Draft:Par Yel

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Par Yel

Chin women with face tattooing

In Burmese, people call “Par Yel”, “Par Mal”, “Payae” and “ပါးရဲ” (MLCTS: /pa̱je:/). to women having tattooing in Chin state. Women tattooing was practiced by almost all Chin tribes in Myanmar during the 11th century. The culture of traditional practice was usual among the Kcho ladies around Mindat, Kanpetlet, Asho Chin, and the Chin people from the Arakan state. In the Kcho language, the facial tattoo is called “Mang Gruke”, in which “Mang” means a sign of good luck or richness, and “Gruke” means that tattoos make them beautiful or mark themselves. Each sub-group had specific terms and designs for tattoos. The pattern of the tattoo design represents the race they belong. Unlike other tattoos, these tattoos were made traditionally with buffalo kidneys and local plants. Starting from the age of 12 to 15, mothers started to consult with specialist tattoo artists to get tattoos on their daughters’ faces. Tattoos are predominantly embraced by women, especially during the winter season, as the cooler temperatures facilitate a more comfortable and expedited healing process for their skin. The process of tattooing required more than a day to finish, and the experience was particularly intense, and discomforting, especially in the sensitive part of the eyelids. While the history and traditions surrounding Chin state are interesting, they are quickly becoming lost to time. Around the 1960s, the Burmese socialist government noticed the situation in Chin state and banned the practice of face tattoos. Nowadays, the women of Chin state represent the final generation to uphold the ancient tradition of facial tattooing. With their passing, the rich history and cultural significance of this tattooing tradition will fade away.

The CHIN

Flag of Chin State

The Chin is a group of people that live in the mountains along the Myanmar-India borders and neighboring areas. The term "Chin" originates from its English adaptation of the Burmese name, predominantly used within Myanmar. The Chin people call themselves the “Zo '' or “Zomi”, which names are used for them in India. Religion and dialect groups consist of the Chinbok, Chinbon, Dai, Lai, Laizo, Mara, and Ngala. They are related to the Mizo, Kuki, and Hmar in Mizoram and Manipur state in eastern India. The Chin languages belong to the Kuki-Chin subgroup of the Kuki-Naga Group of the Tibeto-missionaries gave them Roman alphabets in the 1800s.

The traditional founding history of Myanmar comprises various ethnic groups, including the Chins alongside with Kachin, Kayan, Shan, Mon and Burmese. They have their dialects and speak their related language, and share the elements of culture and traditions. It is estimated that there are approximately 300,000 Chin people in Burma and around 600,000 in Mizoram State, located in eastern India. Historically, they have inhabited high mountain areas with villages situated between 1,000 and 2,000 meters above sea level. These regions were considered undesirable by other groups due to their harsh conditions. The northern Chins have distinct customs and beliefs compared to their southern counterparts. Additionally, ethnic groups such as the Purum, Lakher, Mizo, and Thadou reside in the hilly regions of northeastern India and northwestern Burma, sharing customs and ways of life resembling those of the Chins

The Chin are predominantly Christian. The majority of the Chin people practice Christianity and reside primarily in the isolated mountainous regions of northwestern Myanmar. Their territory shares borders with Assam, India to the west, Bangladesh to the southwest, Arakan state of Myanmar to the south, and the Burmese-dominated areas to the east. The total Chin population, both within and outside Chinland, is estimated at around two million, with the majority residing in Chin State .

History of Chin Women

Women face tattooing at Chin State, Myanmar

In the remote mountainous regions of Myanmar’s Chin state, a fading tribal custom involves tattooing the faces of women. Although Chin state is isolated and difficult to reach, it has become popular because of Chin women's remarkable facial tattoos, a tradition that originated with the application of ink made from special plants with a dark green hue and soot. During the 11th century, according to the elders, the purpose behind this practice was when Burmese kings sought good-looking Chin girls , prompting the community to adopt tattooing as a means to deter them. Over the years, tattooed faces have become familiar to the Chin tribe women and it has become the symbol of their beauty. Although the historical accuracy of this story remains uncertain, the Chins comprise over forty subgroups, and each exhibits unique facial tattoos and customs. The elder Chin women tribe continues to carry the marks of this ancient and brutal tradition .

