Abused as children for using sign language and blocked from accessing te ao Māori.
That was the experience of many growing up in the Māori Deaf community, who are now taking part in a landmark Waitangi Tribunal hearing this week in Auckland.
Their claims are part of a wider inquiry into Crown breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi relating to Māori health.
While being formally welcomed onto Papakura Marae this morning, a trilingual interpreter put the pōwhiri in their language.
It's a rare service many Deaf Māori, or tāngata turi, still can't access.
Link to video and article: Waitangi Tribunal told of abuse against Māori deaf community (1news.co.nz)
