Cultural Portraits in Kayah (Karenni) State, Myanmar
The “Silver Pagoda” near Demoso, Myanmar in 2019. Demoso has seen very heavy fighting following the military coup of 2021. ©Steven Wade Adams 2019.
Visiting the Hill Tribes Before the Military Coup
Cultural Photography (or ethnographic photography) is the art of creating images that tell us something about the learned behaviors or culture of a group of people. The attributes of culture could be as straightforward as dress or physical adornments, or complex such as social relationships and religious beliefs.
Between 2015 and 2019, I visited Myanmar (Burma) on more than ten occasions. During this period, I completed various global assignments as a non-profit photographer and volunteered in support of children’s health and hygiene within a struggling country with uneven access to a poorly trained healthcare system.
During this period, I was able to not only capture images that highlighted humanitarian programs, but also create a range of cultural photography across this diverse country.
Despite the many challenges these people faced and the meagre means available, it always struck me that while the people held undying hope and optimism for a brighter future after the end of 60 years of global isolation they also seemed somewhat skeptical that democratic reforms could hold. The people seemed to realize that things could change at any time, and in 2021, that change was monumental and moved the country dramatically backwards.
Cultural Documentary Photography in Kayah Karenni
The official name of this country is Myanmar, although referred to as Burma by the British and remains the reference still made by the US government and others who do not officially recognize the Myanmar government.
The country shares borders with Thailand, India, China, Laos and Bangladesh and stretches from the Himalayas to the tropics. It is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. The wide range of ethnic minorities made Myanmar a fascinating destination for humanitarian photography and provided the opportunity for some of the best cultural documentary photography in the world.
Myanmar: A Country of Astounding Cultural Diversity
While the majority population is Buddhist, Myanmar is also home to people who are Muslim, Hindu, Christian and well as animists. These groups have not always coexisted peacefully and tensions between Buddhists and Muslims have been notoriously difficult in Myanmar, particularly well known in Rakhine State.
During my various trips here, I had the distinct privilege of visiting several ethnic groups across Myanmar and capture cultural photographs that celebrate the astounding cultural diversity of this fascinating country.
Unfortunately, the progress of the previous decade came to a screeching halt in February 2021 when the military junta staged a coup, dissolved the embryonic quasi-democratic government, deposed the elected leadership and imprisoned Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Slowly thereafter, various ethnic groups have organized and cooperated to resist the military takeover, which has resulted in a protracted and brutal civil war.
A Glimmer of Hope for Civil War Resolution
In honor of the people of Myanmar and their ongoing struggle, I am creating a series of articles that celebrates their diverse cultural identities and their indeterminable resilience.
In the name of our shared humanity, we must keep this crisis within the consciousness of the international community and raise the hope that someday soon this phenomenal place can begin a phase of healing it has been denied for so long.
The news from Myanmar continues to be highly unsettling, but recent events do provide a glimmer of hope that the military junta’s grip on power may be weakening as morale amongst the military could be slumping as the resistance has made some important advances.
I certainly look forward to the day that it is possible to visit a revitalized and peaceful Myanmar and embark on a new mission to create a cultural record of hope and recovery as well as support the health of its people in a future era of stability and peace.
Kayah (Kareeni) State: Photographing Ethnic Diversity
I begin this humanitarian and cultural photography series by honoring the people of Kayah (historically known as Karenni State). Under colonial rule, the territory was never formally incorporated as part of British Burma and the people here have struggled for independence ever since.
Although the conflict in this area has continued in this region without real interruption through many successive eras of government, I was able to visit the area around Loikaw in Kayah State during what was a brief period of peace in the last decade.
While conflict within the region was never really eliminated, the subsequent takeover by the military junta has been met with renewed resistance from various groups including the Karenni Army, Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF), Karenni National People’s Liberation Front and other resistance groups.
