Saturday, October 26th, 2024 was definitely a blustery day in Ocho Rios, but the White River Fish Sanctuary (WRFS) was also “stormed” in a completely different way by community children and textile and fabric artists (Danaree Greaves, Ammoy Smith and Kacy-Ann Blake) from the ‘Touching the Waters Embracing Our Land’ project organised by Blaqmango Consultants in Kingston and funded by the Caribbean Culture Fund (CCF).
Children and teachers from Mar-Jam Prep, Newstead Primary School, parents, visitors from Jamaican Inn, artists from Montego Bay, Strawberry Fields and Kingston and other curious on-lookers –– literally “Yarn Stormed” the sanctuary office with corals, star fish, urchins, sea grasses, turtles and fish made through crochet, knitting, macrame and coiling – bringing the marine life in the sea to life on land.
One of the goals of the Touching The Waters, Embracing Our Land’ initiative was to make the seriousness of coral bleaching a tangible reality for Jamaicans – especially those who perhaps don’t swim or get into the sea very often to see coral bleaching for themselves.
The engagement was led by fiber artist Danaree Greaves whose work especially explores marine life. Greaves herself learned to scuba-dive and helped to plant corals in the sanctuary’s nursery and saw firsthand the damage extreme heat has had on its reefs. She then wanted to spread awareness about the issue through this yarn-storming intervention with the community.
The event was especially important because is Jamaica one of the countries most affected by the mass coral bleaching of 2023. “More than 90% of our reefs were impacted,” says Felix Charnley – Marine Biologist and WRFS restore officer. So, enhancing awareness of just how critical coral bleaching is to the country is very much needed, as is increasing awareness of plastic pollution, over-fishing, climate change and other issues that affect our marine life. But spreading awareness through hands-on creativity proved to be a very unique and engaging way to do so.
The fiber and textile art are now an “installation” on the Sanctuary Office verandah and will remain for a number of months beautifying the office space and serving as tactile support for the WRFS’ education and outreach program to support its Protect, Restore, Engage (PRE) efforts.
“This project, which includes various locations, is vastly important for us as artists and art practitioners here at Blaqmango Consultants to use our artistic practice to make a powerful impact on communities, to create awareness on the little things that make big impacts on our lives. We are pleased to have taken this initiative to the White River Fish Sanctuary and to share the work of the sanctuary in a light, fun filled, creative and impactful way,” says Blaqmango Consultants.
