Padaung "long-neck" girl

[Chris Saper]

David, this is an exquisite drawing.

Oddly enough, I happened to be in Ripley's "Believe It or Not Museum" in NYC this past weekend, and this tradition was prominently shown. If I recall the tradition began as a kind of above the waist chastity best, in that the men of the tribes felt that by forcing the girls and women to do the neck coils, the women would be found unattractive by other men. Eventually it evolved into a kind of beauty symbol.

To me it has a complex kind of attraction, part beauty, and part train wreck fascination. The exhibit showed an array of those terribly deformed necks and clavicles.

I think you should approach the museum about including your drawing or print, in the exhibit.

I actually found this exhibit compelling, and I think that your drawing conveys, at least my emotional response through this young girl.

Ripley's is definitely weird, kind of a side show anachronism, but I am sure he had a very interesting life, one that Hemingway would have either abhorred or coveted.