Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, was laid to rest Sunday after a state funeral filled with tearful eulogies and strident vows to pursue his ideals of equality and justice.
Mandela's casket was buried at his family plot in his rural boyhood home of Qunu, watched by his widow Graca Machel, ex-wife Winnie Madikizela–Mandela, other family members and around 450 selected guests.
The interment followed a ceremonial state funeral that ran well over its allotted two hours, as speaker after speaker paid emotional tribute to the man who led South Africa out of the apartheid era.
"The person who lies here is South Africa's greatest son," said ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa in an opening address.
A 21-gun salute and full military honour guard had escorted Mandela's coffin to the marquee where 4,500 mourners said their final goodbyes.
His flag-draped casket was placed on cow skins, surrounded by 95 candles -- each signifying a year of his extraordinary life.
The frail and ageing leaders of South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle also attended: George Bizos, Desmond Tutu and Ahmed Kathrada, whose voice broke with as he delivered a eulogy for his old friend.
"I first met him 67 years ago," said Kathrada, who along with Mandela was sentenced to life in prison in 1963.
He recalled his fellow inmate as a powerful amateur boxer who could cope far better than others with the physical challenge of hard labour.
"What I saw in hospital was a man helpless and reduced to a shadow of himself," he said struggling not to break down.
"We can salute you as a fighter for freedom. Farewell my dear brother, my mentor, my leader.
'South Africa will continue to rise'
During the funeral, South African President Jacob Zuma told the country to carry on his legacy.
"One thing we can assure you of today Tata (father), as you take your final steps, is that South Africa will continue to rise.
"South Africa will continue to rise because we dare not fail you," Zuma said.
After the ceremony, Mandela's coffin was transported to a graveyard sitting on the sprawling family estate Mandela built in Qunu after his release from prison in 1990.
"It was in that village that I spent some of the happiest years of my boyhood and whence I trace my earliest memories," he wrote in his autobiography.
Overseen by male members of his clan in line with traditional Xhosa rites, the burial included the slaughter of an ox -- a ritual marking of a life's milestones.
Mandela was referred to throughout as Dalibhunga, the name given to him at the age of 16 after undergoing the initiation to adulthood.
综合外国媒体报道，当地时间12月15日，南非前总统曼德拉的“世纪葬礼”在其故乡东开普省乌姆塔塔库努村举行。国葬仪式过后，按照科萨族传统，曼德拉的遗体被葬入家族墓地。
***4500人出席国葬
15日8时，曼德拉的灵柩在海陆空三军仪仗队的护送下，伴随着21响礼炮，抵达国葬仪式现场。他的棺椁上覆盖南非国旗，被安放于会场前方摊铺平整的黑白母牛皮之上。在棺椁周围，95支白色蜡烛正在燃烧，这些蜡烛代表曼德拉走过的95个年头。
葬礼开始后，现场响起名为“履行你的诺言”的科萨语赞美诗，此后奏响南非国歌。“躺在这里的，是南非最伟大的子民。”曼德拉生前所在的非洲人国民大会（ANC）副主席西里尔•拉马弗萨首先致辞。
紧随其后的，是曼德拉的“战友”艾哈迈德•卡特拉达。1963年，因反抗种族隔离制度，卡特拉达与曼德拉一同入狱。回忆过两人在监狱里度过的艰难岁月后，卡特拉达向逝去的挚友致敬：“自由斗士，我们向你敬礼。再见了！我亲爱的兄弟，我的良师益友，我的领袖！”
卡特拉达真挚而又忧伤的话语，令现场许多人流下眼泪。当天，共有4500名宾客出席了国葬仪式，其中包括英国王储查尔斯、美国脱口秀名嘴奥普拉•温弗里以及多名非洲国家元首。
***被埋入家族墓地
“在这个村庄里，我度过了少年时期最开心的时光，同样是在那里，存有我最初的回忆。”从曼德拉的自传中，不难看出他对故乡库努村的喜欢和眷恋。
持续约两小时的国葬仪式结束后，曼德拉的遗体被埋葬于库努村的家族墓地。根据曼德拉家人的要求，曼德拉遗体的入土仪式不予公开，只邀请至亲好友参加。
按照科萨族的传统葬礼仪式，入土仪式由曼德拉宗族的男性成员执行。默哀者穿着科萨族传统服装，带着蓝色和白色的头饰和项链。并且仪式全程，曼德拉被称为“达利布洪加”（Dalibhunga），这是他16岁接受成人礼后被给予的宗族名字。
***“人民之子”长存于心
15日，在南非全国各地，民众或聚集在电视机前、或驻守在收音机旁，想要陪他们的“国父”走过最后一程。
“库努村太远了，我们无法去到现场，所以就守在这里一起哀悼。”在约翰内斯堡桑顿金融区的一块户外大屏幕前，聚集了不少追悼曼德拉的民众，“他是英雄，他是当之无愧的人民之子。”
而在国葬仪式上，南非总统祖马告诉全国人民，现任者会继承曼德拉留下的宝贵遗产，“塔塔（父亲的敬称），我们向你保证，南非将会继续崛起，因为我们不敢让您失望”。