Two women from Kor Yor tribe (Kayaw), aka the Big Ears as they wear since their youngest age some huge ear rings.
This tribe can be found in North Thailand where, as the Long Necks, they are Karenni refugees from Myanmar. Most of them are christians.
Ban Nai Soly.
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: kor yor big ring thailand tribe tribal thailande tribu necklace jewels coins pieces women Ταϊλάνδη Thaiföld Thailandia Tailandia Tajlandia تايلاند Таиланд タイ Muang Thai תאילנד siam ไทย 泰國 태국(泰國 Тајланд Tayland Thaïlande Kayaw Karenni tribo tribes ethnic ethnology ethnie culture tradition
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Kayan people , or long neck, are supposed to wear the brass wound spiral for 1000 years.
A full set of neck rings weighs about 8-10 kilos and is made from 3 separate coils, the main neck coil and a wider coil near the shoulders with a small coil wrapped around it . I saw few women wearing the full set, apart very old ones.Brass coils are also worn around the legs; under the knees. Despite what you may think, the neck is not stretched by the rings. The rings push down on the muscles around the collarbone, giving the impression of a longer neck.
Girls from the age of 5 can wear the rings; some decide to put the rings on later and some who wear the rings later remove them. All the girls i met had the rings, apart one who just had a baby.
I had read so negative things about the Long Neck places in Thailand that i thought i was going to enter a kind of zoo. I've been in 3 villages, 2 are in fact shopping alleys where burma refugees long neck (Kayan) sell souvenirs and clothes to tourists.
The good thing is that many teenagers speak english as they learn it in their local school.
All told me that the famous necklace ring was not an obligation from the parents, they wear it as they feel more beautiful with it. As you 'll see later, many kids and teens wear "modern" clothes but keep the rings.
All those people are karen refugees from Myanmar and live in villages or in refugees camps.
Many prefer to live in "tourists" vlllages as they earn more money than in camps, even if they must pay the rent to the land owner and taxers to Thai gov.
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: along burmese border near refugee camp village ban nai soiy long neck femme girafe thailand tribe tribal tribu culture tradition karen keren refugee burma myanmar burmese Ταϊλάνδη Thaiföld Thailandia Tailandia Tajlandia تايلاند Таиланд タイ Muang Thai תאילנד siam ไทย 泰國 태국(泰國 Тајланд Tayland Thaïlande Ring Wearing brass coil tribo tribes ethnic ethnology ethnie Padaung THAI3952
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She works in front of Louis Vuitton store, in a shrine in Bangkok. I thought it was a tourist trap, but in fact she dances with 5 others women for the thai people who order special prays. So they buy a dance (10 euros). And the dancers communicate with the god.
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: thailande thai thaliand asia asie lafforgue face portrait eyes yeux dancer regard look smile make up shrine temple religion culture tradition bangkok Thailand Ταϊλάνδη Thaiföld Thailandia Tailandia Tajlandia تايلاند Таиланд タイ Muang Thai תאילנד siam ไทย 泰國 태국(泰國 Тајланд Tayland Thaïlande
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Around 10, when the shops are not open, a strange atmosphere can be found in Siam center...
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: THAI5603 shop siam center girl alone shopping closed bangkok Thailand Ταϊλάνδη Thaiföld Thailandia Tailandia Tajlandia تايلاند Таиланд タイ Muang Thai תאילנד ไทย 泰國 태국(泰國 Тајланд Tayland Thaïlande
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Miss Mhanoy from Ban Nam Rin village, Lisu tribe. I went there as they celebrated the chinese new year with lots of dances , and rice alcool with wonderful clothes.
© Eric Lafforgue
www.ericlafforgue.com
Tags: THAI3305 2 days after chinese new year after harvest celebrate lisu new year lisu tribe pee mai thanks for rain god village ban nam rin Thailand Ταϊλάνδη Thaiföld Thailandia Tailandia Tajlandia تايلاند Таиланд タイ Muang Thai תאילנד siam ไทย 泰國 태국(泰國 Тајланд Tayland Thaïlande girl woman cute beauty smile
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