Marrakech – Imagine walking through the streets of Morocco, only to stumble upon a lion, a gorilla, and a cheetah — not in a zoo, not in a dream, but right there in front of you, parading for the planet.
Welcome to THE HERDS, a larger-than-life artistic project that’s making a powerful stop in Morocco.
Crafted from recycled materials and bursting with meaning, these life-sized puppets aren’t just pretty to look at — they’re shouting a silent, urgent message: our ecosystems are collapsing, and the time to act was yesterday.
Dreamed up by Palestinian theater director Amir Nizar Zuabi, in collaboration with The Walk Productions and the South African Ukwanda Puppets & Designs Art Collective, THE HERDS is a globe-trotting protest — one where art leads the way.
It’s a 20,000-kilometer journey across 15 countries, and for Morocco, it’s more than a pit stop. It’s a statement.
Between March and May, more than 150 Moroccans — students, artists, dreamers — gathered in workshops to build this moving miracle.
Together, they crafted nearly 100 animal puppets, each one a testament to the power of collective action and creative rebellion.
Think of it as building an ark… only this one walks, dances, and demands attention.
From April 29 to May 8, performance workshops are training the next generation of eco-warriors in Marrakech’s ESAV and Casablanca’s Théâtre Nomade, with the South African puppet masters leading the charge.
Then, the real magic begins: six public performances designed to flood the streets with awe, beauty, and a not-so-gentle reminder of the climate emergency.
