1969
article – Taonga source: The Auckland Star
They’re shut out-lonely and deaf
Trevor Fear, Auckland's newly-appointed deaf welfare officer talks about his experiences, the deaf community and their needs.
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
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
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.'
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.
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.
1984
article – Taonga source: The Evening Post
Ban the foolhardy from mountains?
What right did Robert Muldoon have to order seven deaf Japanese climbers off Mt Cook? Will his action mean that in future any climber will need prime ministerial sanction before he or she can proceed?
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.
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.
1996
article – Taonga source: Taranaki Daily News
Lobbying pays off for deaf community
Three years of lobbying for more support has finally borne fruit for the Taranaki deaf community. An office of the Deaf Association opened in New Plymouth this week, to provide needs assessment, information and some interpretation services for deaf people.
NZSL Stories
2003
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: September 2003
1973
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: 1973 (Vol. 10, No. 2)
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.
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."
1985
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
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 liaison and information work on matters relating to deafness.
NZSL Stories
2013
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Deaf Southern Star: 2013 (Vol. 35, No. 1)
NZSL Stories
2014
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: February 2014
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.
1989
article – Taonga source: The Dominion
Board of trustees accepts extra challenges at school for deaf
Board member Ava Buzzard, who has been deaf since birth, is excited by the chance to have a greater role in a school she has been involved with for many years.
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
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.
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.
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.
biography
Profile
Jennifer Brain (QSM)
Jennifer received the Queens Service Medal in 2007 for services to the New Zealand Deaf Community. She was well known for her leadership with the New Zealand Association for the Deaf. Jennifer became the first Deaf Leadership Tutor promoting community and Deaf youth leadership, before becoming the first Deaf Chief Executive Officer in 1999. Through her work, Jennifer was ahead of her time with the strategic planning of many Deaf community projects including Deaf awareness and Deaf leadership.
1997
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
The modern NZSL dictionary is launched
The modern dictionary of New Zealand Sign Language has been launched, and the 'Tonight' crew visit Kelston Deaf Education Centre to see Deaf students and their NZSL tutors making good use of the resource.
2014
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Deaf Southern Star: 2014 (Vol. 36, No. 3)
Est. 1958
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
Kelston Deaf Education Centre (Ko Taku Reo)
Kelston Deaf Education Centre (now Ko Taku Reo; previously Kelston School for the Deaf). Kelston was established on a site in Archibald Road in 1958. The school had relocated firstly from Titirangi, then from Mt Wellington. KDEC used to provide education in a range of satellite classes throughout Auckland the upper North Island. Kelston, which also hosts Rūaumoko Marae, merged with van Asch Deaf Education Centre to become Ko Taku Reo in 2020.
2012
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Deaf Southern Star: 2012 (Vol. 34, No. 4)
1991
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Deaf find unfair hearings in court
Deaf people have had unfair trials through lack of interpreters telling them what is happening in courts.
NZSL Stories
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.