Gurtej Singh Bhamra, Grade 11
UWCEA Moshi Campus
In Tanzania, there have been over 75 killings of Albinos between 2000 and 2016, as well as many more unreported up to this day.
Albino’s are people who have a genetic disorder that causes the skin, hair and eyes to lack colour or pigmentation. https://www.healthline.com/health/albinism. Their discrimination in Tanznia is due superstitions and harmful cultural beliefs. It can be described as "a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation." Thus, due to lack of education Albino’s have been persecuted in Tanzania because they are believed to be a curse and that consuming their body parts brings luck and success. Moreover, families suffer and are often broken apart due to such superstitions and beliefs.
In various cultures and tribes in Tanzania it is believed that Albinos are a curse put upon the family of the Gods or a dead ancestor. Many believe that coming into contact with an Albino can lead to bad luck, disease and even death. It is also stipulated that Albinism is contagious, so much so that eating from the same plate as an Albino could pass on the symtoms. However, Albinism is a genetic condition, not one that is contagious. Such ideologies mean that Abinos are segregated, verbally and physically abused, and even killed. Many parents of Albino’s choose to lock them indoors to avoid any outside harm towards them.
Some even consider that Albino’s are ghosts given their pale skin complexion, as appose to the balck skin of those around them. Hence, they are also referred to as ghosts. Some use the term "zeruzeru", meaning "ghost-like creature" or “mzungu” meaning “white man”.
Additionally, Albino’s are killed as it is believed that they can bring good luck and blessings. By amputating the body parts of Albino’s and mixing them into a potion, it is said that individuals can get magical powers. Furthermore, it is believed that the louder the victim screams, the more powerful the magic can work. Hence, amputation is done while the victim is alive, especially with children. Often witch doctors pioneer such ideas to increase the demand of albino body parts, resulting in a higher rate of Albino deaths in Tanzania, as well as East Africa. As such, Ablino’s are perceived in society as “sacrificial lambs”. The main reason certain parts of Tanzanian society believes in witchcraft is to boost the economy. The selling of Albino body parts has become a profitable business, which is why it still persists. In fact there is an infamous saying, "zeruzeru ni dili" that means Abino’s are good business. As many people still hold the idea that albino body parts can bring about good luck. Sadly, there is not an iota of science that suggests that consuming albino body parts can bring anyone any health or societal benefits. This idea has been pushed by witch doctors to increase their wealth, at the expense of others. Thus this has led to further hostility, attacks and deaths to the Albino community in Tanzania.
Furthermore, it is not just Albino’s themselves who suffer, but the mothers and the families included. It is also a superstition that the mother who bears the child is responsible for the child inheriting Albinism. However, for a child to inherit albinism the gene must be present in both the mother and father. Therefore, the father is just as responsible for the child’s condition as the mother. Yet, this is not widespread knowledge, especially within rural areas and as a result the mother is blamed. Often, men will divrorce and abandon their wives, as they cannot accept their child with albinism. This leaves women to raise the children on their own. Such cases have been reported in various regions such as Simya, Mwanza, Shinyanga and Kahama. Moreover, many Albino children are also raised by their grandparents as the mothers remarry and leave the family. It must be educated that mothers are not at fault for Albinism in children, in fact it is nobody’s fault, it is simply a natural occurrence society needs to accept. Individuals with Albinism can also give birth to babies without albism, if their partner is not a carrier. Education must be put into understanding heredity and how these conditions are caused, as opposed to blindly believing superstitions.
To conclude, superstitions and irrational beliefs have led to the demise of the Albino population in Tanzania. Albino’s being seen as cursed mean that they are segregated, abused and even killed, as well as when their body parts are believed to have magical powers. Their families are also affected with the burden put on the mother. An increase in education and awareness is needed, particularly in rural areas to reduce the stigma against Albino’s. Article 6 of the Tanzanian constitution guarantees the right to equality and life. Albino’s are not exempt from equality or life, thus an effort must be made to restore the dignity of and freedom of Albino’s to ensure prosperity for every Tanzanian.
