OBJECTIVE OF LEARNING
● The objective is to understand the genetic condition ectrodactyly and its persistence in the Vadoma tribe of Zimbabwe due to cultural and social factors.
LOCATION AND IDENTITY
● The Vadoma tribe lives in the north of Zimbabwe.
● They are also called Doma or Wadoma.
● They are the only traditional hunter-gatherers in the country. 🌍
GENETIC CONDITION
● Ectrodactyly is a hereditary condition.
● It causes the absence of the three central toes in each foot.
● The two outer toes bend inward, giving an ostrich-like appearance. 🦶
GENETIC INHERITANCE
● Ectrodactyly is an autosomal dominant condition.
● Only one mutated gene copy is needed for the trait.
● A mutation in chromosome 7 is linked to the condition. 🧬
CULTURAL PRACTICES
● The tribe has a law forbidding marriage outside the group.
● This maintains the small gene pool over generations.
● The condition is more frequent in this group than globally. ⚖️
POSSIBLE FUNCTIONAL ADVANTAGE
● Some believe it helps climbing trees.
● There is no scientific proof of this advantage.
● This belief is part of local cultural perceptions. 🌳
CULTURAL PERCEPTION
● Ectrodactyly is not considered a disability.
● People with this trait are integrated and respected.
● It is sometimes viewed as a blessing within the community. 💎
MYTHOLOGY
● Oral tradition says ancestors emerged from the baobab tree.
● Ancestors were bird-like beings.
● This mythology explains the unique foot structure. 🌳
REFERENCES FROM DISCUSSION
● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vadoma
● https://brightside.me/articles/the-african-tribe-with-ostrich-feet-why-they-only-have-two-toes-on-each-foot-814508/
● https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6710256/
● https://africanexplorermagazine.wordpress.com/2018/12/09/ostrich-people-of-zimbabwe/
● https://www.101lasttribes.com/tribes/vadoma.html
● https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/txs4o5/til_of_zimbabwes_ostrichfooted_vadoma_tribe_a/
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 