The man behind the photos
Ko taku reo taku ohooho, ko taku reo taku mapihi mauria ( My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul.)
This well-known quote highlights that language is not only a means of communication but is also central to Māori identity and spiritual awareness.
The photos depict many D/deaf individuals, their families, and friends at the New Zealand Parliament in Wellington on 6 April 2006. Who is the photographer behind these images?
His name is Royce, a Deaf senior with a passion for photography. His interests include trains, photo restoration, and sports. I have supported Royce in the past, assisting with his needs and health prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. We have remained in contact since his move away from Hamilton.
What was his experience with the recognition of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), both before and after it became official? His video can be seen in this link here.
https://youtu.be/ELDGTsmUBAU?feature=shared
For the past 20 years, Royce has photographed the Deaf community and Deaf Aotearoa, documenting the celebration of the official language. Until recently, his contributions went unacknowledged and uncredited. See the quote posted last week. May 2026.
“We will be acknowledging your photo at the NZSL Awards and making it clear that it was you who took the photo.
Regards
Lachlan Keating – CEO Deaf Aotearoa”
When the first people arrived in Aotearoa, there was no official language. Te Reo Māori was the sole language in New Zealand until the 19th century, when explorers, whalers, traders, missionaries, and convicts arrived. Without a written language, Māori communicated through symbolism. Carvings, knots, and weavings recorded stories, while traditional songs and dances conveyed myths and folklore.
In 1814, the European missionaries first attempted to transcribe Te Reo Māori.
ہم کو مٹا سکے یہ زمانے میں دم نہیں
ہم سے زمانہ خود ہے زمانے سے ہم نہیں
This is a couplet by the Urdu poet Jigar Muradabadi, which roughly means: The world is not powerful enough to erase us. The world is because of us; we are not because of the world. https://e-tangata.co.nz/reo/language-imperialism-is-alive-and-well-in-new-zealand/
There are no records of Deaf people using sign language in New Zealand prior to their arrival between 1600 and 1900. However, Dorcas Mitchell served as a teacher and governess for Deaf children in the Bradley family and other families in the South Island between 1878 and 1900. This is documented in historical newspapers, government records, and journals.
The historical context indicates that deaf people were present in New Zealand before 1840:
- Māori Deaf Community: It is likely that Deaf Māori (tangata turi Māori) lived within tribal societies, although there is no reliable documented evidence of their specific experiences prior to European colonisation. They would have functioned within their communities, likely using early forms of indigenous sign language.
- Settlers and Immigrants: With the arrival of missionaries, traders, and whalers from Britain and Scotland in the early 19th century, it is probable that some deaf people who used early forms of British Sign Language (BSL) were among the arrivals, as the two cultures
- Pre-1840 Context: Missionaries and traders began settling in New Zealand from the early 19th century. Early deaf residents likely relied on family support and informal communication methods.
- Early Deaf Individuals: While specific, identified individuals are not widely documented before 1840, many deaf children born to early settlers or Māori were later educated in schools in Britain and Australia, returning to New Zealand in subsequent years (particularly around the 1860s and 1870s).
- Māori Perspective: Early Māori perspectives often viewed disability as part of human and whānau (family) diversity, rather than an individual flaw, which likely impacted how early Māori deaf people were integrated into their communities.
In the early NZ census, 94 Deaf people lived here. This information was extracted from Paperspast website – Otago Daily Times, Issue 5695, 21 May 1880, page 7.
- 3 under 5 years old
- 20 under 10 years old
- 19 under 15 years old
- 19 under 20 years old
- 2 between 70 years old and 75 years old
A notable example of a deaf hawker in the early days of New Zealand is Samuel Weller, who was listed in records as a “deaf and dumb Hawker”. Digital New Zealand
https://digitalnz.org/records/44161921/samuel-weller-deaf-and-dumb-hawker
https://www.facebook.com/groups/471967597547498/posts/1295405901870326
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/232283283/samuel-weller
Today, every D/deaf person, including those with additional disabilities, has the privilege of communicating in NZSL at home, in the community, and at work.
Royce’s photos capture expressions of happiness, delight, and pleasure, with hands raised in gestures such as waving and clapping. His work will remain a taonga (treasure) for years to come, serving as a valuable educational and historical resource for the public.
Kia kaua te reo e rite ki te moa, ka ngaro
- Translation: Do not let the language suffer the same fate as the moa (i.e., do not let the language become extinct).
- Meaning: This is a direct rallying cry for language survival, warning that without active effort, the language could disappear forever, like the extinct moa bird. PubMed Central (PMC) (.gov) +2
3. Toi tū te kupu, toi tū te mana, toi tū te whenua
- Translation: Hold fast to the language, to our mana (power/authority), and to the land.
- Meaning: This emphasises that the language is one of the three core pillars of Māori existence. If the language (kupu) falls, the culture (mana) and connection to the land (whenua) are threatened.
4. Kia kaha te reo Māori, ake ake ake
- Translation: Let the Māori language be strong, forever and ever.
- Meaning: A popular modern slogan used during Māori Language Week to encourage the endurance and longevity of the language.
5. Ko te reo te pou tokomanawa o te Māoritanga
- Translation: The language is the central pillar of Māori culture.
- Meaning: Comparing the language to the central, supporting post of a wharenui (meeting house), this suggests the language is the structural foundation holding up the entire culture. The Spinoff +1
6. Tē memeha te wairua ki te kōrero Māori
- Translation: Don’t let your passion to speak Māori weaken.
- Meaning: A quote urging persistence, passion, and commitment to speaking te reo, even when it is difficult. Facebook +4
These quotes highlight that language survival depends on it being spoken at home, within the community, and cherished as a taonga (treasure).
