The Hare, Moon and Birdsong

An arts in environment community education project for children and teachers/carers and community groups.

Nigg Bay, Fearn Peninsula, Easter Ross. Moray Firth and Yangtze Wetlands, China.

In Chinese Confucian mythology the Hare lives in/is the Moon, he is one of a few special magical animals celebrated in Chinese culture every autumn. The story goes that a young courtier in the Emperor’s palace, Chang-O wanted eternal life. The spirits decided to put her to the test, and she passed. So they gave her it in the form of special medicine. But on one condition. She could live forever, but it would have to be on the moon with the Hare. She agreed, so she went to the moon and built a palace there. Chang-O also asked if the earth could have eternal life too, and the Hare helped her disperse some of the medicine over the planet. So the Hare, Chang-O and planet Earth live forever. Every autumn this Confucian myth is celebrated and moon cakes are made and shared amongst family and friends as a thank you to the Hare and Chang-O for the planet’s life and ties in with harvesting.

The moon is a constant presence in our rapidly changing world of the 21st century. It witnesses the seasons and their fluctuation, arrival of a warm sun and the harshness of a cold winter - ever more changeable in recent years.

We  have long since created ways to look after our wildlife in some of our most delicate of environments, especially those which are most prone to extreme changes in weather patterns. Each society across the world has developed methods to protect local wildlife - whether as an individual, group or government. This project aims to celebrate the protection of wildlife by humans and to find more ways of integrating wildlife as a part of community life.

The two areas have been chosen as examples of wetland/marsh that are both protected and under threat. They both provide a home to special birds.

Yangtze Wetlands - habitat for Siberian Crane, white-fronted geese and others. It also has again the Pere David’s Deer which came back from near-extinction, the Chinese alligator (dragon) and river dolphin.

Nigg Bay, Cromarty Firth - RSPB reserve of mudflats, saltmarsh and wetland - habitat for lapwing, pink-footed geese, redshanks and more. Dolphins in the Firth, any hares??

Project aims:

1.Focus on observation and listening
2.Develop knowledge re arts and interpretation of wildlife from Highland and Chinese cultures
3.Gain knowledge of methods of protection and sustainability and compare
4.Learn about 3 birds in each area and 2 mammals
5.Practice arts from 2 cultures inclusive of visual, song, story, music and movement
6.Enable connectivity on Fearn between communities and environment
7.Work in Inverness area and with SHIMCA to develop Chinese connections
8. Include and network with relevant wildlife organisations
9.Create series of exhibits

Methods:

Phase 1

January 2012 to July 2012

4 primaries, 2 childcare groups in Easter Ross
2 primaries, 4 childcare groups in Inverness

6 workshops per group over the length of the project

Two training days

Days equivalent to workshopping, materials plus travel. Term-time. Arts/Environment theme. Knowledge-sharing.

Arts: Drawing/making birds - use of local and Chinese methods- paper/paint oriented.
Song: Collection of celebration of wildlife in Gaelic and Chinese
Music/Movement - Self-expression.

All art input is based on stimulating creativity,individual nurturing,imagination, use of motor skills, developing understanding of importance of materials and interpretation of environment through the arts.

(c) Jelica Gavrilovic 2011

Funded by Highland Council and Awards for All