This woman is a member of the Karen tribe of Burma. When I took this photograph, she was living as a refugee in Northern Thailand. Unfortunately, she spoke neither Thai nor English and my (Thai) guide could not speak her language.
As accommodating as this woman was by smiling for my camera, I never did get over the feeling that I was just an outside observer, like being in a museum – only able to observe. Since that encounter, I’ve always done my best to find a guide who can speak the native tongue of whatever community I’m visiting.
Travel Well,
Beth
Related links:
Photo of the Day: Men at Cao Dai Temple
Photo of the Day: Buddhist Bells
Photo of the Day: Vietnam Temple
Photo of the Day: Varanasi Saris
Photo of the Day: Bangkok Flowers
Photo of the Day: Woman with Checkered Headscarf
Photo of the Day: Bhutan Prayer Flags
Photo of the Day: Angkor Wat Monks
Join other Wanderlusters and help make this the most popular women’s travel blog by subscribing via email or RSS feed.
Nik says
Very nice picture, and tip there Beth, I’ve seen photos of similar long-necked tribes but they never cease to amaze me. It looks a little painful to say the least don’t you think?
Caitlin says
It’s nice when you can have a local guide who can bridge the gap between the community and yourself. It’s a pity there was a language barrier here. She’s beautiful though and it’s a lovely photo. Did she want money for posing for the photo? In some parts of the world they do, in others not.
Jen says
Beautiful picture! I love to read the stories that go along with your pictures because you travel in a way that many people don’t…you truly love to experience the culture, rather than just be a tourist.
marina villatoro says
Yes, it’s a sad fact about these women. My parents were there and felt the same way. They said it was more like a very depressing museum with little help in making life better for them.
Photo Friday – Ex Prison Turned Children’s Museum
Peace (Australia) says
Great photo and great tip too, native speaking guides make it so much easier to understand the culture and lives of the people. It must be even more difficult as a refugee to live in a new country that you don’t have the language of though.
Dominique says
Lovely photo.
I wish we traveled to places where we needed to worry about getting a local guide to speak the language 🙂
Amy @ The Q Family says
Great picture! I like the tip about finding the guide who knows the local language.
Lorraine says
For some reason when I read the title I had a ‘longneck’ beer bottle in my mind, and that this would be some sort of cowgirl photo. Oh how wrong I was! What an extraordinary capture, with so much going on behind it…the story of her traditions, where she’s carrying the buckets to, the head-dress, her neck, her bracelets, etc. Your photos tell such amazing stories.
kristen Gill says
Beth, how interesting that we both posted women of the hill tribes in our Photo Friday posts! My blog shows women of the H’Mong tribe in northern Viet Nam. Someday I will get up to the tribes in Thailand!
http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/kristengill/1352-photo-of-the-week-happy-mothers-day/
Adventure on,
Kristen