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Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected] 

MR Pathisa Nyathi, one of Zimbabwe’s most accomplished and beloved historians and cultural icons, was laid to rest in a deeply moving and dignified ceremony yesterday. 

Family, friends, Government officials, and cultural enthusiasts gathered at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo to pay their final respects. Mr Nyathi passed away last week at the age of 73 due to complications from diabetes and the burial service was a celebration of his immense contributions to Zimbabwe’s cultural heritage. 

Despite the profound sense of loss, the mourners honoured Mr Nyathi’s life and work. As a writer and mentor, he played an instrumental role in preserving Zimbabwe’s traditions, spirituality, and history. 

Through his extensive knowledge and humble spirit, he touched countless young scholars’ lives. Mourners, many dressed in sombre formal and traditional attire, gathered under cloudy Bulawayo skies, creating a reflective mood. 

The funeral proceedings began with a beautiful memorial service at the Bulawayo Amphitheatre. The stage was transformed into a traditional Kezi rural home, a moving tribute to Mr Nyathi’s roots. The Nyathi family recreated a homestead scene, complete with a brightly painted kitchen hut, symbolising his deep connection to his birthplace.

The late Pathisa Nyathi’s children

The dignitaries present, including Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Judith Ncube, lauded Mr Nyathi’s immense contributions to Zimbabwe’s cultural fabric. 

“We are laying to rest a giant whose works transcended borders. Nyathi didn’t just write about the past; he revived it for us all. People like Nyathi should not leave the nation poorer but instead, their work and legacies must live on forever,” Minister Ncube said.

She thanked President Mnangagwa for honouring the late historian with a State-assisted funeral.

Bulawayo mayor, Councillor David Coltart, described Mr Nyathi as “a well of knowledge” whose dedication to documenting Zimbabwe’s past will be studied by generations to come.

“While some people may liken the death of an icon such as Mr Nyathi to a library burning down, his family and all of us must rejoice in the knowledge that his legacy will live forever through the many books that he authored,” he said.

Clr Coltart said Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has resolved to name a street after Mr Nyathi in recognition of his work, both in the Matabeleland region and nationwide.

He said the local authority will also set up a “Pathisa Nyathi Corner” in all council libraries where his publications will be easily accessible to future generations.

His children eulogised him as a humble, generous, and deeply intellectual man, always willing to share his knowledge with anyone who sought it.

Ms Fikile Nyathi said her father was in great pain in the last days of his life.

“Our father had been unwell since August and when we took him to the doctor, it was discovered that he had suffered a heart attack. He was already a diabetic patient and finding out that he had suffered a heart attack was quite hard on us as a family,” she said.

“He was in hospital for a while until September 16 when he was discharged but taken back to hospital in mid-October. He stayed in the ICU at Mater Dei and was discharged the second time.”

Ms Nyathi said they had to hire a nurse aide to take care of their father in his last days. 

“Our father was in a lot of pain during his last days until he passed away on November 4,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Mr Butholezwe Nyathi described his father as a loving person who cherished nurturing his children to achieve the best in life.

“I worked with my father for seven years at the Amagugu Cultural Centre in Matopo and that was by far, the best working years of my life. Our father was warm, loving and funny,” he said. 

Mr Nyathi’s close friend and Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Reverend Paul Damasane, said he wrote 20 books that articulated the history of the liberation war against white minority rule and the British colonialists, the highest number of publications authored by any writer in the country. 

Mrs Thandiwe Nkomo Ibrahim, daughter of the late revered nationalist and former Vice President, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, described Mr Nyathi as a researcher par excellence who played a significant role in researching the history around the Pupu Battle of National Resistance against British colonialism.

The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Foundation presented a portrait of the late historian to his family as a token of appreciation for the work he did for the foundation when it was established by collecting data and information as well as researching the life of the late Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo.

Mourners were also shown a short video clip from the 1990s drama series Kukhulwa Kokuphela, in which Mr Nyathi starred with Mr Felix Moyo, who played the role of Silandulo and Robert Mele, who played Donga on the screen, as a reminder of the many roles that the late historian played.

After the service at Bulawayo Amphitheatre, the funeral procession made its way to Lady Stanley Cemetery with Mr Nyathi’s coffin covered with a cowhide.

As the sound of ululation mixed with the beats of traditional drums, the event transitioned into a poignant celebration of Mr Nyathi’s life and legacy. 

The sight of Mr Nyathi’s coffin, carried by his close relatives, was met with an outpouring of emotions from the mourners at Lady Stanley Cemetery.

The mood was more intimate at the graveside as family members laid wreaths, while friends and colleagues shared personal memories of the late historian. 

As the casket was lowered into the ground, there was a moment of silence, as if mourners were in a panoramic reflection of Mr Nyathi’s life.

Mr Nyathi was laid to rest next to his wife, Elizabeth, who died in 2016. 

Born in Kezi, Matabeleland South, on July 10, 1951, Mr Nyathi leaves behind a remarkable legacy of over 50 published books, numerous awards, and, most importantly, a renewed cultural consciousness among Zimbabweans. 

His work has been foundational in reclaiming and documenting African heritage, ensuring that the past remains a living part of the present and the future, and will continue to inspire many for years to come.