Nelson Mandela laid to rest as South Africa says goodbye to its ‘greatest son’

Dec 15, 2013

Nelson Mandela laid to rest as South Africa says goodbye to its ‘greatest son’

Tim Swift 0 Comment The Baltimore Sun, World Nelson Mandela, South Africa

South Africa buried Nelson Mandela on Sunday, leaving the multi-racial democracy he founded without its living inspiration and still striving for the “Rainbow Nation” ideal of shared prosperity he had dreamed of.

: A woman looks on as South African former president Nelson Mandela’s coffin is being taken to his burial site during the state funeral in Qunu on December 15, 2013. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Filippo Monte/AFP/Getty Images)

: A screengrab taken from the South African Broadcasting Corporation live feed shows the coffin of late South African President Nelson Mandela draped in a South African flag during the funeral service in his childhood village of Qunu on December 15, 2013. Mandela will be buried near the homestead, ending 10 days of national mourning and global tributes for the prisoner-turned-president who transformed his country and inspired the world. (AFP/Getty Images)

: Members of the military leave a frame on the coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela during his funeral ceremony in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: Presidential guards escort the coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela during the funeral ceremony in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: Presidential guards escort the coffin of former South African President Nelson Mandela during the funeral ceremony in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: A Shembe devotee prays as he looks out towards the grave of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Qunu, December 15, 2013. (Rogan Ward/Reuters)

: Initiate pose on a field in Qunu, in the Eastern Cape December 15, 2013. Every year, thousands of youths leave their parents to spend weeks in the care of traditional leaders at an initiation school where they are circumcised, a rite of passage commonly referred to as “Ukwaluka” or “going to the mountain”. Former South African President Mandela, who died on December 5 aged 95, will be buried in his family homestead in Qunu on Sunday after a state funeral. (Siegfried Modola/Reuters)

: People sing nearby the funeral place of South African former president Nelson Mandela in Qunu on December 15, 2013. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)

: People sing nearby the funeral place of South African former president Nelson Mandela in Qunu on December 15, 2013. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)

: People sing nearby the funeral place of South African former president Nelson Mandela in Qunu on December 15, 2013. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)

: A local woman joins others under a tent as they watch the funeral on a giant screen in a hill overlooking the valley where South African President Nelson Mandela will be laid to rest on December 15, 2013 in Qunu. South Africa’s first black president Nelson Mandela received a tearful state funeral at his childhood village of Qunu on Sunday, followed by a traditional burial attended by family and friends. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)

: A military flypast as the funeral service of the former South African President Nelson Mandela takes place during his state funeral on December 15, 2013 in Qunu, South Africa. Mr. Mandela passed away on the evening of December 5, 2013 at his home in Houghton at the age of 95. Mandela became South Africa’s first black president in 1994 after spending 27 years in jail for his activism against apartheid in a racially-divided South Africa. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

: A military flypast as the funeral service of the former South African President Nelson Mandela takes place during his state funeral on December 15, 2013 in Qunu, South Africa. Mr. Mandela passed away on the evening of December 5, 2013 at his home in Houghton at the age of 95. Mandela became South Africa’s first black president in 1994 after spending 27 years in jail for his activism against apartheid in a racially-divided South Africa. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

: Karlind Govender and his wife Katharina, of Cape Town overlook the burial site as a 21 gun salute is fired in honour of former South African President Nelson Mandela during his state funeral December 15, 2013 in Qunu, South Africa. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

: People react as the coffin of South African leader Nelson Mandela is buried in the compound of his former home in Qunu on December 15 2013. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images)

: Candles are lit under a portrait of former South African President Nelson Mandela before his funeral ceremony in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: Chief Ngangomhlaba Mantanzima speaks during the funeral ceremony for former South African President Nelson Mandela in Qunu, Eastern Cape in this December 15, 2013 handout picture provided by the South African Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). (Elmond Jiyane/Reuters)

: South Africa President Jacob Zuma gives a speech during the funeral ceremony of South African former president Nelson Mandela in Qunu on December 15, 2013. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images)

: Archbishop Desmond Tutu (center) arrives for the funeral ceremony of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Mandela Madikizela, South Africa President Jacob Zuma and Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, attend the funeral ceremony of South African former president Nelson Mandela in Qunu on December 15, 2013. (Felix Dlangamandla/AFP/Getty Images)

: TV host Oprah Winfrey attends the funeral ceremony of South African former president Nelson Mandela in Qunu on December 15, 2013. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: Graca Machel, widow of former South African President Nelson Mandela, wipes her tears during the funeral ceremony of Nelson Mandela in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: Letsie III of Lesotho attends the funeral ceremony of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: British actor Idris Elba leaves the funeral ceremony of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Qunu December 15, 2013. (Odd Andersen/Reuters)

: Nelson Mandela’s grandson’s Ndaba (left) and Mandla Mandela attend the funeral ceremony of South African former president Nelson Mandela in Qunu on December 15, 2013. South Africa’s first black president Nelson Mandela received a tearful state funeral at his childhood village of Qunu on Sunday, followed by a traditional burial attended by family and friends. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Felix Dlangamandla/AFP/Getty Images)

: Zulu men perform a traditional dance on the hills above former South African President Nelson Mandela’s home village during his state funeral December 15, 2013 in Qunu, South Africa. Mr. Mandela passed away on the evening of December 5, 2013 at his home in Houghton at the age of 95. Mandela became South Africa’s first black president in 1994 after spending 27 years in jail for his activism against apartheid in a racially-divided South Africa. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

: A young woman carrying a baby looks towards Nelson Mandela’s family house in Qunu where the coffin of South African former president arrived on December 14, 2013 before his funeral tomorrow. Mandela, the revered icon of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and one of the towering political figures of the 20th century, died in Johannesburg on December 5 at age 95. (Pedro Ugarte/AFP Photo)

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