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Trust Khosa in MASEMBURA, Bindura

MBIRA queen Mbuya Stella Chiweshe was buried in Nekati Village under Chief Masembura in Bindura yesterday.

Mbuya Chiweshe succumbed to a brain tumour in Harare on Friday last week.

She was 76.

And her wish to be buried according to her traditional customs was also granted.

Despite Nyaradzo Funeral Parlour providing an expensive casket, her body was removed from the casket and wrapped in a reed mat (rukukwe) and cloth before being lowered into the grave.

The family said this was done in accordance with her desire to easily be connected with her ancestral spirits.

They said they were following her instructions. The media was barred from the graveside.

And as she had requested in the living years, only traditional music was played at the funeral wake.

Mbuya Chiweshe was said to have instructed the family not to play any gospel songs at her funeral.

No gospel song was sung and no Biblical sermon was preached at her funeral and burial. Everything was done according to African traditional rites and rituals.

Addressing mourners at the burial, Mbuya Chiweshe’s eldest daughter, Maidei Charity Mapuranga, described her late mother as a true fighter.

“I am the first born to the late Mbuya Chiweshe. By the way, Chiweshe was not her surname, but a totem she adopted as a stage name. She lost her husband when we least expected it,” Maidei said.

She said Mbuya Chiweshe became popular with her totem rather than her real surname.

“Chiweshe is not my mother’s surname but her totem. Her real name on national documents is Stella Nekati.”

Maidei said they tried their best as a family to save Mbuya Chiweshe.

“We took her to one of the best hospitals in the world, but the cancer was detected late.

“She was a brave woman who showed no signs of sickness. She didn’t suffer from memory loss and we are devastated to have lost our mother,” she said.

A number of mbira artistes performed at Mbuya Chiweshe’s homestead on Monday night and yesterday.

These comprise Vee Mhofu and Dzivarembira who honoured Mbuya Chiweshe with song and dance.

Energetic performer, Kessia Magosha, also put up a vintage performance.

Sasha Amadhuve, Ammi Jamanda, Lioness, Mama Rachie, Wilfred “Nyamasvisva” MaAfrika and a number of traditional dancers from Mufakose also performed.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry, her deputy Tino Machakaire and National Arts Council of Zimbabwe representatives attended the burial.