In East Africa, the presence of permanent British colonists left a significant imprint on the cultural and educational landscape, a stark contrast to their West African counterparts. These colonists introduced a British university educational system and fostered an elite society that mirrored British social norms. The dominance of British cultural values was evident in local theater companies, which primarily showcased popular British plays to an audience that was predominantly non-African. This cultural imposition was particularly evident in schools, where performances of Shakespeare with African students garbed in sixteenth-century English costumes became a staple ritual.

Amidst this cultural climate, Ngugi wa Thiong’o emerged as a vocal challenger of the established norms. He sought to dismantle the pervasive British influence by creating a platform for indigenous expression in the arts. In 1961, students at Makerere University, inspired by Ngugi’s vision, formed a traveling acting company. They embarked on tours across Kenya and Uganda, staging performances in village halls, churches, and even in the open air. Despite their sincere efforts to democratize theater, they faced a significant obstacle: the absence of indigenous plays readily available for production.

The year 1962 marked a turning point with Uganda’s independence, and Ngugi contributed to the Uhuru, or freedom, celebrations with his play, The Black Hermit. However, the play did not embody the spirit of celebration that the occasion might suggest. Ngugi’s work was infused with a strong anticolonialist sentiment, and his initial optimism following independence quickly waned in the face of corruption within the nascent national governments. This disillusionment was woven into the fabric of The Black Hermit, becoming a theme that would permeate much of his subsequent writing.

Ngugi’s engagement with the socio-political realities of post-independence Africa led to his imprisonment, a consequence of his fearless critique of the moral and economic hypocrisy prevalent in the regime. After The Black Hermit, Ngugi began to question the suitability of the English language for communicating the dramatic narratives he envisioned. English, he realized, was the language of the educated elite, not the masses he wished to reach. This epiphany propelled him to shift his focus, producing plays in African languages and staging them in village settings, thereby ensuring greater accessibility and relevance to the everyday lives of the people.

His notable works during this period include The Trial of Dedan Kimathi, co-authored with Micere Githae-Mugo and first performed in 1974, as well as Ngaahika Ndeenda and I Will Marry When I Want, both collaborations with Ngugi wa Mirii. These plays exemplify his commitment to indigenous languages and cultural representation, a commitment that also saw The Black Hermit eventually translated into Swahili, extending its reach and resonance in the region.