When tourists complained about the Padaung women's aloof attitude, the women were made to sing and play the guitar for the visitors. This is an unusually cruel punishment as the cervical vertebrae has become deformed after years of wearing the rings, and the neck muscles have atrophied. The custom is more than just a rare and strange expression of feminine beauty, the number and value of the rings confers status and respect on the wearers family. The muscles covered by the coil become weakened. [2], In the late 1980s and early 1990s due to conflict with the military regime in Myanmar, many Kayan tribes fled to the Thai border area. Though strange to some, its one of the oldest types of body modification in world, and one that many women still follow in a few different parts of the worldsome even here in the United States. Around the age of twenty, up to twenty three rings are nestled around their necks. It has also been suggested that the coils give the women resemblance to a dragon, an important figure in Kayan folklore. As a result, it is tough, hefty, and uncomfortable to apply against anyone's delicate neck. It depends whether these women are coerced, says National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis. They are paid $20 to $60 a month from the tour company that brings tourists to see them, plus the money they get from tips and selling T-shirts, postcards and souvenirs. She is the youngest of the three. These women however do not choke and die when they remove their neck rings. Usually the daughter-in-law will move in with her husband upon marriage and in that case, the price is higher than if the man moves in with his wife. In the past Padaung girls were fitted with the rings at the age of five or six. The visit to Sompron is a little strange and awkward. Tel: +41 22 906-9870, +41 22 906-9871 - 2CC85KB from Alamy's . [6] Today, they reside in Karenni (Kayah) State around Demawso and Loikow, in the southern region of Shan State and in Mandalays Pyinmana and Karens Than Daung township. All Rights Reserved. [7] That means that the expression "Padaung neck rings" is correct. Most of Chiangmai's trekking tour agencies displayed the women's pictures in front of their offices to attract tourists. Sign up today to stay informed about the latest news, Cultural Survival program updates, events and MORE 2022 Cultural Survival. The Padaung women of Myanmar were famous for stretching their necksby means of coiled brass neck ringsto a length of about 15 inches (38 cm), pushing down the collarbone, compressing the rib cage, and pulling up about four thoracic vertebrae into the neck. Some inhabit the plains in the basin of the Paunglaung River which are also part of the Kayah State east of Pyinmana. Some people call them "Karen long neck village Chiang Mai". "Padaung" is another name for their neck rings. As of September 1989, the Burmese Army on the Pai River has been getting its supplies from Thailand - trading for rice with Thai merchants and upgrading their arms with purchases from Thai black market weapons dealers. neck stretching In body modifications and mutilations: The torso The Padaung women of Myanmar were famous for stretching their necksby means of coiled brass neck ringsto a length of about 15 inches (38 cm), pushing down the collarbone, compressing the rib cage, and pulling up about four thoracic vertebrae into the neck. Only married women are allowed to wear the rings, called dzilla. All products featured on Urbo.com are independently selected by our editors. The custom requires that the girls who wear the neck rings start before puberty, in order to get the body used to them. This is a cruel punishment, as the cervical vertebrae become deformed after years of wearing and the neck muscles atrophy. Our website houses close to five decades of content and publishing. Mae Hong Son's public relations officer, Chanerin Samintarapanya, told the Bangkok Post that "the long-necked Karen hilltribe called Padawn is expected to attract a large number of visitors to the fair.". At first glance, the Padaung appear to belong to a different continent than Asia, their green and purple headresses, white caftans and shining ornaments suggesting some African tribe or even the Plain Indians of old. [Source: Nick Meo, The Times (London), November 6, 2006 ==], When they arrived a decade ago as refugees from Burmese army offensives ravaging their homeland, the Kayan people meekly accepted their role of being photographed by tourists. There are about 7,000 Padaungs in Burma. Most women prefer to wear the rings once their clavicle has been lowered, as the area of the neck and collarbone often becomes bruised and discolored. It does severely hamper mobility in conjunction with brass coils wound around the ankles and calves up to the knee. "We do it to put on a show for the foreigners and tourists!" [12] It's that simple! This political cartoon reveals the degree to which the "giraffe-necked woman" had