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Happypoppeye | profile | all galleries >> Arranged by Country......... (28 Galleries) >> Thailand 2009 >> The Padaung tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

The Padaung

Little Short LongNeck
Little Short LongNeck		 g1/16/841416/3/118032637.NjZHNR9e.jpg Proud
Proud
My Barbie
My Barbie		 g1/16/841416/3/118094469.lHFUJhBG.jpg g1/16/841416/3/118136308.EBur2suW.jpg
Smile
Smile		 The Guitar Player
The Guitar Player		 Self-Awareness
Self-Awareness
g1/16/841416/3/118137174.B092xkEj.jpg g1/16/841416/3/118134154.xOSt1xf0.jpg g1/16/841416/3/118408338.jR8Lv2mh.jpg
g5/16/841416/3/118691343.4TJ0thEq.jpg Beauty
Beauty		 g3/16/841416/3/120723876.v58Je6X2.jpg

Guest 08-Jan-2011 06:19
Thanks for sharing these magnificent work and the background! ~V
Marc Demoulin20-Oct-2009 08:38
Wonderful and colorful portaits of these intriguing people John!!! vVv
Marc
Happypoppeye16-Oct-2009 23:27
Some info , plus a bit of opinion, for those wanting a little more:

Ethnic background: Padaung Tribe that left Myanmar approximately four years ago and settled in the hills north of Chang Mai. (fact)

Real Village?: Yes, most of the people shown do live there and I saw only one other tourist there. (fact)

Tourist Circus?: Yes - I got there early. This was a village for show to the tourists... (opinion but most probably a fact)

Profiting here: The women in the photos (selling crafts to tourists) and probably the government in the area also. Bad - not necesarily (my opinion). Good - not necesarily. I think that depends on who and what you ask. It gives the people a more stable economic income (they still farm and work in the forest) and, as far as western society is concerned, gives them more opportunity...

Are those neck rings detrimental to their health and are they harming themselves just for the "tourist money". I'm not sure. It is possible though. At least in this day and age. Would they be wearing them if there were no tourists? Yes, most definitely. Maybe not these women/girls in particular in the photos, but there would still be Padaung wearing the rings as it is a tribal trait and not just for tourists, per say.

Thanks
John
Andrew Bott15-Oct-2009 10:56
Technically strong images, but I'm not sure about the ethical background here. Are these Burmese refugees? Is this a real village, or just a tourist circus. Who is profiting here? Perhaps you could furnish us with a little background info?
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