Myanmar - The Spider Women

Intricate face tattooing may be a painful thought to some, but to these indigenous “spider women” of Myanmar’s Chin state, they are an important symbol of beauty and bravery.

- Khushi Makasare

Chin ladies carrying traditional bamboo baskets, Chin Villages, Mrauk-U

Nestled deep within the remote mountains of northwestern Myanmar, the tiny Chin state is overflowing with rich history and culture. Chin state shares its borders with India and Bangladesh, and various customs and traditions are also shared with these countries. Over the centuries, the people of Chin were exposed to multiple foreign influences – from the zealous Christian missionaries to the powerful East Indian British Company. These external forces tried hard but ultimately failed to taint Chin heritage. The ethnic group remained strongly rooted to its culture, resolutely upholding their historic craft, the incredible art of facial tattoos.

It is believed that the art of tattooing was introduced to then-Burma between the 14th to 17th century by the Shan people, a minority ethnic group who originate from China’s Yunnan province. The migration of this distinct group of people into Chin state meant that their ideologies and culture have now been absorbed into that of the Chin. In ancient Shan culture, there was a strong belief in the spiritual or mystical power of tattoos.

While there remains no historical records of where the Chin people originated from, archaeological evidence points to them settling down in the region around the late ninth or early tenth century. They were theorised to have made their way to the present Chin state via the Chindwin Valley.

Tattooed M’kuum woman in traditional garb, Chin state