Albinism and witchcraft

General Academics Religion and Philosophy
1

Rumors have been circulating for many years regarding the use of human albino body parts for sorcery and witchcraft in a number of African countries including SA. I have discussed this with a number of Zulu persons and the woo is strong! They comment that you never hear of/see an albino funeral…“they just disappear in the night” One educated Zulu (a Muslim BTW) commented that her neighbor was an albino and she disappeared…

See also here what is going down in Tanzania http://www.underthesamesun.com/ and here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/swaziland/7956458/Albino-girl-11-killed-and-beheaded-in-Swaziland-for-witchcraft.html

Since 2008, at least 62 albinos have been killed in Tanzania, 16 have been violently assaulted and had their limbs amputated and the bodies of 12 albinos have been exhumed from graves and dismembered.

Does research into this phenomenon exist in SA?

2

It wouldn’t surprise me if it existed here, seeing as we do now and then see muti murders here. But I do not recall any such murders specifically on albinos around here. Just wait and see though: the kind of people who are sick enough to buy muti made of human body parts will sooner or later hear about the albino thing, and then they’ll start believing it even if they don’t at the moment. Woo-woo has a way of spreading far more rapidly than reason.

3

The Xhosa lady that keeps house for us says that there certainly is a rumour/ legend/ myth doing the rounds that, up-country, albino children are sold to wizards for huge amounts. But she couldn’t say if the rumour is true. Interestingly, she also mentioned that she’s never been to an albino person’s funeral, as they tend to “disappear” after death! :o

Rigil