Ogutu Muraya is a director and actor born in Kenya and based in the Netherlands. His gaze illuminates the individuals submerged beneath grand narratives; his voice captivates the audience with his unique spoken word performances.
Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila went down in history as the marathon gold medalist of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics; new legends were born with the performances of Kenya’s Kipchoge Keino and Tanzania’s John Steven Akhwari at the 1968 Mexico Olympics that followed. With the presence of such superhuman athletes lending support to the independence movements of African countries in the ’60s, these victories were deeply intertwined with the processes of nation construction and the formation of national identities. The very bodies of these runners figured as sites for a power struggle that brought together the political concerns of the colonial era.
Offering a critical interpretation of the relation between politics and the Olympics, Muraya brings to life in rhythmical English the history surrounding these athletes, as well as their personal narratives. A vivid world structure will emerge from the depths of his words – engraved on the resilient bodies of the great athletes who were always running, carrying Africa on their backs.