Blue eye people usually is known by having foreign ancestors within the family since there is no indigenous people in Indonesia that have blue eyes.

But in West Sumatra, there are some people from Minangkabau tribe who have blue eyes in their families.

They are people with Waardenburg Syndrome, a rare syndrome that characterized by having congenital hearing loss, pigmentation deficiencies which includes different eye colors and light skin.

People with this syndrome usually have blue eye color or two different eye color (Heterokromia iridium), such as one eye is blue and another eye is black or brown.

The name of the syndrome was taken from D.J. Waardenburg, a Dutch doctor who identified the syndrome for the first time in 1951.

Dr. Alana Biggers, graduated from Illinois University in Chicago, United States, states that Waardenburg Syndrome is a rare genetic conditions that 1 from 40,000 people in the world suffered from it.

People with the syndrome usually experience hearing loss in one or both ears. They are also unable to see very bright light but able to see objects even in dark conditions.

Just like what Fahri, 9, and Gofar, 4, two boys who live in Jorong Kubang Rasau, Nagari Balai Panjang, Limapuluhkota, West Sumatra, are going through. Both of them have two different eye colors, one eye is blue and another eye is brown. Their blue eyes are beautiful like jewels but they have hearing loss since birth.

Boys' mother, Yulia Eliza, 29, who has light brown eyes admits that her family has economic difficulties so that they are unable to buy hearing aid for her sons.

Yulia said doctor once suggested to buy hearing aid with a price of Rp24 million/unit or get surgery with a price of Rp500 million for both her sons. In the end Yulia can only reject the offers since she has no enough money to fulfill the needs.

Similar things also happen to Dani, 6.5, and his sister Alika, 2.5, who live in Jorong Padang Data, Nagarai Simawang, Rambatan District, Tanah Datar, West Sumatra. Both of them have blue eyes and have hearing loss since birth.

The sibling's father Jainal, 33, said that he accepts doctor's suggestion to enroll Dani for another year in Special School (SLB). He will be reviewed again whether he can use hearing aid or not after that.

Nevertheless, Jainal who works as a farmer, thinks that he is unable to buy the hearing aid since he is still in arrears for BPJS Kesehatan due to difficulties during COVID-19 pandemic.

Amila Putri, 14, a student who live in Jorong Batu Lipai, Nagari Batipuah Baruah, Batipuah District, Tanah Datar, also has two different eye color. Though she has two different eye color, she doesn't have hearing loss, everything is normal. Armila's left eye is blue and another eye is black, which her friends made fun of her since she was in elementary school.

But now, she's proud for having two different eye color because many local photographers came to take picture of her. She becomes their model and get paid for it. She is no longer ashamed with her eye color.

The pride also felt by family of Tuti Fariani, 58, which her descendants, including her grandchildren, have blue eyes. Tuti who works as a teacher, one of her children has blue eyes, and that is Muthia Eriani, 30.

Muthia has two children who also have blue eyes, that is Amira, 5, and Gibran, 2.5.

Tuti who lives in Nagari Sungayang, Tanah Datar, proud with her family whose being known as blue eyes family in the area.

The pride has spread to number of Minangkabau people with blue eyes and their descendants who have migrated to other areas in Indonesia.

Photos and Text: Iggoy el Fitra

Editor: Andika Wahyu