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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 3 May 2019
With albinism, musician Lazarus finds light in the darkness

By MESFIN FEKADU him like that in his entire life.
NEW YORK (AP) — Lazarus ...That's why he just stood
Chigwandali, a Malawian up and started dancing —
street musician with albi- because he was happy."
nism, was once lured into Chigwandali, who has mu-
a car. sic available for stream-
He was kidnapped, and ing on Spotify and Apple
the plan was to cut up his Music, plans to release an
body and sell his parts to album later this year — in
witch doctors, who would hopes of unifying the world
use them in potions thought through his songs, but also
to bring good luck. to help tell the story of
It sounds surreal — but it is people with albinism on a
the reality that people with larger platform. He is work-
albinism face in parts of Af- ing with music producer Jo-
rica. And though Chigwan- han Hugo, who has worked
dali was one of the lucky with Mumford & Sons and
ones to get away, others — others.
including children seen as But Chigwandali still fears
easy targets — have died for his life — and his chil-
after being captured and dren's lives. There is a Kick-
sold to witch doctors and starter campaign to raise
on the black market. money to build a house for
Chigwandal's life story is the Chigwandali and his family
center of "Lazarus," the new This April 29, 2019 photo shows Malawian street musician Lazarus Chigwandali posing for a photo- — designed so that no one
short documentary playing graph during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival in New York to promote his documentary short "Laza- can break in and ensure
at the Tribeca Film Festival rus." that his family is safe.
in New York. Associated Press Even while they were film-
"The thing that's so shocking ing "Lazarus" in Malawi, the
to me is that so few people music. He started singing ute film. sneakers. He's holding his director said abductions
know this is going on. I talk when he was 10 and finds "I'm so happy to have met canjo — a banjo made occurred, as did attempt-
to people that are very joy and happiness in bring- Lazarus and to be a part of with an oil can — which ed abductions.
cultured and they're news ing his community together helping to raise awareness he'll casually break out into "That just really highlighted
junkies and they don't real- through his gift. of the tragic reality that song with. to us that this isn't a one-
ize that there is this crisis fac- His smile brightens up the people with albinism have Speaking through an inter- off thing. This is an ongoing
ing people with albinism," mood around him and had to face for so long," preter, he says he hopes to crisis. We're in the midst of
said director David Darg, gives the film an uplifting, said Madonna, who has be a voice for people like it right now in 2019," Darg
an Oscar nominee and optimistic feel. This week in adopted four children from him. said.
Emmy winner. "Really, it's an New York, he gained a new Malawi and launched her "People who he doesn't Darg explained that's why
untold genocide that's go- fan in Oscar-winner Leon- Raising Malawi foundation even know," interpreter it's especially important to
ing on. The United Nations ardo DiCaprio, playing a in 2006. Clem Kwizombe said, will help Chigwandali become
have said themselves that private show for the actor On this day, Chigwandali be helped "once they see a household name.
persons with albinism face and his friends. is sporting large blue and his story." "The real goal of the film,
extinction if nothing's done Madonna was so moved pink glasses — in the vein "He also confided in me last the album, the whole proj-
about it." by Chigwandal's story that of Elton John — an African- night," Kwizombe contin- ect collectively is to ele-
Chigwandali's escape she signed on as an execu- printed, two-piece navy ued, "that was his very first vate Lazarus' prominence
from his hard life has been tive producer of the 30-min- ensemble and bright red time to see people loving in Malawi as a superstar.q

Molly Dektar takes writerly look at allure of cults

By KIM CURTIS olina become as central cide to leave and readers readers may find it disap-
Associated Press to the plot as the residents are plunged into Harmo- pointing. But what raises
"The Ash Family" (Simon themselves. ny's new life. She revels in this novel up several notch-
& Schuster), by Molly For reasons that aren't en- the beauty of nature. She es is the glorious writing,
Dektar tirely clear, 19-year-old learns to start a fire, churn like Dektar's description
From the very first few Berie allows herself to be butter and cheese, slaugh- of an impending storm,
pages of her debut novel taken to the farm when she ter animals. But, all the "the clouds smeared into
about a cult, "The Ash Fam- gets cold feet about start- while, darker motivations the ground as though by
ily," author Molly Dektar's ing college. She ditches within the cult leader and a giant's thumb." Or later,
substantial writing chops her scheduled flight to Vir- Bay, the man who picked when Harmony describes
are abundantly clear. ginia and, instead, heads up Harmony at the bus sta- her hopelessness: "All my
"The house crouched in a to a bus station where she's tion, linger and grow. thoughts had collapsed to
whirl of leaves from the big- picked up by an attractive Like other stories before it, a pinprick. I sat in the space
gest hickory I'd ever seen. young man and soon chris- "The Ash Family" tries to un- between what happened
The wind spun the leaves tened "Harmony." She's told cover the mindset of Har- and what I would say about
in the air as thick and self- she can stay three days or mony — what drew her to it." All in all, it's a compel- This cover image released by
contained as the liquid in a the rest of her life. the obviously dysfunctional ling read about what moti- Simon & Schuster shows "The
snow globe." On her third day on the cult and what keeps her vates us as humans and the Ash Family," a novel by Molly
The house and its surround- farm, she decides to stay there. No new ground is lengths to which we'll go to Dektar.
ing farm in rural North Car- or, rather, she doesn't de- tread here, so plot-driven satisfy our needs.q Associated Press