Bra Hugh Masekela remembered on the anniversary of his passing

Today, 23 January, marks a year since the passing of Bra Hugh Masekela. Bra Hugh remains a world-renowned artist, a cultural warrior and a beloved son of the African continent and the soil of his first love, South Africa.

“He is sorely missed, yet always celebrated for his extraordinary life which he lived with unabating zeal and humour,” the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation said in a statement.

Bra Hugh’s lifelong preoccupation with showcasing the heritage of the continent has earned him a remarkable legacy as an innovator and a champion for the recognition and promotion of the performing arts and their African provenance. His impact reaches far and wide, at home and abroad, and it lives on in the recordings of his live performances, his collaborations with a dizzying variety of artists and his autobiography Still Grazing.

“As we observe this first anniversary without him, the Hugh Masekela Heritage Foundation rededicates itself to lift his legacy even higher, and to ensure his commitment was not in vain,” the Foundation said.

The Foundation said Bra Hugh played a pivotal role in reminding people that there are no borders in creative endeavours as long as they are rooted in real human experience.