The Vanishing Tattoo Traditions of Myanmar: Meanings, Rituals, and the 1960s Ban
For centuries, tattooing in Myanmar (formerly Burma) was not just body art—it was an expression of spiritual power, tribal identity, and personal honor. Especially prevalent among hill tribes such as the Chin, Shan, and Bamar, these tattoos were applied using traditional tapering tools and inks made from natural ingredients. The results were often stunning, deeply meaningful, and...
ADORNED BY HERITAGE: THE ETHNIC EARRINGS OF HILL TRIBES IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE AND SOUTHEAST ASIA
IN THE RUGGED HIGHLANDS OF THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE—WHERE THE BORDERS OF THAILAND, LAOS, AND MYANMAR INTERSECT—THE WEARING OF EARRINGS AMONG ETHNIC HILL TRIBES IS NOT MERELY A FASHION STATEMENT, BUT A SPIRITUAL RITE, A CULTURAL SYMBOL, AND AN EXPRESSION OF INDIGENOUS IDENTITY....
THE SPIRIT OF THE HILLS: LAHU (MUSER) WOMEN AND THEIR LIVING HERITAGE
NESTLED IN THE MISTY HIGHLANDS ALONG THE THAILAND–MYANMAR BORDER NEAR MAE SOT LIVES A RESILIENT AND COLORFUL PEOPLE KNOWN AS THE MUSER — A NAME MORE COMMONLY RECOGNIZED...
THREADS OF IDENTITY: THE KAREN TRIBES AND THEIR LIVING HERITAGE
IN THE FORESTED HILLS OF THAILAND AND EASTERN MYANMAR, THE KAREN PEOPLE — ALSO KNOWN AS KAYIN IN MYANMAR OR PGAZ K’NYAU IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE — HAVE PRESERVED A RICH AND RESILIENT WAY OF LIFE. WITH ANCIENT ROOTS, A COMPLEX SOCIAL STRUCTURE, AND DEEP TIES TO THE LAND, THE KAREN TRIBES ARE AMONG SOUTHEAST ASIA’S MOST...
THE SPIRIT AND STRENGTH OF THE DAYAK: GUARDIANS OF BORNEO'S HERITAGE
DEEP WITHIN THE DENSE RAINFORESTS OF KALIMANTAN — THE INDONESIAN PART OF BORNEO ISLAND — LIVES ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE AND ENDURING INDIGENOUS GROUPS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: THE DAYAK PEOPLE. KNOWN FOR THEIR FEROCITY IN WAR, THEIR ARTISTIC MASTERY, AND DEEP CONNECTION TO THE SPIRIT WORLD, THE DAYAK HAVE PRESERVED AN...
THE LIVING SYMBOLS OF TIBET: TRADITIONAL JEWELRY AND EARRINGS
Tibetan jewelry is far more than ornamentation—it is a visual language of identity, spirituality, and protection. For centuries, men and women of the Tibetan plateau have adorned themselves with elaborate earrings, necklaces, and amulets crafted from silver, gold, coral, turquoise, amber, and other potent materials. Each piece tells...
TRADITIONAL BRE (KAREN SUB-GROUP) ALUMINUM EAR TUNNELS – KARENNI STATE, BURMA (MYANMAR) – MID-20TH CENTURY
THESE TRADITIONAL EAR TUNNELS WERE WORN BY WOMEN OF THE BRE TRIBE, A SMALL AND LITTLE-KNOWN SUB-GROUP OF THE KAREN PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HIGHLAND REGIONS OF KARENNI STATE (EASTERN BURMA/MYANMAR). THEIR DESIGN IS DISTINCTIVE—BROAD-FLARED, TUBE-SHAPED, AND MADE FROM HAND-FORMED ALUMINUM. THESE EAR ORNAMENTS REPRESENT NOT JUST A FORM OF TRIBAL ADORNMENT, BUT ALSO A...
THE PYU CIVILIZATION: MYANMAR’S FORGOTTEN PIONEERS AND THEIR TIMELESS ARTISTIC JEWELRY
NESTLED DEEP WITHIN THE HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA LIES THE PYU CIVILIZATION, AN ANCIENT CULTURE THAT FLOURISHED FROM AROUND 200 BCE TO 900 CE IN WHAT IS TODAY CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MYANMAR (BURMA). OFTEN OVERSHADOWED BY THE LATER GRANDEUR OF THE BAGAN EMPIRE, THE PYU NONETHELESS LAID THE ESSENTIAL...
