Bomba went blind because he had 24 fingers and toes; an extra digit on each appendage. Actually, it was the amputation the caused the blindness. His grandmother chopped them off with a machete. He was eight month’s old. He says she didn’t like the way they looked; they looked bad. When asked whether she meant bad, as in evil (belief in witchcraft  is prevalent in La Tigra), or aesthetically bad. He says, “Just bad.”

I remember well the first time I saw Bomba. I could tell immediately there was something unusual about him, but it was hard to determine what it was. Was he blind? He walked all over La Tigra unaided, but strangely, maybe it had something to do with his feet? After hearing his story I realized it was both. Continue reading →