komiti
The Māori Deaf world: Interviews with Whiti Ronaki, Stephanie Awheto and Michael Wi
This raw, edited footage consists of interviews with Whiti Ronaki, Michael Wi and Stephanie Awheto - a trilingual interpreter, on topics relevant in the Māori Deaf world.
1952
article – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Dream Of Deaf People Is Taking Shape – They Will Build A Hall For Themselves
We want a place where deaf people, young and old, can meet together. This is the dream of the Auckland Deaf Adult Society, described by the secretary, Jack Pollard. It is a dream which today is beginning to take real shape.
NZSL Stories
1989
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Journal: December 1989 (Vol. 3, No. 4)
