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slecocqphotography — Thailand - Paduang
Published: 2012-02-03 10:34:31 +0000 UTC; Views: 5663; Favourites: 245; Downloads: 0
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Description
Maja is a member of the Paduang or long neck community in Thailand. You may have seen her on NatGeo in the past. She is the lady with the knowledge of putting/replacing the rings. They're originally from Myanmar, but fled 25 years ago when their Karen state was taken over by military. Nowadays most Karen live in Burma, and a small part in refugee camps in Thailand. There are three long neck villages around Mae Hong Son where they mostly benefit from tourism and enjoy the freedom they wouldn't have in the camps. Of course, the main question you have, why these rings? And actually these ain't rings, they are made from one piece mixing copper, tin and iron. The three main reasons are: 1. Protecting from tiger bites 2. Long necks are seen as a sign of beauty 3. The mother spirit of the Karen is a dragon, so having a long neck is a way to be alike to the dragon. Another myth is that their neck would break when taking away the rings. This is false as well. Compare with astronauts coming back to earth after one year in space. They have no back muscles anymore, then they should take it slowly for some time. Same with the Paduang ladies, they have no neck muscles anymore when taking the rings away. But their neck won't break.Nikon D300, Nikon 17-55mm, B + W UV filter.
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Comments: 119
Yes indeed, when i had posted my very first photograph of her, back in 2008 people told me she was in a documentary at that very moment 
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She's a very nice person... And i'd love to go back
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You're most welcome
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De expressie op het gelaat van die vrouw is zo goed vastgelegd. Ze straalt iets evenwichtig, een tevredenheid met haar leven uit. Zo mooi vereeuwigd.
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Dank je Elsie, ze was ook een heel vriendelijke persoon... Niet altijd makkelijk om te weten wat er zich in hun hoofden afspeelt
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Alhoewel, 't is wel eenvoudiger moet ik zeggen sinds ik geen roze bril meer draag
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The mystery of the human kind... With its flaws and attractions
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Toch wel geblokkeerd... :s
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Nee, waarschijnlijk niet. 't Is zo al niet evident om te weten wat er zich in een mind afspeelt, en als er dan nog culturele verschillen bijkomen.
Maar wel fascinerend
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Of zoeken per mail?
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This story is really interesting, I've always wanted to learn about these rings in the neck. It's relieving to know that they'd be safe if they remove the rings, and I never thought about the tiger bites thing... I'm astonished.
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Thank you a lot for the information. Hope it still doesn't hurt, if the rings would have taken away...
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You are most welcome
If they take it away, their shoulder go up again... This might hurt. And as they won't have neck muscles anymore... they must take big care... But this should not be hurting
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That some great food for thought. I always assumed that they were individual rings.
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Very interesting information on the 'long necks'... she's a charming lady too, great portrait!
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Thank you a lot Krigl! She's indeed very charming, and also appears on a NatGeo docu from 2008 or 2009 i think... She's the only person around Mae Hong Son able to 'put' the rings on the young girls, and replace them for the others.
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This wonderful capture is part of my new journal entry about Photojournalism. This is an awesome piece of work and I am very glad to incorporate it into the collection
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Are they stretching their neck like this as well, i mean with the rings? And they add more and more rings?
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Amazing subject and photowork! Light, coloring and sharpness are great!
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I never knew that about the astronauts, and Paduang people. I'm glad I know now
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My pleasure for the info
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Beautiful picture. This is the first I've seen a Thai with the neck elongation. I thought that neck ringing was an African tradition(only one tribe, of course).
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It is also possible
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I found it in an old National Geographic, at work, of all places. A South African tribe, the Ndebele, uses rings like this, on necks as well as the arms and legs. They call the rings iindzila, and it does the same thing to their collarbones. Funny how two groups of people living so far apart started the same practice.
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Very shocking, no doubt. But, all in all, every culture has its own traditions and ways of thinking!
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Is this shocking then?
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Shocking in the way that here in Europe you don't see it. But, that doesn't mean these things don't exist, and neither that "western" culture is superior, something that many people (still today) thinks.
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Ah ok
Hmmm, every culture is superior in something
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Yeah, sure. And, well, superior in something yes, but not superior in everything.
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Great picture! En die extra info maakt 't nog interessanter. Ik dacht ook altijd dat hun nek zou breken, dus ik ben blij voor de dat dat een fabeltje is.
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Vriendelijk bedankt!
Alles goed met jou?
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She looks like a sweet person , I love the effect of leaving her in colour and B&W the rest
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Thank you a lot
She is indeed very sweet... I usually give tourists an hour off, and go to talk with her or her daughter together with the local guide... I'll miss them a bit...
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Awww.. in which language do you talk with her? I think the background is great too, but yeah, you did a super job by making it black and white, an ashtonishing effect!
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