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A young boy shows off his dance moves as the group parades through the town in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. Monk initiates ditch normal clothes for princely tunics, full make up and heaps of golden jewels for their ordination into Buddhist monkhood. Amongst the Shan people, who live across southeast Asia in northern Thailand and Myanmar, boys between 7 and 14 are annually initiated into their local temples during an elaborate three day ceremony. The young boys don vibrant costumes symbolising Gautama Buddha’s days as a prince, before he gave up worldly pleasures, and ride on the shoulders of their male relatives for the three day ceremony. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

A young boy shows off his dance moves as the group parades through the town in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. Monk initiates ditch normal clothes for princely tunics, full make up and heaps of golden jewels for their ordination into Buddhist monkhood. Amongst the Shan people, who live across southeast Asia in northern Thailand and Myanmar, boys between 7 and 14 are annually initiated into their local temples during an elaborate three day ceremony. The young boys don vibrant costumes symbolising Gautama Buddha’s days as a prince, before he gave up worldly pleasures, and ride on the shoulders of their male relatives for the three day ceremony. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



Extravagant floral crowns complete the princely costumes of the novice initiates in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

Extravagant floral crowns complete the princely costumes of the novice initiates in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



Initiates wear elaborate floral crowns and fine tunics during the three day ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

Initiates wear elaborate floral crowns and fine tunics during the three day ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



An initiate sprays out his fan as he enjoys the view from atop his father's shoulders during the ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

An initiate sprays out his fan as he enjoys the view from atop his father's shoulders during the ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



Novice initiates dress in the lavish style of a prince to emulate Buddha, who was a prince before he gave up all worldly pleasures when he founded Buddhism in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

Novice initiates dress in the lavish style of a prince to emulate Buddha, who was a prince before he gave up all worldly pleasures when he founded Buddhism in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



A young boy smiles for the camera as he waits for the festivities to start in the temple in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

A young boy smiles for the camera as he waits for the festivities to start in the temple in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



An initiate nearly takes a tumble atop his father's shoulder during the parade in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

An initiate nearly takes a tumble atop his father's shoulder during the parade in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



Novice initiates dress in the lavish style of a prince to emulate Buddha, who was a prince before he gave up all worldly pleasures when he founded Buddhism in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

Novice initiates dress in the lavish style of a prince to emulate Buddha, who was a prince before he gave up all worldly pleasures when he founded Buddhism in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



Boys between the ages 7 and 14 take part in the three day ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

Boys between the ages 7 and 14 take part in the three day ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



The young initiates also wear full face make up and guides accompany them with umbrellas to protect them from the sun's heat in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

The young initiates also wear full face make up and guides accompany them with umbrellas to protect them from the sun's heat in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



Boys between the ages 7 and 14 take part in the three day ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

Boys between the ages 7 and 14 take part in the three day ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



The initiates are led through town by drummers and their families in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

The initiates are led through town by drummers and their families in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



Novice initiates dressed in lavish princely clothes are paraded through the town atop the shoulders of their male relatives in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

Novice initiates dressed in lavish princely clothes are paraded through the town atop the shoulders of their male relatives in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



The ceremony is a crucial tradition for the Shan people, who live in southeast Asia mostly in northern Thailand and Myanmar in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

The ceremony is a crucial tradition for the Shan people, who live in southeast Asia mostly in northern Thailand and Myanmar in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



An initiate sprays out his fan as he enjoys the view from atop his father's shoulders during the ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

An initiate sprays out his fan as he enjoys the view from atop his father's shoulders during the ceremony in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)



The temple is aglow with strings of lights and candles as it waits for the arrival of the initiates in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)

The temple is aglow with strings of lights and candles as it waits for the arrival of the initiates in Mae Hong Son, Thailand, April 2016. (Photo by Claudio Sieber/Barcroft Images)
01 Dec 2016 11:46:00