Brass coils Women of the Kayan tribes identify themselves by their forms of dress. In the Kayan Lahwi tribe, females are known for wearing
permanent jewellery in the form of
neck rings, brass coils that are placed around the neck, causing it to lengthen. Girls first start to wear rings when they are around five years old. Over the years, the coil is replaced by a longer one, and more turns are added. The weight of the brass pushes the
collar bone down and compresses the
rib cage. The rings can stretch necks to a length of about 15 inches (38 cm), pushing down the collarbone, compressing the rib cage, and pulling up about four thoracic vertebrae into the neck. Many theories regarding this practice have been suggested.
Anthropologists have hypothesized that the rings protected women from becoming slaves, making them less attractive to other tribes. It has also been theorised that the coils originate from the desire to look more attractive by exaggerating
sexual dimorphism, as women have more slender necks than men. Another idea is that the coils give women the appearance of a dragon, an important figure in Kayan folklore. The coils might be meant to protect from
tiger bites, perhaps literally, but probably symbolically. The coil, once on, is seldom removed, as the coiling and uncoiling is a lengthy procedure. It is usually only removed to be replaced by a new or longer coil. The muscles covered by the coil become weakened, and most Kayan women prefer to keep the rings once their clavicle has been lowered, as the area of the neck and collarbone often becomes bruised and discolored. In 2006, some of the younger women in Mae Hong Son began removing their rings, either to give them the opportunity to continue their education or in protest against the exploitation of their culture and the restrictions that came with it. The government of Myanmar began discouraging neck rings as it struggled to appear more modern to the developed world. Consequently, many women in Myanmar began breaking the tradition, though a few older women and some younger girls in remote villages continued to wear rings. In Thailand, the practice has gained popularity in recent years, because it draws tourists who bring revenue to the tribe and to local businesspeople who run the villages and collect entry fees. In January 2008, the
UNHCR expressed reservations about tourists visiting Kayan villages in northern Thailand due to the provincial government's refusal to allow registered Kayan refugees to take up offers of resettlement in developed countries. It is believed this policy was linked to their economic importance to the area. The policy was relaxed in late 2008, and a small group of Kayan left for New Zealand in August 2008.
Religion Traditional Kay_htoe_bo_poles.jpg|
Kay Htoe Boe poles Kay_htoe_bo_dance.jpg|
Pwai dance Kay_htoe_bo_procession.jpg|Following the
pwai dance, the women sprinkle the men with water using
Eugenia leaves. Chicken_bone_reading1.jpg|Chicken bone prognostication The Kayans' traditional religion is called
Kan Khwan and has been practiced since the people migrated from Mongolia during the
Bronze Age. It includes the belief that the Kayan people are the result of a union between a female dragon and a male human/angel
hybrid. The major Kayan religious festival is the three-day
Kay Htoe Boe, which commemorates the belief that the
creator god gave form to the world by planting a small post in the ground. During this festival, held in late March or early April, a Kay Htoe Boe pole is erected, and participants dance around it. The Kayan have a strong belief in
augury, and nothing is done without reference to some form of divination, including breaking thatch grass, but most importantly consulting chicken bones.
Cleansing ceremony rituals Cleansing1.jpg| Cleansing2.jpg| Cleansing3.jpg| Cleansing4.jpg|
Contemporary As hilltribes, the Kayan can be categorised into different ethnicities and races, with various languages and religious beliefs. Traditional
Kayaws believe in tree spirits, but younger generations are showing acceptance towards Buddhism and Christianity. GroupMusicians.jpg| GroupGirls.jpg| GroupChurch.jpg| GroupGirls3.jpg| ==See also==