Stella Chiweshe’s traditional burial leaves tongues wagging The cloth that was used to wrap Stella Chiweshe’s body. — Pictures Arron Nyamayaro.

Trust Khosa

On Tuesday afternoon in Nekati Village under Chief Masembura, Stella Chiweshe’s body was transferred from an expensive casket, wrapped in a cloth and a new reed mat.

The coffin was destroyed as rituals for a rare traditional burial set in, with close relatives in charge.

The media was barred from taking pictures, true to tradition. The media was also barred from taking pictures of the lowering of her body. It was the burial of the occult. The occult!

In a world where Christianity has relegated many traditional burial rites to the abyss, this was a rare spectacle and indeed it has left tongues waging.

But the good thing is, that this is exactly what  traditional Mbira Music icon, Mbuya Stella Rambisa Chiweshe, wanted.

Suffice to say, Mbuya Chiweshe practiced what she preached all her life — on and off the stage — with pride and dignity.

A fountain of knowledge and firm believer of African tradition, she stuck to her traditional beliefs from birth till she breathed her last on January 20 in Harare.

She lost her battle against brain cancer aged 76.

After settling well for years in Berlin, Germany, Mbuya Chiweshe never changed her lifestyle. Close relatives say she remained in touch with her kith and kin back home while overseas.

She regularly visited her rural home where she set up an arts centre, which is set to benefit the locals.

In Europe, she also defied odds when she converted foreigners to the African traditional religion, including her late husband, Peter Reich.

Sadly, Reich died in December last year when Mbuya Chiweshe was already unwell in Zimbabwe.

Reich is said to have promised to fly to Zimbabwe to be with Mbuya Chiweshe once he recovered but that was not to be.

Prior to her death, the mbira queen easily won the hearts of many through mbira music, which is set to inspire future generations to come.

Mbira is a sacred music genre richly grounded in Shona tradition.

And, it took Mbuya Chiweshe to market the genre abroad, which made her a true ambassador.

A strong woman she was, Mbuya Chiweshe (nee Nekati) accepted the reality when she was diagnosed with cancer.

Instead of stressing herself, Mbuya Chiweshe started to prepare for her burial, family members say.

It’s rare to find someone with the guts like Mbuya Chiweshe who was sensing death, according to a close relative.

Mbuya Chiweshe even advised her family how she wanted her remains to be interred.

Mbuya Stella Chiweshe

With all the resources available, the family still opted to grant their mother’s wish of burying her the traditional way at her arts centre.

As strange as it may sound, Mbuya Chiweshe further advised her family to bury her wrapped with a cloth and reed mat.

On Tuesday afternoon in Nekati Village under Chief Masembura, a brand new reed mat and cloth were produced by a close relative while the expensive coffin was destroyed.

This was done in the presence of closest relatives.

“We are glad that you have supported us for the greater part of the day but now it’s time for the family to bury our own in our traditional manner,” said the village headman as he addressed mourners.

“We are asking those who are not related to Mbuya Chiweshe to leave to ensure that we perform our rituals,” he added.

Some mourners left bitter after the family barred mourners from body viewing.

Women who are still going through menstruation and young children were also barred from coming closer to the graveside.

Others waited for hours hoping that the family would change their mind but that was not to be.

“We are sorry that there won’t be any body viewing as per her instruction.

“She said she didn’t want children to come for body viewing and we are simply following what mama said.

“I will be happy if you can bear with us on this matter please. It’s a family issue that we cannot afford to go against.

“I stayed with mama in Germany when she was unwell and even monitored her when she came here so she told me all these things,” said Virginia Mukwesha, Mbuya Chiweshe’s second daughter.

She further advised the media to leave as they demanded their privacy but some remained behind.

For many people, this was their first time ever to witness such a burial but those from the royalty felt she got it right.

This was Mbuya Stella Chiweshe (nee Nekati) for you.

The Herald learnt about the traditional burial on Monday night from Virginia, who is also a mbira player in her own right.

“I wish I had compiled everything that she told us and put it into a book because she knew her culture.

“We are going to follow everything that she said because she loved her tradition. It’s going to be a unique burial ” she said.

It was indeed an exclusive for us as many wondered why the family opted for this unique burial.

After being accorded State assisted funeral where all the costs were footed by the Government including the expensive casket, it should have come as a surprise to many.

Her daughter, Virginia, said the family was impressed after their mother’s wish was granted.

“We are happy that our mother’s wish has been granted and it was our hope that she will be happy wherever she is,” she said.

A village elder said Mbuya Chiweshe ‘s burial was new to a number of mourners.

He, however, hailed the family for honouring their mother’s wish by granting her wishes.

“Chiefs and other royal people used to be buried in the same manner. This should not come as a strange thing that we have witnessed here.

“This kind of burial is also according to spirit mediums who wanted to be easily connected with their ancestors as is the case with Mbuya Stella Chiweshe,” he said.

With the debate still raging over the Mbuya Chiweshe’s choice of burial, many are convinced the family did very well by sticking to their tradition.

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