Memories of Perry Strawson

1997 •

Perry Strawson entertains with stories and funny tales from his life; what it’s like to enjoy sports and travel as a young Deaf man.

Perry Strawson shares his story of life growing up in New Zealand. Beginning from when he was diagnosed as being deaf to moving and growing up in Auckland. Perry shares a glimpse of his life as a Deaf young man in New Zealand as he finds his way through playing a range of sports and travelling around Australia.

Perry shares his experiences of working to help build the Sky Tower and Sky City Casino, his views on which is better – rugby league or rugby union and his views on schooling of Deaf children in New Zealand. Included are tales of Perry’s life, including his vast travels across Australia, almost losing his fingers at work and why you shouldn’t kick a police officer.

NZSL story – Taonga source: Michelle Kruger

Taking the Shot: Representing New Zealand in Deaf Squash

One night at the ADS Balmoral Clubroom, Michelle Kruger was asked if she’d play in the World Deaf Squash Championships, hosted in Palmerston North. She jumped at the chance and began training, learning the sport’s rules and techniques. Competing against players from South Africa, Australia, and England, Michelle found the international level intense and eye-opening – a big leap from playing against local Auckland players to facing the world’s best.

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Mansell

Part 3: Making a Statement in Christchurch

In 1986, John moved to Christchurch for work as a supervisor and continued refereeing. He was warmly welcomed into the local rugby league scene and received several awards for his efforts. In one memorable game on the outskirts of Christchurch, a hearing coach was badmouthing John from the sideline. John caught it from the corner of his eye, blew the whistle, and firmly told the coach to be quiet using clear gestures. The coach was stunned that a Deaf referee had spotted it. The crowd erupted in support. After the match, John simply said, “Deaf can do it.”

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Mansell

Part 1: John’s First Whistle – A Deaf Ref Takes the Field

John shares how he got into rugby league refereeing after approaching a ref at his local Glenora Bears club, where he used to play. His first game was in Manurewa, and both teams were told in advance that the referee was deaf. The match was even filmed, with none other than the Mad Butcher, Peter Leitch, watching from the sidelines keeping a close eye on John. He rose to the challenge. John used clear, sharp signals and wasn’t afraid to use his voice to keep the game moving. He even added some of his own flair – a bold “I’ve had enough!” gesture. He got a big thumbs up from the Mad Butcher and was later picked to referee the final of the season. That same year, he was also given an award for his refereeing.

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Mansell

Part 2: Refereeing Across Regions – Hawke’s Bay to Wellington

After his time with the Auckland Rugby League Referees Association, John moved to Hawke’s Bay where he continued refereeing while settling into a new job. He quickly adapted to their systems and wasn’t shy about calling out fights or handing out penalties. His gestures were sharp and clear, especially when sending someone to the sin bin for ten minutes. Later, he moved to Wellington where his name was already known. Although there was some hesitation at first, John worked hard to ease concerns and became a popular and respected referee. Clubs often invited him to events, but he kept things modest and only accepted one pint.

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Mansell

Part 4: Flying the Flag as a Deaf Referee

In 1990, John was stunned to be selected as the New Zealand XV referee for an international tour to England and France. He embraced the experience, swapped ties with other referees, and visited the Leeds Deaf Club. England won the match 25 to 11. Later, John passed a refereeing exam to move up a level and went on to officiate another international between New Zealand and France, where France won by just one point. No issues were raised about his performance. He was proud to show that a Deaf referee could do the job just as well as anyone else.

NZSL story – Taonga source: John Mansell

Kelston on Tour: A Hard-Fought Win in Russell

John shares a memorable rugby trip with Kelston School for the Deaf to play in Russell in 1961, coached by teachers Aspen and Brown. After taking the ferry from Paihia, students were billeted with local families. John’s hosts were baffled when they saw him doing press-ups to get ready for the game. After watching the girls' netball match, it was his turn on the field, playing as hooker. Kelston came out strong, scoring a try straight away. John added another try later, sealing a 9-6 win for Kelston in a game that turned rough by halftime.

Perry Strawson

Taonga source:

AUT Visual Languages Section

Original format:

VHS

Reference number:

SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, AUT003-01-LS97

Copyright status:

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Note:

This item has been compressed and/or edited.

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