06/08/2008 (also reported 7/28/08 on BBC World Rprt.)
NY Times
Dar es Sala'am
Tanzania
"Samuel Mluge steps outside his office and scans the sidewalk. His pale blue eyes dart back and forth, back and forth trying to focus.
The sun used to be his main enemy, but now he has others.
Mr. Mluge is an albino and in Tanzania now there is a price for his pinkish skin.........
Mr. Mluge said whispers swirled around him whenever he walked down the sidewalk. "I hea people saying 'It's a deal, let's get him and make some money" he said......"
www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/world/africa/08albino.html
Apparently , throughout Sub-Saharan Africa traditional healers are using albino body parts, including skin as medicines and charms. they believe that you can use albino hair in fishing nets to cath more fish, as well as in general to get rich, and so on. The believe albinos never die but simply diappear when they get older. They have grabbed a couple of dozen right off the street and in at least one case grabbed a 17 year old girl in front of her family as they ate supper and hacked off her legs and ran.
Other fads come and go, such as balieving a bald head will help you cath more fish, and spreading human blood on the ground will help one find gold,etc. Perhaps this albino fetish will be a passing fad as well...
NY Times
Dar es Sala'am
Tanzania
"Samuel Mluge steps outside his office and scans the sidewalk. His pale blue eyes dart back and forth, back and forth trying to focus.
The sun used to be his main enemy, but now he has others.
Mr. Mluge is an albino and in Tanzania now there is a price for his pinkish skin.........
Mr. Mluge said whispers swirled around him whenever he walked down the sidewalk. "I hea people saying 'It's a deal, let's get him and make some money" he said......"
www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/world/africa/08albino.html
Apparently , throughout Sub-Saharan Africa traditional healers are using albino body parts, including skin as medicines and charms. they believe that you can use albino hair in fishing nets to cath more fish, as well as in general to get rich, and so on. The believe albinos never die but simply diappear when they get older. They have grabbed a couple of dozen right off the street and in at least one case grabbed a 17 year old girl in front of her family as they ate supper and hacked off her legs and ran.
Other fads come and go, such as balieving a bald head will help you cath more fish, and spreading human blood on the ground will help one find gold,etc. Perhaps this albino fetish will be a passing fad as well...
