Poi Sang Long is a Shan tribe Buddhist ceremony of ordination of a boy into novice-monk hood. Boys are paraded a striding high on men’s shoulders dressed up in fineries and with make-up in attempt to recall Lord Buddha as the young prince Sidhartha leaving his palace in desperate search of the dharma in the world . Such vernacular event is unique only to Northern Thailand and Myanmar and idiosyncratic to the Shan ethnic group.

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Applying makeup before starting the whole ceremony.

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The mother and the father of the young boy are preparing the finery.

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Going around the village to give bless to the neighbours and to receive some gifts.

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Dancing and celebrating with relatives while walking from home to home.

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Moment of little rest between the ceremonies. The kid is like all the other kids, love playing games on a phone.

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Short photo session with happy relatives before the main part of the ceremony.

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Dinner inside the temple before the procession around the city.

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Procession around the city. All the boys with their relatives and friends are walking and dancing for more than 2 hours in the afternoon heat.