On Wednesday 10th November, the Let It Grow movement “Enough is Enough” came to life on the streets of Govan in Glasgow inspiring dance, congo-lines, and emotion from an energetic crowd and the 10-story high ocean goddess, Storm.
Let it Grow is a mass participation song project, building an online tidal wave of music and creativity, telling politicians and business leaders at COP26 and around the world that enough is enough when it comes to the destruction of our planet and the global systems that perpetuate inequality.
Enough is Enough was composed collaboratively by multi-award-winning folk musician Karine Polwart (7-times winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards), Oi Musica brass specialist Marcus Britton, percussionist Olivia Furness, and Heather Macleod of Edinburgh’s all-welcome Soundhouse Choir.
The lyrics draw on the stories and legends surrounding Glasgow’s patron Saint, Mungo, and the city’s coat of arms – with its tree, bird, fish and bell.
The 100-strong Soundhouse Choir were joined by Glasgow street bands Brass, Aye? and SambaYaBamba and community groups from Glasgow. They sang for STORM, the awe-inspiring and giant 10-story high climate change puppet.
Storm, made by Vision Mechanics, is a goddess of our oceans with a message that the environment needs our help. She is giant, made entirely from recycled materials, and comes to us in the form of a puppet. With eight puppeteers skillfully helping her through the streets, she is able to tour the streets of Scotland as an impressive climate change activist.
After she stopped to hear “Enough is Enough” she walked along the streets of Govan to be greeted by protesting school children who were chanting for climate change action to be taken now and waving placards with messages of hope and empathy.
As the children and Storm continued their protests against climate change, ‘Little Amal’, another giant puppet, joined the crowds. Little Amal is 3.5 meters tall and is a 10-year-old Syrian refugee puppet who has walked from the Syrian border to bring her own message to Scotland and raise awareness for the millions of displaced children around the world.
Impressively engineered by the puppeteers, Little Amal and Storm embraced before walking together through the streets of Glasgow alongside their other puppet friend Displaced Dora.
The project is led by Oi Musica and funded by Creative Scotland. Oi Musica uses the music of street bands to bring people and communities together, creating inspirational musical experiences for absolutely everyone – from novice to professional.
The original video of Enough is Enough can be seen here.
All images © Louise Montgomery
