Videos

Zenos Tamihana comes from a large, loving family that cares deeply about his communication needs. He is a lively, happy young boy who loves sports and attends Kelston Primary School in Auckland. Zenos has a teacher who is Deaf herself and uses NZSL in class. Zenos thrives at home and at school largely thanks to full access to language and communication.

The Birthday Carnival held annually at Western Springs were a lucrative way of raising money in the early fifties. The Auckland Deaf Society via the Friends of the Deaf were raising funds for a new hall building.

Susan Thomas talks about her many life experiences, love of sports, and what it was like to work on ‘News Review’ as a Deaf presenter in the late 1980s.

Owen Gibbons shares some life experiences in this video shot at his home in Auckland. Using various photographs and props, Owen touches on his many Deaf related involvements and memories, including his times at Deaf school, his working life, his passion for Deaf sports and his family.

Footage of the St Dominic’s four-day 45th reunion depicts the cutting of the cake, friends, classmates and family catching up over a picnic on the lawn of the school grounds.

Members of the Auckland Deaf Society and friends attend the annual picnic at Orewa Beach in March 1969.

The New Zealand Deaf athletes are welcomed back home at the Auckland Airport! New Zealand sent a team of 13 players and officials to the 2009 Taipei Summer Deaflympics. Michael Lynch won gold for karate, with Kerry Titcombe also obtaining bronze in karate.

The Manawatu Deaf Society Sports Section celebrates its annual End of Year Prizegiving evening at the Clubrooms, with happy hour, dancing, speeches, raffle prizes at a time when smoking was still allowed inside the clubroom!

Mai Time made one of their episodes accessible in NZSL to mark Deaf Awareness Week 1999. KDEC’s sign singing choir and Patrick Thompson made an appearance along with as did Rūaumoko Marae’s kapa haka roopu.

Deaf Youth in New Zealand sharing experiences and stories from their lives.

With 31st October falling on a Saturday in 1998, Manawatu Deaf Society takes the opportunity to host a Halloween party! The kids in particular look genuinely terrifying, with prizes for the best dressed child and adult!

Annual school sports day at the large grounds at Mt Wellington, with the school surrounded by farmland. The Titirangi children travelled to Mt Wellington by buses. Mt Wellington closed once the Kelston hostel block opened in 1960.

A 43-minute documentary taking you through the history of Auckland Deaf Society, the second home of the Deaf community of Auckland.

The National Film Unit visits Sumner School for the Deaf to film a typical day at the school.

Deaf Aucklanders make their way down to Wellington in a van for the Labour Weekend sports. Stopping on the way, they prepare for a day of sports and socialising.

Black and white footage of a group of Christchurch Deaf men with their bicycles chatting to the camera excitedly before riding on the road, and signing at the same time!

'Strangers' was a TVNZ-produced drama series, including one Deaf character played by 7-year-old Sonia Pivac. This short documentary is a brief look behind the scenes of the filming process.

Coverage of the Netball tournament at the NZ Deaf Sports Convention, Christchurch 1979.

Deaf members of the Auckland Adult Deaf Society clear the Balmoral Road property before construction of the main hall.

See Hear reports on the New Zealand Deaf Rugby team’s tour of the UK in 1998.

We’re alongside Sarah who is Deaf and preparing to give birth to her first child. Having been there twice before, Deaf parents Victoria and Greg, are on hand for advice.

Heather Campbell, a Teacher of the Deaf, talks about the need for Deaf children and their families to have access to language early in life. This episode screened during Deaf Awareness Week in 1986.

The popular Sign Singers are the first act to perform at the 1981 Telethon Live at the Auckland Town Hall.

A compressed version of a three-part series about the Marlins, Auckland’s Deaf rugby team. The guys are followed on and off the field and in the run up to the biggest game of the season.

Annual Parent’s Day at Kelston School for the Deaf, with rides (horses, fire tank and alike!), performances and end-of-year prizes.

John McRae is filmed at his home in Napier where he lived with his wife Verna. John explains some highlights from his life story including his experiences at school, travelling the world for Deaf sports, and his involvement in the Deaf community. The video includes his commentary of various photos and objects in their house.

A video with six rangatahi communicating their stories of being young Turi Māori (Māori Deaf). The topics they discuss include recognition and acknowledgement of Deaf people in the past, Dame Whina Cooper and the impact of Kelston Deaf Education Centre.

Parents and teenagers don't always see eye to eye, but what if they speak a different language? This CODA family, with Deaf parents, is learning how to keep the lines of communication.

A turi (deaf) filmmaker hopes to create a TV series entirely in NZSL to showcase the language to the world. Jared Flitcroft (Ngāti Maniapoto) enjoys telling stories from all kinds of people and perspectives but says stories from the Māori deaf community are imperative.

A glimpse into the Auckland Deaf Centre, showing Deaf people playing pool, badminton, reading, having coffee and talking in sign language.