Padaung tribe women Photo

Photographer’s Note

These women are known as the women with the neck rings of the Shan State (or Padaung women).

Although this tradition of placing a copper or brass coil around a girl's neck at the age of five or six, may seem cruel, when one learns why this tradition started and why it persists, one has a better comprehension of its practice. Many have suggested that these women in Myanmar's history were commonly sold into slavery. To deter their children from being sold, some parents in the Shan State (of Myanmar) started placing coils around their daughters' neck. By deforming their necks slave owners were less likely to choose these girls as slaves.

mortijo, Katharina, Paolo, PixelTerror, Luan, summersun, Carey, soundsangels, touristdidi, digi-mom, downer, fserajian, sevda, MLINES has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Katharina (401) 2005-03-02 4:26

Slyszalam o tej tradycji i jej poczatkach. Zastanawia mnie jednak ze nadal jest praktykowana, zwazywszy na to ze usuniecie chociaz jednego okregu oznacza smierc... Ciekawe zdjecie, podoba mi sie swiatlo na twarzy dziewczynki.

Paolo (40818) 2005-03-02 4:28 [Comment]

Show Comment

PixelTerror (88585) 2005-03-02 4:28

Dzien Dobry Grzegorz,
Beautiful double with good DOF use and nice colors, that comes together with an excellent not to tell us about this part of the world, full TE value in this post !
I did not know there are such tribes in Myanmar too, the Thai ones are better known and their story is possibly similar.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

Luan (15935) 2005-03-02 4:39

Impressive image, colorful and nice DoF.
Luan

clodreno (0) 2005-03-02 8:18

I have a strange feeling looking at this image..
In fact i don't want to talk about it's technical aspects but about this terrible use of "traditon". I know it was a tradition, but nowadays, the masses of tourists going to Thailand or Myanmar are encouraging it by taking those pictures..
I really feel sorry for them.

when I do a critique I always give a smile..

summersun (4978) 2005-03-02 10:03

it's very impressive to see the difference in neck lenghth between the young girl and the older woman...
Nice compo.
vanessa

Gregtom (7119) 2005-03-15 6:55

Witam!
Naprawdę szokujące. Przywodzi na myśl deformowane stopy japońskich dziewczynek...
pozdrawiam,
Grzegorz

soundsangels (1697) 2005-04-13 13:00

Absolument incroyable.....
I'm very happy to learn why they make that...
Thanks for your beautiful picture and the informations...GREAT!
Claude

bullabulla (3488) 2005-06-22 8:58

Hello Grzegorz !!
it is an impressive shot it looks a bit like african woman with the neck ring.
Great colors
Merci
Laetitia

Saule (289) 2005-06-23 6:38

This is a very beautiful picture. I like the colors and the composition, old and young looking at different directions.
The most common explanation of why Padaung women wear neck rings is related to their understanding of beauty. "An extra-long neck is considered a sign of great beauty and wealth and that it will attract a better husband. Adultery, though, is said to be punished by removal of the rings." So I wouldn't feel sorry for these women, I'm sure they like their rings and feel themselves beautiful.

erdna (5360) 2005-06-23 19:53

Very good depiction of the women in northern Thailand. Showing a young girl and an older woman give your photo and notes more impact.

Andre'

touristdidi (8563) 2005-08-02 6:46 [Comment]

Show Comment

everlasting (10970) 2005-08-24 3:35

I am not sure what I think about this double portrait, and I dont mean technically. Are we supposed to run around takign photos of peoples deformities???? but it was the young girl on the left that caught my attention. I have done a WS on her. I hope you dont mind.
Intersting note I wasnt aware that this maybe the reason for this tradition.

[workshop] [compare]

just4iris (792) 2006-03-09 1:55

I am very fortunate to live far to the zone where these traditions are maintained...
Anyway is a beautiful photos: good colours, nice composition!
Regards
daniela

agne (6) 2006-08-19 18:54

what an interesting shot!!;]

fserajian (2181) 2007-06-10 3:02

Hi Grzegorz,

Very interesting, nice capture. TFS

Fara

sevda (228) 2008-02-27 12:15 [Comment]

Show Comment

MLINES (11225) 2008-02-27 12:31

Hi Grzegorz. It is always intreging to see this long necked folk. Your note is interesting about the origins of the practice. The photo is excellent in clarity. Congratulations.

p_ozyilmaz (123) 2009-03-08 1:43