The Kayan originate in Burma (today Myanmar), from the Karen State. Most of them escaped the war and the regime violating their human rights in their homeland. Burmese Shan call them the Padaung. Only small fraction of the Kayan, or more precisely their women and girls, wear the brass neck-rings (it is actually one long spiral), which depresses their shoulders and therefore cause the woman's neck to look longer. This gave the people their unflattering nickname the ’long necks’. Kayah State, Myanmar, 2017

Portrait of a young monk. Myanmar, 2017.