Please make our children aware:Grandparents, mum and dad take your children to view the stampede at Orchard Road, not of the shopping crowds but of the elephants that are everywhere in Singapore. I did the safari with my grandson J. and we enjoyed every moment.
The cutest one is the durian elephant at Orchard Road (image 1). These elephants remind me of a popular 1962 instrumental hit from the film Hatari called, Baby Elephant Walk by Henry Mancini and his Orchestra (song is on right bar).
It is a piece of music written in 1961 for the 1962 release of the movie. "The composer combines brass instruments with repeated blasts from the tuba and woodwind elements to convey the sense of a toddler that is large and plodding, but filled with the exuberance of youth. The catchy, jazzy simplicity of the tune has made it one of Mancini's most popular works (Wiki)."
The Elephant Parade statues exude similar feelings with colourful, huge babies but created to raise awareness and money to save the Asian elephant from definite extinction. Each statue of the jumbo is decorated by a different artist, then displayed in public places across Singapore for view. The first Parade took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and the event has spread across Europe, from London to Copenhagen to Milan.
At the end of the exhibition, these artistic statues are auctioned with profits going to the Asian Elephant Foundation. The charity is for an Asian animal and Singapore is the first Asian city to hold this Parade. More than 160 elephants are currently on display across the island.
They are displayed along Orchard Road, in other shopping malls, at the Botanic Gardens and the Esplanade Waterfront up to January 31, 2012. Better pursue them before they're hunted down by poachers!
Do you know of other songs from yesteryear with the elephant theme?
(This posting is not an advertisement to promote Singapore tourism but one to SAVE our elephants!)
Images: Andy Lim Collection.
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