Tukua te wairua kia rere ki ngā taumata
Hai ārahi i ā tātou mahi
Me tā tātou whai i ngā tikanga a rātou mā
Kia mau kia ita
Kia kore ai e ngaro
Kia pupuri
Kia whakamaua
Kia tina! TINA! Hui e! TĀIKI E!
Allow one’s spirit to exercise its potential
To guide us in our work as well as in our pursuit of our ancestral traditions
Take hold and preserve it
Ensure it is never lost
Hold fast.
Secure it.
Draw together! Affirm!
Many years ago, there were no Deaf churches for D/deaf people, D/deaf with disabilities, and Hard of Hearing people in New Zealand. But they were feeling left out during the sermon/service/funeral/christening and Bible group. Why that?
The problem is the communication barriers where there was no one to interpreter the whole service or the minister/pastor to use sign language in New Zealand.
The earliest Deaf Church was in Nelson, South Island, but Jean continued researching this location. The first Deaf church was in Auckland, and it ran by Rev. Trevor Fear and assisted by Jim Owen in 1971. Rev Trevor was a former Welfare Officer for the Deaf. Late Rev Edna Garner – a family/friend to Jean and her family over many years, ran the Methodist Church for the Deaf in Auckland and Hamilton until her retirement. Celia King was the pastor/counsellor in the Deaf community until she (as a pastor) stepped down. Rev Sandra Gibbons took her role until she stepped down due to her personal decision.
One Catholic school for the Deaf in Fielding called St Dominic School for the Deaf. Jean remembers Sister Mary Johnson and the late Daniel Beech, who ran the Catholic Deaf Ministry in New Zealand around the 1950s until his death. Daniel was a Pastor for the Deaf Community, based in St Mary’s Bay, Auckland. Jean remembers Sister Mary Johnson (now Mary Johnson) and late Daniel (Danny) Beech who ran the Catholic Deaf Ministry in New Zealand until Danny’s death. The Deaf Catholic Ministry is still running in Auckland. Note Danny was a Pastor for the Deaf community, based in St Mary’s Bay, Auckland.
https://signdna.org/feature/daniel-beech/ and the website here http://One Catholic school for the Deaf in Fielding called St Dominic School for the Deaf.
We received many supporters from the churches from 1983. Late Rev Moke Couch, late Rev Tony Clarke, late Rev. William (Bill) Morrison, retired Rev B Neal, ArchBishop and Primate David Moxon, retired Emeritus Denis Browne. There were Charles Fenwick and late Des Jack under the Methodist Parishes.
Late Rev Edna Garner, Mirriam and I went to the Methodist Conferences several times and spoke about the Deaf Christian people and their church and Bible groups needs. Jean and her family have known them for many years through churches. The Methodist Church established a trust fund for the Deaf Ministry through the late Rev Edna, and Rev B. Neal and Jean was the trustee for the Hamilton for ten years maximum.
Today, there are several small Deaf Churches around New Zealand under different religious beliefs. The main struggle is reading the Bible and understanding the Bible due to literacy and no sign language to help many D/deaf people and D/deaf with disabilities people. There was a significant need to support many D/deaf people in the prisons, the network of social services where Jean is currently working, counselling services, mental health services. For example, late Tony Clarke, late Rev Moke and Charles bought us awareness of the gangs and their disabled family members. There were close friends to my mother and our parish over many years. Late Rev Tony bought a Deaf Māori with a disability through Hamilton Deaf Fellowship many years ago. She was shy and non-verbal communication with everyone, but she used her sign language as gestures. We helped her open up and become more friendly with us in a group and her home. It took her approximately five years as she became a bubbly and joyful person to everyone. Late Tony was pleased with her outcome to blend into the Māori whanau.
Here are many photos in the gallery from 1989 in Hamilton.
