A photo from open sources
When the word “zombie” in the brain, the image first appears slowly walking corpse, overwhelmed by the desire to feast on little man. This is how Hollywood created it, so they present it to us numerous computer games. However, nothing arises on empty place. Where did this monster come from? We’ll figure out.
Well forgotten old
Dead-cannibals humanity scared itself for a long time. Sumerian “The Epic of Gilgamesh” is considered one of the oldest literary works of the world. (XVIII-XVII centuries BC)
I will make my way into the depths of the underworld, I will raise the dead, to devour the living, then there will be less living than the dead!
As you can see, people created thrillers about the walking dead more than 3,500 years ago. The Sumerians were by no means originals. The Scandinavian sagas are full of stories of the living dead. Coming out of graves, they walked around the world of the living, and did various mischief.
The Rolangs have long wandered around the Tibetan mountains (Rolang translated from Tibetan “risen corpse”). Therefore in a classic tibetan house low doors and high thresholds – this is so that the Roland could not enter home: a stiff dead man unable to bend or bend his legs in the knees. It is assumed that while an unexpected guest will stomp in front of the door, neighbors have time to escape to the nearest monastery and bring a monk – only they know how to “calm” the roll.
Indian epics are full of tales of vetals – spirits adoring dwelling in human bodies. But if for a place in the body of a living a person needs to fight (the living space is busy!) then left by the soul a corpse can be occupied without problems.
The Japanese came up with a Buso to tickle their nerves. it decaying corpses roaming the streets of night cities and towns in search for food – human flesh. Buso is completely intellectually and only think about food.
In China, there is jiang shi (literal translation of “stiff corpse”). They walk slowly, limping, arms extended forward. They feed on people. Killing jiang shi is difficult, bullets do not take them. Headshot only able to stop the walking dead. (Well, why not Hollywood zombie? No wonder the Chinese say that all European achievements in fields of science, culture and technology were actually created in China!)
So the story of the scary zombies chasing humanity, stretches from the depths of centuries. But in the XX-XXI century. zombies have become something big than just a horror story. They have become an element of culture.
How it all started
It all started in 1929, when the New York Times reporter William Seabrook has published notes “Island of Magic” about his journey to Haiti. Of the 4 chapters of the book, the most interesting was the chapter on zombies. But the Haitian “reviving dead” caused not only horror, but also sympathy.
Local sorcerers (bokors) resurrected the deceased in order to receive not a mindless killer, but a meek worker to his fields. “Resurrected dead” for years without days off worked on sugar plantations for a cup of rice and a piece of bread.
They were deprived of memory, will, reason, but understood the simplest teams and performed meaningful actions. Tell them to dig – they will dig, say “carry water” – they will carry buckets around the clock, not while showing no emotion. The cherished dream of anyone capitalist.
A photo from open sources
Cinema immediately responded to the appearance of the book. In 1932 in USA released the film “White Zombies.” The directors are not too far removed from the image of classic Haitian zombies. In the movie it’s dumb meek workers at the sugar factory of its “owner”.
But this viewer was quite enough. With a budget of 50,000 dollars tape collected at the box office 8 million. Naturally, after such an amazing commercial success, the zombies were just doomed to a long cinematic life.
Zombies made in Holliwood
In 1968, George Romero made his first full-length film. “Night of the Living Dead.” The viewer saw “real zombies” – walking monsters obsessed with the idea of killing and devouring the living. And although the word the “zombies” in the film never sounded, the viewer intuitively understood that those who have risen from the graves of the dead cannibals should be called precisely So.
A photo from open sources
The success of the film stunned even its creators. Costing $ 114,000 he brought the authors $ 30 million. Naturally, then followed numerous remakes and sequels: “Dawn of the Dead”, “Day the Dead, “Diaries of the Dead”, “Survival of the Dead”, etc.
But we seem to have sidestepped. But what about real zombies?
