Few realise that one of our official languages was effectively banned until 1993. Kōkiri speaks to deaf educator and advocate, Richard Peri.

Until the nineties many deaf children were discouraged from communicating using sign language. Instead they were taught to lip-read and speak in English. After a bout of meningococcal disease Richard Peri (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Porou) lost his hearing when he was only three and attended an early childhood centre and then school for deaf youngsters.

“I wasn’t allowed to sign. The emphasis was on speech and hearing technology. There was a lot of frustration there for me because I couldn’t express my thoughts and feelings unless I spoke and used my hearing aid.”

By the time he was 11 Richard was at a summer school for the deaf where he was taught how to sign and he hasn’t looked back. The politics of hearing are not new and have existed for many years. On one hand the deaf people are seen as whole people with their own language that can be used in everyday life. On the other hand, they are seen as disabled people whose conditions need to be remedied: they are encouraged to speak and use hearing aids to fit into mainstream hearing communities. While the debate continues, New Zealand sign language – a combination of hand shapes, facial expressions and body movements – became accepted for use in deaf education in 1993. In 2006 it became an official language alongside te reo Māori and English.

“New Zealand Sign Language is unique to New Zealand,” signs Richard.

“It is the natural language of the Deaf community. It reflects what is distinctive to Aotearoa including signs for kupu Māori and concepts which cannot be found in other sign languages or anywhere else.”

Last year Te Puni Kōkiri supported Richard to attend the XVI World Congress of the World Federation of the Deaf in South Africa. As one of two Māori Deaf “Whānau Turi” participants, he and Michael Wi from Kelston Deaf Education Centre presented to 2,100 delegates from 125 countries. “We talked about changing attitudes – are we Māori Deaf, or Deaf Māori? I’m Māori first, deaf second.”

“The World Congress had a huge impact on the both of us. Representing Ngā Whānau Turi Māori o Aotearoa, it was an opportunity to share our cultural heritage, recognise our own achievements, and celebrate our future linguistic, cultural and political capacity.”

Richard and Michael performed a haka to conclude their presentation. Haka are as loud as they are visually ferocious, but when the toa are deaf the absence of volume creates a startling dimension and has a power of its own.

He says he returned home to Auckland with a whole new perspective to the challenges Whānau Turi face. Richard’s dream is to improve education to Māori deaf people, their hapū and iwi. He’d also like to improve their access to services, see more funding from non-government organisations to support the deaf - especially parents who are deaf or have deaf tamariki – and write a deaf dictionary. A member of the Māori sign Language and Māori Deaf Committees, Richard is also a member of the NZSL executive.

“Teaching sign language here, it is near on impossible to live off – yet there are not enough people to teach. There is a demand for sign language teachers. Parents who need support and to learn NZSL can’t necessarily get to classes. There is better access overseas – I’d like to see the same here.”

Over the years Richard has lobbied for the inclusion of te reo Māori in sign language and was instrumental in helping create more meaningful signs for Māori place names.

“What about te reo Māori concepts in sign language development? How will we develop that? Now it’s time to support upcoming Māori Deaf leaders to realise their potential on both a national and global level,” said Richard. “It’s time for others to take the reins.”