Meet the Indonesian Tribe With Piercing Blue Eyes

The Buton tribe, inhabitants of the island of Buton in Southeast Sulawesi, developed characteristic blue eyes as a result of a rare genetic disorder called Waardenburg syndrome.

It is said that not all Butonese have the condition, which may or may not be inherited, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Waardenburg syndrome causes hearing loss and changes in pigmentation of the hair, skin and eyes, often leaving those affected with very pale blue eyes or different colored eyes (such as one blue eye and one brown eye).

In the case of the tribe’s unique members, electric blue eyes stand out as seen in images recently taken by Korchnoi Pasaribu (@geo.rock888).

Pasaribu, a geologist by profession, enjoys photography in his free time. He started the hobby at age 14.

“They are very friendly, very welcoming. They are not shy to be photographed,” Pasaribu told NextShark of the Buton tribe.

The exact history of how Waardenburg syndrome developed in the tribe is unclear. According to estimates, the condition affects one in 40,000 people.

Check out more images below:

Feature Images via @geo.rock888