Tatts amazing: Tribal women of Myanmar show off their face tattoos

DEEP in the region of Mount Victoria, Myanmar lives the dying tradition of the heavily tattooed women of Chin State

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Women in the Dai tribe have their entire face covered in dots

Mount Victoria is home to the Munn and Dai tribes, both with their own recognisable facial inkings.

The women of the Munn tribe have interlinked rings tattooed from their cheeks to neck

Munn women have a series of small, interlinked rings arranged in a half moon tattooed from the cheeks up to the neck, and the Dai women have their entire faces covered in dots.

Women in the region have been getting their faces tattooed since the eleventh century

Italian photographer, Marco Giovanelli, went in search of these legendary women in March 2016.

The tattoo ink is made from soot, cow bile, plants and pig fat

He said: “These women really challenged my own prejudice, judgment and definition of beauty. The culture of tattooing their faces is now dying but I met a couple of young women who, despite the mainstream pressures, tattooed their face to keep their culture alive.”

The tribes use thorn needles to perform the procedure

When a Chin girl reaches puberty, aged between 12 and 14, she is considered old enough to be tattooed - a symbolism of entering adult life. The tattoos are made using thorn needles and the ink is made from soot, cow bile, plants and pig fat.

Traditionally the tattoos were done to make the women less attractive

However, as more young women are refusing to join the practice due to the heavy fines imposed by the military dictatorship, the tradition is disappearing.

The Munn and Dai tribes now see it as a sign of beauty

This extraordinary custom began in the eleventh century when young maiden girls tattooed themselves, disfiguring their faces to protect them from slavery or being captured by the ruling king.

Less women in the region are getting their face tattooed

The travelling photographer said: “A legend said that an ancient king tried to make slaves of the women, the inkings were first intended to repel incomers. It was supposed to make the girls and women ugly.

“Now, it’s their definition of beauty and they are very proud of themselves for having tattoos before the men."

When girls reach puberty they are considered old enough to get their faced tattooed

Marco added: “I kept remembering the quote ‘If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, how different our ideals of beauty would be’ as I have never came across more kind, generous and friendlier people then the women from the South Chin State”