Signed renga: Exploration of collaborative forms in sign language poetry

South African Sign Language (SASL) poetry is still exploring many forms of poetry genres. This article describes the recent development of a new 'genre' in sign language poetry: signed renga (group poetry). The article will outline the form - what it is, how it has developed and spread, and why it is an apparently successful poetic genre. A sketch of a workshop from Signing Hands Across the Water 2 (SHAW 2) will also be provided to illustrate how renga emerges out of group work. First we will briefly explain common features of signed renga, drawing on a body of signed renga in British, Irish and Swedish Sign Languages. The second half of the article is an in-depth analysis of one signed renga, titled South Africa, which emerged from the SHAW 2 festival, with a focus on transitions as collaborative performance using shared signing space and eye gaze direction.