Society and Culture, Burma/Myanmar - general studies

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Websites/Multiple Documents

Description: About 984,000 results (August 2017)
Source/publisher: Various sources via Youtube
Date of entry/update: 2017-08-24
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Description: About 979,000 results (August 2017)
Source/publisher: Various sources via Youtube
Date of entry/update: 2017-08-23
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Date of entry/update: 2013-12-22
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
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Individual Documents

Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2022-03-17
Date of entry/update: 2022-03-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Junta's foreign secretary says website contains 'false and misleading statements and information.'
Description: "The Burmese junta has protested to the International Organization for Migration about a website the U.N. agency set up to preserve the history of the marginalized Rohingya community of Myanmar, saying the site contains false statements. The site for the Rohingya Cultural Memory Center is an IOM initiative. The military regime’s appointed Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Friday, criticized the IOM for creating this website. “The establishment of such a website is beyond the scope of the IOM’s jurisdiction and expertise, and the Myanmar Permanent Representative Office in Geneva sent a letter of protest to the IOM on 23 December 2021 against the IOM’s inability to approve the false claims of certain groups,” the ministry said in the statement posted on its website and dated Jan. 7, 2022. “The term ‘Rohingya’ has always been rejected by the Burmese people and is not recognized by the Burmese people. Myanmar has also rejected the false and misleading statements and information contained on the website,” the statement says. For decades, Burmese administrations have refused to call the stateless minority “Rohingya.” Even today, Myanmar insists on calling them “Bengalis.” BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, tried to contact the ministry and the IOM to get more details but did not immediately hear back on Friday. Myanmar, a country of 54 million people the size of France, recognizes 135 official ethnic groups, with majority Burmese accounting for about 68 percent of the population. The Rohingya ethnicity is not recognized. And both civilian and military governments have kept this status quo. The Muslim Rohingya have centuries of history in Myanmar, a former British colony that became independent in 1948. But they are denied citizenship and voting rights, prevented from obtaining jobs and formal education, and restricted from traveling freely. In August 2017 the Burmese military launched a brutal offensive – unleashing a host of atrocities – against the minority community in their home state of Rakhine. As many as 740,000 Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh and now live in camps in and around southeastern Cox’s Bazar district. A year later, IOM conducted a mental health assessment of Rohingya refugees and the findings are what inspired the creation of the Rohingya cultural center. The assessment found that that 45 percent of those surveyed were living with distress symptoms, such a nightmares, panic attacks, or suicidal thoughts, according to an IOM fact sheet about the cultural center that the IOM shared with BenarNews last August. “The Rohingya community is at specific risk of mental health issues due to a number of factors, including prior history of systematic dehumanization, persecution and bearing witness to or directly experiencing extreme violence,” the fact sheet said. The survey also showed that 50 percent of Rohingya refuges surveyed had an “identity crisis” and 73 percent of respondents identified a loss of cultural identity following their forced exodus from Myanmar in 2017. “It was in light of the findings in Cox’s Bazar, [that] IOM envisioned the concept of a Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC),” the fact sheet said. “One of the main objectives of the RCMC project is to provide the Rohingya refugees in the camps of Cox’s Bazar with a creative and safe space to share their knowledge, preserve their cultural heritage and reconnect with their individual and collective memory, as a community and as an ethnic group from Myanmar." Dildar Begum, a Rohingya chef, holds up rice cakes that she learned to make from her mother and grandmother before they died. [Photo courtesy of the Rohingya Cultural Memory Center] The center first started as a website and now has a physical location, Shamsuddoza Noyon, an additional commissioner for refugee relief and repatriation in Bangladesh, said on Friday. “The Rohingya Cultural Memory Center was established at Camp-18 at Ukhia to store the culture and traditions of Rohingya. It would help Rohingya to remember their old memories,” he told BenarNews, referring to a refugee camp in a sub-district of Cox’s Bazar. The website showcases the art, architecture, food, music, memorabilia, stories and much more of the community. For instance, one article talks about the love songs of the Rohingya. It says: “For this brave community, who have resisted generations of discrimination and displacement, love is the architecture that holds them together, that strengthens their bonds, and creates windows and doors for greater connection and meaning. Better than most, the Rohingya know that love is what makes life livable." According to the Burmese junta’s foreign ministry, the IOM and the Bangladesh embassy in The Hague had also jointly organized an online exhibition titled “Art, Life, Rohingya.” The website says the exhibition ran from Dec. 10 to Dec. 31. Visitors could click through a 3D virtual gallery, moving through different rooms to view collections such as Rohingya architecture and boat models, needlework, pottery, basketry, musical instruments, and the like, said the cultural center’s website. The IOM notes in its fact sheet that many experts around the world say that one’s cultural and ethnic identity is central to a person's identity, to how they see themselves, and how they relate to the world. “This is especially true for the Rohingya as their identity has historically been questioned by the Myanmar authorities,” the fact sheet says. Dil Mohammad, a Rohingya leader who lives in the no-man’s land in Bandarban district, on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border lauded the idea of the center. “This center was established to remind and tell the Rohingya community about their history, culture, traditions and memories by preserving those elements,” he told BenarNews on Friday. “This is a great initiative.”..."
