Persecution of people with albinism is based on the belief that certain body parts of albinistic people can transmit magical powers. Such superstition is present especially in some parts of the African Great Lakes region, it has been promulgated and exploited by witch doctors and others who use such body parts as ingredients in rituals, concoctions and potions with the claim that their magic will bring prosperity to the user. As a result, people with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered, and graves of albinos dug up and desecrated. At the same time, people with albinism have also been ostracized and even killed for exactly the opposite reason, because they are presumed to be cursed and bring bad luck. The persecutions of people with albinism take place mostly in Sub-Saharan African communities, especially among East Africans. Tanzania, 2019
Masai Rite of passage: This rite of passage is one of the most important Masai festivals - it marks the coming of age of Masai boys who are 12-25 years old. The planning for this ceremony itself takes two months. First, the boys must give away everything that they own. Then, on the day of the ceremony, the boys shave their heads and paint their faces with white chalk. They put on black cloaks and ostrich feather headdresses. Then, the village elders perform the initiation rights on each boy inside a small tent, where they are circumcised.The circumcision is done without anesthetic, which makes it quite painful. The boy must endure this pain in silence, and expressions of pain bring dishonor. The healing process takes about 3-4 months, and the boys much remain in black clothes for a period of 4-8 months. After this ritual is performed, the boys are now considered to be warriors. These warriors are in charge of the society's security, and during the drought season, both warriors and boys are responsible for herding livestock. Tanzania, 2019
Portrait of a young woman from a small village close to Pangani. Tanzania, 2019
