On the 14th of September 1994, 62 children in Zimbabwe reportedly witnessed a UFO. Adding to the mystery was the sighting of diminutive humanoid, descending from their traditional saucer-shaped craft. Mail & Guardian, featured a short article for this very strange event reporting from the initial sighting in Zimbabwe and stories on series of fireworks in the sky, to the Ufology craze that followed after the event, which included a visit from Harvard Psychiatrist Dr. John Mack who had ventured into academic rumor at that time and treated abduction phenomenon as serious subject.
Dr. Mack’s controversial work includes stories from experiencers or whom he called abductees, but the Zimbabwe UFO sighting stood out from the rest and still does today. Ariel School was stirred when 62 witnesses across section of upper-class youth in Zimbabwe, consisting black, white, Asian, south-Asian and multi-racial children. While they have different cultural perspectives, they all interpreted the event with unbelievable clarity and consistency, according to the article by Mail & Guardian.
The usual attempt to hype the event was there, but no real exploration on what really happened in Ruwa, Zimbabwe on that morning. There was an attempt of a documentary, but it did not materialize. Twenty years later, the children already moved on, political reforms have been made in the nation, and Dr. John Mack died in 2004 after being hit by a drunk driver. Ufology has shift to the latest shining object. It seems that this particular strange case has been forgotten, an event that could potentially prove mankind is not alone in the vast universe.
i have always been fascinated by this story and believe it to be as its told by the children. to get all these children on the same page seems close to impossible if not a real event. how unfortunate for the loss of John E Mack. I wonder if the children have ever been assembled years later to recall their story?
Definitely miss John Mack as others here have mentioned, and Budd Hopkins for that matter as well. I think they helped a lot of abductees and experiencers come to terms with what happened to them. You asked if there was any follow-up to the encounter. Here is the link to a video (youtube.com/watch?v=_pKC11SDnog), the last 3-4 minutes of which revisits some of the students and teachers 16 years later in 2010.
re last comment, my thoughts exactly, was almost waiting for this video to lead into an update and i doubt Dr Mack’s demise was accidental, never thought it was and this story has always intrigued me. Speaking as a UFO experiencer myself on many many occasions and very very personal.
The UFO experts are always talking about credentials of any person telling them about their encounter with UFO’s. I had a few of my own and told one person about a couple that related to their expertise. I believe these kids are being truthful as “out of the mouth of babes”. Why would they all lie about this? Why would a old woman or man lie about these things? I know there are people that have, I am sure, but not thousands. I only wish I would have been smarter and not afraid to tell my encounters in the 70’s and 2008. I am old now but those are things that stay vivid in your mind forever.
I too have had a bizarre encounter, not many people believe me as the encounter was vary STRANGE. I know what I saw along with 5 other people and no one can take that away from me. when you see a craft making no noise 75 to 100 ft. above your head, that’s something that will remain with you forever. AS far as the children’s story goes, they have no reason to lie and science needs to wake up and listen to what is being told about ufos and usos.
A Zimbabwean publication, The Sunday Mail, carried a series of articles this past week to mark the 20th anniversary of the “sighting”. Those interested can read them on the following links:
sundaymail.co.zw/the-day-the-aliens-landed/
sundaymail.co.zw/alien-sighting-it-was-only-a-comet/
sundaymail.co.zw/ariel-community-disputes-alien-claims/
sundaymail.co.zw/extraterrestrial-life-fact-or-fiction/
Kids get a hold of videos. Perhaps the kids saw ET or Close Encounters of the 3rd kind at someones home or at a party? I don’t think everyone around the world is completely closed off from society or technology. People see movies and then they tell stories, especially children.
GET REAL, Those children are just reporting what they saw, thats ALL! When are people going to wake up to the fact that UFOs and USOs are real as the hand in front of your face!
Facebook page for updates –
facebook.com/pages/Ufo-Alien-encounter-Ruwa-Zimbabwe-1994/249585855227860
New film coming soon – with recent interviews with the children who witnessed the UFO as children
Similar to the 1966 Australian school children incident in Westall.
That was before “Close Encounters” or “ET” by the way. I feel a large number of kids all seeing the same thing without any “rehearsal”, and sticking with their story over their lifetime (as the kids/ now adults in Australia have) gives absolute incredibly to the story. Adults lie easily as they have had much practise at it. Its usually pretty easy to tell when a kid is lying. These kids were not lying