A massive initiative called The Herds, orchestrated by the innovative team behind Little Amal, is sending life-sized animal puppets on a 20,000km journey from central Africa to the Arctic Circle. This public art project aims to raise climate crisis awareness and will traverse 20 cities over four months.
The Herds initiative, which has already charmed audiences in Kinshasa and Lagos, creates an emotional spectacle using hundreds of animal puppets, designed with the help of Ukwanda Puppetry and Designs Art Collective from recycled materials. Local volunteers in each city are even taught to build their own versions of the puppets, making the project a global collaborative effort.
The journey kicked off in Kinshasa’s Botanical Gardens on April 10th, featuring a range of puppets including zebras, wildebeest, monkeys, giraffes, and baboons. The parade then moved to Lagos,where events attracted participation from up to 5,000 spectators, animated by more than 60 puppeteers.
Continuing westward, the parade ventures into Senegal this month, transforming Dakar’s streets into a vibrant hub of creativity, with more than 40 puppets animatedly making their way through the bustling neighborhood of Médina.
The puppets, evoking both awe and environmental consciousness, are part of a project that started in central Africa and looks set to grow in size and impact as it progresses towards Europe and the Arctic Circle. It comes as a continuation of Little Amal’s journey, a puppet symbol of refugee representation that reached millions across 17 countries on its way from Turkey to the UK.
Amir Nizar Zuabi, the Palestinian playwright and director behind The Herds, emphasizes that the project mirrors the migratory patterns of refugees, a demographic often displaced due to climate-associated reasons. By keeping the environmental emergency at the forefront, Zuabi and his team aim to inspire local events and climate activism discussions in the communities The Herds traverse.
“The idea is to put in front of people that there is an emergency – not with scientific facts, but with emotions,” shares Senegal’s producer, Sarah Desbois, anticipating a considerable turnout for the upcoming events in Dakar, which includes performances and workshops in the fishing village of Ngor.
The Herds is expected to continue its expansive journey through Morocco and into Europe, culminating in the Arctic Circle in early August. With its innovative use of puppetry and environmental themes, the project epitomizes the power of art to highlight pressing global issues and ignite change.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/apr/25/puppet-herd-animals-climate-crisis-africa-arctic-circle-little-amal
