Their names are Mu Lone, Mu Mai, My Htan, Mu Li, Mu Mwel, Mu Ywe and they had never ever removed their neck rings for at least the last 50 years.
They are part of the dying culture of Padaung People, and this culture is almost over because the Young women are not using the rings anymore.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s due to conflict with the military regime in Myanmar, many Kayan tribes fled from the Kayah State to different places and nowadays we can find some of the Padaung women in the Inle Lake, Mandalay and even in Thailand.
Myanmar government opened the Kayah State for tourism only a few years ago and only in 2018 foreigns could go inside these villages without special permission. Now, tourism is an important part of their incoming and a respectful way to improve quality of life at the region and encouraging elders to keep their traditions.
They are part of the dying culture of Padaung People, and this culture is almost over because the Young women are not using the rings anymore.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s due to conflict with the military regime in Myanmar, many Kayan tribes fled from the Kayah State to different places and nowadays we can find some of the Padaung women in the Inle Lake, Mandalay and even in Thailand.
Myanmar government opened the Kayah State for tourism only a few years ago and only in 2018 foreigns could go inside these villages without special permission. Now, tourism is an important part of their incoming and a respectful way to improve quality of life at the region and encouraging elders to keep their traditions.
Photos: Hugo Santarem
Color and Retouch: Ricardo Moreira
