Wearing tradition, thanaka in a Rohingya camp

Wearing tradition, thanaka in a Rohingya camp

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Swirls of yellow paste made from ground tree bark decorate the cheeks of Rohingya Muslim women and girls in the refugee camps of southern Bangladesh.

Thanaka, a type of sun protection that dates back centuries, is a common sight on the faces of the women, who say the use of the traditional cooling paste helps bring a sense of normality to their difficult lives in the camps.

. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Rohingya refugee Juhara Begum poses for a photo wearing thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.

"The make-up is my hobby, and it's our tradition," said Juhara Begum, 13, who arrived in Cox's Bazar in September last year after fleeing a military attack on her village in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

"The military fired guns and slaughtered us," said Juhara, who had to walk for five days to reach the border. Now, she lives on a hilltop in the crowded refugee camp of Jamtoli.

"I live on top of the hill and it is too hot with the strong sun," said Juhara, who wore the protective paste on her face.

. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Rohingya refugee Senuara Begum, aged 14 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.

She is among more than 700,000 Rohingya who have taken shelter in the district after fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar last year, the United Nations and human rights groups say.

Reuters photographed some of the refugees who believe the use of the paste keeps their skin smooth and cool, safe from exposure to the sun, and fends off acne.

. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Refugee Zannat Ara poses for a photograph wearing thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Zannat Ara, a nine-year-old Rohingya girl, said the paste protected her against the swarms of insects in the Kutupalong refugee camp where she now lives.

"I wear make-up to keep my face clean and there are some insects that bite my face and this keeps them away, so this protects me," she said.

. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Rohingya refugee Romzida, aged 8 poses whilst wearing thanaka paste at Shamlapur camp.

Thanaka is produced from the bark of a tree found in the dry central parts of Myanmar. A flat stone called a kyauk pyin is used to grind the bark into a milky yellow paste.

The paste is applied to the face in various patterns and dries into a protective layer. While it is used medicinally elsewhere in Asia, women in Myanmar also use it as a cosmetic.

. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Rohingya refugee Rufia Begum, aged nine poses whilst wearing thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.

Rohingya girls and women use traditional methods to make the paste from thanaka tree bark which is sold in the camps.

"I can live without eating rice but I cannot live without makeup," said Juhara, to whom the paste brings some comfort amid a gruelling life in the camps.

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Slideshow

Rohingya refugee Nur Kayas, aged six poses as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Nur Kayas, aged six poses as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Rohingya refugee Razina Begum, aged 16 poses for a photograph whilst wearing thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Razina Begum, aged 16 poses for a photograph whilst wearing thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.

Rohingya refugee Laila Begum, aged 23 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Laila Begum, aged 23 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.

Rohingya refugee Zinu Ara, aged four poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Zinu Ara, aged four poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.

Rohingya refugee Shamima, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Shamima, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.

Rohingya refugee Rumana, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Rumana, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Rohingya refugee Dil Kayas, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Dil Kayas, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Rohingya refugee Majuma, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Majuma, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Rohingya refugee Sufaida, aged 7 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Sufaida, aged 7 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

A Rohingya refugee poses for a photograph whilst wearing thanaka paste at Shamlapur camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

A Rohingya refugee poses for a photograph whilst wearing thanaka paste at Shamlapur camp.

Rohingya refugee girls named Nur Sadia (left) aged six and Nur Safa aged seven pose for a photograph wearing thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee girls named Nur Sadia (left) aged six and Nur Safa aged seven pose for a photograph wearing thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Rohingya refugee Zannat Ara, aged 10 poses for a photograph wearing thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Zannat Ara, aged 10 poses for a photograph wearing thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.

Rohingya refugee Rozia, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Rozia, aged 10 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Rohingya refugee Ahalam, aged four poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Ahalam, aged four poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Balukhali camp.

Rohingya refugee Sakila Begum, aged 15 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Sakila Begum, aged 15 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Jamtoli camp.

Rohingya refugee named Rokiya, aged 11 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee named Rokiya, aged 11 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.

Rohingya refugee Toyuba, aged 18 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.
. Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Rohingya refugee Toyuba, aged 18 poses for a photograph as she wears thanaka paste at Kutupalong camp.