Momentarium : : by Markuz Wernli Saitô

Tactile Island: Blind with a Voice

A Conversation with Yoko [YM] and Masatada Matsuno [MM] holder of a seeing-eye dog named Peggie.
June 10, 2006 in Terada, Uchi.
By Kalna Katsuom and Markuz Wernli Saitô.

PROJECT ARCHIVE
Blind with a voice
Report (PDF 2.3MB)
Coin action (PDF)

What kind of dog do you have?
YM: Peggie is a female Labrador. On March 20 is her birthday — Do you like Goryoku tea? Recently I had no practice and didn't really take lessons. Around here it is full of excellent tea.

Is this your first seeing-eye dog?
YM: Sherry, the first dog I received from Aoi Soroptomist organization. But his kid [Peggie] not. Every year they donate one seeing eye dog for a long time.

For how long did you have Sherry?

Sai-chan

Masatada and Yoko Matsuno skillfully prepare prepare Chinese tea for us

YM: For 10 and a half years. The second animal came from the Kansai Seeing Eye Dog Association. Officially this kid has been donated by Kyoto Prefecture, but in fact it comes from the Seeing Eye Dog Association. It's standard procedure and complicated. There is no real truth and no lies here. I have a good connection to Soroptomist.

How many seeing eye dogs are there in Kyoto?
YM: About 20 animals. Many blind don't want to care for a dog.

Is it hard?
YM: I care for my dog with pleasure. Grooming by hand. Every day I wipe her, in particular her ears. Also shampoo them.

You mean that you groom the dog yourself?
YM: Yes.
MM: We wash her teeth with a gaze.

You both have a fine partnership. If you don't mind, can you tell me how did you meet each other?
YM: At an event for disabled. They organize these trips. In Gifu we stayed, ate dinner and chatted. We had an overnight stay. I wonder, what program was offered then... There are only few meeting opportunities for the disabled. Some people are very sociable and hospitable and organize this. That's where we met.

Did you fall in love with her at first sight?
YM: No. I don't think so. MM: While I was dating her I decided to marry her.

At that time did both of you live in Kyoto?
YM: No, I lived in Osaka.

For me both of you look like real partners who cooperate with each other...
YM: Yes, we do. As you can see my husband's fingers are impaired.

How and in what circumstances can you help you help?
MM: For example when I wear a shirt it's not easy for me to button it up because I cannot straighten my fingers.
YM: For my husband the little buttons are difficult.

Since he's so friendly your dog must be very popular.
YM: Well, she's different when outside.

How?
YM: Polite and professional: she's on duty. She's totally different when she goes out.

Really, I would like to see her in action in this cool version.

Are you familiar with Kanjis?

Sai-chan

Yoko Matsuno with seeing-eye dog Peggie and Kalna Katsuom

YM: Some I know, some I don't.
MM: There is a Kanji book for the blind. I show you.

When you walk, don't you use Tactiles?
YM: Oh yes, I use them. But sometimes if I trust too much on them it becomes more dangerous.

Why could it be dangerous when you use Tactiles?
YM: I follow them and sometimes it end but I don't know why the Tactiles disappear... or I should stop.

Do you have a favorite Kanji?
YM: Maybe 'kokoro' [heart] because I like the word. I also like the Kanji for 'eye'.

That's interesting...
YM: Because the eye is one of the basic things. I don't really know what it really means but it's so basic.

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