Recently, there's been some disturbing news--sort of race-based--coming out of Tanzania where it's been rumored that albinos (people who lack melanin to produce skin color) possess a kind of magic in their bodies. So-called witch doctors have been telling their clients to provide them with the legs, hands and/or hair of an albino in exchange for magical powers. What's interesting about this atrocity is that an albino of black African descent has very white-pinkish skin even though his or her facial features are not Caucasian. Therefore, it sort of reinforces that white skin, again, is of more value than dark skin--of course, in a very perverse way since the white-skinned African is murdered for his or her more highly valued body.
Many unfortunate albinos have been living in fear that they will be attacked with machetes, and some have taken to living together in shelters. Besides being a real tragedy, this abomination is just one more area of life where skin color becomes the pervasive issue.
Sometimes, I wonder if it will ever stop.
Here's a link to the BBC coverage of this story:
btw, join my Facebook group Hip Hapa Homeez to view stories like this one and take part in discussions about them.
Your Hip Hapa,
Yayoi
1 comment:
I'm speechless, and in this day and age....unbelievable. Its good you are writing about this because I know this would not be on my local news station.
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