Kayan Lahwi

Neck elongation is the practice of lengthening the neck with rings originating from Southeast Asia. For centuries, neck elongation has been a standard of beauty. It's one of the oldest types of body modification in the world. Typically, the rings are made of brass which weighs approximately four and a half pounds The reason for wearing the coils is not known yet, However, myth has it that villagers wore them as defense against tiger attacks. In Myanmar the tradition is considered a standard of beauty, girls in the Karen (or Kayan) and Padaung tribes are fitted with their first rings at the age of five. In southern Africa, Ndebele women wear the rings on their arms and neck as a sign of faithfulness to their husbands.