Image: Osborne Macharia
There is definitely no better way to tell the stories of your countries’ struggles than through a creative mind.
In this series
Macicio,
the Kikuyu word for “spectacles,” Kenyan photographer Osbourne Macharia
gives us a fictional narrative based on a group of freedom fighters in
Kenya that lead a revolt against the British empire in the 1950’s.
Osbourne
applies such detail and charisma to the series that it gives you a
certain sense of nostalgia and innermost gratitude to the soldiers that
were brave enough to stand in our defence in Kenya’s colonial times.
The photographer’s short prologue ascribes context to the photographic narrative:
It
tells a story of a special unit of Mau Mau fighters (guerilla freedom
fighters during Kenya’s struggle for independence) that was made up of
highly skilled opticians who created crude spectacles to identify and
eliminate the enemy at night. Little is known about them until now.
The descriptions are based solely on the interpretation of the artist.
General Njuguna
Commander-in-chief of the unit. Fighter since the age of nine. The different stars represent the lives he has saved.
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| Image: Osbourne Macharia |
Second Commander Kigotho
The
last man standing and only survivor from his previous battalion. He’s
always at the back of the group with his specially designed specs that
spot the enemy from behind.
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| Image: Osbourne Macharia |
Karanja ‘The Mole’ Jere
Normally
operates underground with his modified, underground-breathing suit. His
hair is designed to appear like a rodent burrowing through the soil and
his spectacles are telescopic. Able to see close to one kilometre away.
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| Image: Osbourne Macharia |
Nyakundi
Communications
expert and voice imitator, he uses the knobs attached to the mouthpiece
on his specs to imitate five different animals using code language.
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| Image: Osbourne Macharia |
Kimani ‘Ninja’ Nganga
Hands-on
fighter and front man in the pack. He’s a master tracker and attributes
his high level of senses to the wire dish on his jacket.
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| Image: Osbourne Macharia |
And the wonderful team that created this amazing work
HASSELBLAD MASTER FINALIST Osborne Macharia, The brilliant creative behind the spectacle designs, Kevo Abbra and team.
Images courtesy of Osbourne Machari
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