Riding in Haiti
What surprises everyone who comes to Haiti is the local cemeteries. The graves here are heaped with heavy stones, covered concrete slabs, pour concrete. This is not fear, zombies are not here they are afraid (well, whom can these unfortunate creatures scare?). However no one wants his deceased relative to turn wordless working cattle, devoid of reason.
Who has no money to create a concrete grave, just guard their dead. Changing each other, relatives of the deceased guard the burial day after day until the corpse begins to decompose. The sorcerer does not need a decayed corpse.
Part of the dead are buried near the house, near roads or busy places (the sorcerer will not tear the grave in front of everyone ?!). IN at the very least, a dead person is pierced by a heart, pierced by a head those. bring the body to a “non-working state.”
And forbid you to laugh at the inhabitants, accuse them of superstition. Anyone doubting will be told a dozen stories about the living dead.
Zombie Stories
A 30-year-old woman died, her death was recorded by doctors. In the presence of numerous relatives, she was buried. After three years old deceased husband saw her in a neighboring province on a plantation sugarcane. Exhausted woman spoke with labor and did not remember anything – zombies!
A zombie, once a resident and buried four years ago. The peasants got scared and brought him to the police. In the area this was not at all happy. Zombie they sat on a bench and tried to ask questions. But thats only looked in front of him with unseeing eyes and was silent. Someone said that “the walking dead” can be brought to life if you drink it salt water. Watered.
To everyone’s surprise, the zombie slowly called his name and name his master sorcerer. Since the relatives of the resurrected refused to accept it, sent a note to the sorcerer asking him to come and pick up your “property.”
The sorcerer, of course, did not come, and the zombie died two days later. Dead in the “walking dead” section announced unclear where taken crazy and the case was closed. Well, who wants to mess with mighty sorcerer? No one wanted to turn into a zombie himself.
Once pursuing a dangerous criminal, police found jungle sugarcane plantation. Haggard people with glassy eyes made monotonous movements without paying attention to law enforcement officers emerging from the forest. Supposedly one of police even recognized one of the villagers in one of the zombies, deceased a few years ago.
Performing his immediate task (pursuit and capture criminal) the police did not linger. When a few weeks later, upon their signal, a detachment arrived at the plantation, it was already deserted.
“You think,” another skeptic snorts, “but I myself have such stories I can make up a million. Facts, facts, come on! Names, surnames, dates, etc. Do you have them? “We answer: yes.
Specific facts
Felicia Mentor. She died in 1907. In 1936, Felicia’s brother accidentally met the aimlessly wandering naked emaciated woman in whom recognized his sister. The arriving ex-husband also confirmed that this Felice. Of course, a woman in 29 years has changed a lot, but the gait, characteristic gestures and a birthmark on the left ankle!
Felicia did not recognize anyone, could not give her name, on questions did not respond. White face with dead eyes. Relatives put her in a clinic where she was watched by writer Zora Hurston, leaving memories of this meeting.
In 1966, a certain Natagetta Joseph died. Doctors have confirmed death, issued a certificate. Six years after burial unfortunate found in the vicinity of the village. A glazed look hesitant gait, incoherent speech – a classic zombie.
In 1979, Francis Ilius was found, “dead” for three years back. Same symptoms: slow motion, inability focus on something and formulate a clear think. The grave of the “deceased” was opened, no corpse was found in it.
The most famous zombie
Such is considered Claudius Narcissus. In 1962, he turned to doctor, and after three days the doctor signed a certificate of death. The deceased, as usual, was buried. After 18 years, he returned. IN Unlike other zombies, Narcissus retained his memory. By incomprehensible reasons, the mechanism of turning into a zombie crashed and Claudius remembered and your name, and your past.
A photo from open sources
Lamarck Dowion, Director of the Local Center for Psychiatry and Neurology In 1981, he met with Claudius. Lamarck’s goal was to expose impostor. With the help of relatives, he made a list of questions, to which only the true Claudius Narcissus could answer.
Dowion saw a classic zombie. A dull indifferent look slow, like mechanical movements and barely beating heart.
