DWARFS/DWARVES

Posted on September 15, 2014 by weehingthong

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DWARVES

A dwarf is someone who suffers from the condition of dwarfism.

Dwarfism occurs when an individual person or animal is short in stature resulting from a medical condition caused by abnormal (slow or delayed) growth. In humans, dwarfism is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches (58 in; 147 cm).

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarfism)

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For many people, the first encounter with dwarfs would have been when they read about or watched Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs.

uncyclopedia.wikia.com

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The Dwarf Empire – or, to give it its full name, The World Eco Garden of Butterflies and the Dwarf Empire – is situated in the mountains of southern China near the new city of Kunming. Created in 2009, it is a tourist attraction boasting two daily performances by 100 dwarves, who live and work in an elaborate fantasy world ruled by an emperor and empress. To western eyes, it looks like a remnant of the Victorian freak show.

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Inside Chinas Dwarf Empire

Dwarf Empire
Sanne de Wilde spent four years working on The Dwarf Empire. Photograph: Sanne De Wilde

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Excerpts from:

The Dwarf Empire: China’s theme park staffed by little people – in pictures

The World Eco Garden of Butterflies and the Dwarf Empire, also known as the Kingdom of the Little People, is a fantasy theme park in Yunnan province, created in 2009, where 100 little people live and work, entertaining tourists with song and dance routines. Belgian photographer Sanne De Wilde spent two weeks in the kingdom, and this is what she saw

theguardian.com, Tuesday 2 September 2014 18.39 BST

The park is ‘ruled’ by an emperor, seen here enjoying some downtime, and an empress.
The park is ‘ruled’ by an emperor, seen here enjoying some downtime, and an empress. Photograph: Sanne De Wilde
Two security guards hold up one of the park’s workers. ‘Perhaps the most dramatic, but not the most representative’ of the images, says De Wilde
Two security guards hold up one of the park’s workers. ‘Perhaps the most dramatic, but not the most representative’ of the images, say De Wilde. Photograph: Sanne De Wilde
De Wilde was interested in capturing ‘the creation of a fantasy that was paper-thin and yet that the visitors bought into’
De Wilde was interested in capturing ‘the creation of a fantasy that was paper-thin and yet that the visitors bought into’. Photograph: Sanne De Wilde
De Wilde also become a photo opportunity for curious tourists. ‘It was as if I was becoming this tall, white, blond-haired Snow White figure that they also wanted to photograph constantly’
De Wilde also become a photo opportunity for curious tourists. ‘It was as if I was becoming this tall, white, blond-haired Snow White figure that they also wanted to photograph constantly.’ Photograph: Sanne De Wilde

 

 

 

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