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In this 2011 photo, Vho-Samuel April Ramufhi carried the guitar with him and strummed it in public spaces.
The Tshivenda traditional music legend, Samuel April Ramufhi, who passed away at his home last Monday after a short illness, was given a dignified burial on Saturday.
People from all corners of the district descended on Muraleni village, where the funeral service started at around 06:30 at the deceased's home.
Representatives of the office of the Department of Arts and Culture also attended the funeral. The Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture, Ms Rejoice Mabudafhasi, hailed Vho-Ramufhi as a musical ground breaker whose music will continue to inspire the people of Southern Africa. “The old man has passed the baton to the youth; it's up to you to use that baton for establishing yourself in the art industry,” she said.
She said that Ramufhi had created music that had found its place in the canon of Tshivenda classics. “His music continues to promote the Tshivenda language and culture,” she said. “We will remember him for his amazing creativity. His music lives on.”
The representative of Nambi dza Devhula, Avha “AJ” Tshisevhe, indicated that the organisation was aware that local artists were highly talented. “Vho-Ramufhi was a member of our organisation and in him we have noted a talent that encouraged some of us to work harder,” he said. “In his life as an artist, he suffered being pirated and we still continue to suffer piracy as musicians.”
Ballitainment Media is a recording company that revived Vho-Ramufhi's talent by recording his first full-length album, Tshanda tshi a levha. The director at Ballitainment Media, Mr Balcan Sikhwari, acknowledged the help and support from residents of Muraleni village, all the people of Vhembe district and the Department of Arts and Culture.
“Ro zwi vhona; Afrika Tshipembe lo vha funa (We saw it – South Africa loved Ramufhi),” he said. “We will continue to enjoy Vho-Ramufhi's music.”
Ramufhi, who passed away at the age of 72, had released two albums, Tshanda tshi a levha (2013) and Vhavenda vha lale (2015). All his albums were produced by the young and talented Ishmael 'newBreed' Rammbwa.
The spokesperson for the family, Mr David Khwidzhili, expressed his appreciation for the support that flooded the Ramufhi family in their days of bereavement.
Date:09 May 2016
Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.
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