Dream Trip 2009

Great Travel Moment

I took this picture while on a day tour through Mae Hong Son in Thailand. These women are part of the Long Neck Karen tribe. I learned that touring the Karen village, where the tradition of wearing the heavy coils (which leave the impression of a long neck) has been revived, is highly controversial. Some have described coming to these villages as exploitative and say that the tradition has predominantly been revived for economic purposes - the tourists pay money to see it. I felt very voyeuristic walking through the village, and it left me thinking all the more about my ecological footprint. Was my being there causing more harm than good?