Kenyan artists convey messages of wildlife conservation through art

Steven Ogweno, alias Stivi Stivi, was in his element at the Kenyan National Theater in the capital, Nairobi, while performing an original composition in his native language. His song titled “Bunga” is an imploration to the public not to withdraw wildlife from forests and domesticate them but to preserve and protect them.

“I love wildlife very much. That is why I often visit national parks just to be in their presence. I am advocating for their protection through art because I want them to continue thriving in the wild,” Ogweno told Xinhua during a recent interview.

Ogweno is among several Kenyan artists who have come together to harness arts to champion wildlife conservation in Kenya. The artists drawn from different disciplines are using art to send messages of preservation, admonition, and empathy to the general public as Kenya joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Wildlife Day, which falls on Friday this year.

“Using art is the way to go in terms of evoking compassion and raising awareness on the importance of protecting wildlife. Wildlife has the right to live in the wild and not in cages as pets or to be used for medicinal purposes,” said Edith Kabesiime, Wildlife Campaign manager at World Animal Protection, an international animal welfare lobby.

Kabesiime noted that wildlife is valuable to every nation, referencing the significant economic gains it holds for host countries. Kabesiime, however, said a lot more needs to be done to decisively address the illegal trade of animal species like pangolins, snakes, and parrots which continue to make their way out of Kenya’s borders.

For the past three years, 23-year-old Dancan Shear has been using cardboard waste to curve out intrinsic images of human beings, animals, and more. Shear ventured into corrugated artwork in 2020 after he lost his job as a chef owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My message is to tell people to minimize waste by reusing cardboard so that it does not end up in the parks. And remind people that animals have feelings like you and I,” he said. His innovative venture began when he made a toy cardboard and sold it to the children in his Kasarani neighborhood for 50 Kenyan shillings (about 39 U.S. cents).

Soon enough, his business boomed after he shared his work on social media. His art involves using computer software to print out desired images and the painstaking job of curving out the images on the cardboard.

The youthful artist said his interest in wildlife conservation stems from his desire to protect the country’s rich heritage. Kenya is home to a rich array of wildlife. “I think it is important that we protect our ecosystems so that we can continue having many visitors in the country,” he said.

Tourism is among the leading revenue earners for the East African nation, with official data reporting that earnings rose to 2.13 billion U.S. dollars in 2022 compared to 1.16 billion dollars in 2021.