The strange case of a tribe with ostrich feet

They marvel with their two claw-like toes on their feet, a feature that makes them – in addition to unique – great tree climbers. But they walk with difficulty. And running becomes even more difficult for them. This is the case of the Vadoma tribe, who inhabit the Zambezi valley in Zimbabwe. Many of this tribe have a deformity in their feet, which only have two deformed toes, making them look like the claw of an ostrich.

Many residents of your community cannot wear shoes due to the shape of their feet. They only have two big toes. They do not have a middle finger and the two exteriors are folded. This condition helps them climb trees. This genetic disorder, known as ectrodactyly, was first documented in 1770 by Jan Jacob Hartsinck, director of the Dutch East India Company, after observing it in a slave tribe in Central Africa. who had been brought to Dutch Guyana.

Over time, the story became a legend until, in the 1960s, interviews with witnesses familiar with the phenomenon, very common among members of the Vadoma tribe, began to appear. This malformation is also common among members of the Talaunda tribe, present in Zimbabwe and Botswana.

The dominant condition results from a single mutation on chromosome number 7. They are not considered disabled and are integrated into the tribe.