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Born on July 20, 1930 to a teacher and his lovely wife, George Kahari had what most would call a modest upbringing – locally educated, an active participant in the liberation struggle and, above all, a loving father to his own brood.
Surprisingly, 85 years on, Kahari has gone against the grain of his peers and today stands but a different man.
On top of still being a father and husband he has accrued numerous accolades and now stands as not only a renowned author and professor but also one of the greatest minds to come out of the African continent in the 21st century.
From an academic point of view, Prof Kahari’s research interests and publications have been primarily comprised of a vast expanse from traditional narrative genres, social registers, poetry, children’s songs and rhymes.
He has profiled and appraised a cluster of local authors including but not restricted to Herbert Chitepo, Patrick Chakaipa and Wilson Chivaura and also served as Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic.
The aforementioned accolades and achievements only scratch the surface, but one word can best describe and broaden one’s understanding of the enigma that is Professor George Kahari: Kutama.
“Kutama” or in this case two words as in “Kutama College” for the relationship that exists between the two parties can best be described as an “origins story” of sorts.
The mere mention of the school saw the eloquent and astute intellectual burst into song or Negro spirituals as he put it.
“Irene goodnight, goodnight Irene . . . Irene goodnight, goodnight Irene” sang Prof Kahari doing his rendition of the 1933 Huddie William Ledbetter classic.
The song has strong ties to both the nutty professor and his former school for it is where he met the love of his life and wife of 60 years, Betty Likwambe-Kahari, and that was the song he wooed her heart with.
Together the two have since sired six children – one late unfortunately – 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Kutama is also the same place he met President Robert Mugabe for the very first time after he, together with his choir/orchestra band, had been invited to the President’s homestead to perform.
“I think it was soon after the President returned from Fort Hare and he had a party which we got invited to. His mother, whom I worked with in a committee, said daidza muzukuru wako uyo wekwaHari and the rest is history.”
However, Kahari’s story begins way before that.
“It’s a very long history but I will try to cut it short. It’s long in the sense that I started my schooling at Chiriseri down in Bindura.
“It was only after my father joined the police force that I moved to Harare and then had small stints at the Methodist Church here in the capital.
“I think it was in 1937 right up to 1939,” he said.
“I then moved to Howard Mission at the beginning of 1941 and that is where I did my primary education from Standard 2 right up to Standard 6.”
He then went on to do his University Junior certificate at Dadaya Mission School and it was there that he met Garfield Todd and his wife Grace.
“It is only after I finished my University Junior Certificate that I then went to Kutama and my life really started to change.
“I enrolled at Kutama in 1950 to do my Native Primary Teachers’ Higher Certificate and we got taught how to teach from primary to Standard 6.
“Kutama, at that time, was run by Marist Brothers from Quebec and the sights, sounds and things these guys taught us captivated me.
“Let me put it into context, Kutama is responsible for where Zimbabwe finds itself today, educationally.
“We learnt for seven days a week and received education from the most learned and experienced of guys. I remember they were as many as 22 teachers at that time.
Asked what kind of a student he was, Kahari said, “I was not the brightest, but I wasn’t stupid also, instead I would describe myself as a hard-working student.”
He sought to further his education and enrolled in international degrees and sat for his matric, passing both.
Not only did he feed his mind but also fed his soul as he got his spiritual awakening through the Marist Brothers’ teachings of Catholicism and it is a faith that he has not only kept but also tried to feed off to his children.
Away from the books and schools, Prof Kahari did not really partake in sports but opted for some sophistication and joined the choir.
“We had what we called an orchestra and me a couple of friends of mine went on to even start a band with me as the lead singer and we would do covers of negro spirituals.
“The teachings and lessons I learnt at that institution built the foundation of the life I would have for years to come.
“I have travelled the world, built a sound educational foundation for myself and was recently named among the 2 000 world intellectuals of the 21st century and I owe it all to the things I learnt at that institution,” he said.
In just about a fortnight form today, Prof Kahari, together with over 6 500 other guests, will revisit the old school as Kutama Mission celebrates 100 years of existence.
A list of who-is-who of former students, or Kutama Old Boys, will assemble at the school, with the most notable likely to be the likes of Dr Ignatius Chombo, Dr Innocent Tizora, Minister Walter Chidhakwa, Fr Emmanuel Ribeiro, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, Advocate Muchadeyi Masunda and guest of honour President Robert Mugabe.
Online Reporter