Watch Us Panui
Watch Us is a space for Deaf people to come together to share our turangawaewae, our stories as Deaf people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Summer is here, holidays times are here, and we wish you all a happy break with lots of love and laughter!
Thora and I have had a fantastic time over the last 3 months, we have hosted 13 Hui so far including Whangarei in the north and Invercargill in the south. We shared stories with over 150 Deaf New Zealanders. Over 100 Deaf people were happy to answer our questions:
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Tell us about a time when you realised you have a Deaf Identity
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Tell us about a time when you realised Sign Language is your language
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Tell us about a time when you realised you relate to Deaf Culture
The responses are amazing, the experiences of teenagers right through to people in their 80s tells us so much about who we are as a community of Deaf people in Aotearoa. Thank you!
We know you want to see these stories too, we are quickly writing the English for each one and will post them on the website and on Facebook as soon as we can. As well, we will be setting up ‘groups’ at last – for example. A few people talk about role models, we will link these stories together as a group along with the relevant notes. Some talk about Sign English/TC so we will put these stories together too.
We have more hui to run – Wellington and Taranaki – let’s talk and share early in 2019.
Remember to check for updated stories while you’re having your break – it will warm your hearts in the same way they warmed ours too. Join our Facebook group: Watch Us (closed group for Deaf people) and the Watch Us page (for everyone).
Rachel Noble and Thora Huebner