Zambezia (1999), XXVI (i).PROFESSOR DAVID NORMAN BEACH: A TRIBUTEM. Z. MALABAEnglish Department, University of ZimbabweIT IS A GREAT honour to have been asked to pay tribute to the life and workof our dear friend, and colleague, Professor David Beach, who passedaway on 15 February, shortly after presenting his inaugural lecture, whichis published in this issue of Zambezia.David Norman Beach was born in the Midlands, in England, on the28th of June, 1943. His family moved to Nairobi when he was eight andthey lived in Kenya for four years. They returned to England for twoyears, before moving, once more, to Bulawayo, in 1959, where they livedfor two years, then they came up to Salisbury, as it was then.David went to Prince Edward School prior to being awarded a BeitTrust Scholarship, that enabled him to attend the University of CapeTown in 1962, where he majored in History. He won class medals forHistory during his undergraduate days and was awarded the B.A. Generaldegree in 1964. In 1965, he completed the B.A. Honours programme inHistory and returned to Rhodesia and enrolled at the University andstudied for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education, in 1966. Afterteaching in Que Que for a year, he registered for his Ph.D. studies in 1968and was awarded his doctorate in 1971. His potential was recognized bythe department, which engaged him as a part-time tutor whilst he wasdoing his research. After a brief spell as a temporary teaching assistant,he was awarded a Faculty Research Fellowship in November 1971 whichwas subsequently renewed until 1976. In September of that year, he wasappointed as a Lecturer in the History Department. He was promoted to aSenior Lectureship in 1983 and to the rank of Associate Professor in 1989.David was a very distinguished historian who wrote seven books onShona history, one of which was written specifically for the school textbookmarket. He also wrote a primary history of the world outside Africa. Atthe time of his untimely death, David Beach had 63 publications to hiscredit. An internationally renowned expert on pre-colonial Zimbabweanhistory, David's research is highly regarded by his peers and through hisscholarship, his name will last forever. As the Acting Dean of Arts, I hadthe privilege of steering his application for promotion to a fullprofessorship through the University Promotions Committee in 1992.This was an easy task as the accolades flowed freely in his assessors'reports. One summed up his achievements thus:In the long term . . . Professor Beach's major achievement will be tohave rescued the traditional histories of Shona dynasties from the1PROFESSOR DAVID NORMAN BEACH: A TRIBUTEerosion of time, and all future generations of Zimbabweans will beindebted to him.Another lauded his achievements thus:As to quality and international 'visibility', he has a strong internationalreputation . . . That reputation is based on the care with which heconducts research, the measured claims he makes for the importanceof the results, and in some publications the pioneering aspects of theresearch.The third highlighted 'his methodological sophistication and rigour'and stated that:His strong sense of the relevance of the past, particularly for thetraining of young minds, has led him to maintain ... a delicate balancebetween the academic audience, whose professional standards heutilizes so carefully, and the popular audience for whose edification,and hence benefit, he also writes. He brings the University of Zimbabwegreat credit and recognition. He unequivocally meets the University'sstated standards for promotion to professorial grade.David in many ways epitomized the best qualities of a true scholar:his devotion to duty was legendary Š he is the only person I know, at theUZ, who felt guilty about taking the weekend off, whilst on contact leave!When in Lisbon, he was always waiting at the door, when the publiclibrary was opened and he was almost invariably, the last one to leave.His discipline was awesome, as those who attended his inaugural lecturecan testify. David had mapped out the course of his research for the nextten years! He was a gifted teacher, who could fill his students withenthusiasm. But, above all, his meticulous attention to detail, hisscrupulous endeavours to gauge the merits of disparate sources and hiswillingness to allow the facts to speak for themselves are the qualitiesthat allowed him to write history that has withstood the test of time. Hewas deeply contemptuous of those who manipulated the data to suittheir own designs. David's integrity in both his professional and personallife is one of his most outstanding virtues.The University of Zimbabwe has lost one of its most dedicatedscholars, in its greatest hour of need. A man of his accomplishmentscould easily have found a better paid post in Europe or America or otherparts of Africa, but, besides his devotion to Gill, his heart was firmlyrooted in Zimbabwe. Research and teaching were his greatest gifts, buthe was always available and helpful, when asked to assist administratively.His generosity in sharing ideas with others Š a rare quality in the academy!Š will be sorely missed, as will his principled and courageous stand inSenate and his passionate defence of academic freedom and autonomyand the inalienable right of academics to be not just consulted, butlistened to by an administration which seems determined to undermineM. Z. MALABArights and procedures which have evolved over time and served theinstitution well.David's friends will miss their gracious host, whose energy andenthusiasm was infectious and whose zest for life and whose devotion toZimbabwe were constant challenges to the pervasive atmosphere ofdoom and gloom. David's unique drive, determination, humour,particularly his capacity to mimic accents and his loyalty will always be asource of inspiration. His sunny smile and optimism cheered us upenormously. David's interests were varied, his knowledge was notrestricted to history Š he was also very knowledgeable about trains,photography, music, science fiction and astronomy, to name but a few.He had a remarkable capacity to relate easily to people from differentwalks of life.And thus, in the midst of our great sadness, lies a great sense ofgratitude for the many gifts David bestowed on us. It is so sad to lose himso suddenly, at a time when Zimbabwe desperately needs more peoplelike him: people prepared to live their lives on the basis of principles thattranscend self-interest; people who are prepared to apply themselveswholeheartedly to the task at hand; people with a highly developed senseof justice; people with a genuine interest in other people and their welfare;people who understand and respect different cultures and perspectives;people who are conscious of their strengths and weaknesses and try tomaximise the positive; David Norman Beach epitomized these qualities.