This week the focus of the Year of the Turtle shifts to the southwest Indian Ocean nation of Comoros, with a report on its 'Journee de la Tortue festivities, held on the island of Moheli. The special event was organised in the village of Itsamia on the weekend of 27-28 May 2006. Speeches about turtle conservation were made by the Director of the Marine Marine Park, the Minister for the Environment, Minister for Tourism and the Director of Community Centred Conservation (C3), a local NGO. People came from all over the island to participate in a huge range of activities to suit all ages.

C3 collaborated with the Marine Park to help organize the weekend which was a great success, with an estimate of 400 participants. Some of the most popular activities included tug of war, dancing, singing, poetry and dictation competitions and the ‘tam tam de boeuf’, the Comorian equivalent of the running of the bulls. 

Prizes for competition winners and IOSEA t-shirts were distributed at the end of the weekend. The event was filmed by a team from Chelonia, the turtle research centre on Reunion Island. Most participants received goody bags with snacks and drinks to keep them happy and full of energy throughout the weekend.

Plans are already being made to hold the next Journee de la Tortue in another village of the Marine Park. The poems will be featured on turtle information boards that C3 is designing for distribution throughout the island. 

Source text and photos: 

Patricia Davis, Director
Community Centred Conservation (C3)
email: patricia@c-3.org.uk