HomeDeaf Groups & ProjectsThe Sign Singing Superstars

Throughout the early 1980s, the New Zealand Deaf community created two sign singing supergroups: The Sign Singers from Auckland, and The Silent Singers from Christchurch. These two groups pioneered Sign Singing as an art form and gained considerable public admiration for their efforts. Both groups made appearances on national Telethon events, and the Auckland group also were regulars on the Stars on Sunday programme, making more appearances than any other single group. Sign Singing was not only great fun for the performing sign singers, but also gave the hearing population a cultural point of reference relating to NZSL and Deaf people. It created an universal connection, and hearing people took to supporting the groups with great enjoyment during numerous appearances and tours.

By Popular Demand

December 6, 1981. The Sign Singers performing at the People In Parks event, at Roundel in the Auckland Domain.

Performing for ‘Stars on Sunday’ at the Highwic on 25 February, 1982.

In 1980, a group of Deaf people put on a charity performance at Homai College, Manurewa in order to help the Manurewa Lions to raise funds. The charity concert, on September 20. Included in this performance were four mimed sketches and three songs. The sign singing part of their performance made such a big impact on the audience that it was decided that in the group’s future activities, they would call themselves the “Sign Singers”.

They quickly gained a reputation for giving rousing performances, and for their final songs audiences would be urged to sign along with the singers. This was a great way to encourage hearing people to get past the taboo of gesturing and ‘sign sing’ along with the inspiring performers.

Signing Bridges to the Hearing World

6 March 1983, Mardi Gras. The Sign Singers with their hand-made paper mache hand, I LOVE YOU.

Sign Singing was not only great fun for the performing sign singers, but also gave the hearing population a cultural point of reference relating to NZSL and Deaf people. It created a universal connection, and hearing people took to supporting the groups with great enjoyment during numerous appearances and tours between 1980 to 1990.

They performed well over 100 times in various parts of the North Island where they supported Quota International Deaf Awareness Week and performed in the main centres of the North Island. They also gave 24 performances during a Deaf Awareness Week in the South Island.

In Auckland they performed for the Governor General at the newly opened Sheraton hotel in 1981. Later they even led the parade of Auckland University’s “Mardi Grad” with a huge paper mache hand, depicting “I Love You”!

Mainstream Success

In preparation for their performances, Dulcie McKie would hand-draw the agreed signs for songs.

Saturday 24 March 1984. United Way at Government House Garden Party.

Both the Auckland and Christchurch groups had considerable success in breaking into popular media, such as being invited to perform in the 1981 and 1985 Telethons. The Sign Singers were also one of the most popular groups to appear on ‘Stars on Sunday’ – an iconic Kiwi programme in the 1980s – which they did so a record 14 times, inspiring the host to learn how to introduce them in sign language, which was a radical concept in its day.

Greater exposure was to come though as their popularity grew, and in 1990 the Sign Singers were invited to perform at Bastion Point for the televised Auckland New Year’s Eve Celebration, broadcast nationwide. The same year, an estimated worldwide audience of 250 million saw them perform with the hearing choirs for the opening of the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch. This was surely one of the biggest audiences for a Deaf performance of all time.

End of an Era

2 March 1986. The Sign Singers performing at the Auckland Easter Show.

Despite being fun, it was inevitably tiring work for the singers, with huge logistical planning for the tours, as well as practices for the songs themselves, not to mention the dresses which were all hand-sewn by the group, mainly by the group’s matriarch Dulcie McKie, (who even had a representative role for the combined group on the NZAD Council in 1983-84, such was their popularity and influence at the time). Eventually it was time to end the group, after a decade of extraordinary success.

Group leader Dulcie McKie reflects on the experience:

“Sadly, we had to let things go. Time and time again the Sign Singers call back memories of the wonderful times we had. Sometimes when we were tired we would just soldier on, but when we began to ‘sing’ all the tiredness just disappeared and the feeling of joy was great. The good old days! I hope that because of our efforts the Deaf of the future will have a more understanding world in which to live and that more hearing people will involve themselves by becoming interpreters”. – Source: Talking Hands, Listening Eyes.

Note: This page was last updated 2019. Contributions are welcomed.

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1981
article – Taonga source: Central Leader

Deaf singers in song

For the last 15 months, the Independent Theatre of the Deaf has performed in venues all over Auckland as the Deaf Sign Singers.
1982
article – Taonga source: NZ Woman’s Weekly

Mime put to use

Susie Ovens, born 97% deaf, uses mime as one of the many methods to relate to the hearing world. She is also a member of the “Deaf Sign Singers”, a group of 11 deaf people who perform sign language to music.
1990
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Welcome 1990 Haere Mai!

