Sign Singers perform at Dunedin Deaf Club

1984 •

The Sign Singers perform at the Dunedin Deaf Club in front of Deaf members and their friends.

April 12, 1984. Deaf Club Dunedin. The Sign Singers perform at the Dunedin Deaf Club in front of Deaf members and their friends. Mary Johnson organised a gathering at the Dunedin Deaf Club to watch the Sign Singers perform live for them. The Sign Singers join the audience in a sign-along!

Prior to their trip to the Deaf Society, the group had performed on the local TV programme, and also performed in the Octagon in the Dunedin centre, with many people gathering to watch them perform outside.

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NZSL story – Taonga source: Susie Ovens

Switching Between Modes: Total Communication on Stage, NZSL Off

Susie Ovens shares her memories of the well-known Deaf Sign Singers group founded by Dulcie McKie, which used a Total Communication approach. She knew it wasn’t natural signing, and the group would often relax and switch to NZSL during breaks. Still, Susie recalls the performances having a strong impact, especially on hearing audiences who were moved by the group's energy and visual expressions.

NZSL story – Taonga source: Shona McGhie

Shona McGhie and the Magic of the Auckland Sign Singers

Shona McGhie reflects on her time with the Auckland Sign Singers, a group that helped raise awareness of Deaf culture and showed what Deaf performers could do. Rehearsals were often held at Dulcie McKie’s home, with support from Mac McKie and Gavin Gibbons. Shona recalls her favourite song and the challenge of remembering over 25 routines. It was a busy time full of travel, performance, and connection, and a chapter she looks back on fondly.

Anthony Devereux

Anthony Devereux

Gerald McIntyre

Gerald McIntyre

Mary Johnson

Peter Ferguson

Shirley Warren

Taonga source:

Dulcie McKie

Original format:

VHS

Sponsored by:

Otago Deaf Society

Reference number:

SignDNA – Deaf National Archive New Zealand, DM07-02-SP84

Copyright status:

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Note:

This item has been compressed and/or edited.

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