become a well-known icon in the U.S. Three Burmese women members of a circus play cards as they wear the brass neck and leg rings traditionally worn by Padaung women since childhood and which cannot be removed, London, January 4, 1935. Then Thai officials from Chiangmai came to the Karennis to request the Padaung women's presence at a tourist fair in their city. In the past, the choice of marriage partners was usually the responsibility of the parents; today, young people often select their own partner. The legend tells that if you remove these rings, they're going to die. To protect the tradition, many tribes in the area fled to nearby Thailand and, although it did help them keep the practice of wearing neck coils alive, it also turned the tribes themselves into a tourist attraction. The Padaung's own opinions of the practice have been of little importance to the world outside their mountain home. Even after death the coils won't be removed and in a lot of cases the woman will be buried with them. Cultural Survival, Inc. is a non-profit organization with federal 501(c)(3) status. 1932 Burma and Beyond. After politely refusing, I asked her why she did not wear the costume. However, marriage between different generations is taboo. These days you often women not wearing their coils and looks as if their neck is no danger of suddenly collapsing. On the other hand, many of them appeared to prefer living in virtual confinement as long as they are paid and safe. The first brass rings are put on a young Padaung girl's neck at about five years of age in an important rite of passage which - in the case of non-Christian Padaung - is supervised by a village shaman who casts chicken bones to determine an auspicious date. One 8-year-old who refused to wear the coils told AP, I prefer to be normal. As a result, the Burmese troops have been able to occupy the Karenni base instead of the usual burn-and-retreat strategy. It is the reason why Kayan women have earned the moniker " long-necked women." Kayan women barely feel the weight of the brass since the ring feels like part of the body after several years of wear. Embarrassed, Thaijun put on her costume and immediately tried to sell me some trinkets and handicrafts. When a young man has decided upon a girl, his parents will approach her parents with a gift. Everyday the women wash their coils with steel wool, and a mixture of lime, straw and tamarind bark. +++, Rebellion is brewing in the so-called human zoos where the long-necked women live as virtual prisoners. In spite of the inaccessibility, photographs and paintings of Padaung women continue to be used by the Burmese government tourist agency in its advertising brochures and posters, and their image has been popular on Burmese crafts made for tourists. Groceries and other supplies are brought in by motorcycle every day. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. The less pristine the trekking experience became, the more its popularity grew, and in 1988 alone, more than 100,000 tourists signed up for "jungle tours.". Kayan are a subgroup of the Red Karen (Karenni) people, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic minority of Burma (Myanmar). Her chin juts over the top ring of a thick coil which spirals around her throat and reaches down to her collarbones. ", The Padaung women remained in Thailand under the sponsorship of the Mae Hong Son Resort. The major religious festival is the three-day Kay Htein Bo festival, which commemorates the belief that the creator god gave form to the world by planting a small post in the ground. The first spiral, put on a girl at the age of five or so, is usually about four inches high; in approximately two years, another coil is added. In Burma's early days of independence after World War II, travelers went to Loikaw in hopes of seeing Padaung women trading in the marketplace there or hired jeeps to reach their villages. [1] The neck stretching is mostly illusory: the weight of the rings twists the collarbone and eventually the upper ribs at an angle 45 degrees lower than what is natural, causing the illusion of an elongated neck. In Huay Puu Kaeng the women are paid by operators ti live in a village on the Pai River that can only be reached by boat. Billboards showing the womens necks are on roadsides all over the north. Others entered the main Karenni refugee camp (which is not open to tourists) in September 2008 and they are now eligible for resettlement. In middle school, they called me giraffe girl, she said in an interview with HuffPost. Unlike other tribes these Long-Knecked Karen rarely leave their villages. Text Sources: Encyclopedia of World Cultures: East and Southeast Asia, edited by Paul Hockings (C.K. One Padaung woman told AP, It is not comfortable wearing these coils even while sleeping. "Once I took them off when I was young, and I felt sick and very sad," she said. Removal is said to have been used as a punishment for