Around the world there are a lot of customs that identify certain ethnical groups. For example, if we went on a trip to Africa or Asia, we could find several tribes with the most peculiar traditions ever.
Being an outsider to these culture groups, one can get startled at seeing women changing the physiognomy of some of their body part. For example, once I saw a documentary about women who stretch their necks in Northern Thailand. They do this by placing neck rings as they grow up so that when they are adults they get a pretty long neck.
You may say that giraffes have long necks since they need to get the food from trees, so what purpose does the long neck fulfill in the women of Kayan tribes? Well, after surfing the net, I realized that not every woman undergoes that process. Only if they are born in full moon are they chosen to modify this organ. The meaning of this ritual lies in the fact that they are the privileged ones . In other words, they are specially gifted by superior entities. Therefore, they are admired by the other members of the tribe and considered the most beautiful (they get to be married first), the most productive (they are good at crops) and the wealthiest (they belong to the clans in power).
Once again, having one single story of a cultural aspect is to hinder the truth indeed. Before judging others, we must know all the versions around them.
Thank you for your post. It is very important not to judge. I do not believe in giraffes, but I do enjoy learning about other cultures. I have a favorite graphic that I keep on my computer. It is of a giraffe, but the artist has taken the insides and drawn them as if they are mechanics operated by tiny men. This to say that we don't know what we can't see, and some we take on blind faith. Still, hearing stories isn't all truth either. We have to have experiences to know for ourselves.
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