A chilling tale of a corpse singing hymns and calling out to her children has emerged from Balmoral Farm in Nyagori, Ward 15 under Chief Chivero's area in Mubayira, Mhondoro in Zimbabwe's Mashonaland West Province.
The deceased, Sarudzai Nhonga (45), passed away at Norton Hospital after falling and injuring herself while sweeping the yard at her home at Serui Source farm in Knock Maroon. She had been living alone after separating from her husband, Gift Thembo.
The body was taken to her in-laws' home at Balmoral Farm, where the strange events began.
Alice Phiri, a close friend of the deceased, described the chilling experience: “Sarudzai had been living alone after separating from her husband. She fell and was taken to Norton Hospital where she died. We took her body to her in-laws' home where she was mourned. Around 9 pm, I was near the coffin when I heard the deceased singing as her voice echoed the hymns that were being sung by the mourners.”
Phiri initially thought she was mistaken, but upon getting closer, realised that the corpse was indeed singing.
“Then the deceased started calling out the names of her two children, Mitchel and Caroline. The children came running to me, terrified, saying they could hear their mother calling them. I stopped the people from singing and clearly heard the corpse singing.”
Fearing for the children, Phiri tried to appease the spirit.
“I started praying and pleading with the spirit to leave the children alone, as they were too young to understand. The children’s grandmother, who had come from Chiundura, also confirmed that she could hear the corpse singing and calling out the children’s names.”
The corpse reportedly sang for two days, even after the family had decided to bury her. Phiri revealed that the deceased used to attend the Zion Church in Nyarara and that the song the corpse was singing was called “Sarah Hagga”, a song she enjoyed during her lifetime.
“I kept praying as her friend, and sometimes the corpse would fall silent. The family doesn’t want this story to be told, but I can’t stay silent because Sarudzai was my close friend, and we shared many hardships together.”
Phiri also alluded to a possible romantic entanglement between the deceased and a friend’s husband, which could have led to the unusual events.
“Sarudzai was living alone at Serui Source farm and had started a relationship with a friend’s husband. This was a contentious issue, and I don’t know if it had anything to do with her death.”
Clever Gandanzara, the deceased’s nephew, also confirmed the strange occurrences.
“My aunt didn’t suffer from any serious illness before she died. She was living alone after separating from her husband. She left her house in ruins, and the mourning process was difficult. Her husband, who hadn’t officially married her, made things difficult, especially when it came to her belongings. Two cows were eventually taken from the family. The corpse sang hymns and church songs, and even played the mbira (a traditional Zimbabwean musical instrument which some refer to as African piano). There are many things being said about my aunt’s death.”
Gandanzara also mentioned that the coffin seemed to move as if there was a living person inside.
“The family was unsettled by the events and eventually buried her. Some people say that we might have buried a living person. There was a strange incident where dust rose from the ground around the house where the corpse was kept. The elders said it was a sign.”
The local headman, Damson Milanzi, also confirmed the story of the singing corpse.
“I was at the funeral ceremony and left in the middle of the night on the first day. I went to the hospital with my child the next day. I heard that the corpse was singing in the coffin, and when people fell silent, the singing would continue. Our local chairman, Joel Kanhema, was also present. They say the corpse even played the mbira, just like a living person who is tired.”
Milanzi also revealed that the deceased had been chased away from her in-laws’ home after becoming pregnant and had moved to Serui Source farm.
“The story of the corpse singing and calling out the names of her children is true. I heard it myself. The body was kept in the house for two days, and things were difficult. I spoke to the district administrator, Mr. Mupambi, who ordered the burial to proceed after the families had reached an agreement, as the in-laws had not formally married the deceased.”
Milanzi urged families to pay the bride price to avoid such incidents in the future.
The deceased’s in-laws, including her siblings, refused to speak to the media. “We can’t talk to you about this. We’re not comfortable,” they said.
Dickson Thembo, the deceased’s brother-in-law, also remained tight-lipped when asked about the singing corpse.
“My sister-in-law, Sarudzai Nhonga, was the wife of Gift Thembo. This story is false. Some journalists were chased away, and others who came yesterday were told to sit near the coffin and listen. The only issue is that we hadn’t paid the bride price to the deceased’s family.”
Infamous Gogo Mamoyo, a prominent traditional healer, believes that the deceased might have been murdered and urged the family to seek answers through traditional means.
“This family should seek answers through traditional practices to find out what truly happened to their relative,” said Gogo Mamoyo.
The story of the singing corpse is not new in Zimbabwe. A similar incident occurred in Katawa, Raffingora, where blood was reported to have flowed from a grave a few years ago.
This incident has left the community grappling with questions of death, the afterlife, and the power of the unseen. While some may dismiss the story as superstition, others believe it to be a real manifestation of a troubled spirit.
In the end, the mystery of the singing corpse remains unsolved. However, the story serves as a reminder of the enduring power of tradition and belief in Zimbabwean culture.
