1955
video – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Sports Convention picnic at Motukarara, 1955
During the 1955 Sports Convention hosted in Christchurch, a picnic is held at Motukarara, by Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury.
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
1990
video – Taonga source: Tony Clews
Australian Deaf Rugby League Team: New Zealand Tour
A homemade Sydney documentary on the Australian Deaf Rugby league team’s tour of New Zealand in 1990 from preparation, the tour, the tests, and triumphant return home.
NZSL Stories
1982
article – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Fees for hearing dogs irk
Local bodies in the Wellington region are still inconsistent about the reductions they offer in dog registration fees for deaf owners, says the New Zealand Association of the Deaf.
NZSL Stories
1987
article – Taonga source: Los Angeles Times
Dictionary of Signs: CSUN Gets Book, Gratitude of New Zealand Deaf
The CSUN library is given a copy of 'Introduction to New Zealand Sign Language', the first published dictionary of the native language of New Zealand's 6,000 deaf with 1,200 signs.
1984
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: Summer 1984 (Vol. 7, No. 4)
1973
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News
NZ Deaf News: 1973 (Vol. 10, No. 2)
2009
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: February 2009
NZSL Stories
1985
article – Taonga source: Wellington Deaf Society
Representing his country at deaf games
Paparangi's Kaz Witko will be representing New Zealand at the World Deaf Games in Los Angeles later this year. At 36, Kaz is no stranger to playing sport for his country.
NZSL Stories
1987
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: December 1987 (Vol. 10, No. 3)
1990
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Journal: December 1990 (Vol. 4, No. 4)
NZSL Stories
1997
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive
A kōrero with Riwia Fox, Māori NZSL interpreter
Riwia Fox, an interpreter is interviewed about her work as a trilingual interpreter. At that time, Riwia was one of only two qualified NZSL interpreters in New Zealand who are Māori, with the other being Stephanie Awheto.
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
1951
video – Taonga source: Owen Gibbons
Day trip to Helensville Hot Pools
A group of Deaf people make a trip to the Helensville Hot Pools 1951.
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.
1992
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald
Treatment of deaf man is modern horror story
The documentary 'The Remand of Ivan Curry (One, Sunday 9.35) was the story of how a man could spend two years in a New Zealand prison without trial. A deaf man arrested for a murder he did not commit who was kept in jail through lack of police investigation then turned back onto the streets with nothing, not even an apology.
NZSL Stories
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.
1995
Images – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf Rugby
Team Photo: New Zealand Deaf Rugby Football Union, New Zealand v South Africa, 1995
NZSL Stories
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
1969
article – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
Sole N.Z. entrant for Deaf Games
Coventry was selected as a sole member of the New Zealand team to attend the July Deaf Olympics in Yugoslavia.
NZSL Stories
1981
article – Taonga source: The Press
Deaf field officer for Christchurch
A field officer for the deaf, Mr David Chilwell, a former president of the Christchurch Deaf Club, has been appointed in Christchurch as a result of a grant from the Lottery Funds Board.
NZSL Stories
1957
article – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society
10 Deaf Debutantes at a Ball
For the first time in the history of New Zealand, ten deaf debutantes were presented at a ball last night. The guests of honour were Mr D. Nathan, president of the Friends of the Deaf, Mr C. Allen, principal of the School for the Deaf at Titangi, and Mr W. Williams, president of the Auckland Adult Deaf Society.
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.
1978
article – Taonga source: Courier News
New Deaf Unit at Hutt Valley College
Nine third-formers, all described as "profoundly deaf", began secondary school this year at Hutt Valley Memorial Technical College.
1991
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
NFD Journal: June 1991 (Vol. 5, No. 2)
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.
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.
2004
video – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
St Dominic’s 60th Jubilee
Ex-pupils talk about their memories and tell stories about St Dominic’s at the 60th reunion in Feilding, during Waitangi Weekend in 2004.
1980
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
Ephpheta: December 1980 (Vol. 3, No. 4)
biography
Profile
Patrick Thompson (QSM)
Patrick was of Ngati Paoa/Ngati Whanaunga descent. He was instrumental in organising the first National Hui for Māori Deaf in 1993. Throughout his career, Patrick acted as an advisor to many groups in the Māori and Deaf communities. Patrick was a strong advocate for training and supporting more trilingual interpreters, and for empowering Māori Deaf people to have greater access to both mainstream society and Māori tikanga.