Smiling teen twists and bends his body in fantastic shows

Samuel Kinyanjui

By PHARES MUTEMBEI

When you meet Samuel Kinyanjui for the first time, you are struck by his ever-present smile and charm.

The Standard Eight pupil at Gitiba Primary School in Dagoretti is no ordinary child; he can display amazing performances and stupefy spectators.

He has become a subject of wonder in his school and surrounding villages because of his antics.

At 14, Kinyanjui is a contortionist, .a performer who twists his body for the entertainment of others. He makes his jaws drop with his incredible bending and movements of his body. He can perform amazing physical movements due to a flexibility that is beyond description.

If harnessed, Kinyanjui’d art can earn him a livelihood.

Sometimes when he contorts his body, spectators cringe thinking the boy is in pain.

Even he cannot explain the origin of this phenomenon.

“I know I have bones and joints like other people but I don’t know why I don’t feel them. I think I was born flexible for a reason,” says Kinyanjui, his usual smile playing on his lips.

Breathtaking

His teachers believe Kinyanjui should be taken to a talent academy to nurture his talent.

“He is a star in and out of the school because of what he can do with his body,” says Karuku Njugi, one of his teachers.

With breathtaking ease Kinyanjui places both his legs behind the shoulders with knees bent. Lying on his belly he manoeuvres his legs behind his back to touch the back of his head. Another act is to ‘suck’ in his stomach, leaving his mid-section hollow.

He easily bends all his fingertips to touch the back of his wrist! He also bends his limbs until they look broken, among other contortions. — And all these without the slightest show of pain or strain.

At first, other pupils and teachers were shocked by his performances and feared he would hurt himself. Other students found him an engrossing source of entertainment.

“We tried to stop him from doing it. We thought his twisting and bending of limbs was dangerous. We eventually left him to his antics after we noticed the ease with which he performed, but we had to warn other children never to try it, at home or school!” said Njugi.

Kinyanjui’s talent can be tapped to make him a gymnast or dancer — and give China a run for gold medals in future Olympic competitions.

Teacher Njugi’s wish is that Kinyanjui’s talent is not left to waste, especially since he is not among the best in academics.Kinyanjui’s hobby is exercising and only watches his friends play soccer.

“I also don’t like watching television but I can dance.”

Says Mary Kimani of Life Skills Promoters: “If we want to make something out of children such as Samuel, we should identify talents and know how to support them. Psychosocial is key for such children. It is important to help nurture their unique abilities.”