Giant Puppet Animals on a 12,000-Mile Climate Change Journey

A 12,000-Mile Journey: Life-Sized Puppet Animals Trek Across Africa to Raise Climate Awareness Last month, an extraordinary artistic journey began in the Congo Basin: a 12,000-mile migration of life-sized puppet animals making their way to the Arctic Circle. This ambitious project, called 'The Herds,' is the brainchild of artistic director Amir Nizar Zuabi and aims to raise awareness about the climate emergency through a unique and visually stunning public art installation. The five-month odyssey involves a caravan of towering mechanical beasts crafted from recycled materials, traversing seven countries. The puppets, meticulously designed by Siphro Ngxola, are constructed using plywood for the body and cardboard for the skin. "Because the project is about climate awareness and about educating the world about the crisis that we are facing as the planet," Ngxola explains. Zuabi adds, "For many years, the climate debate was led by science...one of the problems with it being about climate and science is scientists are very clever people, and then you also hope they find the solutions for all the problems. Part of what we're trying to do by saying, no, it's about nature. It's about us. It's us." The project successfully blends art and activism, using creative means to engage the public in a critical global conversation. The Herds' journey is a powerful symbol of the interconnectedness of nature and humanity, and a testament to the power of art to inspire change.