Large format printers donated by
Epson are playing a key role in a world heritage project in Tanzania concerned
with preserving hundreds of unique rock paintings. Printed reproductions of the
paintings are helping to raise awareness locally and internationally, create
jobs and foster a sense of ownership and pride among the local community.
The paintings are some of the
world’s earliest examples of rock art, and are estimated to date back as far as
29,000 years. They feature humanoids, animal insect hybrid creatures,
semi-realistic animals and geometric motifs, thought to be illustrations of a
parallel supernatural universe experienced by Sandawe Bushman shamans in trance
states.
Unfortunately, the paintings are
deteriorating through the effects of natural weathering, and from acts of
vandalism that range from casual graffiti to uncontrolled dynamiting in search
of fabled treasure.
The Rock Art Conservation Centre
(RACC) in Arusha came about in 2009 through the efforts of Finnish paper-maker
Seppo Hallavainio, who has lived in Tanzania for more than a decade.
“The project started from a
discussion with photographer and digital printing professional Gary Wornell,
who had worked closely with Epson on several occasions,” said Seppo. “The plan
was to make these little-known supernatural paintings known to the public.
We started activities within the
community, to educate them about what they have around them and how they might
benefit from it, as it is they who should be the guardians of the rock art.”
The central idea was to establish
a sustainable and self-supporting large-format printing facility for the
reproduction of cave and rock paintings. Epson came on board and installed two
printers: an Epson Stylus Pro 9900 and an Epson Stylus Pro 3800, which print at
up to 44 and 17-inch widths respectively, enabling prints to be made. This has
played a big role in generating revenue through sales of prints to tourists and
other visitors to RACC in order to fund the protection and further study of the
art.
Mukesh Bector, Regional Sales
Manager for Epson East Africa says the rock art preservation initiative has
given the company the opportunity to help preserve the planet’s heritage while,
at the same time, establish potential future tourist attractions and
revenue-earners for the local population.
“Epson’s products are engineered
to reduce impact on the environment at all stages of the product lifecycle. But
as well as helping to protect our planet’s future, these printers are
preserving its past,” said Michael Hunt. “At Epson, we believe in giving back
to the communities that support us,” he noted.
The sustainability aspect of the
programme revolves around the use of hand-made papers manufactured from
readily-available local vegetation, such as mulberry, cotton and fig. Seppo,
who is highly respected as a paper-maker in his native Finland, is teaching his
skills to local women’s groups.
Gary Wornell has put his years of
expertise in coating and printing on a wide variety of media using Epson
printers to use by ensuring the papers and printer work together reliably. Gary
visited Tanzania to run a series of photography and print workshops in February
2012 for local schoolchildren, paper-makers associated with the centre, and
both professional and amateur artists and photographers.
“With the support of Epson and
its versatile large format printers, we have made it possible to print
reproductions of these remarkable images on locally-made paper - an innovative
and exceptional use of technology in a developing region,” Gary said.
Tanzania concerned with preserving hundreds of unique rock paintings. Printed reproductions of the paintings are helping to raise awareness locally and internationally, create jobs and foster a sense of ownership and pride among the local community.
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