The secret of the giraffe-women,
finally revealed

by Johan Van Roekeghem
 

This drawing is the result of an intensive research, that has been done during a six months' stay with the long-neck people.
Since the researcher speaks the language, required to converse with the giraffewomen, the countless conversations he held with them have led to correct understanding of the effect that the wearing of brass has on their necks.
All existing information, which origin is doubtful, has been disregarded to clear the way to perfect understanding.
The X-ray pictures shown below, originate from a 43 years old giraffewoman, who wears brass for 38 years. These pictures were taken at the hospital of Mae-Hong-Son, attended by the researcher.They have been studied by an orthopedic surgeon in Belgium, to ensure that the description below is correct.
The drawing is divided into two corresponding sides. The left half shows how the vertebrae and ribs are formed by a woman who doesn't wear brass. The right half shows the state of the bones as they develop by a giraffewoman after she has been through all the stadia of winding brass. It's clear that the position of the vertebrae remains intact. Many people claim that they stretch the vertebrae to lengthen their neck, but that's impossible. It would lead to creeping paralysis!! The trick to make the neck look longer than usual is simply achieved by pushing down the ribs.
The left side of the drawing shows that the ribs of a normal human being grow almost horizontal.
The right side shows that the ribs of a giraffewoman hang down almost 45 degrees.
The spirals they war don't rest on the collarbones as often thought, but on the ribs. Their ribs are constantly under pressure, caused by the weight of the brass and the tension between their head and shoulders. Since the ribs are connected to the vertebrae by a hinge joint, they grow down, so that the spiral slides deeper along the ribs. Every time a spiral drops deeper into the shoulders, it becomes too short and loose. Then it is replaced by a new one that is heavier and counts more windings, to push down the ribs with renewed strength. This is the only deformation that occurs and it doesn't cause any damage to the skeleton.

Not only pressing down the ribs gives a visible extension to the neck! The available space that is gained by pushing down the ribs, makes it possible to press the muscles into the shoulders with the help of the spiral, which gives the impression that the neck has been lengthened. 
The dotted line on the right side of the drawing is the position of the muscles of a normal woman. The rest of the drawing shows clearly how deep the muscles are pushed-in and how the desired optical length of the neck is obtained. When a giraffewoman removes her spiral, the muscles slowly move up to their normal position. It's clear that the supposed length disappears after a while.
The length of their neck therefore is only an ILLUSION !!!

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Back to:

The Pa Dong Village of Nai Soi
A Visit to the Long-Necked Women

MAE HONG SON PAGE
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