Color Specifications and the Othering of Persons with Albinism in Sub-Saharan African Traditions
Main Article Content
Keywords
albinotic body, Sub-Saharan Africa , color specifications
Abstract
My intention in this paper is to examine how specific colors contribute to the discrimination against persons with albinism. In doing this, I examine colors in sub-Saharan African Traditions, with reference to Esan and Alan thought systems. I argue that the understanding of some specific is one of the bases of the discrimination against persons with albinism. I conclude by examining the roles arts can play in re-representing persons with albinism in a way that is inclusive.
References
deGraft-Yankson, P. (2020). Of the Akan people: color and design education in Ghana. International journal of education through art, 16, 399-416.
Dingwall, J. (2016). Albus. Retrieved: 20/02/2021 from http://www.theartbo.com/all-stories/2016/7/24/albus-by-justin-dingwall.
Fazel, A. (2012). Albinos lonely call for recognition. Mail & guardian health supplement, 18–24.
Hagan, G.P. (2009). A note on Akan color symbolism. Africa e-journal. 8-14.
Ikuomola, A.D. (2015). “We thought we will be safe here’: narratives of Tanzanian albinos in Kenya and South Africa. African research review: An international multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia. 9, 37-54.
Imafidon, E. (2019). African philosophy and the otherness of albinism: white skin, black race. Routledge.
Imafidon, E. (2017). Western specifications, African approximations: time, color and existential attitudes. In Isaac E. Ukpokolo, themes, issues and problems in African philosophy, pp. 255-265. Palgrave McMillan.
Kimaro, F. (2012, Nov 12). Tanzania: No Albino Killing Incidences in Three Years - Official. https://allafrica.com/stories/201211230077.html
Lund, P. (1998). Living with albinism: a study of affected adults in Zimbabwe. Social biology and human affairs 63, 3–10.
Olagunju, O.S. (2012). Towards a Biblical response to myth and discrimination against the human rights of albinos in Yorubaland. Journal of studies in social sciences, 1, 46-58.
Relethford, J. (2000). Human skin color diversity is highest in sub-Saharan African populations. Human biology, 72, 773-780. Retrieved: 16/02/2021 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41465879
Scott S. (1999). A new category of “color”: analyzing albinism under title VII and the Americans with disabilities act. Journal of gender race & justice, 2, 494-522. Retrieved: 20/02/2021 from http://www.heinonline.org
Sheers, O. (2004). The dust diaries. Faber and Faber.
Usman, Evelyn and Onyegbulam, Esther. (2017). 23-year-old albino commits suicide over condition. Vanguard newspaper, August 17, 2015. Accessed: April 14, 2017 from http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/23-yr-old-albino-commits-suicideover-condition/
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
RDS Journal is an open-access journal, create a free account to read full articles and to submit a proposal. For visual arts and multimedia, submission will be considered evidence that you are offering RDS the right to display your work without penalty, compensation or royalties.
Kenneth Abudu, Ambrose Alli University
Kenneth Uyi Abudu teaches Philosophy at the Department, Faculty of Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria, and a Master of Arts Degree in Philosophy from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. His research areas include Philosophy of the Environment and African Philosophy, with keen interest in ethics, difference (disability) and epistemology. He has published several essays in these areas and other areas of philosophy.