Weird Cultures :Long-Necked KarenHill tribes

The padaung or kareni
tribes of Myanmar, Burma
are now forming their
community in Thailand.
They coil around their necks
copper to extend their neck
and extremely make their
neck long to 40 cm. and it is
a sign of beauty for them.

They are also called the
“giraffe people”. Their necks
are very weak and cannot
hold long without the
copper coil support.

There are many different
accounts of why the Padaung
practice this bizzare custom.
Their own mythology explains
that it is done to prevent tigers
from biting them! Others have
reported that it is done to make
the women unattractive so they
are less likely to be captured by
slave traders.

The most
common explanation, though, is
the opposite of this — that 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. In this case, since
the neck muscles will have been
severely weakened by years of
not supporting the neck, a
woman must spend the rest of
her life lying down.