Thompson Travelers

We are stepping way back in time to visit the Hill Tribe people.

Originally from Myanmar (formerly Burma), these people escaped to northern Thailand during the military coup in the 1990s.  They live far up in the hills, with the men making their living by farming, and the women work in the home, weave, and sell Thai goods to the tourists.

What makes the women of the Kayan tribe unique is the brass coils they wear around their necks.

They start wearing them at five years old.  The weight of them pushes down, deforming the clavicle and compresses the rib cage which makes their necks look long.  There are two sets of rings, one inner, and one outer coil.  I’m not sure how they get any work done wearing these coils – they easily weigh 5-10 pounds!

The costumes and headpieces worn by these people are certainly beautiful and so are their souls and hearts.

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