Pre-research Perception

Before embarking on research, my impression of Maehongson, the place where the Karen-Padaung reside, is that it is a highly unsophisticated village which resembles the ‘kampongs’ Singapore used to have. Maehongson would be a patriarchal society where women are submissive and have no voice of their own. At the same time, there is social order and a culture which is very rich and unique – the Karen-Padaung would be traditional people who esteem and respect their ethnicity very much.

Karen-Padaung Village in Maehongson

Representation of Maehongson’s Culture

Though Maehongson has much to offer as a site of cultural manifestation and is the residence of many hill-tribes, this northern province of Thailand (Bangkoksite.com, 2009) can be symbolized by the women of the Karen-Padaung indigenous tribe.

The Karen-Padaung women, also known as the ‘Long-Necks’ or ‘Giraffes’ (Graceffo, 2008), are dressed up modestly in their traditional costumes, and wear heavy brass rings on their neck and forelimbs which bear the mark of “beauty and family prosperity” (AsiaTravelTV, N.D.), making them local celebrities amongst tourists.

Brass Coils - Padaung Women's Prized Possessions

Culture and Traditions of Karen-Padaung

The ‘Long-Necks’ Karen-Padaungs’ culture and traditions are easily associated with their brass rings. Prominent and aesthetically alluring, these brass rings worn on their necks and fore limbs represent feminine beauty, “family prosperity” (AsiaTravelTV, N.D.), and wealth. (Waddington, 2002)

Padaung girls wear their first rings at the young age of 5-6 years old, and their necks “grow longer as additional rings are added with each passing year”. (Chiangmai & Chiangrai Magazine, 2010) Looking deeper into the origins of this practice, it is reported as an effort by the Karen-Padaungs to “preserve their culture” while they had been banished from Burma many generations ago. In remembrance of their tribal struggles and ancestors who had fought so hard against death, this ring-wearing tradition had been passed down till today. (Ascension, N.A.) It is also interesting to note that should a woman commit adultery, her rings will be removed so that with her neck “weakened by years of not supporting the neck, she must spend the rest of her life lying down.” (Waddington, 2002)

Apart from ring-wearing, the Karen-Padaungs also have a custom of wearing “carved elephant tusks in their ears”. (Chiangmai & Chiangrai Magazine, 2010) This is applicable only for married women. As for unmarried ladies, they wear white dresses called ‘hses’ (Karens, 2000) instead of the hand-embroided colorful blouses that married women are seen wearing. (Waddington, 2002)

Authenticity of Culture – Viewpoint of a Tourist

Maehongsan is definitely culturally authentic to its visitors. Showcasing its Karen-Padaung with their brass rings which had caused their ribs to be pushed down to achieve the elongated-neck appearance (Marshall, 1922), such outcomes could only have been possible by the daily wearing of the heavy rings that weigh up to 37kg over many years. (Chiangmai & Chiangrai Magazine, 2010) There is really no way to fake such physical realism, and tourists are aware because brochures containing such information are shown to them in the villages. (Siegel2001, 2009)

Also, the living quarters of the Karen-Padaung are on full display in the villages. There are no other local lodges near enough that they could possibly be the Padaungs’ real homes instead. Tourists can even go beyond the façade of these houses and into the interiors to take a look at their way of living (Morgan, N.D.)

Therefore, tourists would undoubtedly find Maehongson a place of authentic cultural value.

Tourism Impacts on Authentic Culture of Maehongson and Padaung Population

When tourism and culture come together in Maehongson, there are bound to be both positive and negative social-cultural impacts on the Padaung population.

Positive impacts may include tourism transforming into a “force for peace”, a motive for strengthening the community, and a driving power behind civic involvement and tribal pride. (Temasek Polytechnic TCS Division, 2011)

Tourism is definitely working peace amongst the people – for centuries, the “different Karenic sub-groups historically have not recognized each other as belonging to the same group until very recently” (Waddington, 2002). Their reconcilation is very much thanks to tourism – the various Karenic sub-groups have obviously come to understand that because authentic cultural tourism is a popular trend, they have to cooperate with one another to defend their culture and put together a bona fide cultural package in partnership against the attractiveness of other indigenous groups as one large group. Regardless of what their motive for putting bad blood behind may be, what is important is that tourism has impacted the social-cultural dimension affecting the Karen-Padaungs positively.

