During the early years of HIV/AIDs era there were lots of myths about how to handle bodies of people dying of AIDS and a lot were given very dishonorable burials.
Some were packed in body bags, wrapped in blankets or just had graves dug and their bodies thrown in as if they were vemin or some other such animals. Most had spent their last days in great agony, pain, embarrassment, rejection and humiliation before their demise.
As we tour cemeteries and grave yards today some of those polished, shiny and beautiful graves we see inscribed with words of great love are of people who died under very dehuminising conditions, were given very dishonorable burials and are only getting loved post humously.
A new revolution is unfolding in Zimbabwe and beyond, marking a new reawakening of giving the dead their due respect irrespective of how they died, and better late than never. During the last two or three years there has been a significant increase of families getting together to honour their departed relatives by putting tombstones on their graves and I think this is a commendable move which needs to be applauded and embraced by everyone.
A dishonorable burial is a curse to both the dead and living alike and I think schools and other learning institutions should take some time to teach learners about the importance of burying their dead with respect and dignity.
The sweeping wave of magadziro and tombstone memorials is also taking care of those who died of AIDS and had been given dishonorable burials. Everyone is getting their due respect by having their graves cleaned, polished and being visited regularly. I have seen families setting days aside to visit their relatives’ graves at most of the cemeteries and grave yards across the country.
It’s also very good to make peace with our departed loved ones even though we may have been bitter at the time they died and had treated them badly when they were sick on their death beds. Social media has been at the forefront of bringing to the attention of the public the deplorable state some of our celebrities’ graves most of whom died of AIDS and some are already being attended to.
A lot of people who died of AIDS left behind wealth for their families but some were ill-treated when they were ill and some were given burials not befitting their social status. Our departed need respectful graves ladies and gentlemen no matter what killed or how they died.
The magadziro, memorial service and tombstone unveiling craze is ushering in a new way of how we view our dead and should be followed with interest. In the past the dead and their graves have been in most cases viewed with disdain due to Christian inclinations forgetting that even though we are Christians in belief we still remain Africans physically and traditionally.
By :Piason Maringwa
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