Samsudin, the wildlife and conversing storyteller who conducts a nature conservation campaign through a self-made cartoon. Tale is an old literature that tells of an event that has meaning, but full of fantasy and a thing that is considered does not really happen by society.
Usually, fairy tales are entertaining and contain an educational value. The tale is made because it is inspired by something that ever happened. The tale also serves to convey moral teachings that educate, portray the truth, and also entertaining.
Samsudin is one of the storytellers who love and care about the environment and animals. This 47-year-old man from Indramayu, West Java, is able to pedal a bicycle from his hometown to Jakarta just to speak about his concern for the environment. Not only Jakarta, Samsudin also travel around the archipelago to achieve his mission.
This storytelling activity has actually started in 2012 when he is teaching children in school, but the media used for storytelling is incomplete. Then Samsudin decided to stop teaching at school and want to focus on storytelling.
Samsudin chose to focus on storytelling because it is considered effective to encourage young people, especially children in conveying conservation messages to themselves and parents.
The message conveyed by each tale is the task of children as the next generation should not be ignored so that the need for improvisation of tales that can be conveyed to the children.
Welcoming the Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia, Samsudin made his determination to storytelling around the archipelago. Beginning on April 1, 2016, Samsudin started his action at the Office of the Ministry of Environment Jakarta by telling stories about the Rhino and their habitat. From Jakarta, he continued his action and storytelling to other cities, such as to Serang City, Kota Agung, Lampung, Bengkulu and ended in Jambi.
In mid-July to 17 August 2016, Samsudin began storytelling at Zan Society of London (ZSL) Telanaipura, Jambi. Zoological Society of London is a zoo-based wildlife conservation organization based in London, England that has the vision and mission to achieve and promote the conservation of wildlife in Indonesia and its habitat. Not only storytelling but Samsudin also contributed to the effort of animal preservation there.
In addition to the ZSL, Samsudin also storytelling to Al-Falah School and Elementary School in Telanaipura. He also told stories to many schools that he came to spontaneously.
However, this noble activity of Samsudin also got some rejection by many school activities because he can disturb the lesson even though the purpose of this trip Samsudin only for storytelling. For him the more children are willing to talk to and discuss through fairy tales it means there are more children who know about endangered species, ecosystems and forest maintenance in Indonesia.
After his visit to Jambi, he continued his journey to Sorek Town, Pangkalan Kerinci, Pekanbaru, Rantauprapat, Aek Kanopan, Tebing Tinggi, and ended in Medan on 17 August 2016.
He rides a bicycle on his journey from Jakarta to Medan using the old bike that he bought from his brother. The use of this bike is also intended to inspire people to use the bike and do not rely on other vehicles and also like to exercise.
The use of this bike is considered more environmentally friendly and tend to attract the attention of many people so that people know the of his campaign.
Samsudin invites children to tell stories through fairy tales, therefore, make children dare to speak and express opinions and learn to think about something. The children will know the true nature of Indonesia with the cultural diversity, people’s perspective, environmental and forest conditions. All thank you to Samsudin the wildlife and conversing storyteller.