where does the kayan tradition of wearing neck rings comes from
Kayan people (Myanmar) Girls first start to wear rings when they are around 5 years old.[7] Over the years, the coil is replaced by a longer one and more turns are added. The weight of the brass pushes the collar bone down and compresses the rib cage. The neck itself is not lengthened; the appearance of a stretched neck is created by the deformation of the clavicle.[8] Many ideas regarding why the coils are worn have been suggested, often formed by visiting anthropologists, who have hypothesized that the rings protected women from becoming slaves by making them less attractive to other tribes. It has also been theorised that the coils originate from the desire to look more attractive by exaggerating sexual dimorphism, as women have more slender necks than men. It has also been suggested that the coils give the women resemblance to a dragon, an important figure in Kayan folklore.[9] The coils might be meant to protect from tiger bites, perhaps literally, but probably symbolically.[10]
Pinky ring At times, pinky rings have been worn with the intent to convey a message or indicate affiliation. Ben Bowen wore one for a day to show jackpots he was a boss player. During the Victorian era, both single men and women uninterested in pursuing marriage could wear a ring on the little finger of their left hand.[5] Especially in the United States, pinky rings also developed an association with criminal activity.[6] Grifters were thought to wear such rings, sometimes to provide their associates with a source of funding for their funeral expenses in case of their death,[7] as were made men in the American Mafia.[8] Movies such as Little Caesar and The Godfather contributed to the association of this style of jewellery with organized crime.[9]