From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:
Supernatural
Main Entry: su·per·nat·u·ral
Pronunciation: "sü-p&r-'na-ch&-r&l,
-'nach-r&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Medieval Latin supernaturalis,
from Latin super- + natura nature
1 : of or relating to an order of existence
beyond the visible observable universe;
especially : of or relating to God or a god,
demigod, spirit, or devil
2 a : departing from what is usual or normal
especially so as to appear to transcend the
laws of nature b : attributed to an invisible
agent (as a ghost or spirit)
beliefs & stories from across the globe
PROOF PARANORMAL
When I started my research across chosen countries, I soon realized, I couldn’t fit it all into one
article, and give due justice to any given country on my list. So I decided the best thing to do, would
be to break it down into a series. We will be traveling to 10 different countries, and take a peek into
their paranormal beliefs and stories.
In this series, we will look at different paranormal beliefs across the globe. From the wilds of
Africa, to the rolling green hills of Ireland. One of the main things I discovered in my research is
that many places around the world believe in ghosts, in the sense that someone who is deceased, has
come back in some form whether it be a residual haunting, or an intelligent haunting.
But I wanted to delve deeper, beyond the rickety old haunted house on the end of the street. Beyond
dearly departed Aunt Erma standing at the foot of your bed in the middle of the night. In this series,
I will do my best to give different views (scientific, skeptical & non skeptical) as well as resources,
and leave you to decide for yourself, as I will always try my best to do.
AFRICA
My first stop took me to Africa, a place of beauty and mystique. Deep in the wilds of The Republic
of Congo the tropical foliage thrives, and the animal life is abundant. The area is primarily made up
of vast jungles, streams and swamps. It is also the home of the largest swamp in the world; 55,000
square miles of virtually unexplored jungle and swampland. That is comparative to an entire state!
In fact, 80% of the Likouala swamp has yet to see a human being.
For many years, since the 1700’s there have been reports of a dinosaur-like creature lurking
throughout the Likouala swamp. The locals call it Mokele- Mbembe. One of several translations is
“One who stops the flows of rivers”. The Mokele- Mbembe is said to have a long tail and neck. Its
body is reported to be anywhere from 16 to 32 feet long. Some folks say the skin is reddish-brown,
while others describe more of a gray in color.
Further into my research, I discovered that the alleged sightings have spilled over into Cameroon
and Gabon as well. In today’s busy world full of cell phones and laptop computers, the thought of
unexplored land and a species of dinosaur roaming about, may be very intriguing, but is it true?
Witnesses, who have spotted the creature, have later changed their minds. Some claiming that all
they saw was a large turtle with the shell rising out of the water. Others speak of a rhinoceros. But
some stick to what they say, in fact 2 pygmies, who resided in the forests around Lake Tele, claimed
to have encountered the creature(s) first-hand. Relying on fish as part of their daily diet, the
pygmies set out on their daily fishing trip on Lake Tele. They claimed to have seen 2 Mokele-
Mbembe grazing near the water. One ran, & they claimed to have speared the other to death.
Some Reported Details of the Mokele-Mbembe
Listed below are discrepancies & likenesses of reported sightings in the past 2 centuries.
Discrepancies in skin color: Reported skin color varies from reddish-brown to gray.
Most older reports agree that the creature has a frame much like that of a sauropod
Most reports agree that the Mokele-Mbembe has a strong dislike for hippopotamuses, and if it spots
one in its range, it has been said to attack the hippo.
I found discrepancies on the canine make-up of the creature. Some reports say it has but one large
protruding tooth, while others claim that this may instead be a horn. All reports that I found,
agreed that the alleged creature is a herbivore, with a diet consisting of wild fruits and vegetables
such as liana, a type of fruit that grows in the Congo. But it being an herbivore still does explain the
fact that some witnesses have claimed it will attack, but will not eat the
victim.
Although the land remains vastly unexplored, and the possibility of undiscovered or thought to be
extinct creatures and horticulture could very well exist within these or many other jungles or
forests, one very strong discrepancy still sticks in my mind. Many of the witnesses in the past
claimed that the tail of the sauropod is much like that of an alligator. But more recent sightings are
pointing towards the possibility that it could be a rhinoceros, thus explaining the protruding horn.
But how can one presumably compare the tail of an alligator, to the tail of a rhinoceros? Not to
mention the reported long neck compared to the virtually non-existent neck of the rhinoceros.
Kruger National Park, South Africa: The history behind Kruger National Park is
bleak. Prior to the late 1800s, the wildlife although vast, began to dwindle to a few scattered herds
when hunting took a stronger role. The land was rich, but the threat of Malaria kept prospective
settlers at bay. Instead, they stayed within the foothills, in an area called Drakensberg, far away
from risks of Malaria and African Horse Disease. However many still succumbed to the diseases.
Could it be their spirits that haunt Kruger Park? Or maybe the old VhaVenda chiefs whose souls are
said to be immortal?
The VhaVenda people also mention a certain evil spirit form that is said to be one of the local
haunts. This particular spirit is called by the name of “Zwidhanyani” If you spot one, you may only
see a limb or 2, for they are known to show up only in partial form. I.e. you could see a floating
head, or a ghostly pair of eyes. Another interesting spirit form from the Vendi folklore is the
“Zwidudwane.” I found this one interesting, because of the form it is said to appear in, and the story
behind why it appears this way. The Zwidudwane appears in half -human & half- spirit form. The
reasoning behind this is because the spirits exist half in this world, and half in the spirit world.
Many spooky stories and legends surround the enormous Kruger National Park. Because of its
size, (approx. 27,500 sq. km) the park has a variety of entry points. Depending on which entrance
you use, you might encounter a spirit, or being from several different ghostly legends. One tale
from long ago was of an Englishman, who enjoyed hunting big game, particularly elephants for
their ivory tusks. One hunting trip proved to be very fruitful for the Englishman, killed 7 elephants
in one day. As was the tradition, one would leave the elephant alone for a day or two, then remove
the ivory without risk of damaging it. The elephant’s tail was cut off in the meanwhile, as proof
that the kill belonged to the correct hunter.
The Englishman returned a day later to claim his ivory, but he never made it back to camp. His
horse came back to camp without him. He had been murdered for the ivory. His horse died soon
after from African horse disease, and it is said today, that you can still see rider and horse glowing
in the night, perhaps trying to protect his ivory tusks.
On the North end of the park, you can see some woods made up of baobab trees. It is said that
among the forest of baobabs, devils live. In fact they are said to live in the trunk of the trees, and
dare you put your ear to a baobab tree trunk, you can hear the devils laughing.
I came across another story about a haunted baobab tree. This large tree is located in Zambia. A
python had decided to make the hollow trunk his place of residence. The near by natives
worshipped the python, and it seemed that when they would pray for rain, or for good crops, the
python obliged. Then the white hunters came and the first one to come across the python shot and
killed it. They say today, you can still hear the python hissing from the trunk of the baobab tree.
Africa remains a beautiful, mysterious place, full of wonder, mystique, and intrigue. Many
resources are available about African folklore and ghost stories. Until next
time…
TRACEY H.
PROOF PARANORMAL