New Videos on SignWiki

Baldur was born in Reykjavík in 1940, and Sirrý was born in Hafnarfjörður in 1941. They met while attending the School for the Deaf in Stakkholt, became a couple in 1959, and shared nearly 61 years of marriage until Sirrý's passing in April 2020. In a memorial tribute, their grandchildren described their grandparents' home as a place where "love and care were ever-present." They also reflected that when they attended Icelandic Sign Language classes themselves, "we realized how the sounds accompanying sign language bring warmth and inner peace, and we understood that this reflected how safe and loved we always felt in their home."

Icelandic Sign Language was central to both of their lives. In the memorial written by her children, Sirrý is described as someone for whom sign language was "her mother tongue." They wrote that she was deeply committed to its development, constantly considering how new ideas could best be expressed in sign language and suggesting new signs when needed. She made significant contributions to the Deaf community in Iceland, serving on the Icelandic Sign Language Committee of the Icelandic Deaf Association and working both as a sign language instructor and as a support worker for students and older sign language users.

The videos now being published on SignWiki are shared with Baldur's permission. They form part of SHH's Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and the Icelandic Government's Fiscal Plan 2026–2030, both of which emphasize the preservation of Icelandic Sign Language and public access to this important part of Iceland's cultural heritage.

The collection includes interviews with Baldur and Sirrý, their personal name signs, and discussions about Icelandic Sign Language. It also features the 2006 film Old Friends, in which Baldur is seen chatting with his lifelong friends and former classmates.

Videos featuring Baldur can be found here: Native Signers of ITM, Born 1900 - 1940

Videos featuring Sirrý can be found in here: Native Signers of ITM, Born 1941 - 1961