adultery; unbraced, the woman's neck would flop over and she would suffocate. [13][15] This festival is held to venerate the eternal god and creator messengers, to give thanks for blessings during the year, to appeal for forgiveness, and pray for rain. They also wear coils on their legs. These severe decorations express the Padaung womens own concept of beauty and social ranking but there are other theories concerning the origins ofthese rings. Inspired by a National Geographic documentary, a Los Angeles woman named Sydney V. Smith decided to have a set of neck rings fitted just for her. Additionally, the collar feels like an integral part of the body after ten or more years of continuous wear. The Padaung women live in special villages in reasonably nice huts. My head aches, and I feel like my neck can't support my head. Padaung women bind their necks with heavy brass rings that alter the shape of the neck and shoulders. In a few African and Asian cultures, neck rings are worn usually to create the appearance that the neck has been stretched. They are distinct from, and not to be confused with, the Kayan people of Borneo. Many of the residents of Ban Nai Soi Kayan Longneck village moved into the Karenni refugee camp in September 2008, but 20 families and 104 residents remain there, according to the sign at the entrance as of February 2001. Wearing the rings doesnt just affect the collar bones, though. [9] The coils might be meant to protect from tiger bites, perhaps literally, but probably symbolically.[10]. There have even been reports that some of the Padaung are prisoners held captive in the villages by businessmen. The longer the woman's neck is, the more attractive she is. The result was generally a disquieting encounter between embarrassed tourists and sullen Padaungs. Sometimes the coils are placed on girls as young as two. One woman who had worn the rings for over 40 years removed them. In their most distinctive custom, beginning at about five years of age, many Padaung girls have their necks wound with spirals of brass. Neck rings push the clavicle and ribs down. This constitutes 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. They also use dreams to make predictions. Another says that it was to protect women from being taken by men of rival tribes by giving them a less-appealing look. The neck was carefully smeared with a salve and massage for several hours, after which a priest would fit small cushions under the first ring-usually made of bronze to prevent soreness. Although there were accusations that the Padaung women were being used as a freak show or circus attraction, their celebrity increased and they were promoted as a tribe of Thailand. Contrary to popular belief, the actual effect isn't stretching the neck. It is believed that if these rules are violated, misfortune falls upon all their relatives. The practice has become so lucrative that Padaung women can support large families with their earnings. Fowl bone prognostication can be witnessed in the Kayan villages in Thailand's Mae Hong Son province during the annual festival, and during "cleansing ceremonies" that a family holds when it has encountered ill fortune. In Thailand, the practice has gained popularity in recent years, because it draws tourists who bring revenue to the tribe and to the local businessmen who run the villages and collect an entry fee of 500 to 600 baht per person. Most of that payment was then kicked back to the Thai authorities by the Karenni. Women of the Kayan tribes identify themselves by their forms of dress. |Fax: +41 22 732-8919 In 1987, the Karenni base was again overrun by Burmese troops, and the local civilians fled by boat to a small village just over the Thai border. Small Kayan girls may wear brass collars from the age of two to five years old, as it is more comfortable to deform the collarbone and upper ribs slowly. The Ndebele in South Africa wear rings around their necks. The custom of wearing neck rings is related to an ideal of beauty: an elongated neck. Padaung women might appear to have long necks but this is an optical illusion. After removing the rings, women report discomfort that fades after about three days. Some places have become dependent on the women to bring tourist. Although many of the Kayan still participate in these traditional festivals, in the 19th century Italian missionaries worked amongst them for many years and today the majority of Kayan and Kayaw people are Roman Catholics. Young Women in Myanmar Turn Away from Traditional Neck Rings - VOA At the age of 5, girls in the Karen (or Kayan) and Padaung tribes of Myanmar are fitted with their first rings. Most of them are animists, with belief systems similar to Karen animists. [Sources: peoplesoftheworld.org; Sydney Morning Herald], No one is really sure how the custom evolved. One woman who had worn the rings for over 40 years removed them. In late 2008, most of the young women who entered the refugee camp removed