Padaung is one of the ethnic minority groups from Myanmar about 7000 members in their tribe which has been made famous by the brass rings which women in the tribe wear around their necks. Members of the Padaung Tribe call themselves the Kayan; the Kayan are members of a larger ethnic group called the Karen People. The Kayan appear to be Mongolian in origin, and they 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 and some are Christian. Padaung people like to live near the river valleys wherever they can.The coils are first applied when the girls are about five years old, and the coil is replaced with longer coils as the weight of the brass pushes down the collar bone and compresses the rib cage. This results in the striking appearance of a very long neck. Traditionally, only Padaung girls born on a Wednesday of a full moon were destined to have their necks fitted with the coils.
Only initial discomfort is reported after the coils are set and as the distance from ear lobe to collar bone lengthens to as much as 10 inches to 15 inches in average. In general, a Padaung woman of marriageable age will probably have had her neck extended by about 11inches. Unlike normal accessories, these rings are for life and may only be removed with the direst of results. Adultery among Padaung women has always been punished by the removal of the rings, a fate almost literally, worse than death. This is an unusually cruel punishment as the cervical vertebra has become deformed after years of wearing the rings, and the neck muscles have atrophied. Unless she wishes to risk suffocation the unfortunate wife must pay for the infidelity by spending the rest of her life lying down or try to find some other artificial support for her neck.
There are several mythical ideas, perhaps formed by visiting anthropologists. Some think the coils protect from tiger bites, while some think the coils made the women unattractive to neighbouring tribes, and so protected them against slave trade. The rings also play a social role, with more rings serving as a symbol of status for women.
At first glance, the Padaung appear to belong to a different continent than Asia, their green and purple headdresses, white caftans and shining ornaments suggesting some African tribe or even the Plain Indians of old. Whatever you think of their customs, 'striking' is certainly the word to describe the Padaung of eastern Myanmar. At the moment they appear to welcome the odd visitor, smiling shyly at the cameras, patiently answering the questions that are put to them through the tour guides.
1 comment:
Padaung is about 55000 members. The 7000 members is a estimate from year 1900.
They have several clans, and only the families of the chieftains was allowed to use big brass rings on the neck, except a female-dominated society in the mountain were all was allowed to do what they like to.
Padaung is not of Mongolian in origin. Padaung is in origin a mix of many different tribes. Of that cause they have all colours of the skin, from white to black. All refugees from the lowlands had been trap of the intense monsoon in the hills, and had need to all there stories, again and again and make them to a part of the Padaung culture.
The English word: "Karen" is the same as "Kayan" in Padaung. It is of that cause as Padaung is a subgroup of Karen.
The animist religion is a part of the Padaung language and the way of thinking. All intangible thing is spirits as you can talk to. The religion look funny, but is very old, practical and useful.
The missionary have a easy work in the beginning, because all love new stories. But when he tell as one religion shut out all other religions. The problems grow. How can Jesus replace joy, pain, love, elves and etc.?
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