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 47-7!). The Rahui Rugby Football Club was very supportive of its Deaf team made up largely of Deaf boys from the Manawatu region – Palmerston North and Wellington – with sponsorship and petrol vouchers. This arrangement was in place for a few years while the Central boys, kitted out in red and black jersey here, trained for the national Easter Weekend rugby tournaments. The Rahui Rugby Football Club based at Otaki Domain was a good location for Deaf boys travelling from Palmerston North or Wellington. While a number of hearing boys played in the team, it was predominantly Deaf.
After the game at Otaki Domain, the boys then head to Wellington Deaf Society on Marion Street for a farewell party for Julie Watkins, a Welsh interpreter, who will be leaving in three weeks time after a stint interpreting in Wellington. Rodney, the then Vice-President of Wellington Deaf Society, takes the viewer through a tour of its Marion Street clubrooms and introduces us to some of its members.
