The Team
Elephants and their mahouts
20 elephants will take part in the adventure of the Caravan. The team of elephants and mahouts will grow as the Caravan advances. First 3, then 6, then 9, then 12 and finally 20 elephants will join the team as we reach Luang Prabang.
The Elephants
The Caravan’s elephants come from 4 districts of the Xayaboury Province. Paklay district, Thongmixay district, Phiang district and Hongsa district.
Phu Rambo from PAKLAY
Phu Chompheng from HONGSA
Phu Bounpheng from THONGMIXAY
Phu Bounmy from PHIANG
Phu Bounieun from PAKLAY
Mae Vien from PHIANG
Mae Mang from HONGSA
Mae Khien from THONGMIXAY
Mae Khamthan from PAKLAY
Mae Khamman from PHIANG
Mae Kham from THONGMIXAY
The Mahouts
Vixay, Sack, Somvang, Bounma, Mon, Lao, Siengmi, Houmpheng, Xay, Lakhone, Noi In, Khom, Sack, Seng, Nokeo, Thongkham, In, Som, Nom, Phet, Chom, Nath.
The Production Team
Sébastien Duffillot
Living in Laos since 1996, he co-founded ElefantAsia, an elephant conservation NGO, in 2001 . In 2002 , he organized a first elephant caravan in Laos: 1300 Km to raise awareness of the need for action to protect the endangered Asian elephants. From 2005 to 2012 he managed the ‘Lao Elephant Care & Management Programme’ implemented by ElefantAsia at the Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry. In 2007 he co-founded the Elephant Festival and the Elephant Conservation Center in 2011 (Xayaboury province).
Marion Mollin
Marion has joined the elephant caravan in August 2015 after 2 years spent in Laos working for Handicap International.
Thaksin Panthasen
Thaksin (Sack) is working at the Elephant Conservation Center since 2011. He is a true elephant lover. He is from Champassak province and has moved to Xayaboury province where is wife is from. So he spent his entire life between Champassak where he was born, and Xayaboury where he married his wife. These two provinces are the only ones with an age old tradition in domestic elephant training and husbandry.
Charlotte Coutagne and Benjamin Leroy joined the Elephant Caravan in January 2015 to help with fundraising and communication.
The Veterinary Team
Anabel Lopez Perez is a Biologist from Spain currently in charge of the Elephant Conservation Center socialization area and re-herding programme. She will implement all needed welfare policies and brief mahouts prior to the march. En route, she will make sure elephants are treated in the best possible way in regards with their gear, nutrition and work/rest periods.
The Educational Team
The arrival of the caravan in the villages of Xayaboury and Luang Prabang is an opportunity to send a strong message to young people and their parents. Thus, at each stage, a Lao-French team of education specialists will undertake a series of edutainment activities to raise public attention. Building on the traveling theater show, and using educational materials created for the occasion, the team will work with educational institutions in villages to raise awareness of the need to protect the environment. We will work with ‘Community Learning International’ charity based in Luang Prabang.
Chantha, Sengdao and Xin Xay from Luang Prabang Library and Community Learning International, Mirabelle Gautier.
The artists of the roadshow
Artists participating in the caravan are from France and Laos. In Laos, we will work with performers from Khao Niew Theatre group led by Lattanakhone Insisiengmay. Khao Niew offers a contemporary and innovative theater on the Lao scene. Funny and poetic, Khao Niew performances combining object theater, dance, acrobatics and music. On the French side, we will invite artists who have collaborated with several prestigious companies such as the Royal Deluxe, Phun, Cirkatomik or Uz and Coutumes… Two worlds brought together for this adventure across Laos with an original production revolving around the elephant, the living symbol of the people of Laos and gigantic ambassador of a biodiversity under threat./
Khao Niew theatre group (Laos)
Khao Niew was established in Vientiane in 2008, and is directed by Lattanakone Insisiengmay. The company has staged five plays since its creation: Broken Dream (2010), What! (2011), Lao Pinocchio (2012), Metamorfoz (2011) and Music Elephant (2012). Over the years, Khao Niew’s group has broadened its horizons by working on collaborative cultural and art programmes with both local and international artists including: Kabong Lao puppet theatre (Lao PDR), Turak Théâtre/Michel Laubu (France), Phare Ponleu Selpak (Cambodia), Jeobong Co. (Japan & Laos) and Teatr Piba (France). Khao Niew is an active member of the PETA-Mekong Partnership Programme (ASEAN partnership and support programme for the performing arts community within the Greater Mekong Subregion). Khao Niew will invite international performers and musicians to join them for the production of an exclusive artistic creation during the Elephant Caravan.
Lattanakhone Insisiengmay, Oday, Kopkeo Volatham, Khonsavanh Atsath, Bounphaseuth Insisiengmay.
Artists from France
Didier Gallot, Karen Maldonado, Armel Façon, Guillaume Thiery.
Music
Jo Dahan
Visual Arts
Caroline Rosse
The Media Team
The adventure of the caravan will lead to one or more TV productions. A team will accompany the caravan during its whole journey while others will visit occasionally. The Caravan will also invite photographers, illustrators and journalists to recount the story of this extraordinary cultural journey.
Photo
Patrice Terraz
Video
Pierre Olivier Bonnasse, Franck Cuvelier, Coraline Molinié
Illustration
Nicolas Dumontheuil, Troubs (Jean-Marc Troubet)
The Logistics Team
The Caravan will leave from the south of Xayaboury province and will travel from South to North before heading east towards Luang Prabang. The return will be along the Mekong River to the provincial capital of Xayaboury. 12 elephants will participate along with 24 mahouts. Elephants will join the Caravan in groups of 3, as the team progresses towards its destination. Logistics trucks will transport equipment and people to the daily camps. The logistics team will include cooks, medic, drivers, Security and technical crew.