The people living in Mindat are called K'Cho, which is made up of 3 tribes; Mün/Müün, Daai, and Kaang. The K'Cho people are known for their rare tradition of females having their face tattooed. However, this tradition is no longer practice since the mid 1900s and face tattoo can only be seen on elderly women. Beginning in the early 21st century, many of the K'Cho people have migrated to many different parts of the world including United States, Australia, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Malaysia, and many others.
Based on a translated conversation with a group of elderly women with tattooed faces (2016):
The tattoo first started due to the issues faced by women’s during the British Invasion. Most women would cover their face with ink to make themselves look scary just so they won’t get raped or used by the British.
* Later on, the tattoo did become part of the “beauty” in a woman hood
A girl would decide when she was ready to have her face tattooed. She would take an offering to the woman who gave the tattoos.
The entire face could be tattooed in as little as an hour. The time depended on how many breaks the girl needed, since it is a painful procedure. The time is estimated, since they did not have clocks in those days.
Their face tattoo is done by a black ink from a charcoals mixed in with some other things to keep it safe for the skin and is done by a lime/lemon thorns.
Climate
Mindat has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCwa). Temperatures are warm for most of the year, but the winter months (November–February) are cooler. There is a winter dry season (December–May) and a summer wet season (June–November).
Climate data for Mindat, elevation 1,395 m (4,577 ft), (1991–2020)
The main part of the town runs along the ridge of a mountain. The paved road runs from Pakokku to Matupi.
Transport
Bus
There is a bus station with direct buses to Pakokku or Matupi. These run mainly in the morning. The Pakokku bus route is approximately 4.5 hours and the Matupi bus route is approximately 5 hours.
Walking trails
Before the road was built and regular bus service began, students walked from Mindat to the advanced schools in Pakokku. The route was by walking trail and took 2 to 3 days.
^"Myanmar Climate Report"(PDF). Norwegian Meteorological Institute. pp. 23–36. Archived from the original(PDF) on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.