1989
article – Taonga source: Christchurch Star
More than 1300 involved
About 100 interpreters have been trained in Christchurch over the last year. The classes were organised by the hearing people but the deaf were the teachers. It is only the second time that New Zealand sign language has been taught in this country.
NZSL Stories
1984
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: Autumn 1984 (Vol. 7, No. 1)
2001
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Loud and clear
The deaf community believes it has been misunderstood and misinterpreted for too long. Now it wants to be seen and heard as a group with its own cultural identity.
1993
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Communicate: March 1993
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.
2014
article – Taonga source: The Wellingtonian
A modern tale of two deaf children
Deaf pupil Rahui Lee, 11, leads the year 7 and 8 class in a sign language game of mastermind, in which pupils have to guess a mystery four-digit number by signing.
2023
article – Taonga source: Bay of Plenty Times
Deaf couple use sign language to organise building a new house
A new house build can be a challenging time for a young couple. But Gregory and Victoria Lessing are also deaf, and undertook a house build from scratch using NZSL.
1991
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones
NZSL Tutors attend an intensive City Lit Training course in London
In the history of NZSL teaching, perhaps the most important development was when 8 NZSL tutors attended a two-week intensive teaching course in London in 1991. Watch this condensed version (taking from almost 29 hours of footage!) to get a sense of what the training was like.
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
1989
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: Spring 1989 (Vol. 23, No. 3)
NZSL Stories
1987
article – Taonga source: The Press
All the world is a stage – for the deaf, too
“Speaking hands, hearing eyes” is the title of an Australian folk song about the deaf. It is also the dictum by which Anne Tweedie lives and why she has started a Theatre for the Deaf.
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.
1969
article – Taonga source: NZ Woman’s Weekly
In A Silent World
Social Welfare Officer and organising secretary of The Friends of the Deaf in Auckland hopes to provide housing via several units to be known as the Eddowes Memorial Village.
1994
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
A Deafening Silence
A ‘Frontline’ documentary that touches upon an on-going topic - Deaf Education - in the Deaf community, not only in New Zealand but worldwide as well. In 2019, the message remains as familiar as it was twenty-five years ago.
2003
publication – Taonga source: Oticon Foundation
Soundscape: September 2003
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.
1990
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Journal: March 1990 (Vol. 4, No. 1)
NZSL Stories
2022
article – Taonga source: The Northern Advocate
Northland marae set up te reo and deaf sign programmes to grow national languages
Twenty marae across Northland want to grow the number of whānau who can speak te reo Māori ... in sign language. An eight week course, He Aha, is about to get under way to help whānau improve communication with tangata turi.
1981
article – Taonga source: NZ Listener
Letter to the Editor: Total communication
Bruce McHattie, having just returned from a world conference for the deaf in Rome, says that New Zealand is so far behind in the rest of the world in services for the deaf.
NZSL Stories
1970
article – Taonga source: The Times.
Problem that too often falls on ‘deaf ears’…
In Hamilton, there are four deaf units, three at Hamilton West and one at Melville Intermediate. Next year there is going to be a deaf unit at Melville High School.
1991
article – Taonga source: Unknown
Signs break the ice
Lower Hutt's Myra Sullivan showing hearing people how to use sign language at a workshop for the deaf held at Wellington College of Education yesterday.
1941-1971
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE
The National Film Unit
From 1941 to 1950, the National Film Unit produced the Weekly Review and from 1952 to 1971, the Pictorial Parade. Government owned, the Unit’s work included visits to schools to show the country positive stories about the future of New Zealand and the good work that was being done. This included visits to Sumner and St Dominic’s School for Deaf Children.
1974
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
Deaf News of New Zealand: 1974 (Vol. 11, No. 3)
NZSL Stories
1984
article – Taonga source: Mary Johnson
New Lynn Lions Club sponsor deaf youths on an exchange overseas
The New Lynn Lions Club has scored a first. The club is the first in the country to sponsor deaf youths on an exchange overseas. It is sending Sally Robertson (19) and Lyndon Malcolm (19), both of Titirangi, to Oregon for about eight weeks.
biography
Profile
John Rua (Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal)
John Rua is a Master Carver, a living tohunga in his art. He has carved thousands of stunning artefacts which have been displayed in maraes and museums across the country, including the carving of Te Tira Hou meeting house in Auckland, Ohope Marae in Whatakane and Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum in the South Island. His most noticeable achievement was training carvers at the Ngā Hau e Whā National Marae in Christchurch, a project which took 8 years to complete.
1989
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
The play ‘Children of a Lesser God’
This TV series (Sunday Magazine) looks at some of the projects young people are getting involved in. This clip is about acting in a play about Deaf people, in which Patty Still has been teaching the hearing cast NZSL for their roles.
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.
1989
article – Taonga source: The Press
Interpreters spent year on training
Nearly 90 Christchurch people have spent the last year training to be interpreters at the World Games for the Deaf, with about 50 deaf people teaching the volunteers their language.
NZSL Stories
1989
article – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Sign language boost
Research on the complex sign language that deaf New Zealanders have created could push education authorities to recognise the language's authenticity. It has taken an American linguist to document the distinctive language.
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.