BULAWAYO mayor David Coltart has said the local authority will honour the late historian, poet, writer and cultural activist Pathisa Nyathi by naming a street after him.
Speaking yesterday during his funeral service held at the Bulawayo Amphitheater, Coltart said Nyathi left an indelible mark on Zimbabwe’s cultural identity.
“Lets us take comfort through his writings. His writings ensure that the past is not forgotten,” he said.
“The city wishes to respect the contributions he made to our society. Yesterday, with my councillors including the deputy mayor (Edwin Ndlovu) here, we resolved that we intend to name a street after him.
“Finally, we will ensure that every single one of our council libraries has the Nyathi corner in them.”
He added: “He has left this rich legacy through the Amagugu Heritage Centre and his over 60 books and columns in various newspapers and through that, he has created a platform for the future.”
Sports, Arts and Recreation ministry secretary Nicholas Moyo said Nyathi was a master practitioner on matters to do with cultural heritage.
“Nyathi was more of a nationalist than just a Ndebele. He did a lot for the Ndebele people, but he did more for Zimbabwe. He was a master practitioner on issues to do with tangible cultural heritage,” he indicated.
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Moyo said Nyathi visited him six months ago with a plea to resuscitate Old Bulawayo.
“The Home Affairs ministry about two weeks ago promised to release funds that are going to help in resuscitating the Old Bulawayo. This has been Nyathi’s dream. He always told me that the state of Old Bulawayo was heart-wrenching,” he said.
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Judith Ncube hammered home the point that Nyathi was a custodian of culture and heritage.
“He was the archive of the Zimbabwean history,” she said.
Nyathi passed away at a private hospital in Bulawayo on Saturday after battling diabetes and kidney failure.
He was 73.
He was buried yesterday at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo.
Meanwhile, graphic designer Simbarashe Maengera, has created a portrait of the late historian in honour of his works, publications and personality.
“I drew it digitally from scratch and wanted to capture his essence with one motif that would encompass all that he has done, what he’s about and also his love for ethnic colours as well, so having that solid motif capturing his work to celebrate him in that way,” Maengera said.
“We really lost; someone who was a moving library of information relating to history and heritage in the African context which is rarely documented.”
