The giraffe women of Myanmar: Why do they wear those long neck rings?
There are many reasons as to why a trip to Myanmar needs to be in your bucket list. Starting from its rich cultural tradition and breath-taking views to the pagodas and exotic local cuisine, Myanmar has it all. But today, we are going to tell you about a rather odd and inhuman aspect of this beautiful country nestled at the edge of Southeast Asia. Strangely, this is also one of the tourist attractions! Wondering what or who we are hinting at? The long-necked women of Myanmar’s Kayan Lahwi tribe who have a giraffe-like appearance. The rings that they adorn their neck with lends them this unique look, but at what cost? Come, let’s find out.
The neck rings of Kayan Lahwi women
Well, what this tribal women wear is not a ring. These are coils made of brass and gold alloy, weighing up to 9 kgs. That’s quite heavy, isn’t it? According to the traditions of this Myanmar tribe, the first set of coils is placed around the neck of a 5-year-old girl by a medicine man after checking the strength of her bones. The length and weight of the neckpiece increases with the age of the wearer. It is believed that wearing these rings will increase the length of their neckline, making the women look more beautiful and graceful as a swan. However, this is far from truth. These coils only create an illusion of long neck, restricting the range of movement. Interestingly, according to the Guinness Book of Records, woman from this tribe holds the world record for having the longest neck: 15¾ inches.
Why does the neck look so long?
Well, to understand this, you need to know what these long and heavy coils to the Kayan Lahwi women. Their weight pushes down the collarbone and compresses the ribs, creating the illusion of a longer neck. The coils frequently cause back and neck injuries. That’s why this tradition is dwindling, gradually.
How did the tradition begin?
That’s an interesting one. Since the Kayan people do not have a written language there is no record of how or why the tradition of wearing neck rings began. However, there are many origin theories. According to one school of thought, this practice stemmed from the belief that these coils can protect women from tigers who attack on the neck. Legends would have us believe these neck rings were meant to save the Kayan women from being kidnapped by men of other tribes. However, the most accepted theory suggests that the tradition originated as a show of wealth and position.
Kayans move to Thailand border
The Kayan tribe moved to the Myanmar-Thailand border region in the late 1980s and early 1990s due to conflict with the military authorities in Myanmar. They were not treated as refugees but as economic migrants by the Thailand government and put in protected villages. Since then, they have been a tourist attraction of Thailand. Many Kayan men and women are also prohibited from leaving the communities or the surrounding areas without a Thailand identity card. Being refugees, they are also not eligible to apply for an ID card or relocate elsewhere. They have restricted access to water, power, housing, healthcare and education since they lack legal citizenship.