Tourism has also fortified the local community, especially in the area of professional training. According to a traveller by the name of Rich Morgan, some of the Karen-Padaungs had been edified in terms of linguistic variety. Instead of speaking only Thai and their local dialects, Morgan’s local guide Chan had been a knowledgeable steward who had the ability to translate “the name of every plant and bird” in “perfect English.” (Morgan, N.D.) This is similar to how tour guides in Cambodia are now mostly multi-lingual to cater to the various linguistic origins of incoming tourists. (Temasek Polytechnic TCS Division, 2011) Such edicifcation do not alter the original linguistic skills of the community; neither do they change the way locals interact with each other – it is merely an add-on that has helped locals form partnerships and even friendships with their foreign visitors (Morgan, N.D.)

Tourism encouraged civic involvement by helping the host community comprehend the financial value of both their natural and cultural spots. Locals are seen basking in the glory of tourist appreciation, donning their traditional hand-sewn blouses and selling their hand-crafted dolls and textiles. (Waddington, 2002) In turn, this increases preservation and conservation of the local heritage and environment, hence pitching further contributions to sustainable partnership between tourism and the Padaungs’ culture.

On the flipside, tourism also causes negative social-cultural impacts to the authentic culture and indigenous group. These may come in the form of alterations or loss of indigenous identity and values, and ethical issues. (Temasek Polytechnic TCS Division, 2011)

To start off, changes or loss of indigenous identity and values are extremely detrimental to the authentic culture of Maehongson’s Karen-Padaung. Some Padaungs have been so receptive towards the foreigners, to the extent that they have perhaps crossed over to the mentality of adoption of foreign values and rejection of local culture for good.

For example, Padaung’s ex-‘poster girl’ Zember had been known to remove her brass rings to “live modern lives like the rest of us”. (Haworth, 2008) With comparatively more sophisticated tourists showing up on Maehongson’s door-step, Zember had been exposed to visitors’ norms and cultures which are all so different from her own. Attracted by urbane ways of living, she has protested out of traditional captivity by removing her rings – also meaning she has declined her own culture. Zember may possibly be one of the many Padaungs to step out of their ancient traditions, defying customary beliefs and taking “family prosperity” into her own hands instead of relying on the conviction of brass rings being able to do so, and at the same time causing distress to the indigenous identity and values on top of the possibility of commodification – hand-made items such as textiles, blouses, dolls and wick baskets may have been made just to appease tourist demand instead of for practical use.

With regards to ethical issues, Thai authorities had been violating the Padaungs’ human rights. In an interview with a Padaung lady, it was reported that local authorities did not permit long-necked Padaungs going abroad because “they will lose business”, probably fearing the eventual possibility of no new or repeat tourist arrivals due to mass immigration as a “generation of disgruntled young women” arise. (Meo, 2006) Because they wanted to bank on tourism for the sake of their nation’s GDP, they had infringed civil liberties and played down the women's rights to live their own lives.

Focus of Calendar of Events

Maehongson may not place much emphasis on any festival in particular because its population is made up of numerous hill-tribes that place significance in different festivals.

Traditionally held around 25 – 29 March each year  (Myanmar Travel, 2010), the “Kae Htoe Boe” festival is where the Padaungs celebrate their creator god with the traditional Pwai dance, consult chicken bones for a forecast of the next year (Manna, 1902), and make wishes for the “fertility and prosperity of the whole community” (Chiangdao.com, 2011). Having a good harvest year after year is very important to the Padaung, who survive on agricultural lifestyles apart from tourism. (Graceffo, 2008)

Globalization – Disneyfication of Maehongson

While Maehongson has yet to undergo themeing or hybrid consumption, it has undeniably been infected by the merchandizing and performative labor aspect of Disneyization as tourism develops amongst its Padaungs.

With tourism developing in Maehongson, the younger Padaungs growing up under the strong influence of tourism have already cultivated the idea of commodification – they have commodified themselves, to the extent that they have become cultural merchandises. Research confirms this – a Padaung man, “sensing their potential as tourist attractions”, brought Padaung ladies to the “Pai River to draw in boatloads of day-trippers”. (Mirante, 2006) Padaung women have become ‘sample merchandizes’ that tourists can gawk at, raise ‘complaints’ such as “Their necks weren’t that long”, and then ask for other women with longer necks. (Mirante, 2006) Instead of preserving the dignity of the Padaung culture, its native people have begun self-commodifying, hence proving traces of Disneyization’s merchandizing principles spreading in Maehongson.



