HomeOld_PostsFilm highlights albino plight

Film highlights albino plight

Published on

By Farayi Mungoshi

THE albino story is one that most of us are familiar with and stretches back for generations to a period when albinos used to be put to death for their condition.
Albinism is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by a lack of pigment in the hair, skin and eyes.
Albinism is caused by defective or absent tyrosinase, an enzyme necessary for melanogenesis. Although rare in the western world, albinism is quite common in sub-Saharan Africa, according to derm.theclinics.com.
The prevalence of albinism is about 1:37 000 in the US and 1:20 000 in most populations in the world.
The prevalence in regions of sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to be much greater than these figures; for example, it is estimated at about 1:4 000 in Zimbabwe and in Tanzania it is 1:1 429, figures on derm.theclinics.com show.
It seems we haven’t really evolved from the ‘dark ages’ beliefs as albinos continue to face persecution, here in Zimbabwe and other parts of the world where they are killed for their body parts for juju.
While others view albinism as a curse, others believe that they can actually create wealth through the use of their body parts, which in turn has seen the number of crimes committed against albinos rise.
To correct misconceptions about albinos is a short film, Where is Home?, produced and directed by Munashe Chitsiga and written by Tapiwa Katsaya.
The short film comes at a time when social media is awash with stories of satanism and how spilling human blood through ritual murders brings riches.
Since time immemorial, there are those who have chosen to take the easy route to wealth, believing in the use of juju, kuromba and not hard work.
Crimes reported against people living with albinism include infanticide, kidnapping, amputations and decapitations, committed for purposes of supplying highly valued body parts used for amulets, which are then sold in underground witchcraft markets.
In Malawi, albinos are threatened with extinction.
Thousands of dollars are being offered for a set of arms, legs, ears and genitals from an individual with albinism.
The film has made huge waves in the film industry and has won the Zimbabwe International Film Festival Short Film Award (1st position) and recently clinched the Youth Video Festival United Nations Migration: Plural + Short Film Award.
While the killing of albinos for their body parts is the bigger story, the other important issue is the discrimination and stigmatisation faced by people living with albinism in their own homes as well as from other members of society.
The film highlights how the stigma and atrocities affecting the albino population may be attributed to lack of familiarity and education about albinism, coupled with ignorance.
According to one of the directors of the film, Kuda Bwititi, the aim of the production is to force all African nations to put in place laws that protect people living with albinism.
The film shows how the social structure and superstitious belief system provides ground for further prejudice and social rejection.
For instance, albinos are called ‘masope’, which suggests they are possessed by evil spirits.
There are reports which show that albino students were not only called names and ridiculed, but were also beaten and avoided by peers who would not eat or play with them.
Some are even mocked and avoided by family members, who do not want to share food or clothes with their albino relatives and many albino children are not allowed to visit their parents’ workplaces with others reportedly placed in the sun to become accustomed to ultra-violet rays (UVR).
In Where is Home?, all the indignities suffered by people living with albinism is highlighted.
The first step in assisting individuals with albinism in sub-Saharan Africa would be to educate the population as a whole, said the producers of the short-film.
An unsupportive social environment, they said, would hinder the progress of individuals with albinism, stagnating their intellectual and physical potential, despite their desire to progress.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest articles

Kariba Municipality commits to President’s service delivery blueprint

By Kundai Marunya IT is rare to find opposition-controlled urban councils throwing their weight on...

The resurgence of Theileriosis in 2024 

THE issues of global changes, climate change and tick-borne diseases cannot be ignored, given...

Britain haunted by its hostile policy on Zimbabwe

TWO critical lessons drawn from the recent debate on Zimbabwe in the British House...

The contentious issue of race

 By Nthungo YaAfrika AS much as Africans would want to have closure to many of...

More like this

Kariba Municipality commits to President’s service delivery blueprint

By Kundai Marunya IT is rare to find opposition-controlled urban councils throwing their weight on...

The resurgence of Theileriosis in 2024 

THE issues of global changes, climate change and tick-borne diseases cannot be ignored, given...

Britain haunted by its hostile policy on Zimbabwe

TWO critical lessons drawn from the recent debate on Zimbabwe in the British House...

Discover more from Celebrating Being Zimbabwean

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading