Managing GH Blog of Sunday, 22 January 2023
Source: Managing GH
The Kayan tribe is a minority ethnic group from Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. They are also called the "Padaung" people.
The Kayan people wear brass coils around their necks, wrists, and legs. This is one of their most striking and well-known habits. These coils, which are also called "gaung baung," are worn by Kayan women from a young age. The tribe thinks that they are a sign of beauty and status.
The Kayan believed in animism, and they thought that the coils would protect the women from evil spirits and bring them luck. This is where the tradition of wearing the coils came from.
But wearing the coils has also been linked to the Kayan's history of slavery and forced labor, because it was thought that the coils would make the women less attractive to slave traders, making them less likely to be captured and sold.
Adding coils to the neck is a slow process that starts when a woman is young and continues for the rest of her life. Brass coils are put on the woman's neck one at a time.
The weight of the coils eventually causes the collarbone to compress and the neck to look longer. People say that the process does not hurt the woman and does not hurt her health.
Even though the tradition has deep roots in Kayan culture, the practice of wearing the coils has come under fire in recent years.
Some critics say that it is a form of cultural exploitation and that the women are forced to take part in the tradition. The Kayan people, on the other hand, say that the tradition is a big part of their culture and identity and that they should be able to keep doing it.
In conclusion, the tradition of wearing brass coils around the neck is a unique and striking part of Kayan culture that has deep roots in the tribe's animist beliefs and history.
Even though the practice has been questioned in recent years, the Kayan say that it is an important part of their culture and identity and that they should be able to keep doing it.