The late Ray Chikapa Phiri, the internationally acclaimed doyen of South African music, founder and leader of one of South Africa’s peerless musical groups, Stimela, was conferred with an honorary degree by the University of South Africa (Unisa) at a graduation ceremony held at its Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria on Friday, 12 April 2024.
The Council of Unisa, at its sitting of 23 September 2023, unanimously agreed to confer the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Music (Honoris Causa, Posthumously) to Ray Chikapa Phiri in recognition of the impact he made with his outstanding contributions and singular accomplishments in music.
Ray Chikapa Phiri distinguished himself as a talented, hardworking artist, lead guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire who produced a vast body of work during his lifetime which touched many lives, contributed to social cohesion as well as impacted societal and cultural matters locally and internationally. His musical catalogue, spanning from the 1970s to the time of his passing on 12 July 2017 is almost unmatched.
He was highly conscious of current issues, including the socio-political conditions in the country, which spurred him to compose such politically conscious tracks as Highland Drifter (1974) and the evergreen masterpiece, Whispers in the Deep/Phinda Mzala (1986), both of which were banned by the Apartheid regime. His musical prowess caught the attention of American artist Paul Simon who, in 1986, invited him to collaborate with him and Ladysmith Black Mambazo in the recording of the internationally acclaimed album, Graceland.
During his lifetime, Ray Chikapa Phiri received several acknowledgements for his outstanding body of work and contribution in the music industry, including the South African National Order of Ikhamanga (2011) and the South African Music Lifetime Achievement Award (2012). In 2024, Dr Tlou Setumu honoured him with a posthumous biography titled ‘Singa Jindi Majita…! – Struggle and Musical Train Journey of Ray Phiri’, named after one of his masterful music compositions.
The graduation ceremony took take place on Friday12 April 2024 during the 18:00 graduation ceremony on the Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria. To view the ceremony on youTube, click here https://youtube.com/live/ysV_L7A8VI8?feature=share
Publish date: 2024-04-11 00:00:00.0