In a monotonous quiet voice, the “impostor” answered the tricky questions and never made a mistake. He told how the doctor brought to a mirror for his lips, as relatives cried at his funeral, as hammered nails into the coffin. One nail pierced the lid and cut Claudius forehead, leaving a scar.
He told how clods of earth banged on the lid of the coffin, how he was dug up by the sorcerer’s henchmen and how a bokor conducted a ceremony “resurrection”. Together with other zombies, Narcissus worked on sugar plantation and left there only after the death of the “master”.
Lamarck Dowion left in the belief that he had seen a real zombie. In the end, he took a picture of Claudius Narcissus, sitting alone on his grave.
The dead do not come to life!
Any doctor will say that a walking resurrected dead person is nonsense. After cardiac arrest and cessation of blood circulation after 5, from forces of 7 minutes brain cells die and forever. It would seem as Does a zombie need a brain? The dumber he is, the better! But even for the simplest functions, such as walking for “prey”, grabbing it, biting, a healthy nervous system is needed. If the brain is dead, a dead man can and will be “alive”, but by no means “walking”.
Doctors repeatedly made attempts to restore work heart 10, 20 minutes after stopping, but as a result instead humans received a “living plant” devoid of the slightest sign intelligence and can’t even lift a finger, not like to walk.
To resolve the contradiction took in 1982, Dr. Wade Davis, set off for this in Haiti.
Dr. Davis Investigation
Long before Davis, there were versions that no no resurrection. Victims plunge into a state close to lethargic sleep, when even an experienced doctor is not able to distinguish living from the dead. The sorcerer remains to dig out the “corpse” and resurrect. This destroys the parts of the brain that control the will and speech. Here you have the finished zombie. But how does this happen in reality? Davis decided to find the answer to this question.
Sorcerers (bokors), to whom Davis managed to rub in confidence, confirmed the initial assumptions about using a certain drugs. It does not last long, only 24 hours, but in a hot climate Haiti dead are buried quickly. Potion and Oxygen Components starvation leads to damage to certain parts of the brain, a person becomes an obedient mindless robot.
Of course, there are overlays: drug overdoses, delays with funeral, concreting burial – these and other factors can lead to death for the victim. But not without “humor” one sideman remarked, “no one has complained yet.”
With requests, persuasion, flattery and a bundle of green notes, Davis got 8 samples of a mysterious potion. Returning to the USA, he explored brought materials. They all turned out to be different. In several In cases he was slipped an absolutely useless mixture of dried grass. AND all the same, the trip turned out to be useful. In most samples he discovered tetrodotoxin – the strongest natural poison nerve action.
His sorcerers from the fish of the family of pufferfish got it. Sun-dried intestines, liver, peritoneum (there is the highest concentration of poison) is ground into powder. For death, a dose of one ten thousandth of a gram. When a smaller person falls into a condition in which breathing almost disappears, the pulse is not palpated, eyes go glassy and do not react to anything. Even experienced doctors confidently state death. It is only necessary to improve moment and pour the drug into the food of the future victim and further Act strictly according to the approved plan.
Dr. Davis honestly said that he’s not warranting that at least one of Bokorov gave him a real “zombie powder.” Therefore, one of the main questions, namely: in what proportions tetrodotoxin should mix with other poisonous spices that make up the potion, remained a mystery.
Zombies around us
Today, the term “zombie” has a new meaning. So called people who do not have their own thoughts, their opinions, taking on faith is any word printed or spoken from the TV screen. To comprehend information, compare facts and analyze them – this for current “zombies” overwork. Yes, and why, because everything is already thoughtfully for them.
And when the “master sorcerer” calls them to the next revolution or “fulfill a civic duty” – they obediently and thoughtlessly go there, where the leader, the messiah, the Fuhrer will show them and sweep away everything and everything that is standing on their way. And such zombies are far more dangerous than the Haitian poor fellow and fictional Hollywood monsters.
Klim Podkova Source: “Oracle Steps” No. 4/2016
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