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Many people in Tanzania — and across Africa, for that matter — believe albinos have magical powers. They stand out, often the lone white face in a black crowd, a result of a genetic condition that impairs normal skin pigmentation and strikes about 1 in 3,000 people here.
“Tanzanian officials say witch doctors are now marketing albino skin, bones and hair as ingredients in potions that are promised to make people rich.”
Those are the works of of the South African photographer, Pieter Hugo. He believes that people project their desires, fears, fantasies and repulsions upon people with albinism. He traveled extensively in Africa, South America and Europe photographing individuals who volunteered to be part of the project and has assembled a series of portraits each reflecting their subject's individuality. Some of these were exhibited to critical acclaim at Fabrica Features in Lisbon and at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome.
But lets not forget that it is not a disease, it is a genetic condition they are normal people just like you and i,and should be treated the same as any one else,i do not feel sorry for them because there is nothing wrong with them they are just as smart and functional as you are!!! i am not albino in fact i do not know any one who is albino, but i see them just as i would see anyone else they are just a little lighter then most people !!!
Why do albino people have white skin and red eyes?
Albinism is a group of genetic conditions that causes a lack of pigment. It can effect only the eyes (ocular albinism) or both the eyes and skin (oculocutaneous albinism). Most types of albinism are inherited when an individual receives the albinism gene from both parents. The exception is one type of ocular albinism which is passed on from mothers to their sons.
Generally, people with albinism have blue or slate gray eyes. Some people with greater amounts of pigment have green or hazel eyes. Those with lessor amounts of pigment will have an eye color that has a reddish tint to it. Because the eye of the person with albinism has an iris which does not block out light, a flash photo of someone with albinism may show the light of the flash reflected off of the back of the eye, giving the appearance in a photograph that they have red eyes.
Again IT"S NOT A DISEASE!!! And the fact that we are getting more and more tolerant towards people looking different, makes me very glad. Just take a look at the world's first albinistic fashion model, Connie Chiu. Isn't she beautiful???
Chiu was born in Hong Kong to a Chinese family. Like many people with albinism, she has to protect her photosensitive eyes and skin from the sunlight. As a result, her family moved to Sweden when she was seven.
Connie Chiu was first introduced to modeling when her sister asked her to become a model at one of her final shows. At age 25, Chiu began modeling for fashion photographers such as Terry Richardson, Paul Burley, Heidi Niemala, and Morten Smidt. Chiu later studied journalism.
Chiu starred in the music video for the single "Stalker" by Recoil, the solo project of Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder.
