Theatre as a tool for conservation of threatened species

This paper describes the use of theatre as a means of working with local communities in Madagascar to encourage environmental and conservation actions. We chose theatre as a means for reciprocal message transmission for several reasons: 1) it involves mainly oral skills, which in rural areas with high rates of illiteracy aids understanding; 2) people can be both actors and audience; and 3) this popular theatre is simple and cheap to organise. The villages where the events take place are selected because of their proximity to or impact on natural environments and threatened species, and their cultural and socio-economic importance. The theme, on which all activities are focused, is discussed with village leaders; usually it is either the habitat or the animals which make the region unique. Organisation is done by the villagers, who are both actors, and audience, and events are attended by and involve the entire village, local officials, and partners. A case study from Lac Alaotra, home of the critically endangered Alaotran gentle lemur Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis, describes the "joro", a ceremony to ask for blessings, and real theatre pieces based on traditional legend, performed by school students. The oral communication is followed up by written documents and actions. In Alaotra, actions following from the theatre festivals included a fishing "dina" or convention in order to manage lake products sustainably, and replanting of areas of marsh. The theatre theme "The marsh is life" became so widely known that the most important socio-economic event in the region was called the Marsh Fair. Interactive discussion and theatre on locally relevant environmental and conservation topics appears to be an effective way of raising awareness and empowering people to manage their natural resources, while also supporting traditional culture.