Conservation Blog

After a long and difficult drive on steep tracks full of gullies, we arrived in the afternoon in Atonga village. The headmaster of Atonga Primary School called the children back to the school and we introduced the project to the teachers and children. A thunderstorm was approaching and it was extremely hot and humid.

We were invited to conduct the film showing in the Fons’s palace. The Fon of Atonga, although very old and blind, also joined for this special event and people helped him to his traditional seat. The Fon encouraged the children of the village to watch and listen carefully, as they were about to see and learn about the wildlife that was once abundant in the area when he was a child himself, many decades ago.

A group of about 60 children gathered in the big hall of the palace. Louis introduced the programme of that afternoon, the film showing and painting of the Cross River Gorilla. None of the children had ever seen a gorilla or chimpanzee. Some had seen smaller monkeys and other wildlife. When the film started they were watching the great apes with big eyes and smiles on their faces, sometimes laughing out loud when the young gorillas and chimps were playing in the trees.

After the film we went back to the school for the art workshop. Daniel Taylor and his wife Ginette handed out the paint and other materials. Daniel demonstrated on the blackboard how to draw a gorilla, step by step, so that the pupils could follow his instructions. When the outlines of the gorilla were ready, the children started using the acrylic paints to colour their drawing. Three basic colours were available, which could be combined to get other colours. They had lots of fun and enjoyed to use the brushes and paints.

The sun was going down when the 4 best paintings were selected and the awards handed out to the winners. The first price, a gorilla t-shirt, went to a little boy who had been working very dedicated and his painting was really standing out. A set of pencils, pastels and a stuffed animal were handed out to the other winners of that day: two girls and one boy. The other children received pencils and balloons. They were all excited, singing songs and waving us out.