Children Of The Moon (Niños de La Luna)

Alabaster-skinned people born on a sun-scorched group of islands off Panama's Caribbean coast are venerated as Children of the Moon. Albinos make up between 5 and 10 percent of the roughly 80,000 indigenous Gunas who live on the mainland of the Guna Yala region and its islands. With their sensitive skin and eyes, young Guna albinos must be shuttled to and from school, avoiding the baking heat, while they watch their friends play in the streets.

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Olowignikaliler Dias, 3, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, stands holding a mango with friends and relatives outside his house on Ogobsugun Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 27, 2015. Alabaster-skinned people born on a sun-scorched group of islands off Panama's Caribbean coast are venerated as Children of the Moon. Albinos make up between 5 and 10 percent of the roughly 80,000 indigenous Gunas who live on the mainland of the Guna Yala region and its islands. With their sensitive skin and eyes, young Guna albinos must be shuttled to and from school, avoiding the baking heat, while they watch their friends play in the streets. June 13th is International Albinism Awareness Day. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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A person's hands are seen holding an archive photograph of Margarita, a Guna albino or "Child of the Moon", that shows her during her visit to Washington in 1924, in this picture taken May 4, 2015. The photograph is displayed at the Guna congress on Achutupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Four albino sisters, from L-R, Iveily, Donilcia, Jade and Yaisseth Morales, who are part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, pose for a photograph with their mother, brothers and sisters outside their house on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 24, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Yaisseth Morales, 11, (L) and her sister Jade Morales, 12, who are part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, play on a hammock at their house on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 24, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Olowignikaliler Dias, 3, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, is held by his mother, Graselinda Brenes, in his house on Ogobsugun Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 28, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Luis Ramirez, 6, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, sleeps on a bed in his house on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 25, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Aneth Fernadez, 20, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, holds her new born baby by the doorway of her house on Ogobsugun Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 26, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Edna Perez, 71, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, sits outside her house on Ailigandi Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama May 3, 2015. Perez suffers from skin cancer. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Eight-month-old Aisha Guerrero, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, sits on her Aunt's lap in Panama City, Panama May 9, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Yaisseth Morales, 11, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, is seen in her classroom at the local school on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 27, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Delyane Avila, 6, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, draws on her notebook next to neighbours on Ailigandi Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama May 4, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Jade Morales, 12, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, does her homework on a hammock inside her house on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 26, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Yaisseth Morales, 11, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, stands amongst her classmates at the local school on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 27, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Diwirgui Martinez, 40, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, plays dominoes with friends on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 25, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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The hands of Diwirgui Martinez, 40, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, are seen as he plays dominoes with friends on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 25, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Diwirgui Martinez, 40, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group, has his hair braided by a child in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 28, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Issac Gonzalez, 16, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, plays football with his friends on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 25, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Iveily Morales, 3, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, plays inside her house on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 26, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Iveily Morales, 3, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, stands next to her mother at their house on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 24, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Kipigaliler Harris, 5, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, stands with friends and relatives outside his house as they look at the camera on Ogobsugun Island in the Guna Yala region Panama April 28, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Iveily Morales, 3, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, stands by her house on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 24, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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A child plays with a cardboard box on Achutupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama May 1, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Diwirgui Martinez, 40, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala region, walks down the main street on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 27, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Indigenous Guna fishermen are seen on their canoes in the Guna Yala region, Panama May 1, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Children are seen on a canoe on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 25, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Children play under the full moon on Achutupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama May 2, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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The four sisters, from L-R, Donilcia, Iveily, Yaisseth and Jade Morales, who are part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, pose for a photograph on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 24, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Aigner Gonzalez, 17, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, poses for a photograph on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 25, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Yaixa Huertas, 9, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, poses for a photograph on Ailigandi Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama May 4, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Iveily Morales, 3, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, poses for a photograph on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 24, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Luis Ramirez, 6, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, poses for a photograph on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 27, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS

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Cuani Paredez, 18, who is part of the albino or "Children of the Moon" group in the Guna Yala indigenous community, poses for a photograph on Ustupu Island in the Guna Yala region, Panama April 25, 2015. CARLOS JASSO/REUTERS