Source/publisher: "RFA" (USA)
2022-01-07
Date of entry/update: 2022-01-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "“Under socialism, we were completely isolated. The Op Art [Optical Art] movement of the 1960s passed by without us even being aware of it.”1 The quote is from artist and writer Ma Thanegi: political activist in the 1980s, she served jail for three years after the people’s uprising of 1988 in Myanmar.2 Today, she is mostly known for her deep knowledge about Myanmar’s culture that she shares through her written contribution to it. What she finds the most surprising about Myanmar though, is that changes occurred so unexpectedly fast after 2010.3 The first political shift of 2010–2011 after decades of military regime was a few years later reaffirmed through free and fair elections at the end of 2015, generating a new, transitional era.4 Significant metamorphoses in a country’s life never leave impact on a single level. It is a disruptive period for society, and for the different communities within one society – for better or worse. Based in Yangon between 2014–2015, as an art historian and curator, it appeared that the so called independent (contemporary) art scene was conveying the visible and palpable signs of a new epoch. My fieldwork started with the simple aim to have a better understanding of the fine art / visual art scene, but with the lack of available material, I was soon interviewing gallerists, through them artists and other actors of the scene, to gain an overview of its activity. It was striking that one had to “investigate” in order to find those places and creators. It was an existing scene, active, vibrant and engaged, but hidden, modest and fragile. Having later directly cooperated with some of the actors of the scene, being involved in some projects as organizer and consultant, allowed me a further insight into the network of independent actors coordinating the scene. The origin of the present research and study ensued from a concern over what the delicate net built by the independent art scene would face when encountering the powerful international art market. Currently, in the sort of “void” generated by the gradual withdrawal of the Censorship Regime (officially since 2012) and the slow evaporation of an autocratic narrative in daily life, “culture” as one, insoluble whole – as it was defined for decades from “above” – began to grow small branches, as nuances come slowly into consideration.5 The contrast between Myanmar’s isolated self, prior to the political shift and the context brought by the early global twenty-first century, implicative of an increasing and accelerated experience with the international scene, forecasted a challenging stage. My approach at the beginning of the present research was to consider the simple facts, or the simple non-existent facts: the consequences of Myanmar not having an operating institutional visual art system or structure that could balance the impact of a greater international exposure that the art scene was to face. Advancing in the research, it became more obvious that the institutional system I was looking for, existed through the alternative infrastructure that the independent (contemporary) art scene has brought to life, and how crucial substance it represented within the cultural sphere in regard of a sustainable approach and a genuine voice in the upcoming period. Research questions, Hypothesis, Outcome In a later phase, the research questions were then reframed as follows: What are the values of the independent contemporary art scene’s art practices and infrastructure in relation to the official narrative in power? How and why a superimposed art historical and heritage approach allows a deeper understanding in this regard? What role can the independent contemporary art scene play within the cultural field and in a broader sense, in society, during this present period of transition? How can the independent art scene maintain its own perspective and why is the scene’s sustainability so important if improvements are made at a higher, governmental level in terms of institutionalization? The study reflects a hypothesis which understands the independent contemporary art scene as a mindful site for an alternative discourse within society and which contributes to the (re)definition and (re)access of absent artistic, and so cultural narratives, as well as to the maintaining of the art scene’s integrity and continuity. I argue that as a counterbalance of the encapsulated, immovable and still dominant official set, the independent scene, very much alive, represents a genuine agenda through its artistic practices and infrastructure, coherent with the intrinsic cultural frame and context of Myanmar. The alternative discourse enabled by the scene being a flexible, and inclusive site is crucial for free expression, for building curiosity, but also for creating an open dialogue within society’s diversity and allow the narratives that were consciously or unintentionally deleted by the official discourse to (re)surface. As an outcome, the research to offers a “written photograph,” 6 a mechanism of smart practices based on existing projects that can serve as a reading tool, a sort of map to the independent 6 “Observations enable the researcher to describe existing situations using the five senses, providing a ‘written photograph’ of the situation under study,” Expression mentioned in: Kawulich, “Participant Observation as a Data 4 contemporary art scene’s intrinsic site and its activity. It contains some further, specific suggestions that may complete the working frame and can be developed in the future as potential individual plans of action. The “written photograph” may also be a tool for completing the “spaces of original possibles”7 for additional research. Methodology Participant observation could be the best term to describe the quality of the conducted fieldwork which served as a basis for the research.8 I intentionally superimposed the discourses of art history and heritage to be able to provide a more holistic approach that shifts from a conventional analysis and perhaps brings more questions to the surface than answers. The reason is that except for few texts, the accessible literature in English about the independent contemporary art scene, if taken as a comprehensive attempt to address its activity, accentuates its dynamics in line of a pre-existing regional–global format strictly through a contemporary art terminology. 