Background
Who we are?
Rahe-Wanitanama is more than just an artists’ studio - we are the embodiment of an aspirational vision inspired by the heart of Dolphin Head Forest Reserve. Our partnerships with the Jamaica Forestry Department and the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy grant us a uniquely powerful position to tell inspiring and impactful stories and experiences that leave a lasting impression on our clients’ audiences. We actively collaborate both locally and internationally to expand our reach and amplify the impact of our initiatives.
What we do?
Our core mission revolves around a groundbreaking ecosystem-centric framework, which lies at the heart of everything we do. By utilizing nature as a powerful tool and source of inspiration, our work aims to establish a profound connection with the world around us. This innovative framework serves as the foundation for our projects. Throughout our creative journey, we remain dedicated to adaptive and proactive environmental management, and recognize the crucial role of collaboration with diverse industry practitioners in effecting lasting positive change.
Strategy and Vision
Vision Statement
Our vision is driven by a commitment to grounded relationality, where every aspect of our work is contextualized and deeply connected to land and its Indigenous heritage.
Mission Statement
While we produce compelling experiences, our broader mission encompasses the pursuit of healing and the cultivation of community initiatives that thrive within our ecosystem-centric framework. We aim to collaborate with our local community and external businesses and organizations to forge a stronger nation and convey a powerful message of environmental and cultural resilience.
Value Statement
Our values are firmly anchored in the pillars of Indigenous aesthetics: beauty, utility, and ethics. Through the cultural lens of the Taíno people, we explore the profound connections between humans and nature, drawing inspiration from the intricate interplay between the two.
Growth Strategy
Central to our growth strategy is rooted in celebrating the vibrant cultural heritage of Dolphin Head Forest Reserve. With an extensive network spanning 3 villages and 12 distinct family descent groups, we create innovative and memorable experiences. Our expertise lies in facilitating meaningful artist-brand collaborations that authentically reflect each village's unique cultural identity and aesthetics.
Products and Services
At our studios, we offer a range of captivating products and services tailored to meet the diverse needs of our clients and audiences. Explore our offerings below:
Custom Pop-Up Exhibitions: Showcase original artwork experiences through uniquely designed gallery and market pop-ups
Community Art Experiences: Celebrate diverse creative expression through sustainable public art installations, outdoor performances, and community art workshops - facilitated via an ethical consent-driven framework considerate of land and peoples
Experiential Brand Activations: Drive awareness and sales through brand-sponsored pop-up shops, product demos and events that can take place in a variety of settings, including physical retail locations, online platforms, and outdoor spaces
While our offerings are customized, clients ultimately invest in Dolphin Head Forest Reserve’s distinctive visual identity - a regenerative process uplifting the region’s diverse families and cultural aesthetics through sustainable creative partnerships.
Management and Ownership
At our studio, we take pride in the expertise we have cultivated through a combination of specialized training, collaborative partnerships, and a deep commitment to amplifying diverse voices. Our expertise is the result of a relentless pursuit of excellence, driven by our passion for transformative storytelling and sustainable practices.
Rahe-Wanitanama — Founder
Rahe-Wanitanama (Indigenous Caribbean / Taíno) is a storyteller, craftsperson and tradesperson based in Florida and Jamaica. Affiliation: Dolphin Head Forest Reserve via Askenish, Jamaica. Their goal is to participate in world-building dialogues to help shape narrative identities that promote eudaemonia in diverse community contexts. Shown at Tribeca Film Center, Smithsonian, Anthology Film Archives, DCTV, UCLA Film & Television Archive, Vision Maker Media’s Producers Summit, University of Toronto and imagineNATIVE. Recent activity includes a commission by Oolite Arts and Miami Film Festival; selection for Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs’ Miami Individual Artists (MIA) Program, Native American Media Alliance/LA Skins Film Festival Unscripted Fellowship, NPR’s Next Gen Radio Indigenous Fellowship, NBCU Academy 2023’s Leadership Clinic at NAHJ, and a Third Horizon Forward Fellowship. Featured in Indian Country Today, Deadline, Folklife Magazine, TODAY, B&H Explora, and New Orleans Film Society Journal.