Popular myths about the Padaung people (8 photos)

When someone talks about the unusual representatives of others cultures, many immediately remember women with a very large number neck rings. Around these rings there are many different fictions and delusions.





Often people do not even know what kind of people they are, where he came and how he lives in the modern world. It's just the fact unusual modification of his body is very firmly embedded in the memory: about This is written by bloggers, media and travel agencies say.

Still, due to the relative remoteness of the Padaung people from us, only a few can see representatives of this tribe. The rest it remains only to build theories and believe the stories of other people, which is not always reflects reality.

Rings are soldered directly on the girl

And the first thing to clarify is that no rings, in general, and No. What we see is a very long and masterfully twisted spiral. IN the village of Padaung, the craft of twisting metal around the neck is transmitted from generation to generation.



At the same time, the statement that every year girls wear another ring is not entirely correct. Yes, starting at the age of five for girls people of Padaung really begin to lengthen the neck, but only to those until the woman gets married. This explains the different the length of the necks of women in the village.

If you remove the rings, the girl dies

This truly wild myth was heard by the author on the central television, where it was categorically stated: to remove the girl from her rings and It's impossible not to break your neck. The neck just can't take it. But it is not So. Girls without any problems can exist without rings, with them nothing will happen.



Yes, the neck muscles are greatly weakened due to the increase the distance between the vertebral discs, girls can start to pursue severe pain in the neck and head, but with the right physiotherapy it is very passes quickly.

Moreover, in order for young girls to change "necklace" to a higher one, the previous spiral must be removed. At this exposes almost never healing bruises on the neck - weight "rings" can reach 3-4 kilos, but that's all. no harm to Girls are not responsible for removing rings.



Because of the rings it is impossible to wash the neck

This conclusion suggests itself, one has only to look at monolithic design of the "necklace". No wonder they think so people who look at the women of this people. Indeed, the neck tightly chained in metal, how can it be washed?



It turns out it's pretty easy. Despite its seeming solidity, the rings on the neck are plastic, so they can be slightly shifted. It doesn’t look like a full-fledged wash, but crawl under the structure still succeeds.

However, much more attention is paid not to washing the neck, but washing the rings themselves. They need to be well polished. After all, they come to the village tourists, and for them, the rings should shine brightly.



For this, women use dry grass and sometimes sand. Thanks to such careful care, the rings begin to shine, as if gold.

Padaung women sleep sitting

And again we are talking about a delusion that has nothing in common with reality. Of course, women do not sleep sitting up. They can lie like we all do. After all, they have long been accustomed to their rings, so they do not cause them any difficulties.



In general, despite such an extravagant appearance, these women are able to live quite normal lives. Rings don't get in the way existence, on the contrary, act as a kind of zest, which can be proud.