“Marijo ka Tangkoko!” (“come to Tangkoko!”) was the theme for photo exhibition by local community group known as T-FOB (Tukang Foto Orang Batuputih) the Indonesian for photographers from Batuputih, facilitated by Selamatkan Yaki and Bitung City government. T-FOB is a local photo community of whose all members are from Batuputih village of Bitung and mostly work as local guide in Tangkoko. Located at the Atrium Manado Town Square 3 on 22 – 23 March 2019, in celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Tangkoko’s status as a protected area and the International Day of Forests. This photo exhibition also aims to promote the work of local photographers in Batuputih village as well as to increase the interest of local tourists to visit Batuputih Nature Recreation Park by showing the beauty of the forest. Strong images can be remembered more easily than words alone, and so visual media is widely used by different types of organizations to tell stories to people globally. Photos are therefore very important for wildlife conservation. Trying to spread three important messages about the Yaki, namely that they are endemic, endangered and protected, Selamatkan Yaki has used photos across several platforms to reach as many people as possible. As part of our social media strategy, images and video are powerful and easy to use to send conservation messages.

Previously, photos of biodiversity in TWA Batuputih Tangkoko are mostly from tourists and foreign researchers. Realizing the development in the photography skills of local people the idea of the exhibition emerged to increase their capacity. We are really proud to see that beautiful images from Tangkoko can reach more people. According to one of the members of T-FOB, Alfrets Masala expressed that they felt excited to be involved in this exhibition. Enthusiastic visitors also surprised them, many people were engaged and asked lots of questions. Around 57 photos from T-FOB were displayed including some from Selamatkan Yaki and Bitung City government as well as our partners from Tasikoki and Macaca Nigra Project.

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The exhibition was officially opened by the regional secretary of the City of Bitung, Audy Pangemanan and attended by the first lady of Bitung and Yaki Ambassador Indonesia Khouni Lomban Rawung and the head of Environmental service of Bitung Sadat Minabari. And in addition to photo exhibitions, we also invited senior photographers such as Denny Taroreh, Ronny Buol and Arthur Salibana to share their experiences and skill transfer through photography techniques as well as motivation in how to use photos as a tool in conservation.

The work of T-FOB received a high appreciation from Ibu Khouni. According to her, photos are only one way to convey and promote the beauty of biodiversity in TWA Batuputih Tangkoko Bitung and can also become a tool to promote tourism. For this, she would love to highlight those photos from the exhibition to be expanded into a book. The book will become used as merchandise of the city of Bitung that can be use as tourism promotion. Exciting plan!

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