Around a millennium ago, neighboring men were captivated by the allure of Chin women, leading to their abduction for slavery and marriage . Fearing the capture of their women, Chin women began tattooing their faces, intending to make themselves less attractive and to safeguard against intruders seeking slavery. Additionally, the tattoos served as a means of recognition, ensuring that Chin men could identify their captured women. As soon as a girl puberty, the tattooing tradition commences. The design gradually extends across their faces, forming specific patterns resembling spider webs or sunrises. Chin women typically complement their adorned faces with traditional drum-shaped silver earrings, focusing on the preservation of their tribal customs.

A facial tattoo is like a permanent mask, and the Chin women believe that it is super-charged, and protects them from evil spirits in their life. Some Chin tribes thought that their ancestors could not recognize them if they did not have tattoo marks on their faces and foreheads. As a consequence, it became the authentication “mark” of Chin womanhood , which is a visual expression of belongings and identity. It signifies the ability to endure the pain of having mastered different stages in life, being a tribe of the Chin community, particular beauty perception, and distinct spiritual and supernatural beliefs.

Ethnicity and their symbolism

In Myanmar, various Chin subgroups exhibit unique tattoo patterns on their face, allowing the identification of the women’s origin based on the distinct tattoos on their faces. It also indicates their marital status and social rank. It is possible to decide where a woman comes from by distinguishing the pattern on their face. Generally, there are six large Chin tribes, and they wear an array of different tattoos

The Muun Chin

The Muun Chin, also known as Chinbok , are a group within the Chin community. The Muun Chin, who are residing in the Kanpetlet region may identify themselves as the Cho. The M’kuum women adorn their foreheads and chins with a unique spotted tattoo pattern, creating an artistic and culturally significant display. Muun individuals showcase their distinctive facial markings in the shape of the letter “B” pattern on their faces and “Y” symbols on their foreheads, which was accompanied by an animist tree pattern. Additionally, some Muun women have circles tattooed on their necks, which the process was painful and significant within their community.

Lai Tu Chin

Originally warrior hill tribes living in small groups, Lai Tu Chin migrated to the banks of the Laymro River in the 4th century AD, forming larger villages. Nowadays, they are inhabiting along the Laymro river and its tributaries north and south of Mrauk U in Arakan state, and Chin state. The Lai Tu Chin women are easily identifiable by the unique spider-web pattern of facial tattoos. Historically, they sustained facial tattooing as a rite of passage, signifying their belonging to the tribe.  Despite the influence of modernity, the Lai Tu Chin people have witnessed a decline in their traditional culture, and the tattooed women represent the last remaining cultural symbol.

M'kuum Chin

The M’kuum or Magan women beautified their foreheads and chins with distinctive spotted tattoo patterns. They dress in vibrant traditional attire, notably donning eye-catching yellow earrings crafted from beads and calabashes. These women showcase their unique musical talents by playing the flute using their noses.  

Daai Chin

The Daai Chin community resides in the townships of Southern Chin state in Burma, comprising over 180 villages with a population ranging from 40,000 to 50,000 . They constitute the majority of the Southern Chin Hills. Three decades ago, the Daai people followed animistic beliefs, however, in the last 20 years, a significant majority has embraced Christianity. Presently, approximately 99% of the Daai population identifies as Christian. Among the Chin tribes, distinct tattooing practices are prevalent, and the Daai Chin women have long vertical-line tattoos that cover their entire faces, including the eyelids.

U-Pu Chin

The U-Pu Chin, an uncommon group in Chin State, practices the unique tradition of covering their entire faces covered in dots, with either blackened or ashen-looking faces, since their faces are full with tattoos. Completing a standard tattoo typically takes a day, while entirely black tattoos may require two or three days. Infections are frequent issues, as the process often leaves girls covered in blood, including tattooing the eyelids. Numerous women have noted that the neck is the most painful area during the tattooing process.