9 My belief is that to understand the scene’s role and potential in the current cultural, transitional arena, it needs to be detached from an external context and merits an attempt to be visualized in relation to the ground it is connected to. This ground has been shaped for centuries by social and religious order before the latter was disrupted by colonial rule, followed by decades of a dominant narrative imposed by a military regime. In the recent past, the artistic scene has also evolved in its own cultural, social context towards which it had an ambiguous standpoint not being an “authorized voice.” The hypothesis unfolding through the Collection Method.”, herself quoting: Erlandson, David A.; Harris, Edward L.; Skipper, Barbara L. & Allen, Steve D. (1993). Doing naturalistic inquiry: a guide to methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. 7 Referring to Pierre Bourdieu, “The Field of Cultural Production, or: The Economic World Reversed.” 8 Methodology of Participant Observation, in: Kawulich, “Participant Observation as a Data Collection Method,” 2. 9 Nathalie Johnston’s close insight of the past almost one decade of the Myanmar art scene was a turning point in my fieldwork. Her text (Johnston, “Intuitive Acts: The Evolution of Myanmar Contemporary Performance Art.”) about contemporary performance art in Myanmar (accessed November 2016) is one of the few written texts in English that attempts to vindicate pre-conceptions about the Myanmar contemporary art scene and focus on its evolution within its own context. 5 research is supported by a one-year fieldwork, the constant monitoring of the scene through the media, individual discussions with the independent scene’s actors and the feedback of a recent survey; meanwhile the study relies on a personal assumption embedded in a Western academic approach and an undeniable art historical terrain. The research experience cannot level a fully insider approach, and language barrier is an aspect that prevents an access to some nuances enclosed between the layers of other disciplines’ research too. The awareness of not being able to probably capture all threads at once is maintained throughout the study, especially as most of the concepts, time-frames, processes have to be further investigated individually; having said that, the angle proposed by the study may contribute to an ongoing dialogue precisely by bringing forward a – potential – semi-external reading. Sources The primary source for the study, fieldwork conducted between Spring 2014–Spring 2015, mainly in Yangon but not exclusively, entailed a series of interviews with artists, gallerists, curators, art experts from the country or from the region – either recorded or annotated; some of them were processed in the forms of articles and publications on different media platforms.10 This is complemented by archival material collected through this period including photo documentation of events and spaces, along with fieldnotes. The secondary literature was partly processed in Yangon – mainly publications nowhere else available. The second phase of processing was undertaken during the research in Budapest. A quantitative survey analysis in a form of a questionnaire was included in the research – the study comprises a subchapter 10 Gallery guide / short articles regularly published between September 2014-April 2015: Kálmán, “Gallery Guide - Myanmore.”, regular articles on the independent art scene published locally in In Depth Magazine: Kálmán, “My Paintings Are Not Beautiful (San Minn).”; Kálmán, “Show Me Your Hands And I’ll Tell You Who You Were (Htein Lin).”, Kálmán, “A Road Paved by Solid Concepts Meeting Artist Po Po.”, Kálmán, “Red, Black and Back (Aung Myint).”, and on a Hungarian art portal, Kálmán, “Iola Lenzi Interjú I., II. : ‘A Kortárs Művészet a Társadalmi Változás alakítója’; ‘Ellenérzéseim Vannak a Művészeti Piaccal szemben’ (Iola Lenzi Interview I, II: ‘Contemporary Art Asthe Driver for Social Change’; ‘I Rather Keep Away from the Market.’” 