What's a Coffin Club?

Retired Rotorua mid-wife Katie Williams has spent the last few years, ticking off her Bucket List: get a tattoo, go skydiving, build my own coffin. The casket is now tucked away at her house, decorated in burgundy wallpaper, some of her 'bling' and the words 'Live, love and laugh'. Katie also set up a Coffin Club which now sees members get together each week to cheerfully build and decorate their coffins

Check out this Radio New Zealand link to find out what a Coffin Club is and why people join

How is the new Apple Watch being used?

Here's a blog post which one of our Dunedin year 2 students found.  It is from a blog by Molly Watt titled Living with Usher Syndrome.  In this post she explores the possible applications of the new Apple Smart Watch to her day to day life.  Thanks Eamon for sharing this.

Having known about the Apple Watch for some time and knowing lots of my friends were planning to buy one, I was sceptical as my needs are quite different to that of those of the sighted and hearing. 

I have to rely on specific accessible features.

However, I was curious as Apple products have been more than just up market gadgets to me, they really have been my access to the many things most take for granted but that those of us with deafblindness, particularly struggle with.

KOVASIKAJUTTU (Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät) Punk Syndrome ***WARNING OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE

*** Here's a more extreme example of the power of music to change or challenge peoples perceptions.  Caution this clip does contain some harsh language. 

Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät (English: Pertti Kurikka's Name day), also known as PKN, is a Finnish punk rockband, formed in 2009 in a charity workshop for adults with developmental disabilities. They are the main focus of the Finnish documentary film The Punk Syndrome. In 2015, they qualified for the finals of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, which they later won; they will represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015.

Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät began in a workshop run by Lyhty, a charity for adults with developmental disabilities. In 2004, Pertti Kurikka, the future guitarist of the band, met organizer Kalle Pajamaa of Lyhty.^[1] Pajamaa, who remains manager of the band today, noticed Kurikka's potential and sought to establish a band based upon him.^[2] They worked on the band's formation over the next five years,^[1] and in 2009 the band made its debut.^[2]

In 2009, Finnish director Pekka Karjalainen sought music performed by people with disabilities for the film Vähän kunnioitusta,^[3] which tells the story of a young girl with a learning disability aspiring to live an independent and normal life.^[1] Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät is featured in the film with their first-ever demo: "Kallioon!".^[1][4]The song became a hit, and the band soon discovered that they had a following outside the circle of disabled people.^[3]

The Mutes

Check out this video from Attitude TV.

The Mutes are a unique rock / pop band out of West Auckland. What makes them unique, beyond their undoubted musicianship and songwriting ability? The majority of members have an intellectual disability in some form. They break down barriers through their songs and music and thus challenge people’s perception of disability, by being musicians who live successful lives with a disability - in and outside of band life. Their creative passion and commitment to performing connects the disability culture with that of the rock music community.

The Mutes, as a band and individuals, are ‘powered’ and empowered by the A Supported Life organization, working for persons with a disability in West Auckland

The Mutes on the Road