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The record-breaking achievements of Kenyan athletes have caught the imagination of the world of sport. How significant really is Kenya in the world of sports? This book, the first to look in detail at the evolution and significance of a single sport in an African country, seeks to answer these and many other questions. Kenyan Running blends history, geography, sociology and anthropology in its quest to describe the emergence of Kenyan athletics from its pre-colonial traditions to its position in the modern world of globalized sport. The authors show the qualities of stamina and long distance running were recognized by early twentieth century travellers in east Africa and how modern running was imposed by colonial administrators and school teachers as a means of social control to replace the indigenous fold traditions.
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KE,NTAN RUNTNING Movement Culture, GeograPhY and Global Change JOHN BALE and JOE SANG * aa aa I ffi FRANK CASS LONDON. PORTLAND, OR First published in 1996 ìn Great Britain by FRANK CASS ð( Co. LTD. Newbury House, 900 Eastern Avenue, London IGZTHH and in the United States of America by FRANK CASS c/o ISBS 5804 N.E. Hassalo Streer, Porrland, Oregon 9T213-3644 Copyright @ 1996 John Bale and Joe Sang British Library Cataloguing in publication Data Bale, John, 1940- Kenyan running : movement culture, geography and global change 1. Running - Kenya, 2. Athletics - Kenya 3. Athletics _ Kenya _ Social aspects 4. Athletics - Kenya - Hirtory I. Title IL Sang, Joe 796.4',2'096762 ISBN 0-7146-4684-9 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data Bale, John. Ifenlal running : movement cukure, geograph¡ and global change I John Bale and Joe Sang. p. cm. Il:l-"_¿çr bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 0-7146--4684-9 (hardcover). -- ISSN O-ZMe-+Ztg-S (pbk.) 1. .Runners. (Sports)--Kenya.,.. Running-social aspects__Kenya. ^ Tiack-athletics--social 3. aspects--Kenya.- I. Sang. Jãe. IL Title. GV 1061.23.K4835 I996 796.42'096762--dc20 96_12789 reserued. part of this publicøtion møy be reproduced in any lll,rtsntt !,tro form or by any -means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otheiutise, wìthout the prior permission of Frank Cass'indVo*poyLi*itii. Printed in Great Britain by Bookcraft (Bath) Ltd, Midsomer Norton, Avon This book is dedicated to Alice Bale and Monica Sang Contents L. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. \ List of Figures lx List of Tâbles x Acknowledgements xi Preface xiii Map: Districts of Kenya xvii Black athletes at the \Øhite City 1, The significance of Kenyan running 17 Antecedents of Kenyan sPort 47 Between folk-games and modern sport 69 Modernisation: sport as a global system 103 Altitude or attitude: regions and myths 138 Development, underdevelopment, resistance 1,63 Bibliography 1,93 Index 207 Figu res Lazaro Chepkwony Maiyoro Nyandika L,2 Seraphino Antao 1..3 Kipchoge Keino 1.4 \lilson Kiprugut L,5 Medals won by Kenyan athletes at the 1.6 Commonwealth and OlymPic Games Lorupe Tecla 1..7 of modern running cultures A trialectic 2.7 11 Geographic variations in the 'production' of African class athletes, 1'993 Per capita variations in output of African-class 2.3 athletes, 1993 Per capita variations in output of African-class 2.4 male athletes,1.993 Per capita variations in output of African-class 2.5 female athletes, 1993 Per capita variations in out