Behind the Scenes

Step inside the beating heart of THE HERDS - a place where artistry, craftsmanship, and innovation collide. In Cape Town, the world-renowned Ukwanda Puppetry and Designs Art Collective have been bringing the vision to life, meticulously designing and building the animals of THE HERDS.

Here, raw, recycled materials transform into life-sized puppet animals, each crafted with care, creativity, and a deep commitment to storytelling. These are not just puppets; they are symbols of movement, climate awareness, and collective action.

_{© The Walk Productions, captured in Cape Town by Rocket Films and edited by Loft Films, London.}

Ukwanda is a visionary team of master puppeteers and designers, shaping some of the world’s most breathtaking puppet creations. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, the collective was founded by Luyanda Nogodlwana, Siphokazi Mpofu, Sipho Ngxola and came together with Craig Leo, Simon Dunckley, Hansie Visagie Tundra Dunckley and Kim Bednall, to create the puppets for THE HERDS. Together, they have created some of the most iconic puppetry designs including Little Amal and War Horse, under the leadership of the renowned Handspring Puppet Company.

In 2024, Ukwanda’s artistic excellence was recognized with them winning Best Puppetry Design at the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards for their work on Maxeke: This Work is Not for Yourselves.

As resident artists at the Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape, Ukwanda continues to push the boundaries of puppetry, storytelling, and activism—bringing powerful narratives to life through art, movement, and innovation.