Solemnity and celebration at funeral of Nelson Mandela

South African honour guards carried Nelson Mandela's coffin to a large white marquee in the rural village of Qunu in Eastern Cape province where thousands of guests gathered on Sunday to attend the funeral ceremony for the anti-apartheid leader.
Artillery guns fired a salute in the rural village where Nelson Mandela grew up and military servicemen marched stiffly behind his casket as South Africa said goodbye for the last time to the man who reconciled the country in its most vulnerable period.
Mr Mandela's widow, Graça Machel, and his second wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela,entered the marquee side by side, followed by other members of his extended family.
"Whilst your long walk to freedom has ended, in the physical sense, our own journey continues. We have to continue building the type of society you worked tirelessly to construct. We have to take your legacy forward. In doing so, we will continue drawing lessons from a very rich and extraordinary life, " South African President Jacob Zuma said in his eulogy.
A group of warriors from Mr Mandela's Xhosa clan converged on the hillside next to the burial site of as his coffin was carried to its final resting place.
It was then lowered into the earth after military jets and helicopters with South African flags displayed flew over the pallbearers. South African television showed family members and President Zuma watching on, although the broadcasting was stopped at the request of the Mandela family before the coffin was lowered into the grave.
Source: APTN
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