Giraffe lady earlier than and after refers back to the placing bodily transformation undergone by girls of the Kayan Lahwi tribe in northern Thailand and Myanmar. The time period is used to explain the apply of elongating the neck via using brass rings. The rings are added from a younger age, progressively growing in quantity and weight, which causes the neck to elongate and tackle a giraffe-like look.
The custom of neck elongation has been practiced by the Kayan Lahwi for hundreds of years and is believed to have originated as a method to shield girls from changing into slaves. The elongated necks made them much less fascinating to slave merchants, as they have been unable to hold heavy burdens. Right this moment, the apply continues as a cultural custom, and giraffe girls are sometimes seen as symbols of magnificence and power.