Former yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins launches Auslan hand shapes for tech company

Former yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins has launched a creative new project almost two years since leaving the iconic children’s group.

She has long been an advocate for the Deaf community. Now former Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins – who performs as “Emma Memma” – is taking it a step further.

The popular children’s entertainer has directed a range of Australian Sign Language (Auslan) hand shapes for Cricut, a US-based creative tech company, in what has been branded a “world first”.

“They’re called hand shapes, and the hand shapes show each letter of the Auslan alphabet in hand symbols,” Watkins said.

Emma, with Amy Wright who’s a hard of hearing artist, is launching a range of Australian Sign Language (Auslan) alphabet designs. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“They can now be used by anyone on the Cricut machine. It means you can make T-shirts with your name on it in sign language – or mugs or books or stickers, anything. It means people can learn their own finger spelling of their name in Auslan.”

It marks the first time the sign language alphabet has been incorporated into the Cricut creative library, meaning Auslan shapes can be printed via a precision-cutting machine to form items such as “stickers, decals, prints for T-shirts, cards, and posters” in Auslan.

The shapes were designed by emerging hard of hearing artist Amy Wright, who works with Watkins on her Emma Memma project. “[Amy] has used Auslan all her life but this is the first time she has been able to showcase her art,” Watkins said.

After leaving The Wiggles, Watkins launched Emma Memma, her own children’s entertainment character, in 2022 – swapping her “Yellow Wiggle” persona for a new signature colour, bright orange.

The character incorporates Auslan into performances, and works with artists and consultants from the Deaf community to create “visual accessible content for children and their families”.

“We really want to encourage Deaf artists to be in the spotlight,” Watkins said.

Emma first found fame as the yellow member of The Wiggles. Picture: Christian Gilles

“We need to be able to celebrate people in the Deaf community that are talented and have a unique perspective to share. For us, as people in the hearing world, we are very, very lazy and we don’t do enough [to learn Auslan].”

This week, a clip of Australian actress Margot Robbie using sign language on the red carpet went viral. Watkins said Robbie using sign language “should be a reminder to all people that anyone can be capable of learning sign language, and we should”.

Through Emma Memma, Watkins – who is touring select cities as part of “The Twirly Tour” – is leading “a new generation of communication, where she and her friends navigate challenges and adventure using sign language, choreographed dance narratives, gesture, mime, singing, speaking, listening, making craft and drawing”.

Watkins has completed a PhD from Macquarie University integrating dance, movement, sign language and screen media for children.