their rings. Hall & Company); New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, The Guardian, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Time, Newsweek, Reuters, AP, AFP, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic Monthly, The Economist, Global Viewpoint (Christian Science Monitor), Foreign Policy, Wikipedia, BBC, CNN, NBC News, Fox News and various books and other publications. The Padaung women were returned to the Karenni base and the boat tours continued. If we want to be even more accurate, the Kayan tribe is actually part of the Kayan Lahwi tribe. Padaung people only constitute a tiny portion of the Burmese population, now it is extremel. Kayan people (Myanmar) - Wikipedia In January 2008, the UNHCR expressed reservations about tourists visiting the Kayan villages in Northern Thailand due to the provincial governments refusal to allow registered Kayan refugees to take up offers of resettlement in developed countries. In the mid-1980s, the Karenni rebels maintained a headquarters on the Pai River, just across the border from the Thai provincial capital of Mae Hong Son. It was off a dirt road, and a man at a booth in the front charged us 300 Thai baht (about $9) a person to enter. A must!" In some cases, the coils they wear are replaced entirely so that thicker coils can be added in their place. [Source: Richard Lloyd Parry, The Times, April 8, 2008]. Practices such as an unusual degree of male involvement in delivering babies and in child care are considered remnants of the old way of life. Each home had a spacious, open terrace where the Padaung sat in the shade in front to their looms, spinning and weaving cotton textiles, blankets and tunics. Cultural Survival envisions a future that respects and honors Indigenous Peoples' inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply and richly interwoven in lands, languages, spiritual traditions, and artistic expression, rooted in self-determination and self-governance. As the coils are added they push the collar bone and ribs down, creating the appearance of a longer neck. Padaung tribe: The female giraffes or women of long neck Decades of warfare in Kayah State have displaced tribal populations. Thai and tribal entrepreneurs based in Chiangmai promoted visits to peoples such as the Lahu, Lisu, and Akha as an affordable and exotic travel experience. "[Source: Amit R. Paley, Washington Post, August 23, 2009 +++], Joy Thaijun, 28, was wearing shorts and a T-shirt when I saw her. Many cultures and periods have made neck rings, with both males and females wearing them at various times. Loikow (five hours from Kalaw) is a medium-size town located on a lake in the Kayah State in Myanmar Most visitors come here to see the long-necked women of the Paduang tribe, a branch of the Karen tribe with only 7,000 members, most of whom live in villages within a 100 mile radius of Loikow. The largest is Huay Pu Keng, on the Pai river, close to the Thai Myanmar border. I Met the Padaung Women Whose Necks are Long at Lake Inle in Myanmar This annoyed my guide, who said that if the villagers stop wearing traditional costumes, tourists will stop coming to visit them. Reckless Drivers On The Rise Since The Pandemic Started. Any content older than 10 years is archival and Cultural Survival does not necessarily agree with the content and word choice today. On 17 July, The Nation, a Thai newspaper, carried a photograph of Mu Louma washing some dishes in front of a tent. The custom is dying out in traditional Pandaung villages in Myanmar, where people are so poor they prefer spend their hard earned money on rice rather than brass, but it is gaining new convert along the Thai border. The tour groups would usually stop at a Karenni village for a short talk by an English-speaking Karenni officer about the political and military situation of Kayah State, and then would proceed upriver to the Padaung settlement. Tradition vs. exploitation in Thailand | The Seattle Times Statistics published in 2005 list 306 Kayan villages, out of which 209 are Roman Catholic, 19 Kan Khwan, 32 Baptist, and 44 Buddhist, of which 2 belong to the Byamaso civil society organization. Date: May 11, 2020. There were no men in sight and only a handful of tourists during my two-hour visit. [3] Among the refugee camps set up there was a Long Neck section, which became a tourist site, self-sufficient on tourist revenue and not needing financial assistance.[4]. Some foreigners just came to complain that some women were not wearing their costumes." It's becoming their own standard of beauty. This is an unusually cruel punishment as the cervical vertebrae has become deformed after years of wearing the rings, and the neck muscles have atrophied. Bronze and silver bracelets also cover the womens legs and arms, a custom likely to remain. Download this stock image: Thailand: A Padaung (Long Neck Karen) woman after removing her neck rings for cleaning, village near Mae Hong Son.