The body of a deceased woman allegedly failed to fit into a coffin at a local funeral parlour in Mutasa, adding to a string of misfortunes that have long plagued the Sango family.
The incident forced the family to perform an ancient ritual in the kitchen before the burial could proceed at their rural home.
Over the years, the Sango family has endured marital breakdowns, unexplained illnesses, and even a mysterious disappearance. In their search for answers, they have spent large sums consulting traditional healers.
Family members trace their troubles back to the disappearance of Lennos Sango, a village head who vanished under unclear circumstances more than a decade ago.
A human skull believed to be his was later discovered and buried, but the family says they never found closure. Since then, they claim, a series of disturbing events has afflicted them.
The family is now seeking a court order compelling their father figure, Clava Sango, to join them in consulting traditional healers to address what they believe are spiritual afflictions.
Clava, who assumed leadership after Lennos’ disappearance, insists he is being unfairly blamed for the family’s misfortunes.
Testifying before Chief Mutasa’s community court, he recounted the chain of tragedies, including the shocking funeral incident involving his niece.
He said his niece, who was married, had been brought back by her husband after falling ill.
“She later died. But when we tried to bury her, her body could not fit into the coffin at the funeral parlour. It was a very disturbing situation,” said Clava.
Clava said the body eventually fitted into the coffin after he was instructed to perform rituals in the mother’s kitchen, known locally as pachikuva, to ask for the body to comply.
Although the ritual resolved the immediate problem, the family was left deeply unsettled and convinced that more profound spiritual issues were at play.
In desperation, they turned to traditional healer Shingirai Mukotsanjera, a move that has since sparked further tension within the household.
“We called a traditional healer who told us that I was harbouring my late brother’s spirit. He charged us US$2 700 for the consultation,” said Clava.
He added that differing interpretations of the healer’s message had caused divisions within the family, with some members suspecting wrongdoing on his part.
“The rest of the family misunderstood that statement and argued that it meant I had something to do with my brother’s disappearance. I understood it differently, that as the new head of the family, I had inherited the responsibility and spiritual burden,” he said.
According to Clava, the situation worsened when the traditional healer allegedly demanded a further US$4,000 for a cleansing ceremony—an amount the family is still struggling to raise.
The dispute before Chief Mutasa’s court has seen some family members seeking an order to compel Sango to cooperate in consulting traditional healers to address a series of misfortunes affecting the household.
Chief Mutasa directed the family to work together in seeking solutions rather than placing the burden on one individual.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to allow the family time to consult traditional healers collectively and return to the court with feedback.
More: The Manica Post
Leave a Reply Cancel reply