Biko

Biko may refer to:

See also

Biko (horse)

Biko (1984-January 29, 2014) was a Thoroughbred ridden by American rider Karen O'Connor at the international level in the sport of eventing. He stood 17.3 hands (71 inches, 180 cm).

Life

Biko was found as a 3 year old by William Micklem in Wexford, Ireland. He told O'Connor of the horse, and she bought the then five-year-old Thoroughbred. She found the horse to be incredibly talented, with a great ability to shorten and lengthen his stride, great strength and grace, and beautiful movement.

My Hansel, his dam, was a small but well-made and well-bred mare with excellent National Hunt lines that are found in many of the top National hunt racehorses and show jumpers. Beau Charmeur, his sire, was French bred.

Biko made the 1996 Olympic Team, but his rider broke her thumb days earlier, which made it difficult to control the strong horse, and the pair had a run-out on cross-country. However, they helped the United States win the team silver medal after a clear stadium round. He later made the American Team at the 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games where he finished an individual 11th place.

Biko (song)

"Biko" is a protest song by English rock musician Peter Gabriel. The song was included on Gabriel's third album, Peter Gabriel (1980). It is about Steve Biko, a noted black South African anti-apartheid activist.

Background

Biko had been arrested by the South African police in late August 1977. After being held in custody for several days, he was interrogated in room 619 of the Walmer Street prison in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Following the interrogation, during which the police beat him and left him with serious head injuries, Biko was transferred without medical care to a prison in Pretoria, where he died shortly afterwards, on 12 September 1977.

The album version of the song starts with a recording of the South African song "Ngomhla sibuyayo" and ends with a recording of the South African song "Senzeni Na?", both as sung at Biko’s funeral. The German version is bookended by "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika", also sung at Biko's funeral. One line of the lyrics reads "Yehla Moya" which in Xhosa means "Come Spirit".