MAMA MMOJA AIFICHA MAITI YA MTOTO WAKE KWA MIAKA 18 KISA ANAMPENDA SANA.

In some cultures, it wouldn't be considered strange for a mother to take care of her son for 40 years. However, it might seem a little weird if he were dead for almost two decades.

After Joni Bakaradze died at age 22, his family in the Eurasian country of Georgia decided against interring him, and instead preserved his body as a mummy for 18 years. His mother, Tsiuri Kvaratskhelia, told Georgia News that the decision was made so that her son's child could "see what kind of father he had."

Bakaradze's body has been kept in a coffin with what appears to be a viewing window. Kvaratskhelia told the station that the family at first used traditional methods, including balsam sap, to preserve the body. More recently, she claims to have switched to spirits -- and we're not talking spells and incantations.

"I had a dream once. Somebody was telling me to wake up and start using vodka to care for the body," Kvaratskhelia said in an interview. "I have been using... spirit liquid poultices since then. You must not leave the body without them during [the] night, because it will turn black."

Mummification is perhaps best known as a burial practice of the Ancient Egyptians, but other cultures in South America and Asia have practiced it throughout history.

In 1920, the body of Rosalia Lombardo, a 2-year-old Italian girl who died of the flu, was ordered preserved by her grieving grandfather. Although it began to show some signs of discoloration recently, the girl's body remains remarkably preserved. 

**************

Mama ambaye mtoto wake wa kiume alifariki miaka 18 iliyopita amemuhifadhi katika pombe na kuficha mwili wake kwenye sehemu ya chini ya makazi yake ambako amekuwa akimhudumia muda wote tangu wakati huo... yote hayo ili kijana wake aweze kuona anavyompenda.

Tsiuri Kvaratskhelia ameuhifadhi mwili wa Joni Bakaradze uliozikwa ndani ya jeneza la mbao sambamba na nyumba hiyo ya familia mjini Georgia, mashariki mwa Ulaya.

Lakini licha ya kuwa amekufa mwaka 1995, mwili wa kijana huyo mwenye miaka 22 umebaki ukiwa umekaushwa damu kikamilifu, shukrani kwa mama yake aliyeonesha mapenzi ya kweli na uangalizi wa karibu.

Na kila mwaka katika maadhimisho ya siku yake ya kuzaliwa mama huyo amekuwa akimbadilisha nguo - hadi miaka minne iliyopita pale uozo hatimaye ulipofanya kazi hiyo kushindikana.

"Alitaka mtoto wake kumwona kwa namna hiyo," alielezea. "Naamini kutokea hapo mtoto huyo alianza kumpenda baba yake."

Pia kuna dirisha dogo la kutazamia kwenye sehemu hiyo ya chini hivyo familia, marafiki na wapita njia wanaweza kuona jinsi anavyoendelea.

Mama Kvaratskhelia amejifunza zaidi kuliko mbinu chache kumfanya mtoto wake huyo awe na mwonekano mzuri.

"Usiku mmoja niliota pale sauti fulani iliponieleza kumshughulikia Joni kwa kumwagia pombe hivyo kutokea hapo nimekuwa nikitumia mashuka yenye unyevu yaliyozamishwa kwenye pombe kuhifadhi mwili wake," alisema. "Hutakiwi kuuacha mwili huo bila mashuka hayo wakati wa usiku sababu ngozi itabadilika na kuwa nyeusi kama makaa ya mawe."

Aliongeza: "Kwa miaka 10 nimekuwa nikimbadilisha nguo zake wakati wa maadhimisho ya siku yake ya kuzaliwa. Miaka minne tu iliyopita ndio sikuweza kufanya hivyo.

"Alikuwa mtu safi, mume mwema, si kama hivi alivyo sasa."

Lakini sasa Joni, ambaye sababu za kifo chake hazijafahamika, hatimaye anaanza kuharibika tangu maradhi kumzuia Mama Kvaratskhelia kumpatia matunzo ya kila siku anayohitaji.

"Nilikuwa naumwa hivi karibuni na sikuweza kuhudumia mwili wake," alisema. "Hiyo ilikuwa na athari kwake.

"Mtoto wangu ni anavutia. Nitakapoanza kutumia mashuka hayo ngozi yake itakuwa angavu tena na kila kitu kitakuwa kama kawaida."