6 dedicated to its details and methodology (II.D., App. 1). The outcome as a mechanism of smart practices framed by the last subchapter (III.B.) is embedded in a regional angle through the short cases provided in subchapter III.A.2. The terminology regarding the art scene needs in almost every case clarification as many concepts are being (re)defined now by the scene and remain debatable, hence the necessity of a separate glossary. The web-references are abundant besides academic sources as it is sometimes the only source for English reference. Theoretical framework The study’s theoretical framework can be attached to two main approaches: critical heritage studies and (contemporary) art history. There is also an additional layer provided by postcolonial and Southeast Asian studies. In respect for the critical heritage approach of the study, I would like to mention Rodney Harrison and Laurajane Smith. Rodney Harrison defines heritage as a “dynamic process which involves competition over whose version of the past, and the associated moral and legal rights which flow from this version of the past, will find official representation in the present.”11 Two inter-related dynamic forces enter the understanding of heritage according to Harrison, a top- down, official approach, and a bottom-up, unofficial one, constituted by a local level. Critical heritage studies investigate these two processes, the relation between them. The present study wishes to approach as a start the case of the independent contemporary art scene partly through this scheme by understanding these processes framed around the notion of culture, and more properly fine art / visual art in the context of Myanmar. Harrison’s suggestion for a new dialogical model aims a broader approach between heritage and the “overwhelming presence of the past”: it “implies an ethical stance in relation to others, and a belief in the importance of acknowledging and respecting alternative perspectives and worldviews as a condition of 11Harrison, Understanding the Politics of Heritage, 8. 7 dialogue, and provides a way to connect heritage with other pressing social, economic, political and environmental issues of our time.”12 Through this approach, Harrison expects to offer an alternative to the “troubled late-modern” relationship with memory and the modernist binaries of cultural and natural which he finds underlied by the tangible / intangible division. It is in order to complete this frame that the notion of Living Heritage Approach is added independently of Harrison’s approach in the aim of generating a nuanced view of the cultural context relating to the independent contemporary art scene of Myanmar. Laurajane Smith on her side, nearly a decade before Harrison’s critical approaches published her “uses of heritage.” “At one level heritage is about the promotion of a consensus version of history by state-sanctioned cultural institutions and elites to regulate cultural and social tensions in the present. On the other hand, heritage may also be a resource that is used to challenge and redefine received values and identities by a range of subaltern groups.” Smith interprets the notion of a hegemonic “Authorized Heritage Discourse” (AHD) dependent on the specialist bodies’ power and institutionalized “in state cultural agencies and amenity societies.” This discourse is a synthesis of nation-narratives and aesthetic judgment of the expert; it is a self-referential discourse.13 The major challenge of the AHD is that it marks out who is entitled to speak in the name of the past.14 Smith’s approach helps situating the official narrative in regard of the position the independent scene holds. From an art historical point of view, the study stays within the frames of contemporary..."
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Source/publisher: MA Thesis in Cultural Heritage Studies: Academic Research, Policy, Management.
2017-06-00
Date of entry/update: 2021-10-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Renowned Myanmar architect U Bo Gyi, who designed the mausoleum for Daw Khin Kyi, the wife of independence hero General Aung San and the mother of detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, passed away of old age at 89 in Yangon on July 27. U Bo Gyi was pressured by the previous military regime to resign as a civil servant for designing the mausoleum. He joined the monkhood some 19 years ago and died as a monk. As an assistant of Oswald Negla, a lecturer in architecture at Yangon University (then Rangoon University), he was involved in the construction of the university’s Recreation Center while still an architecture student at the university in 1959. He later won first prize in Myanmar’s first architectural competition, a contest to design the clinic of the Burmah Oil Company (BOC) in Yangon’s Thanlyin. He was one of the founders of the Architects Incorporated Firm (AI), which became a leading architecture company in Myanmar. The AI was not just a thriving business, but a place for artists, sculptors, writers, musicians and entertainers to rendezvous and debate modern art, until military dictator General Ne Win seized power in 1962. All businesses were nationalized at that time, and the AI was not spared. U Bo Gyi found himself an employee of the junta’s Housing and Public Works Ministry. When Myanmar’s first female ambassador, Daw Khin Kyi, passed away in December 1988, U Bo Gyi was approached by Myo Myint Nyein from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) and his brother Sonny Nyein about designing the mausoleum for Daw Khin Kyi. The NLD had initially planned to assign the project to seasoned architect and party member U Kyaw Min, who designed the mausoleum of Thakhin Kodaw Hmaing, a poet laureate and the father of nationalist movements in Myanmar. But U Kyaw Min, a US-educated architect who was U Bo Gyi’s teacher at university, was on a trip at the time. U Bo Gyi was asked to design the mausoleum for Daw Khin Kyi with the approval of her daughter Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and another member of the NLD leadership, U Kyi Maung. Daw Khin Kyi used to sit on a chair under the portico of the family residence facing Inya Lake in Yangon, counting prayer beads and babysitting her two grandsons, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told U Bo Gyi, asking him to model the mausoleum after the portico. The Housing Department planned