Former WWE star Kamala dies at 70
An unforgettable sight to those who watched him wrestle, former wrestling star James "Kamala" Harris died at age 70, WWE announced on Sunday.
Kamala was billed as being born and raised in Uganda, and in a portrayal that is cringeworthy today but was the norm for pro wrestling back then, was often hinted at as being a headhunter and cannibal. He carried a spear and shield to the ring and had white and black face paint with two stars an a moon painted on his torso. He is best known for his WWE (then the WWF) feuds with Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan, but wrestled for many companies and was an effective heel.
In real life, Harris was born in Mississippi and began wrestling in 1978 as Sugar Bear Harris. He became Kamala in 1982 in the Continental Wrestling Assn., with the back story that he was a headhunter and bodyguard for Ugandan President Idi Amin.
He joined WWE in 1984 and wrestled for them off and on for the next several years. His final match was in 2010.
In recent years, Harris had health problems, including having both legs amputated below the knee because of diabetes. His cause of death is unknown.
