New Use for Old Shoes

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Global Village News and Resources Issue 118 - January, 2007

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New Use for Old Shoes

A gigantic whale- more than 10 metres long- has been created in Nairobi’s Karen area and big crowds are gathering daily to view the mighty beast named “Mfalme wa Bahari”.

The creation is a life size model of a Minke Whale is part of a joint initiative between the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), NEPAD Coastal and Marine Secretariat (NEPAD – COSMAR) based in Nairobi and UniquEco Designs to foster better understanding of whales, the cruelty of whale hunting and the marine and coastal environment of Kenya and Africa in general.

It is expected to serve as a global icon for whaling matters and raise understanding of pollution issues, particularly plastics and rubber that affect coastal and marine environments worldwide. WSPA campaigns globally to put an end to commercial whaling.

Kenya is a signatory to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) the body responsible for the management of whaling and its main purpose is to regulate the whaling industry. Established in 1946, it has over 65 member countries. In 1986 a moratorium on commercial whaling was sanctioned. Recently this has been challenged by nations eager to open up commercial whaling.

Mfalme is the creation of communities on the Kenyan Coast. Initially, he was created to act as a rallying cry against commercial hunting of whales. During his creation Mfalme outgrew his initial message and became an icon of marine issues, pollution and community action.

Constructed out of flipflops washed up the Kenyan Coast by a team comprising eight members led by Bwana Zeid and Mohammed Kaka from Kiwayu, Lamu District.

The flipflop “skin” highlights the need to keep beaches clean and at the same time bring better understanding of the risk of pollution to marine habitats and their species such as whales.

Mfalme will be in Kenya until March 2007 and then may embark on a global safari to further raise the awareness on whales and the moratorium against commercial whaling and pollution. After Mfalme’s safari, he will be housed permanently in the Natural History Museum, London as a statement from the communities of Kenya and Africa to global pollution and whaling issues

This is one of many stories available from Positive News newspaper. For more stories like this please visit: www.positivenews.org.uk

(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)