The hilltribe zoo

The Hill tribes; just like a zoo!

We really wanted to see the longnecks, so we decided to go and visit the hill tribes.
When we arrived it definitely wasn’t what I expected or hoped for. I thought we would go and visit the different villages with the different kind of tribes and see how they still lived and worked traditional, but I was wrong. Instead we arrived at a circus attraction. The government had built a village where the tribes all lived together and only for the reason that it would be easier for tourist and so they could make more money. There was an entrance, a shop and a restaurant were we arrived and you could walk from there to the different villages.

There are seven broad hill tribe groupings: Karen, Lahu, Hmong, Lisu, Akha and Mien Yao). However, within these categories, there are sub-categories and clans that further divide the groups. Each hill tribe has its own customs, language, dress and spiritual beliefs and this is sometimes true even of the numerous sub-categories within one hill tribe. For example, the Green Hmong and White Hmong speak in different and distinct dialects and dress differently. The hill tribes are most distinctly recognized for their colorful and unique costume, which they continue to wear daily.

I really felt uncomfortable and intruding to walk trough these villages as a tourist with my camera (of course I was a tourist with a camera). We first visited the longnecks; it was interesting to see how they have such a long necks and amazing how some of them are just carrying 4 kilo’s on there necks. The older they get the more rings they get. The long necks are based to look like dragons, which are strong and powerful. When the woman those something wrong the cut the rings, so her neck will break (yes not the nicest thing to be punished is it?!)

There was one woman who was playing guitar and later she also sang for us, so lovely. She was so sweet and I had a great conversation with her. It’s weird how I felt really like I came, watch them and take pictures of them. They have to go trough this everyday, we would get so sick of all these tourist coming to watch you, but they were still so open and friendly.

They made all kinds of things like bags, jewelry and clothes so they could sell that to tourist (all handmade).

After the longnecks we went to the big ear tribe; they put big earrings in there ear that stretches there ears; so now they have big ears. A woman with child smiled at me and made me jump; she had really black teeth, whaa!!!

In the other villages it was so quite, but when we came the whole villages came out and perform for us; they made music and danced.
It was great to see this traditional performance.
It was also nice to see the differences in tribes, the different clothes, all so colorful.