White People of Darien

The White People of Darien (or White Indians of Darien) were described by Lionel Wafer in his 1699 book A New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of America as being indigenous residents of the Isthmus of Darien with the trait of albinism, as well as a form of hirsutism causing them to have white "downy hair" all over their bodies, and poor daytime vision but extremely sensitive nighttime vision, giving rise to their being called "Moon-ey'd" among the peoples of the isthmus. These earlier writings of Wafer were referenced by authors who wrote of Appalachian legends of apparent Cherokee origin regarding the Moon-Eyed People during the eighteenth and nineteenth century.