The Padaung Hill Tribe, also known as Kayan, wear brass rings around their necks, arms, and legs as a cultural expression and ethnic identity. The rings do not actually stretch their necks but deform their collarbones. Many Kayans have fled to Thailand due to political unrest, but the Thai government is reluctant to let them leave as they are a tourist attraction. In 2008, a UN envoy called for their release and tourists to boycott Kayan villages, calling them “human zoos”.
The Padaung Hill Tribe is an ethnic minority in Myanmar made famous by the brass rings that the women of the tribe wear around their necks. Members of the Padaun Hill tribe call themselves Kayan; the Kayans are members of a larger ethnic group called the Karen people. The culture of these ethnic groups is quite ancient and some organizations fear that they too are under threat due to the political unrest in the region.
The Kayans appear to be of Mongolian origin and have their own distinct language and cultural traditions. Many of them follow an animist religion, although some also integrate Buddhist beliefs into their religious practices. Members of the Padaung Hill tribe typically lived in rural areas, relying on subsistence farming and handicrafts to survive.
At the age of five or six, girls are given their first neck rings in a religious ritual. As girls get older, more loops are added, creating the illusion that the neck is actually lengthened. This is not the case; the necks of Padaung Hill tribe women appear longer because their collarbones are deformed by the rings. It would be more accurate to say that women compress their bodies, rather than stretch their necks. Kayan women also wear rings on their arms and legs.
For the women of the Padaung Hill tribe, rings are a cultural expression and a vital part of their ethnic identity. The origins of the practice are unclear, with all sorts of theories advanced, such as the idea that the rings protected women from tiger attacks. Rings also play a social role, with multiple rings serving as a status symbol for women.
Contrary to popular belief, Kayan women’s necks do not collapse when the rings are removed, although the neck muscles may be atrophied. In fact, women remove their rings to get medical attention on occasion. Most women prefer to keep rings on because it takes time to remove them and because their deformed collarbones aren’t considered aesthetically pleasing.
Due to the military conflicts in Myanmar, many members of the Padaung Hill tribe have fled across the border to Thailand, where they are considered refugees. The Thai government, however, has been reluctant to allow Kayan women to leave because they are a major tourist attraction. In 2008, this garnered global attention, with a United Nations envoy calling for Thailand to release Kayan women and asking tourists not to visit Kayan villages in Thailand, calling them “human zoos”. A young Kayan woman named Zember even took off her rings in protest and to draw attention to the situation.
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