Rave To Save: Walking With Elephants

Thailand is a huge holiday destination. The all-night beach parties and spiritual retreat are an allure for some, but travellers are now opening their eyes to the seedier sides of the country's tourism.

It's standard practice for holidaysmakers to Southeast Asia to pet a tiger or hop up on an elephant. Instagram posts may seem like everything is fine, but behind the filter all is not what it seems. The animal tourism trade is based on the cruel treatment of these magnificent creatures and exploiting the customer by removing them from the truth.



Using animals as begging instruments or masquerading them in wildlife sanctuaries, these oddly calm tigers, monkeys and elephants are subjected to humans force bottle feeding them or an iPhone shoved in their faces for a selfie. Many of the animals which are trafficked, or illegally bred, are taught to fear and are subjected to being drugged and mistreated daily.

One organisation stepping away from this type of trade, is the Mahouts Elephant Foundation (MEF).

"They're basically giving the captive elephants a free life," said the Synthapise event organiser Tonia Nee.

"All the money from the tourists is given to the Mahouts, a person who works and rides with elephants, so they can be sustained. 

"The tourists do not touch the elephants, there is no riding, no bull hooks, no abuse. Just go observe with the Mahout, and see the elephants living in their original land."



After raising £1,000 for Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary from the first Synthapise event last September, Tonia has directed her attention to raising money for her "four legged friends".

"I started researching vegan, elephant, sanctuaries back in October last year, I wasn't satisfied with the ones I came across, some things didn't add up, then I went on a vegan forum and it was suggested to me to check out MEF - I did and liked what I saw."

After 10 years, the MEF idea is only really starting to take off now. The UK registered foundation was started by the Blaine family from Worcestershire. Working in partnership with the Karen Hill tribe, a remote and rural village in Northern Thailand, they developed a safari-style model for ethical elephant tourism.

Money raised by the MEF enables the Karen people, who live in Mae Hong Son (Thailand’s poorest province), to remain in their home village and look after their elephants with the highest welfare standards in the forest surrounding the village.

"Tourists do what’s called 'Walking with Elephants', and live with the Karen Hill Tribe and absorb their culture", said Tonia.

By offering different priced packages, it's a unique concept that allows the tourist to trek into the forest with the mahouts, meaning they get the best experience possible. 

As the Karen community demonstrates, man can live alongside elephant. Prior to 1989, this was exactly the case. In the same year, Thailand made logging illegal, and overnight, 2,000 mahouts found themselves out of work.

"It stemmed from The Western world. Man took away their land by destroying it to make furniture back in the 80s, and the Thai people were left with nothing," said Tonia, talking about the logging ban.

"They have no food and no homes, as the forest was that place for them", she continues, "they were forced into the city, a place that was so foreign to them; it was so messy. And abuse became an action out of fear and desperate times. That's when the abusive elephant tourism started."

Elephants play an important role in the continent's culture but only around 50,000 Asian Elephants remain in the wild. The biggest animals on land need help. Now featured on the endangered list, habitat loss; farmer and human conflict; and poachers and ivory hunters, also contribute to their decreasing population.

Tonia, a huge believer in animal rights, says a performance is an expression of one's beliefs. Literally taking the Electrowerkz stage this Saturday are eight of the best up and coming talents from underground clubs in London and Berlin. Playing dark, industrial techno are Karen Wilkins (Opulence), Claus Fauss (Khemia), JASMIN (Housewife) b2b Tonia Nee (Synthapise), Sllav (Koden), Ireen Amnes (UnderMyFeet.) b2b Anirec, Vishscale (LIVE).



"I've heard these guys play out and they deliver every time," said Tonia

"Beautiful beats and that magical atmosphere while we lose ourselves on the dance floor, all whilst our tickets go to helping improve these intelligent mammals lives."

They say an elephant never forgets, but you might. Purchase your ticket ahead of the event.

Can't make it? Donate to MEF directly.



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