Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kayan
Perhaps the most recognisable - and enigmatic - of Myanmar's ethnic groups is the Kay-
an. Known in English as 'longnecks' and in Burmese as Padaung (actually a Shan term
meaning 'wearing gold' - a moniker generally considered pejorative by the Kayan), the
tribe is best known for the women's habit of wearing brass rings around their necks. Over
time, the rings lower the women's collarbones and ribcage, making their necks appear
unusually long. A common myth claims if the coils are removed, the women's necks will
fall over and the women will suffocate. In fact the women attach and remove the coils at
will and there is no evidence that this deformation impairs their health at all.
Nobody knows for sure how the coil custom got started. One theory is that it was
meant to make the women unattractive to men from other tribes. Another story says it
was so tigers wouldn't carry the women off by their throats. Most likely it is nothing
more than a fashion accessory.
In recent years some claim that the rings are applied with a different purpose - to
provide women from impoverished hill villages with the means to make a living posing
for photographs. We've heard reports that some souvenir shops on Inle Lake employ
Kayan women to lure passing tourist boats, although we haven't encountered this
ourselves. And there are claims that Kayan women have been ferried across the border to
villages in neighbouring Mae Hong Son, in Thailand, to provide a photo opportunity for
visiting tour groups. These villages are often derided as human zoos, but are actually
refugee camps that also function as rural markets, with the women earning money by
selling souvenirs and drinks.
At research time, the bulk of Myanmar's accessible 'traditional' (ie ring-wearing)
Kayan villages in Kayah State were in Deemawsoe Township, southwest of Loikaw. The
operators leading visits to the villages in this area request that visitors pay a K10,000 en-
trance fee, which appears to go directly to the villagers. Although tourists have been vis-
iting this area for decades, we saw no evidence of exploitation, and the villagers seemed
content to host us.
Visit Karenni Homeland (
www.karennihomeland.com
) to find out more about the people
living in one of the poorest and least accessible parts of Myanmar.
Moken
Also known as sea gypsies, or Salon in Burmese, the Moken live a nomadic life drifting
on the ocean winds around the Myeik Archipelago, Tanintharyi (Tenasserim) Division.