Also, as the world becomes an increasingly “experience economy”, performative labor becomes crucial. (Temasek Polytechnic TCS Division, 2011) Padaung women have become “tourist attractions” (Haworth, 2008); they are “taught to take a wide responsibility for guest happiness for people of all ages everywhere” the minute they are within reachable boundaries of the Padaungs. (Temasek Polytechnic TCS Division, 2011) Though some younger Padaung women may be struggling with unhappiness of being put on “display” (Meo, 2006), they still keep up a good act in front of tourists so that their income would not be hurt by visitors’ dissatisfaction. (Levett, 2008) This again shows how performative labor, like in Disney, is also getting progressively apparent in Maehongson.

Maehongson has undergone themeing in the way that the Thai authorities have refused to reconstruct its territories – apparently, its theme is 'nature'. Because many tourists like the idea of Maehongson being "primitive" (Meo, 2006), they simply have to retain their natural environment instead of rebuilding for a better living environment.

Hybrid consumption is also evident in Maehongson – there are spas like the Ban Thai Spa (Tripadvisor, N.D.), religious sites like the Wat Chong Kham, rural cultural sites like the Long-Neck Village, shopping markets dubbed the 'Sunday Market' (Travelfish, N.D.), hotels like as Ban Phleng. (Lonelyplanet, 2011) Tourists can find everything they want or need in Maehongson without having to step out of the province, hence showing how Disneyization has spread to Maehongson.

Reflection of Maehongson, Padaung Culture, and Tourism

After much research, I have come to a conclusion that my pre-research impressions do remain in the way that Maehongson is pretty rural in terms of living, surviving without technology and sophisticated facilities such as proper toilet cubicles, restaurants and shopping malls like we do over here in Singapore. It is perhaps a good sign to show how hybrid consumption has yet to taint the indigenous lifestyles of the Padaungs. Also, travellers would surely be contented with the Long-Necks and their brass coils and hand-sewn blouses that are on full display all through the Karen-Padaung village in Maehongson.

Having said that, tourists give popular feedback because they have only looked at Maehongson on its surface; they have been too excited over the superficial appreciation of the Long-Necks and have neglected analyzing its authenticity in-depth. Is what they see what it truly is? I beg to differ. I choose to think that the Padaung tourism-culture is based on a governmental threat.

While many Padaung women tried to relocate out of Thailand, they were disallowed by Thai authorities who insist that the Long-Necks stay to drive the cultural economy. The first problem here is that human rights had been stripped because Maehongson, reportedly “Thailand’s poorest province”, “depends heavily on tourism”. (Haworth, 2008) To improve the local economy, an approximate 40,000 tourists are charged an “entry fee” of $8 to ogle at the Long-Necks every year. (Haworth, 2008) However, a bare minimum is channeled back to the Padaungs – they earn only a “paltry salary of 1500 baht ($45) a month selling souvenirs and postcards”. (Meo, 2006) Authorities also make sure that their wages are docked if they complain to visitors about their predicament, and this highlights another problem – only a meager sum is channeled back to the Padaungs, who are the main tourist attractions of Maehongson (Morgan, N.D.), bringing in much tourism-related economical figures to Thailand every single year.

What irks me the most is actually how local development is not allowed in Maehongson because “tourists want primitive” (Meo, 2006) Thai authorities are well aware that Maehongson is a cultural treasure because of its antique-looking living quarters, traditional handiwork and music, rich culture, and iconic Long-Necks. They are also aware that cultural tourism is on the rise, and authenticity is the main ingredient. Putting one plus one together, they have stopped developing Maehongson in terms of infrastructural benefits to its people – just so that tourists can experience their unsophisticated ways of living and be satisfied thinking that’s what the original cultural experiences are all about.

The Karen-Padaungs’ culture is beautiful – Thai authorities should really consider how to also let tourism improve the lives of the locals instead of the host community always having to modestly serve visitors despite their disadvantages. While it is painful for me to think of how the Padaung women are exploited and controlled because of their long necks and brass coils, I still appreciate their culture deeply and can only hope that the future starts to get better for them as national authorities such as those in “Finland and New Zealand” step in. (Meo, 2006)

Hoping for a Better Life

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