A group of 62 Zimbabwean children saw something remarkable.
On September 16, 1994, sixty-two children of all races and cultural origins observed an astonishing spectacle on the playground of Ariel School in the small rural village of Ruwa, Zimbabwe, in what is widely considered to be one of the best “close contact” incidents in UFO history.
Students aged 5 to 12 reported (and drew) the identical scenario: a fleet of extraterrestrial UFOs, one of which landed near their school playground, and two “little gray guys with slender necks and large eyes” warning the youngsters that humans must take better care of their planet – or else.
Researchers and psychologists flocked on the sighting site, including a well-known Harvard University psychiatric professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, and ultimately concluded that the incident “seemed to be what it is.” The kids had witnessed something terrifying that they couldn’t describe.
Ariel School is a private primary school in Ruwa, Zimbabwe’s capital city, some 20 kilometers away. The students of Ariel School were sent outdoors to play on the school playground at around 10:15 a.m. on Friday, September 16, 1994, while instructors were having a mandated weekly teachers’ meeting inside the school.
Mrs. Kirkman, a physiotherapist, oversaw recess that morning and ran a small snack bar for the kids, offering soft drinks and chocolates. What transpired next was observed by a diverse group of pupils of all ages and cultural backgrounds – around 60 black, white, and Asian students.
Several pupils observed three objects in the sky (some reported five) above the school as they frolicked noisily about the playground (it was a gorgeous, clear morning).
The objects, which were described as round, silver, and saucer-shaped with illuminated portals around the perimeter, appeared to move extremely quickly, disappearing in the blink of an eye and reappearing in another location in the sky a minute later. One of the items eventually fell roughly 100 meters away from the youngsters.
Video:
The item landed in a brushy, forested region that was uncleared and deemed hazardous for the kids to explore (several kids said it “hovered” inches above the ground). The topography of the landing region was detailed by one of the researchers on the scene.
“There was a bush area beyond their playground, which was interspersed with numerous clumps of trees, the remainder being basically cleared land. The school owned the property, and despite attempts to clear and level it, it remained tough terrain: lush grass with thorn and other indigenous shrubs, trees growing in a higgledy-piggledy pattern, and undergrowth dense and heavy enough to hide a youngster should he wander there.”
A “little guy” could soon be seen standing on top of the UFO, according to the pupils. The craft’s inhabitant was described as being roughly one meter (3 feet) tall, dressed in a tight, glossy black and silver one-piece suit (“similar to a wetsuit”), with a slim neck and huge black eyes. The creature was said to have long hair, a mane, or a cloak of some type. It walked down the craft, heading for the youngsters.
The alien thing hesitated as it reached the youngsters, then vanished in an instant. Another creature (or perhaps the same) came behind the grounded UFO almost at the same time and then vanished after a brief second. The drone took flight and disappeared into the sky above the school in a matter of seconds.
Many of the smaller children were afraid and cried out for assistance. The “small guy” brought up memories of African folklore about monsters and spirits that devoured children. Mrs. Kirkman, who was at the snack bar, was approached by several of the children, but she did not believe their narrative and went about her responsibilities. Mrs. Kirkman, the snack store owner, was the first adult witness, and her account was recorded by a researcher.
“Mrs. Kirkman told me that she was completely suspicious when the kids came racing into the Tuckshop, raving enthusiastically about ‘a little man running about with a band over his head and a one-piece costume.’ [She subsequently clarified that she believed the kids were having fun]”
Colin Mackie, the Headmaster, had the pupils return to the classroom and draw what they had observed after hearing their narrative. The next day, when researchers arrived on the location, they found 35 different drawings waiting for them. The UFO and its inhabitants were shown in a similar manner in all of the pictures, with the same disc-shaped vehicle and little, bug-eyed extraterrestrial creature.
One of the older kids described the monster she had seen as having a “little nose and a short, straight-line mouth,” as well as “extremely huge and slanting eyes.” Another person described the ET as “thin and emaciated, with a scrawny neck and huge, oval-shaped eyes.”
Despite the fact that the extraterrestrial entity never spoke directly to them, a couple of the older pupils claimed to have talked with the craft’s occupants and been told by the ET that we were contaminating Earth and that unless we altered our ways, there would be severe repercussions.
“Those were the man’s thoughts – the man’s eyes.”
Alien and UFO theories were immediately disproved; several of the children acknowledged never having heard of “UFOs” before the experience.
Noted Cynthia Hind, a UFO researcher, and psychotherapist, and Dr. John E. Mack, a Harvard psychiatry professor, and Cambridge Hospital physician, spent two days questioning the parents, teachers, and children about their encounter. The interviews are captured on video, and they show a group of serious children calmly and effectively discussing what they observed. One person who witnessed the interviews being filmed said:
“It was evident they were speaking the truth when they were interviewed by Mack, with all of his professional talents — their voice, tone, and body language.” They were so steady in their storytelling, and they were so sure of themselves. They also discussed it in their own language. One of the children remembers the extraterrestrial telling them, “We shouldn’t be so ‘techknowledged’ – why make something up like that?”
Dr. Mack evaluated the interviews and came to the conclusion that the youngsters had not been subjected to a mass illusion and that what they had experienced that day was true.
“The youngsters had a really profound interaction with these entities, and we’re left with the somewhat alarming truth that this appears to be what it is, with no other psychiatric explanation,” says the author.
Aftermath:
Experts point out that in virtually all situations involving children’s “tall stories,” the youngster will ultimately admit to the lie. The youngsters, who were now adults, were questioned again in 2010 about their experiences. Sixteen years later, none of the 62 youngsters have changed their minds about what happened. Here are some excerpts from what the witnesses, who are now adults, had to say 16 years later.
“It was that face, that craft,” says the narrator. “It will never leave my head.”
“After that, we met again on several times and hugged and shook our heads, saying, ‘That was the most fantastic event of our life.'”
“It felt bizarre and exhilarating at the same time.” It’s not every day that you witness anything like that. That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“We’re sure we didn’t make this up.” Something was certainly going on. Whether it was UFOs or who knows what else, we can’t tell for sure one way or the other, but something happened that day that had the whole school revved up.”
“If there was one event in my life that I would like to relive, it would be that one.”
One parent described her child as follows:
“He couldn’t stop talking about it.” He hasn’t stopped talking about it since. And he’s been certain it happened all along.”
A teacher expressed her belief in the children’s narrative, claiming that they had observed something unusual.
“I don’t think you’d be able to get that many students to agree to do anything like that.” I truly don’t think so. I know children well enough to believe it could never happen, therefore I’m certain that something did happen that day.”
Cynthia Hind, a UFO investigator, died six years after the experience following a brief fight with illness.
Dr. Mack, a tenured professor, was censured by Harvard University shortly after the incident. According to the BBC, it was the first time in history that a tenured Harvard professor was subjected to such an examination, despite the fact that he was not accused of any ethics breaches or professional misconduct. He was eventually cleared and given permission to continue his studies by Harvard. Mack was hit by a “drunk motorist” while visiting London a few years later. He passed away on the spot.
