V 14 N. 53 A Rift in the Rift Valley

 Based on an article in the August 15, 20024 The Guardian by Carlos Mureithi

                                   

                A sculpture depicting a Kenyan female athlete that had to be removed from the 'city' of Eldoret.                                                       seen in The Guardian  Aug. 15, 2024

The west Kenyan town of Eldoret has long been a center of the running trade in East Africa.  Recently it made headlines when it was about to be declared a 'city' as opposed to being just a 'town'.   Some statues were made or carved to depict and honor Kenyan runners of the Rift Valley region.  The president of Kenya William Ruto was slated to come out and make a speech.  But the locals of Eldoret protested the quality of the statues,  and they had to be removed.    Kenya is not known for its wood carvings like the ones produced in West Africa, example. in the not so Democratic Republic of the Congo that the Bakuba people do.  

Bakuba work, maybe not a runner but could be

Those carvings traded by missionaries for bibles in the 19th century and transported to museums in Europe inspired western artists such as Picasso to produce their master works.  Picasso even admitted that some of his work was cultural theft.  The Wakamba carvers, the best in Kenya, were not up to the task. Possibly the Wakamba were not even involved as the work above looks more like something done in my freshman woodshop class.   Though on the rise most of the East African work is considered 'airport art' created for the artistically ignorant tourist trade.  The Makonde carvers in southern Tanzania might have done a better job had they been consulted.  But what do southern Tanzanians and northern Mozambiquans know about distance running? 

This Makonde could possibly be the start of a steeplechase race?  The sculpture does seem to have captured Kenyan hurdling technique.

 The Eldoret statues were removed and are probably providing firewood for the local cook stoves grilling 'wali na nyama'.  

Looking at other art work over the ages depicting athletes, we may or may not find cause to say, the Kenyans made the right move.  I'm thinking that the statue depicting Tommy Smith and John Carlos raising their fists at the Mexico City medal ceremony to be particularly well done and very moving, though it did leave out a significant individual, Australian silver medalist Peter Norman from the work.   He paid dearly for his support of Smith and Carlos.    

                                                  Tommie Smith and John Carlos on San Jose State campus

                                           In the Smithsonian,  Peter Norman did get recognized.

Where else are runners depicted?  Nurmi? Owens?  Zatopek?  Viren?  Thorpe?  Blankers-Koen?  Rudolph?

  Jerome?  and others?   

                           A Black Woman Runner (Unnamed) on the Embarcadero in San Francisco

Wilma Rudolph in Clarksville, TN

                                                    Paavo Nurmi in Helsinki by Waino Aaltonen

                                                        Only one depicted running starkers;

                                                        I elected not to show the full frontal view.

Jim Thorpe running (with football)

in Jim Thorpe, PA

Fanny Blankers-Koen in Rotterdam

                                                         Harry Jerome in Vancouver, BC

                                                   The Harry Jerome Lean - Beautiful!

 

                                                               Have a Good Day!

                                                                   Gary Corbitt

Ancient Greek Runner Female

waiting for the baton? 

                                                        Jesse Owens in Oakville Alabama

                                                          Jesse Owens in Cleveland, OH

                                                  .......and Jesse in Columbus, Ohio

                                                               Lasse Viren in Helsinki

                                       Emil Zatopek in his hometown  Koprivnice in Moravia

                                                                One of many of Emil

There are many more around the world,  you just have to name your athlete and look on Google.  

But few if any in Africa.

I've been reminded of a few others:

                                                      Bannister and Landy also in Vancouver, BC

                                                              by Monutmental Photo

                                                              Dick Fosbury at Corvallis, OR

                                               I should not have limited this piece to running.

                                                           Okay discus throwers, I've paid hommage.

                                                         Now don't give me that swirly you threatened me with.

                                                      Shot Putter from NY Public Library Archives