YoG Ambassador Ian Redmond embarks on State of the Gorilla Journey
They say a journey begins with a single step, and this one is no different, though it nearly didn’t happen. Having picked up some YoG posters and stickers from my tiny office in the English market town of Stroud, I shouldered my rucksack, picked up my camera-bag and walked to the station. It seemed odd exchanging greetings with people enjoying a quiet Sunday afternoon drink outside the pub, knowing that I would travel through ten countries on foot, plane, dug-out and bus, through tropical forests and vibrant African cities before walking back past the same pub.
Oddly enough, just over 24 hours later, I was exchanging greetings with people enjoying a quiet Monday evening drink in a bar in Cyangugu, Rwanda, on the border with DRC – the Democratic Republic of Congo. Maybe it is our predilection for alcohol that unites people across the world – that, and the fact that both groups of drinkers almost certainly don’t know the UN has designated 2009 as the Year of the Gorilla, and probably wouldn’t care very much if they did, thinking it had no relevance to them.
Some cynics have cast doubts on the usefulness of high-level campaigns and statements in the rarefied atmosphere of international meetings, questioning what difference it makes on the ground. One of the motivations of this journey is to find out just that. Who knows or cares about it in the countries where gorillas live?
Ten Gorilla Countries, 100 Interviews, Five weeks!
The aim of this journey is to gain a first-hand impression of the state of the gorilla (both species, all sub-species) in the Year of the Gorilla, and share these impressions on this YoG Blog. The aim is also give the opportunity for about ten people in each country, from poachers to Presidents, conservationists to loggers, and the proverbial ‘man or woman in the street’, to speak on camera about what gorillas mean to them and what they think the UN YoG might achieve. In Britain we talk of knowing the views of ‘the man on the Clapham omnibus’ – well I propose to find out what the men and women think on the Brazzaville, Kinshasa or Calabar omnibus! So the target is: 10 countries, 100 interviews, 5 weeks!
Wherever possible, I’ll travel by public transport or get lifts, and seek the opinions of the people who live in or around gorilla habitat, or whose activities in towns and cities impact on same. In each country, I’m hoping to visit at least one area of gorilla habitat and the capital city where, with the help of colleagues and friends, we’ll generate some local media interest in gorillas, their role in the forests and the role of those forests in mitigating climate change. This ambitious itinerary, however, has only a shoe-string budget, and so I would welcome any practical help researchers, conservationists and other gorilla-friends in the field can give.
Network 7 and Korean TV to the rescue
When the concept of a journey through all ten gorilla range states was first put to me, we envisaged a team effort with a videographer, photographer and reporter. Unfortunately, although there were lots of expressions of interest, no media sponsor responded to our proposal with a budget and it looked as though it would not get off the drawing board.
Then a few weeks ago, a Korean film crew making a two-part documentary about the Year of the Gorilla entitled ‘Tears of King Kong’ contacted us. They were planning to film conservation activity in and around the Virunga Volcanoes, and then travel to Congo Brazzaville to cover activities countering the threats facing western lowland gorillas, and when they invited me to join them, I began to think some of our State of the Gorilla Journey might piggy-back on their plans.
Soon afterwards, an Australian TV crew from Network 7 contacted me to help them make a report on eastern lowland gorillas and the threats from mining for coltan and tin, and the work of ICCN, Pole Pole Foundation and local community conservation initiatives to counter those threats. Their offer of funding to fly out and join them in DRC clinched it – on a wing and a prayer, the solo State of the Gorilla Journey was just possible!!!
So much for today. I will try to blog almost daily over the upcoming weeks, and there should be numerous photos, movies and interviews, so STAY TUNED!