Download - Trust for African Rock Art

Site Visit StoriesThe Signage AdventureG. K. BoronaFrom the very beginning this looked like itwould be one of the most daunting tasksof the project. It was more of an issue ofapproach other than anything else. An officerat TTF had suggested that we check whathas been done at Mida Creek in Mombasaand borrow from that example. We thoughtof taking a trip down to the coast to checkthis out but in the end it was not possible.Instead, we undertook a reconnaissance trip to the Kenya Wildlife Service’s Safari Walk atthe Nairobi National Park, to see the kind of signage that they have. After this trip a conceptwas developed, which guided the implementation of this activity.34During one of our trips back to Mfangano, we walked up to the Kwitone rock art site,outlining where the signs would be placed and the kind of information that would be onthe signs. This exercise took a full day and we didn’t even make it to Mawanga rock artsite, which is a shorter distance from the lake shore. It was during this trip that it wasunanimously agreed that wooden signs, while more eco-friendly, would not even last a yearbecause of the weather and the termites. We settled for metal signs painted in green, soas to blend with the environment.Back in Nairobi we identified a supplier for the signboards and stands among the Juakali 2 artisans along Nairobi’s Ngong Road, who promised to do a good job. TARA’s leaddesigner, Nathaniel Owuor, also began the design work. A total of 45 signs were developedin three types: interpretive signs, directional signs and welcome signs. In addition, dustbinswere developed for each trail and the museum compound. The stands were deliveredwithin two weeks as agreed. The consignment looked quite huge once it was delivered tothe office. The next step was branding the signs with the writings and artworks, and it wasat this point that all hell broke loose!2Local artisans who work on metal under the hot sun