Our NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) week ended today, and how much did we see other Deaf people celebrate our sign language around New Zealand?

There was not much at all through media such as television and social media such as Facebook. Barely to cover during the week where many Deaf people in the community were partially left out in the cold. Only a few media broadcasting, such as Breakfast Show – presenters showed the audience in sign language, and one comedy media showed us a concise display of introduction about NZSL. On Facebook, several posts from one or two Deaf organisation encouraged a few of the Deaf people in their community, which gains positive outcome.

Have another look at the video – here. https://youtu.be/rMyz5J9NopE. There is captioning in this Youtube now by clicking CC.

It is critically important to preserve our sign language for all Deaf people and children through generation many years come. Deaf adult wants the babies and children to learn to communicate in sign language as their first language. They want to share with the hearing community and tell them to stop and think about sign language rather than speaking language because any Deaf babies or children still can not hear the voice of their mother or father talking. What does it benefit for any Deaf child/student to learn to sign language or to speak? It is not about wearing the hearing aid to help them to speak or to hear any particular sounds they may not hear like you.

Some Deaf people wear cochlear implants or hearing aids, basically their choice to wear them in the workplace for safety environment or in their comfort zones. One thing is that their speech is not perfect as you!

It is not too late to learn our sign language or learn our Deaf culture and history!