Ray Phiri, renowned South African songwriter and member of popular eighties band Stimela unveiled his rhino sculpture, the third of four rhinos which are being built as part of Durban Wildlands’ Rhino Parade at the King Shaka International Airport on Thursday 4 October 2012.
The 75% life-size sculpture is an adaptation of DUT third-year graphic design student Carla-Leigh Ziady’s simple yet well-presented design which encapsulates Phiri’s cultural and social beliefs.
Describing the concept in detail, Ziady said the woman and kids represent Ray’s family background of storytelling while the isishweshwe (ethnic- print cotton fabric synonymous with traditional African dress) inspired section represents the channel of communication and the passing down of culture from one generation to the next. Around the rhino’s horn is an AIDS ribbon which Ziady says symbolises Phiri’s HIV/AIDS activism. The black grass painted from the rhino’s leg up to its stomach coincides with nature conservation.
An animated Phiri said he is honoured to be a part of this critical campaign. He said that the impetus for his involvement in the campaign was his observation of humankind and how it has lost its connection with nature. This, Phiri says, stems from a lack of understanding of how nature enriches humans. “Without those animals I would perish. Each time a rhino is poached or killed, we lose ourselves,” said Phiri.
He likened the rhino poaching crisis to a fight between a rhino and an elephant; saying that when the two animals fight, it is the grass that suffers. Likewise, when poachers and rhinos fight, nature suffers, said Phiri. The Rhino Parade uses four celebrity ambassadors in the fight against rhino poaching. Four rhinos will be built and painted from four designs chosen from DUT third-year students in the Graphic Design Programme. The celebrities visited the DUT students and shared their views on rhino poaching. The students were then tasked to pitch designs for each celebrity’s rhino. The winning four designs were thereafter taken to the celebrities for approval.
The first two rhinos were revealed a week ago by South African sportsmen Shaun Pollock and Patrick Lambie. The last rhino is still to be revealed by Olympic gold medalist Chad Le Clos.
The rhinos will be on display at the airport until Thursday 29 November 2012 where they will be sent for auction at a Gala dinner.
– Naledi Hlefane
Caption: Caption: Third-year graphic design student from DUT, Carla-Leigh Ziady together with Stimela band member Ray Phiri who is one of four ambassadors of Durban Wildlands Conservation Trust’s Rhino Parade. The campaign is one of various national projects in support of the fight against rhino poaching.
