Opening the 3rd Exhibition in Paris, The French Minister for
Culture and Communication, Frederic Mitterrand, said, "Mwanzo, I am deeply
touched by the subject you chose to deal with, albinism and the problems
encountered by. I am amazed by your humanistic feeling about these people and
the quality of your work is fantastic. Lets have a picture together." He
dragged me and we posed for a picture
A
BEAUTIFUL DESERT ROSE
Mwanzo
Millinga, Tanzania
My inspiration to photograph people with albinism is based on personal
admiration of them as beautiful people.
Beauty, as a study in aesthetics, is an entity which is adored, or has
characters that are refered to beauty. These can either be individual or in a
civilization, that involve the interpretation of some entities as being in
balance and harmony with nature. The interpretation may lead to fealings of
attraction and emotional well-being. Therefore, beauty is a subjective
experience, and it is always said that « beauty is in the eye of the
beholder. »
Biologically, albinos are people who lack pigment in their skin, eyes and
hair. According to biological findings, majority of albinos are dying at the
age of 40 mainly due to skin cancer and sun burn. The genetic disorder causing
albinism also results in abnormal vision and, nystagmus which is an involuntary
eye movements.
Albinos in Tanzania face two major problems. The first problem is genetic
disorder in relation in relation to the environment. This shortern their life
as sun burn and skin cancer make them die earlier. The second major problem is
the killing from fellow human beings.
There is a tendecy of some people to think of the power of witchcraft in
realizing their success dreams. In connection of the albino killings,
witchcraft is the main source of the killings. Unfaithful witchdoctors usually
tell their clients about the use of albino body parts in making medicine for
them to be rich and successful. This makes the demand of the albino body parts
go up and increase the killings.
Those who kill the albinos believe that, the albinos have magical power in
the superstition and wichcraft which, the perpetuators apply so as to increase
their fortune. These include unmanly gold miners and fishermen in the Lake Zone
and people in other businesses elsewhere in the country are trading in the body
parts of albinos, including limbs, skin, hair and genitals, which they believe
enable them catch more fish or strike huge precious minerals.
Albinos don’t enjoy the right to free movement and residency within the
country. They are forced to be Inside their houses, go into exile or look for
refuge in different places, in fear of being killed. Fear and lack of security,
makes albinos more poor economically and psychologically tortured. Some
57 people with albinism have been murdered in Tanzania in recent years.
This state of insecurity for albinos, inspired me to photograph those who
have run from their homes for safety, at Kabanga Disabled Centre, in Kasulu,
Kigoma, in a style that I portray their beauty and dignity. I use the FRAME as
a statement of « a life in a restricted environment.» They decided
themselves on how to hold it.
According to Modest Magere (44), the head of the center, in 2008, the
Kasulu District Council, decided that Kabanga Centre should host albinos who
free their home for safty following an increase of albino killings in different
parts of Kigoma and the neighboring regions. The centre therefore, is provided
with night police patrol.
I, personally belive that, the chategorization of a person as beautiful,
albinos included, whether on an individual basis or by community concensus, is
often based on some combination of inner Beauty, which includes personality,
intelligency, grace, politeness, charisma, integrity, and elegance, and outer
Beauty, which includes physical factors such as health, youthfulness, facial
symetry, and complexion. Albinos are no exceptional to these qualities, and
they deserve to be adored as
beautful and loved. END.
