But as she added more coils, it was taking a toll on her physical health. This creates the illusion of disembodied head hovering over a shimmering pedestal of gold rings. She initiated the transformation by adding a few rings, then adding more as her neck grew…, When asked about her reasons for making the neck longer, giraffes were not the only inspiration she drew from. This would prove to be quite the struggle as she had already reached the age of 25 while the Kayan girls started at the age of 5. The process, in fact, does not actually elongate the neck at all. When she turned 25, she made a decision to pay tribute to her favorite thing on the planet. We all have something we obsess over. The process, in fact, does not actually elongate the neck at all. Find out how it all played out in the end…. Sydney decided that she wanted to pay tribute to giraffes so she went and put a ring on herself, multiple rings. The Rings. 5 years of her life was spent elongating her neck. She desperately wanted to emulate a giraffe so she decided that elongating her neck should be a step. You must be a little freaked out, right? When the question of it being dangerous or not is raised, the answer is definitely yes. Her normal life had become very difficult and she had to live up with the burden of it every day until the day she removed them. She actually owns a giraffe purse that she carries with her everywhere. Kayan long neck women wear the rings from childhood, starting with four or five, and adding more annually as they acclimate to the increased weight. ‘Progress’ was the word used by Sydney to describe herself in this picture, and we can all tell why she did just that. Pan Pat, Myanmar – Women of the Kayan tribe in Myanmar are well known for wearing brass coils around their necks their entire lives in order to lengthen it. In total, there were around 15 rings that could be placed on her neck and was about five pounds heavy. While Searching For Her Escaped Cat on a wintry night, Old Woman Stumbles Upon an unbelievable sight, stranger leaves an envelope for the man that makes him rush out of the bank and chase her down, son finds out the reason behind his mother’s strange disappearance every christmas when he receives a letter, Woman finds neighbor’s labradors barking infront of her house for a strange reason, Panhandler returns diamond ring to its owner but is surprised by her reaction to it. In an interview, Sydney revealed that her neck rings started to give her trouble, “I couldn’t function properly as a long neck woman with fifteen rings around my neck in the United States of America.” When you think about it, it must have been quite the challenge. Kayan long neck women wear the rings from childhood, starting with four or five, and adding more annually as they acclimate to the increased weight. Padaung women bind their necks with heavy brass rings that alter the shape of the neck and shoulders. However, she followed through with her decision and started very slowly. Even though Sydney clearly does not have any superpowers, if they had to give it to her it would definitely be along the lines of ‘Plastic Man or Elastigirl’. We can all agree that obsessions vary and that we all get a little carried away sometimes. Sydney here has always been a fan of giraffes. Zember, a quick-witted young woman with a cheerful, oval face, doesn't want to be a human exhibit. Usually, girls start to wear long neck rings from the age of 5 – 6. She did not anticipate just how much physical and mental strength this process would require. A full set of the neck rings can weigh as much as 22 pounds Credit: Barcroft Media Another theory is that the coils help protect the women of the tribe from tiger attacks as the coils covers the neck. There’s no fixed maximum number of neck rings … Even though 5 pounds do not sound that heavy, carrying it around on your neck all day for 24 hours a day would actually be some sort of punishment. The coils might be used as a ploy to avoid slavery. "A very hardcore glue held the rings together. After a while, the coils that have accumulated on Sydney’s neck became unbearably heavy. Sydney Smith, 30, … However, many women both young and old are more frequently making the decision to remove their rings, despite social repercussions. One American woman even tried it out for herself. Neck rings, or neck-rings, are any form of stiff jewellery worn as an ornament around the neck of an individual, as opposed to a loose necklace. Sydney Smith the Giraffe Woman removed the rings from her neck finally after five long years and it became clear to her that the price of livelihood was not really worth that all and every day. We had to put a chemical on it to eat through the glue," she said. A woman 'obsessed' with giraffes has given up on her dream of stretching her neck after spending years wearing a stack of heavy metal rings. But it could also be for vanity as slender neck do attract men a lot. Anthropologists have done extensive research on these people. If you remember the show ‘Ripley’s Believe It Or Not’, you would know just how extreme the people on the show are, whether it is achievements, lifestyle or natural reasons, they always feature out of the ordinary people. But in the case of the Kayan women, the reason behind them wearing these neck coils is just for cultural identity. Women of the Kayan tribes identify themselves by their forms of dress. The weight of these neck rings actually push the collarbone down and compress the rib cage. A photo of a Kayan woman wearing neck rings. After seeing photos of the women of the Kayan Lahwi tribes of Thailand and Burma, who encase their necks in rings from an early age, ... Smith had a friend help her remove her neck rings, which she says was an arduous process. The Kayan have become well-known for the striking appearance of their women, wearing rings or coils around the neck that make it seem like the neck is stretched and their head floating above a pedestal of gold. The Padang tribe in Myanmar/Burma and in Thailand follow the practice of adding coils of brass to their neck to elongate the appearance of the neck. Not a lot of us would be able to say that. But in the case of the Kayan women, the reason behind them wearing these neck coils is just for cultural identity. This creates the illusion of disembodied head hovering over a shimmering pedestal of gold rings. The females from Kayan Lahwi would start with their neck rings at the tender age of five. Many cultures and periods have made neck rings, with both males and females wearing them at various times. In the hills of Northern Thailand, right at the border of Myanmar, lives a tribe of Karenni people called Kayan Lahwi. If you look at this photo and get a little confused, do not fret because it really is a confusing sight to behold. There have been a lot of theories as to why these women put on these coils. So when they featured Sydney in their comic books, it was clear her story was unique enough. Her physique has indeed changed a lot from when she started. Photo: National Geographic Channel As the weight of the coils press down, the clavicle is lowered, and with each addition to the neck rings it falls further, compressing the rib cage as well. The existence of the Kayan in northern Thailand began in the late 1980s, when conflict between the Myanmar army and rebel forces forced Kayan tribes to flee to Thai border areas, from where they sought refuge in Thailand and were housed in a number of refugee camps. 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