Ewaso Lions

Category: Community | Date: Aug 05 2008 | By: ewasolions

In July, I borrowed a mobile film unit to show films to the local communities. I have done this in the past and it was something I have always enjoyed doing. The plan was to show a predators film called “Perfect Mothers, Perfect Predators” to 5 various locations within West Gate.

I started at Kiltamany village on the 10th of July. I first held a baraza (local meeting) with the village elders in the afternoon. We all sat in the Kiltamany lugga and discussed my project. I answered any questions the elders had and this took about an hour or so. In the evening, we tested the film equipment and everything appeared to be working well. We then set up our first bush cinema in the “maendeleo” manyatta, where there was some form of an enclosure. I was concerned about dust and wind on the projector and it was important to find a semi-enclosed place. We tied a white cloth onto some posts which would be the screen.

As soon as I started the generator, people from all over started trickling in. I played the film and it was a huge success. There were close to 200 people who came to watch the film; women, elders, warriors and children too. They loved the scenes of the cheetah running and laughed during the hyena scenes. At the end of the film, I answered a few questions and we then packed up the equipment, and spent the night in the village.

Crowd gathered at Kiltamany

A few days later, I had another baraza with the people of the Sasaab manyatta. This went very well and they were very excited about the project. That night I showed the same predator film to the Sasaab people. This time we tied the white cloth onto Gypsy and sheltered the projector against a small house in the village. Close to 100 people came to watch the film and apart from a few goats causing chaos after they heard lions roaring on the film, it was a huge success.

Leopard scene projected on Gypsy

Sasaab community watching a cheetah scene on Gypsy

Unfortunately I had to return the film unit before I was able to show more films at the 3 remaining locations; Naisunyai, Ngutuk Ongiron and West Gate. However I hope to borrow it again soon to continue showing the films. I hope to eventually buy my own unit one day if I can get some funds. Funds would be required for a projector, DVD player, speakers and a small generator to power the film unit.

The bush cinema and the showing of films is so important and it is a great way to spread important conservation messages to the local communities. Many of them have never seen these animals properly nor a video before. I remember showing a film to a very remote community in Samburu District many years ago. They had never seen any form of moving imagery before and when there was a scene of a cheetah running at full speed, everyone suddenly ran away, leaving my colleague and I surprised and shocked at that had happened but we soon realized that they were running away from the cheetah itself! I could spend days traveling around showing wildlife films and I hope to be able to do so one day! Imagine if I could show everyone Planet Earth?!