Process

The traditional method involves the use of tattoo needles crafted by tying three bamboo pieces together or employing thorns for drawing the design. Buffalo kidney is mainly used for their traditional tattoos, along with leaves, grass shoots, and soot. Leaves provide color, soot serves as a disinfectant, and grass shoots act as a natural healing cover, and it is applied as a bandage. Women use cane plant thorns as needles, heat pine plant bark, collect the smoke in a mud pot, and mix it with various leaves to create the ink. The tips of many thorns were soaked in this ink, and the soaked thorns were used. This ink mixture is then applied to the face using sharp cane thorns, piercing the skin until bleeding to create the desired pattern. The leaves called Ng’hlo are squeezed and mixed with powder .

When a girl in the family reaches the ages of 12 to 15, it's customary for the parents to contemplate having their daughter get face tattoos. And the parents planned to consult with one or more local tattoo artists to discuss the possibility. However, if the girl is older than the appropriate age for face tattooing, it is difficult to heal and the risks associated with them are higher, the tattooist often refuses to handle it.

To make the tattooing process safe, the Chin people believed and adhered to the tradition of asking the relevant dates for getting a tattoo to fortune-tellers  who were called “Puik’tu”  in Chin language. In doing so, the family had to prepare chicken, pig or cow that were intended to sacrifice for the girl who would have a tattoo on the cheek. After doing this practice, the family started doing the tattooing process. Before the day of getting the tattoo, the girl had been taken by her aunts or close relative to a quiet house or a building outside of the village and spent the night . The next day, they began the process. While doing the process, the family had to place green leaves in conspicuous places such as the verandah at the entrance of the house so that strangers did not visit.

The process, particularly in the delicate eyelid area, is highly painful and normally takes one day to complete. It can potentially extend to two days for more complex designs. The level of pain varies for each woman depending on their chosen design, and the discomfort may persist for several days . In certain circumstances, girls could not stand the pain and often ran away from their family, and so their relatives had to wait for the completion of the entire process. It normally took around two to three weeks to recover for people who were getting tattoos.

Tattoos are designed to fade over the years, without completely disappearing. Due to the lighter and less dense nature of the ink used compared to regular tattoo ink, the designs are expected to fade more quickly. Process and equipment lead to a unique outcome, which different patterns on their faces offer minimal outline to their features.

Challenges and controversies

Today, the Chin girls from different tribes no longer continue the tattooing tradition due to being banned and severely punished. Only the elderly women still have tattoos on their faces. The prohibition of face tattoos became a conflict among Chin women society.  In some cases, women faced serious health risks as the tattoos caused infections, ultimately resulting in fatal consequences.These adverse health outcomes raised serious concerns within the community and caught the attention of the government. In the 1960s, the Burmese socialist government prohibited the tradition of face tattooing as part of their initiative to eliminate old practices and embrace modernization. Missionaries in the Chin region also condemned it as barbaric. The women of the U-Pu tribe, who currently bear facial tattoos, represent the final generation practicing this ancient art. In the aftermath of this prohibition, many women in Chin State found themselves in a complex and conflicted situation, contemplating the uncertain fate of their deeply rooted cultural tradition. While certain individuals advocate for the perpetuation of the face tattooing tradition among women, others contend that contemporary women should have the autonomy to make their own decisions regarding this practice. With their passing, a significant chapter of Chin history will be consigned to textbooks.

Due to greater exposure to the external world, many young people in the Chin state no longer view face tattooing as trendy or aesthetically pleasing . Moreover, parents have come to understand that face tattooing should not be done and encouraged. In fact, a considerable number feel embarrassed by their grandmothers' seemingly outdated markings. However, as photographers, journalists, and historians arrive in Chin State to capture the vanishing tradition, some families are beginning to take pride in their adorned grandmothers. Their homes now proudly showcase portraits of these tattooed women in their full traditional attire.

External Links

• https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Photographer-documents-disappearing-face-tattoos-of-Myanmar-s-Chin-women
• https://www.wandersmiles.com/face-tattooed-women-chin-tribes-myanmar/
• https://medium.com/@megancheek/chin-state-the-land-of-sacrifices-questionable-religious-practices-and-women-with-face-tattoos-462a0bc470f6
• https://www.irrawaddy.com/photo-essay/face-face-tattooed-women-chin.html
• https://www.dylangoldby.com/tattoos-of-asia/kaang-chin-state-myanmar/