MYANMAR: The Last Generation of Tattooed Women

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  • MYANMAR:  The Last Generation of Tattooed Women
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The Chin people of northwestern Myanmar traditionally tattooed the faces of young girls, apparently to discourage other tribes from raiding them. These are portraits of members of the last generation of Chin women to have endured this painful process, which has now been banned. They were photographed in two remote villages on the Kaladan River, near the border between Chin and Rakhine states. These women have brought publicity and resources to their villages, and command a great deal of respect and authority as a consequence. Their communities may well fall back into obscurity and poverty once this last generation has passed away, and travelers no longer make the arduous journey to see them.