Hilarious Kiwis create ‘coffin club’ to beat pricy funerals

Death and funerals are usually topics people try to avoid, but one New Zealand-based group is facing the prospect of being buried six feet under with gusto and designing their own wild and colourful coffins. 

The Kiwi Coffin Club has created quite a stir with their cheap and cheerful handmade coffins that eliminate the need for pricy boxes bought from mainstream suppliers. The group has expanded at a rapid pace in recent years and includes clubs right across New Zealand, where people come together to make their own coffins. 

Used as a bonding experience and a way to jazz up a normally bleak period, the Kiwi Coffin Club is reaching headlines for its unique concept and founder Katie Williams told Sunrise on Tuesday that the idea first sprung to her mind during a meeting for the University of the Third Age – an organisation to promote education and stimulation among the retired.

“Of course there was dead silence but when the meeting was over there was a queue to see me – it confirmed to me that I better get cracking and start one (a club),” she told presenters David Koch and Samantha Armytage.

“We’re only tiny but boy we are making a difference I can tell you.”

These Kiwi seniors have come up with an innovative and heartwarming way to put the FUN into their funerals! pic.twitter.com/sifnuoQoK1

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) June 18, 2018

The club even has its own hilarious promo video where they bust out a few moves and sing about turning a dreary topic into a fun event. 

“You know once you get past 73, those funerals come too frequently – so pricey and no personality,” the members sung.

“So I thought what’s the point of living a life that’s colourful and bold and then you’re told this is how your exits going to be, boring.”

The Kiwi Coffin Club’s online video has received much positive feedback, with many commending the group for the creative idea.

“This is bloody amazing. Such a good idea. If you want to be remembered when you pass, this is the way to go,” one person commented.

“What a wonderful idea. Might try it,” another added.

And while death may be a while away for the “rebellious seniors” they are not letting their coffin creations waste away, using them in their homes as coffee tables and bases for beds.

The quirky group aren’t alone with many others across the world embracing funerals and turning them from a solemn occasion to one of happiness and celebration.

With colourful clothes and joyful songs, funerals are no longer just about the traditional services.

Read more: Making funerals a brighter part of life

Have you planned your funeral? Do you think a coffin club is a good idea?