The Auckland Sign Singers were invited to perform with others in a three-hour entertainment special to celebrate 1990 which was broadcast live from Bastion Point on TV One at 7.30pm.
Dulcie McKie
1981
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Sign Singers at Telethon 1981

The popular Sign Singers are the first act to perform at the 1981 Telethon Live at the Auckland Town Hall.
Dulcie McKie
1991
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: December 1991

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1982
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Sign Singers: ‘Harmony’

The Sign Singers perform 'Harmony' broadcast on Stars on Sunday in February 1983. They are introduced in sign language, in one of the first examples of a non-Deaf person signing on prime time television.
Dulcie McKie
1986
video – Taonga source: Ngaire Doherty

A ‘Mime and Masks’ show by Deaf Drama Group: A Visit to Kiwiland

A Deaf Drama group perfoms 'A Visit to Kiwiland' at Kelston with supporting acts by the Sign Singers. The evening fundraised $766.00 towards the purchase of a TTY and to sponsor two pupils from Kelston to attend the World Deaf Games in Christchurch 1989.
Ngaire Doherty
1983
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: October 1983 (Vol. 20, No. 4)

1992
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Communicate: March 1992

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1982
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Sign Singers: ‘Sailing’

The Sign Singers perform the hit song 'Sailing' broadcast on Stars on Sunday in May 1982. Ian Watkins, introduces the group by saying “…and I’m delighted to welcome back to the programme the deaf sign singers.”
Dulcie McKie
1990
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Journal: June 1990 (Vol. 4, No. 2)

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
2003
article – Taonga source: Bay Harbour News

Patty Still – active role model for deaf community

In late July, Woolston grandmother Noeline 'Patty' Still joined a special group of New Zealanders in Wellington for the official presentation of the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours medals. Patty was there to receive her MNZM for her services to the deaf community.
2011
video – Taonga source: Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand

God Defend New Zealand: New Zealand National Anthem in NZSL, Maori & English

In NZSL with subtitles in Māori and English; created in collaboration with native speakers of NZSL, Māori & English, and sign language linguists from the Deaf community, with the purpose to create a NZSL translation that was true to the meaning behind the Māori & English lyrics.
Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand
Telethons
Telethons
Telethons
1970s onwards
COLLECTIONS – CURATED BY SIGNDNA: DEAF NATIONAL ARCHIVE

Telethons

Telethons were run nationwide in New Zealand in 1975-79, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990-91, 1993 and 2009. The 24-hour fundraiser would take place in regions around New Zealand and was broadcast on TV. Viewers would be shown coverage of the telethon nearest to their location. Smaller regions would typically see coverage of the telethon in one of the main centres (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin), and it was in those areas where Deaf people were invited to participate.
1988
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: Easter 1988 (Vol. 10, No. 4)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1984
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: February 1984

1983
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: January 1983 (Vol. 20, No. 1)

1985
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: Easter 1985 (Vol. 8, No. 1)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1981
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: June 1981 (Vol. 18, No. 2)

1990
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: February 1990

Auckland Deaf Society
1981
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Sign Singers perform Silent Night

The Sign Singers perform the famous carol 'Silent Night' for the Stars on Sunday programme.
Dulcie McKie
2018
video – Taonga source: Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand

Tiki Taane: No Place Like Home in NZSL

A sign-singing version of Bay of Plenty musician Tiki Taane's song ‘No Place Like Home' featured on television and online to mark NZSL Week 2018. It was made from flash mob events held in Wellington, Mount Maunganui and Christchurch in March. Participants in Mount Maunganui joined Tiki in person to sign-sing his latest song.
Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand
1984
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Sign Singers perform on the ‘In South Tonight’ programme – Dunedin 1984

The Sign Singers tour the South Island for Deaf Awareness in 1984, and are invited to perform on ‘In South Tonight’ while in Dunedin.
Dulcie McKie
1988
article – Taonga source: NZ Woman’s Weekly

They’re naturals for the part

A production this month of the play Children of a Lesser God in Auckland will feature two deaf actors, Bryan Williams and Sheila Gibbons. And the starring role will be played, for the second time, by Gloss actress Miranda Harcourt.
1990-91
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Spring/Summer 1990/91 (Vol. 24. No. 2)

1983
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: March 1983 (Vol. 20, No. 2)

1982
video – Taonga source: Dulcie McKie

Sign Singers: ‘Oh What a Beautiful Day’

The Sign Singers perform 'Oh What a Beautiful Day' broadcast on Stars on Sunday in February 1983.
Dulcie McKie
1990
publication – Taonga source: National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

NFD Journal: March 1990 (Vol. 4, No. 1)

National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
19990
publication – Taonga source: Auckland Deaf Society

Auckland Deaf Society newsletter: September 1990

Auckland Deaf Society
1990
article – Taonga source: NZ Herald

Singing and signing

The price in being part of the 600-strong Commonwealth Games opening ceremony choir as they use sign language to sing is evident.