Image Courtesy: https://www.thejournal.ie/albino-island-tanzania-2834537-Jun2016/
Albino’s are people who have a genetic disorder that causes the skin, hair and eyes to lack colour or pigmentation. https://www.healthline.com/health/albinism. Their discrimination in Tanznia is due superstitions and harmful cultural beliefs. It can be described as "a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation." Thus, due to lack of education Albino’s have been persecuted in Tanzania because they are believed to be a curse and that consuming their body parts brings luck and success. Moreover, families suffer and are often broken apart due to such superstitions and beliefs.
In various cultures and tribes in Tanzania it is believed that Albinos are a curse put upon the family of the Gods or a dead ancestor. Many believe that coming into contact with an Albino can lead to bad luck, disease and even death. It is also stipulated that Albinism is contagious, so much so that eating from the same plate as an Albino could pass on the symtoms. However, Albinism is a genetic condition, not one that is contagious. Such ideologies mean that Abinos are segregated, verbally and physically abused, and even killed. Many parents of Albino’s choose to lock them indoors to avoid any outside harm towards them.
Some even consider that Albino’s are ghosts given their pale skin complexion, as appose to the balck skin of those around them. Hence, they are also referred to as ghosts. Some use the term "zeruzeru", meaning "ghost-like creature" or “mzungu” meaning “white man”.
Additionally, Albino’s are killed as it is believed that they can bring good luck and blessings. By amputating the body parts of Albino’s and mixing them into a potion, it is said that individuals can get magical powers. Furthermore, it is believed that the louder the victim screams, the more powerful the magic can work. Hence, amputation is done while the victim is alive, especially with children. Often witch doctors pioneer such ideas to increase the demand of albino body parts, resulting in a higher rate of Albino deaths in Tanzania, as well as East Africa. As such, Ablino’s are perceived in society as “sacrificial lambs”. The main reason certain parts of Tanzanian society believes in witchcraft is to boost the economy. The selling of Albino body parts has become a profitable business, which is why it still persists. In fact there is an infamous saying, "zeruzeru ni dili" that means Abino’s are good business. As many people still hold the idea that albino body parts can bring about good luck. Sadly, there is not an iota of science that suggests that consuming albino body parts can bring anyone any health or societal benefits. This idea has been pushed by witch doctors to increase their wealth, at the expense of others. Thus this has led to further hostility, attacks and deaths to the Albino community in Tanzania.
Furthermore, it is not just Albino’s themselves who suffer, but the mothers and the families included. It is also a superstition that the mother who bears the child is responsible for the child inheriting Albinism. However, for a child to inherit albinism the gene must be present in both the mother and father. Therefore, the father is just as responsible for the child’s condition as the mother. Yet, this is not widespread knowledge, especially within rural areas and as a result the mother is blamed. Often, men will divrorce and abandon their wives, as they cannot accept their child with albinism. This leaves women to raise the children on their own. Such cases have been reported in various regions such as Simya, Mwanza, Shinyanga and Kahama. Moreover, many Albino children are also raised by their grandparents as the mothers remarry and leave the family. It must be educated that mothers are not at fault for Albinism in children, in fact it is nobody’s fault, it is simply a natural occurrence society needs to accept. Individuals with Albinism can also give birth to babies without albism, if their partner is not a carrier. Education must be put into understanding heredity and how these conditions are caused, as opposed to blindly believing superstitions.
To conclude, superstitions and irrational beliefs have led to the demise of the Albino population in Tanzania. Albino’s being seen as cursed mean that they are segregated, abused and even killed, as well as when their body parts are believed to have magical powers. Their families are also affected with the burden put on the mother. An increase in education and awareness is needed, particularly in rural areas to reduce the stigma against Albino’s. Article 6 of the Tanzanian constitution guarantees the right to equality and life. Albino’s are not exempt from equality or life, thus an effort must be made to restore the dignity of and freedom of Albino’s to ensure prosperity for every Tanzanian.
Image Courtesy: https://www.thejournal.ie/albino-island-tanzania-2834537-Jun2016/
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