New Zealand Sign Language name of Whaikaha

Learn about our NZSL name

The one-handed sign TREE moving upwards reflects the rātā vine, which is part of the Whaikaha visual brand and whakatauākī - "Me he aka rātā ka tipu tahi, ka puāwai tahi kia tū kaha i ngā hihi ō Tamanuiterā - Like the rātā vines growing together and flourishing to stand strong in the warmth of the sun".

The process to choose a sign name included the development of three options by an NZSL expert group, which included people from the NZSL Board, te rōpū Kaitiaki, Deaf Aotearoa, Deaf Action and the Deaf Studies Research Unit (DSRU) at Victoria University of Wellington.

Our sign name was voted on by the Deaf community and gifted to Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People by the NZSL Board and representatives of the Deaf community at parliament on 29 June 2023.

We're excited to have our NZSL name added to the Whaikaha identity and to add it to our branding in the coming weeks.