If you are a member of the KayanLahwi tribe, whose villages are found in modern-day Burma and Thailand, then chances are that your dream girl has a long, elegant neck decorated with a series of metal rings. This is because KayanLahwi girls start wearing these heavy coils when they are just five years old, and over time women can have as many as 25 fitted to their necks. Although this practice makes it look as though the women’s neck has been stretched, appearances can be deceptive. In fact, the weight of the solid metal coils holds down the shoulders and collarbone, creating the illusion of a longer neck underneath all those decorative rings.
Many shamanic cosmologies posit the existence of lands, realms, or dimensions accessible to shamans after initiation and training. These are rarely if ever equivalent to the transcendent realms posited by monotheistic religions (e.g., heaven and hell). They are perhaps best understood as alternative lands, access to which is made by unusual means (for ordinary humans): descent into an underworld, ascent into an upper world, or nonphysical journeys over vast distances. Many of these other worlds are the primary home of significant other-than-human persons, or spirits.
Where these include the beings who control animals, birds, or fish in this world, shamans may be responsible (as resource managers) for mediation to ensure that hunters or fishers encounter sufficient prey to meet the needs of their community. Where the otherworld persons control diseases or are “spirits of illness,” shamans’ roles may include seeking powerful aid in healing or mediation to divert the negative attention of predatory beings. Some other worlds are the eventual destination of the dead, in which case shamans are unique in being able to journey there before their deaths and—the important bit—return again. That this is always a dangerous pursuit is illustrated by the need for initiation and the aid of powerful helpers. When shamans form intimate relationships with otherworld persons, it can affect their social standing and role, and even their gender.
We strongly believe that all women are beautiful in their own unique way. It has little to do with size or shape, fitness level or the color of their hair or skin and way more to do with their character, how they carry themselves, the sound of their laugh and that little sparkle in their eyes. However, we can’t deny the fact that there are certain criteria of beauty, and they differ from country to country. We thought it would be interesting to see what are those criteria are around the world, and basically how beauty is perceived in different parts of the world.
Other beauty:
Indigenous Peoples Literature 