In 1934 Dr. Frederick Vedolinte, a Belgian professor working in Rwanda, heard a rumor that a local chief had a war staff that he could turn into a snake. For the next 2 months Vedolinte tried to find out the truth. In the end it may have cost him his life. What was the mystery behind the Hutu warrior and his snake staff?

Vedolinte had come to Rwanda in 1934 at the request of the Catholic Church who had urged him to help start a center for higher learning in Butare. Vedolinte agreed to help the Church but when he got to the country he became more interested in the local culture and less interested in doing the job he was brought to do. By 1935 the beginnings of the school was still in the starting stages and Vedolinte was spending more and more time among the local tribes of Hutu's and Tutsi learning of their culture. This caused Sister Monianne, a Catholic nun who had been sent to help Vedolinte, to write a letter of complaint to the head diocese.

"Prof. Vedolinte chooses to use his time in efforts to find out the particulars of every cultural rift and point of contention between the two tribes. Meanwhile the plans for enlarging the buildings for school use are getting further behind since there is no firm hand to help guide it along. I have tried to gather the workmen on several occasions but because I am a woman I am unable to command their respect. I fear that the school may not be finished on time and I ask for your help in this matter."

Sister Monianne's letter must have provoked a strong reaction from the church and Vedolinte soon was back to overseeing the building of the University. For the next several months reports indicate that construction was going as planned. Then in February of 1936 Vedolinte sent the following letter to his brother back in Belgium.

Dearest Jonas,

I apologize for not writing as often as I should but events here have been taxing of my time and I have little strength left at the end of the day to put pen to paper. Building a school in the wilds of Africa is harder than I supposed when I agreed to take this job.

I felt the need to write you now because of a rumor I heard floating amongst the workers I employ here. They say that a local war chief named Mudegombo has in his power to ability to turn his staff into a snake! (Now you can see why I didn't tell this to the hen-pecking Sister that acts as my assistant) This may be hard for you to believe sitting where you are in a comfortable chair with electricity and running water but the facts are that I have seen strange things while I have been traipsing out in the wilds of this country.

For example last year I went to a nearby village to talk with a chief about using some of his men as laborers. While there I was invited to witness a ceremony performed by what I guess is their "witchdoctor" (if such a term can be used outside a movie set) This man took one look at me and then started telling me facts about myself that he should not have known! He knew our mother's name, where I was born and all other sorts of personal details that I won't go into. Suffice to say I was convinced of his power. If this can be true then can other powers also be in their grasp? Sadly I'm no longer able to go as freely as I once was but I intend to search out the truth behind this latest tale and I promise to fill you in with the details when I know them. Give Sandra and your little daughter my love and affection and I hope to see you all again very soon

Your brother
Frederick

In mid March of 1936 Sister Monianne once again wrote a letter to the local diocese asking for more assistance. But this time their letter back to her provoked little commitment to the building by Vedolinte. This is evident in another letter sent to his brother Jonas dated April 2nd, 1936

Jonas,

I hope all is well with you and the family. I am fine physically but recent events have surely stirred my mental facilities to their up most!

Do you remember of the war chief I spoke of that claimed the ability to turn his staff into a snake? Well I have met the man! Enclosed is a photograph I took of him during our meeting. I have questioned him on his ability and he assures me that it is the truth. He claims that he has the power to take his enemies soul and put it into his war staff where it lives and gives him power. It is this soul that transforms the staff into a snake and since it is a Hutu war chief he claims that it is a Tutsi (another tribe of the area) that has been placed inside the wood.

Only known photo of the Hutu Chief Mudegombo.

I asked him for a demonstration of the staff and he agreed but first he wanted to break bread with me so I spent the day with him in an elaborate ceremony where I became his "brother" (So in a way he is your kin as well!) Then at night he started a long ritual that ended with him throwing the staff upon the ground. Jonas I swear to you that the wood moved and became a snake before my very eyes! Mudegombo even went so far as to pick up the snake and place it around his neck! He then offered to place it around my neck but I became a little frightened and refused. The chief became angry at this refusal and made it plain that his hospitality was ended at this point. He had me ushered from the area and sent back to the camp where the Sister and I are staying. I'm sure the sister made sure she was awake so she could note down my return time for her weekly reports to the Priesthood.

I plan on going back to Mudegombo's camp and try to make amends. Hopefully he will be forgiving. I also plan on getting some proof of this on film. I completely forgot about my camera during the ceremony and did not think to take a picture of the occurrence. Wish me luck, brother and I shall write to you soon again.

Your brother,
Frederick

But that was the last letter Jonas was to receive from his brother. Sister Monianne notes Vedolinte's disappearance in another letter to the diocese.

It is my sad duty to report that Dr. Frederick Vedolinte has gone missing as is presumed to be dead. As I have noted in earlier letters, Vedolinte was very inquisitive about the local tribes in the area and spent much time with them. This may have been the cause of his problem since one local group of Hutu's have left the area and the workers from that tribe are no longer coming to the site of the school to work. Because local tribal customs do not allow a woman to be in charge of such a project I ask that another man be sent out to oversee the building. I await your response.

sources

"The Disappearance of Doctor Vedolinte" vol. 2 issue 14 Strange Fates magazine written by Christopher Culpen

Photo courtesy of Strange Fates magazine