Imagine a laughter outbreak so intense that it spreads like a real epidemic. That’s exactly what happened in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) between 1962 and 1963, a unique event in history where uncontrollable laughing fits affected hundreds of people.
How It All Began
It started on January 30, 1962, at a girls’ boarding school in Kashasha. Three students began laughing and couldn’t stop. Within weeks, 95 of the school’s 159 students were affected, and soon, the phenomenon spread to other schools and neighboring villages like Nshamba and Ramashenye. Over the course of a few months, it reached 14 schools and several communities. Reports vary on the duration, with estimates ranging from six to eighteen months, before the epidemic mysteriously faded away.
Strange Symptoms
This was no ordinary laughter. The episodes lasted anywhere from a few hours to several days and were sometimes accompanied by crying. Other physical symptoms included dizziness, breathing difficulties, skin rashes, and even excessive flatulence. Attempts to intervene often led to agitation or even violent reactions.
A Context of Collective Stress
Several factors may have contributed to this bizarre outbreak:
- Tanganyika had just gained independence (December 1961), creating uncertainty and anxiety.
- New school reforms placed heavy academic pressure on students.
- A culturally recognized phenomenon: In the region, the term omumnepo refers to irrational collective behaviors.
No Medical Explanation
Despite thorough medical examinations, no physical cause was found. Scientists proposed several theories:
- Mass hysteria: A psychological contagion where stress spreads unconsciously within a group.
- Emotional release: A response to stress caused by social and political changes.
- A psychological effect among teenage girls, a group particularly vulnerable to social influences.
This fascinating case remains one of the most striking examples of collective conversion disorder, where stress and anxiety manifest physically without any clear medical explanation.