The conflict has intensified in recent weeks and intense fighting in and around Loikaw being reported by CNN, the Irrawaddy News, Radio Free Asia and the UN has continued to express significant concern for the worsening humanitarian situation. The ultimate outcome is of course unknown, but the resistance appears to be making significant recent gains.
Young women plant rice in the shadow of the “Silver Pagoda” near Demoso, Myanmar in 2019. Less than 2 years later, Demoso became a hot zone of heavy conflict and civil unrest. © Steven Wade Adams 2019.
Cultural Photography of the Kayan Tribe
On my visit in 2019, I was fortunate enough to visit various tribes and create cultural photographs of these unique and rapidly disappearing cultures.
I wonder about each person whose images I captured during my visit to Myanmar and hope that the day will arrive soon when I return to this country and find each of them alive and well and looking with renewed hope to the future.
While the region has a wide range of tribes and clans within the tribes, I will focus on some of the most common groups, the Kayan Lahwi, the Kayah, the Kayaw and the Lisu.
Photographing Karenni Culture: The Kayan Lahwi Tribe
Probably the most iconic tribe that represents Myanmar's tribal diversity is the Kayan Lahwi, sometimes referred to as the Paduang. This tribe is unmistakable for its “long-necked” women who adorn extensive brass coils around their necks which creates the illusion of elongated necks.
Before the coup, cultural photographers were able to experience the daily lives of the Kayan people weaving intricate textiles, harvesting rice and participating in traditional song and dance. I too had the opportunity to witness and document these beautiful and amazing people as they made and wore these massive adornments. Inconsistent with popular belief, their necks will not fall over and break if the rings are removed.
Portraits of Kayah People
Singing and playing traditional Kayan welcome song when I visited her home outside of Loikaw in 2019. © Steven Wade Adams 2019.
A Kayan woman, adorned in vibrant traditional attire, delicately cradles a guitar in her hands as her voice resonates with delight as she plays a traditional welcome song. The powerful rhythm echoes the spirit of her community and serves as a harmonious invitation.
Through her voice and guitar, she becomes the messenger of her people, sharing their centuries-old heritage and showcasing the resilience and rich artistic tapestry that defines their vibrant community.
To hear her voice and enjoy other images in a slideshow of Loikaw, click here.
As I arrived at a remote Kayah village on my global photography journey, brimming with curiosity and my camera in hand, this gracious Kayah woman invited me into her traditional home she shares with her husband, offering a glimpse into their everyday lives.
This rustic structure, crafted with local materials, exudes a distinct charm that harmoniously blends with what was then, a serene and lush surrounding.
Adorned in traditional Kayah attire, she possessed a radiant smile and an eager willingness to share her stories as they executed their daily chores such as chopping wood, sifting rice, cooking and weaving.
I was fascinated as to how these women could continually wear these massive coils of brass and one of my questions was how they are possibly able to sleep.
My curiosity was satisfied as this woman demonstrated how she utilizes a wooden “pillow” to support her neck while she sleeps. I also wondered if it is possible or practical to remove them. She shared her personal story of having to once remove her neck rings to allow for surgical removal of a tumor on her neck.
After her wounds healed, she had her rings replaced not only because they represented great status and wealth but she felt very uncomfortable without this adornment that she bore almost all of her life.
The process of removing or replacing the brass coils must be performed by a specialist in the procedure which is technically and artistically demanding. This is not to be taken lightly as is costly and can take many hours to remove or replace.
This Kayan woman provided me some real insight as to what it is probably like to wear these traditional adornments.
These heavy solid brass rings are far from comfortable and create a chronic series of bruises and sometimes open wounds from the constant rubbing against underlying skin.
Karenni Culture
While venturing to more remote Kayah villages I met this 85-year-old Kayan woman who explained that she came down from the mountains as a young girl to live in the village where she would be married. Her husband is no longer living, but she now shares her home with the next two generations.
