Jan07
28
Mourning Rattray
David Rattray was murdered in his KwaZulu-Natal home on Friday evening.
I did not know David. I was, however, blessed to share a stage with him at a conference late last year, and hear him speak. I go to many conferences, I hear many people speak. But David Rattray’s raw brilliance, his unbridled pride and passion, kept me riveted for over two hours without a break. He used vivid imagery and a symphonic vocal gifting to educate us about the Anglo-Zulu wars that drew me in like I’ve never been before, or since.
You don’t always need to get to know someone to know that they are good and gentle. That they have rich souls. That they have mesmerizing intellect. I only had to hear him once to know all these things. It’s ridiculous, by I am sad. South Africa ought to be too. Seldom do we lose someone who not only family and friends will miss, but complete strangers too.
Very sad indeed. When will all the killing end?
Yes, I remember that night so clearly … your post has just wonderfully refreshed my memory of his “story telling” I was shocked when I heard this for the first time on Friday evening on 702. I even googled this to make sure it was the same person. It is a huge loss.
You say that just so brilliantly. I am also deeply saddened, and all I was was somebody in an audience of his at two IS Internetix events. I feel so honoured to have heard him speak, I just wish others close to me had had the same opportunity
I could not have said it better. I had the forunate experiencing of working under David’s tutorage for 3 months at his glorious lodge in Natal. I listened to him skillfully portray the events of 22 january 1879 with such passion and talent, well over 40 times, and each time he managed to extract a lonely tear from my eye.
There was no man who believed in the future of South Africa more than David. Spending hours with him fishing the Buffalo river bordering his farm, he would enlighten me as to how far this country had come. He firmly believed in reconciliation after the dark year of apartheid - he was truely a great man. Why, we ask ourselves, is it that the people who contribute to furthering the basic human rights of others are so heinously taken from us, and the criminals who commit such atrocious acts - those who contribute nothing to society, able to get away with it? We need to put pressure on our politicians and government to take a more pro-active role in fighting this “desease” which is scourging our country. How can Thabo Mbeki say that it is “merely a misconception” that crime is out of control. How can Selebi claim that “the white’s are complaining unecessarily about crime”. When incredibly noble and talented people such as David are taken from us, we need to put pressure on the leaders of South Africa to fight crime in a more efficient manner than which they are currently adopting.
David leaves behind not only a legacy, but an institution. An institution where people from all over the world can admire and enjoy the work that he and his family dedicated their lives to.
My heart goes out to his wife Nicky and the three boys. May you find comfort and solace in knowing that David lived each day to it’s fullest. No man could be happier than David when he was walking the batllefields under the Majestic Isandlawana.
I have recently moved to Europe and unfortunately could not attend the funeral on Thursday. I was unable to pay my last respects to this great man in person, but his legacy lives on in my mind. I will always remember this man with great admiration, and may we work as a country to achieve what David tirelessly strived towards. Below is a poem written by Julie McClelland, rather apt for an incredibly talented individual:
“Farewell our friend, but not goodbye. Your time has come, your soul must fly. To dance with angels, find the sun, but how we’ll miss our special one.
He walks among us just a while, weaved your magic, made us smile. Your life was so full of light and tears, we lived it through you, through the years.
“The golden days, they went so fast. The precious times, why can’t they last? So many loved you, did you know? We were not ready to let you go.
“The stars from Heaven are only lent. A gift from God, that’s why they’re sent. We won’t forget our Natal boy, he filled our lives with so much joy. Your star will shine now in the sky. Farewell our friend, but not goodbye.”
Rest in Peace David, our thoughts are with your family. Farewell.
[...] Original post by Mike [...]