LAST week's installment about Mt Kilimanjaro, which is situated in Tanzania, drew interesting comments from readers who “commandeered” Yours Truly to do 'something' concerning our mysterious Mt Nyangani, which is the country's loftiest natural spectacle.
To the uninitiated, Mt Nyangani situated in Mañicaland province is the country’s highest mountain whose 2592 meters has no match locally as far as natural elevation of the earth's surface is concerned.
It is located in the oldest and iconic Nyanga National Park, which is inhabited by an array of wild animals.
This particular mountain is considered to be sacred due to a variety of well-documented strange happenings, with some of them out of this world.
A few years ago, Yours Truly and a couple of tourists dared to have a 'feel' of the country’s highest, but weird mountain dubbed “The Mountain that swallows people”.
As the nickname suggests, this natural phenomenon has been associated with notorious disappearances especially to those who would not have followed laid down cultural norms.
At the foot of Mt Nyangani there is a written warning advising visitors not to stray, but diligently follow the stipulated pathway to the summit.
Our guide also advised us not to say uncouth or disrespectful things towards anything upon our ascent to the sacred mountain.
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So in other words all the four of us decided to be on mute mode to and from the summit as part of precautionary measures.
One of the well documented cases is that of former cabinet minister, Tichaendepi Masaya's two teenage daughters who in 1981 vanished without trace despite massive air and ground searches. Their disappearance remains a complete mystery even to this day.
It is also reported a student on a school trip disappeared after wandering off from the main group and was never to be seen again.
Zayd Dada a 31-year-old Zimbabwean tourist of Indian origin also disappeared without trace on the mountain village while on a hiking mission with his wife and another couple during the wee hours of January 4, 2014.
It is reported that when the group were about halfway the mountain, Dada wandered off for a moment to have a look at the scenery while others were resting following an exhaustive hike.
However, when Dada did not return, the remaining hikers searched for him, but to no avail and this resulted in them notifying responsible authorities over his disappearance.
An extensive search was later launched involving the Zimbabwe National Army, the Air Force of Zimbabwe, mountain climbers, professional trackers, and volunteers, who swept the landscape using advanced technology such as 3D satellite maps and infrared scanners. All possible routes to the mountain were searched, but without any luck.
However, there are some who would have disappeared, but later emerge with strange and “unbelievable” tales to tell.
A 20-year-old British tourist, Thomas Gaisford, a then second year university student, took the arduous task of exploring this particular mountain in November 2014 as part of his studies on making rugged treks to remote areas.
This was meant to assist students gain what the institution called studying in order to “gain a greater ability and self-confidence in handling physical and mental adversity and a better appreciation of other cultures and ways of life”.
This resulted in Gaisford embarking on a sole trip to the mountain summit. However, things did not go as he had envisaged. He later encountered an unusual thick fog that somehow descended and engulfed him.
Disoriented and unable to find his way through the murky fog that had surrounded him, the university student decided to set up camp and pitch a tent to see out the strange weather, shortly after which abrupt heavy rains began to pound him.
He ended up staying there overnight and later reported being encroached by various wild animals, which seemed to be watching him. Gaisford followed the advice of local villagers, who had earlier told him to ignore any animals that were acting strangely.
He woke up the following morning when the fog had subsided and later proceeded to a nearby hotel.
These are some of the few daring adventures, which Yours Truly gleaned courtesy of the worldwide web and however there are more of these spine chilling stories.
However, hiking Mt Nyangani is quite adventurous if one follows the laid down rules provided by local villagers and guides.
Locals fear the mountain as they believe that it is protected by powerful ancestral spirits. iIt is said that those who disrespect the sacred mountain through complains, cursing, urinating, defecating, or engaging in sexual activity will upset the spirits and affected individuals disappear without a trace.
Also wearing the color red is strictly prohibited. Those that get lost will wander the mountains for all eternity trapped in a state of suspension called 'chidzimira' until these spirits have been appeased.
Quite interesting.
Till we meet again in the next column.
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