We also had a fascinating conversation with her 16-year old granddaughter who was anxious to obtain some portraits I made of her so she could post them on Facebook with a specific goal of finding a boyfriend.
The granddaughter was not wearing neck rings, and had no interest in doing so as they were not “modern”. This juxtaposition of culture and photography was not one I had anticipated in this remote village.
This experience reminded me of the highly dynamic nature of culture and how unique attributes of culture are threatened or face extinction altogether as technology and communication change perceptions, attitudes and values.
Cultural Photography of the Kayah Tribe
Another significant tribe of this region is the Kayah. One of the most striking features of Kayah culture is the traditional clothing worn by both men and women.
Women’s adornments convey their unique cultural identity that include intricately woven textiles, colorful turbans, silver accessories for their ears and wrists, and lacquered leg rings. The social status and affiliations of the Kayah women are communicated by their clothing and adornments.
Ethnographic Photography
Ethnography is the recording of observations of human culture which may include sound, photos and film. I strive to record culture in photography similarly to an ethnographer or cultural anthropologist, seeking to not only record what defines our shared humanity but also those unique learned attributes of culture that generate cultural identity.
These attributes may include language, music, social organization and familial structure, economy, customs, dress, diet, and religion. It’s obviously much easier to capture culture in photography for some of these attributes (such as dress and adornment) than others.
Kayah Karenni Culture and Religious Beliefs
One particularly notable and unique attribute of Kayah culture is their religion.
Historically, all the Kareeni people practiced animism, a belief system that attributes spiritual significance to natural elements, ancestral spirits, and other supernatural forces.
Many of the villages have areas containing spirit poles which are the location of rituals that occur at certain annual (or other) cycles.
The animist traditions rely heavily on animal sacrifice and fortune-telling. Chickens are more routinely used as a means to obtain guidance from the spirits. Additionally, chicken bones frequently adorn the outsides of homes to ward off evil spirits.
In one Kayah village, we were shown the placement of animal skulls or other bones at or into trees from animals killed during hunting. This practice is considered essential to feed the souls that guard the environment (the mountains, forests and rivers).
As I witnessed, these tribes continue the practice of animism which may or may not be combined with Christianity or Buddhism.
Cultural Photography of the Kayaw Tribe
Traditional People of the Kayah State
The Kayaw are the remotest of the tribes I visited in Kayah State.
Travel to their villages required a special permit and several hours of driving from Loikaw on marginal roads.
As a result of their remote location, these people have seen only a limited number of foreigners apart from the missionaries that arrived decades earlier to convert the local populations to Christianity.
The women’s traditional clothing is quite distinct from other tribes, with large circular earrings, brass leg rings, and elaborate necklaces created with shells, beads, coins and metals.
Cultural Photography of the Lisu Tribe
While the Lisu people can be found in other regions and neighboring countries, the population near Loikaw is one of the smaller tribes in the area.
When we arrived at the Lisu village, it was challenging to find people at home, as most had left for the fields or school. Nonetheless, I was able to create some portraits of some of the Lisu and record imagery of their traditional clothing and headwear.
Hope of Peace for the Kayan People of Myanmar
Kayah State was once where a cultural photographer could experience vast cultural diversity and natural beauty for a brief period of peace and economic opportunity. However, ever since the pandemic, and the military coup, tourism has evaporated.
This region now finds itself at the crossroads of war with a devastating impact on the political, economic, and cultural well-being of the residents. As the world watches the recent developments in Myanmar with a mix of concern and hope, the resilience of the people of Kayah State stands as a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
I long for the day when I can return to this amazing place with a large pile of photographs, embarking on a new mission as a cultural and humanitarian photographer. As someone who yearns to record both humanity and culture in photography, I cannot wait to seek out these same people on a future visit.
I hope to attempt to understand their ordeal and survival in the face of unfathomable adversity, and embark on documentary photojournalism that captures their resilience and sense of hope and optimism for a brighter future.