to punish U Bo Gyi for his involvement in the project, but he was spared after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi intervened and made a phone call to Major General Myo Nyunt, the head of the Myanmar military’s Yangon Command. The mausoleum was open roofed with a portico. Two curved walls shield the tomb, signifying a pair of hands covering the light Daw Khin Kyi shed on the country, and the sacrifices she made as a wife and mother. U Bo Gyi designed and personally built the mausoleum for Daw Khin Kyi, which stands alongside those of Queen Supayalat, the chief consort of Myanmar’s last monarch King Thibaw; Thakhin Kodaw Hmaing; and United Nations Secretary-General U Thant. One year after he volunteered his services for the mausoleum project, circumstances forced him to retire from the job he had done for the previous 26 years, just three years before he was eligible for a pension. But he could no longer cope with the pressures of the workplace, as the regime always tried to find fault with him. In their books, NLD leaders Hanthawaddy U Win Tin, Thura U Tin Oo and U Win Htein failed to credit U Bo Gyi as the architect of Daw Khin Kyi’s mausoleum. People mistakenly credited U Kyaw Min, because U Bo Gyi worked at U Kyaw Myin’s office on Sule Pagoda Road at the time of the project and put the name of his former teacher before his own on his design sheets. After resigning as a government employee, he worked for a number of private architecture companies. He joined the monkhood in 2003, taking the monastic name U Pandita. “I am most satisfied with Daw Khin Kyi’s mausoleum, of all the architectural projects done in my life. The mausoleum was built by the Garrison Engineers of Myanmar [the engineers of the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s military],” the monk said. U Bo Gyi also designed Independence Monument in Yangon, the City Hall and Square in Pyin Oo Lwin, the People’s Department Store in Yangon’s Pansodan (now Ruby Mart), and many government-run factories, public hospitals and private buildings..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2021-07-31
Date of entry/update: 2021-07-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "The Bagan Empire was first to unify the territory of present-day Myanmar under Burmese language and culture, that grew into a world-renowned centre of Buddhist learning. Host Peter Lee learns how its fabled king, Anawrahta, overcame the dry conditions of his land by taming rivers into canals and weirs which are still used today. As a bigger harvest grew his population, Bagan was ripe for expansion, and Peter takes part in the traditional elephant dance that celebrates a Buddhist pilgrimage of King Anawrahta’s. While the Bagan king wished to turn Bagan into a new Buddhist state, Peter heads to a sacred mountain to see the battle that unfolded between Buddhism and Myanmar’s indigenous animist gods, called Nats. It's expansion transformed Bagan into a capital of diverse peoples, who each brought their own in founding a new Burmese culture and identity. And the legacy of its temple building still lives on in a strong faith that’s practiced among the Burmese people today. For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER! https://www.youtube.com/cnainsider ========================================================== About the series: Host Peter Lee explores the history of four Southeast Asian empires that made their mark on the world. Travelling from Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia to Indonesia, Peter explores ancient ruins, epic legends and vibrant traditions to chart the rise and fall of four distinct empires, and how their legacy still shapes cultures and identities in the region today..."
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Source/publisher: " CNA Insider" (Singapore)
2020-05-20
Date of entry/update: 2021-01-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Fossils like those in 'Jurassic Park' draw scrutiny as Kachin conflict drags on
Description: " Myanmar is a major producer of amber, a fossilized tree resin. Amber is valued for jewelry, and also serves as a sort of time capsule that provides scientific clues to prehistoric life with fossilized inclusions such as insects, birds and dinosaur footprints. Meanwhile, the main amber-mining areas in the country are located in an internal conflict zone where an ethnic minority is fighting against the national armed forces, and the amber also comes with problems of human rights violations and smuggling. "Jurassic Park," a 1993 film directed by Steven Spielberg, has a scene at the beginning in which blood is collected from a mosquito entrapped in amber, in order to restore a dinosaur's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), with dinosaurs subsequently resurrected in a island theme park. In reality, DNA is lost over tens of millions of years, so reproducing dinosaurs from fossils in amber remains a fiction. However, since tissues like skin and wings are preserved better in amber, compared with normal bone fossils, they provide valuable clues for research. In recent years, a series of such discoveries has occurred in Myanmar. In March 2020, a research team led by Xing Lida, an associate professor at the China University of Geosciences, Beijing, announced in British scientific journal Nature that they had discovered the head of a small new dinosaur species, resembling a bird, inside some amber. The animal lived about 99 million years ago, in the Cretaceous Period. The head is about 1 cm long, and the estimated length of the dinosaur is the shortest among known fossilized dinosaurs from the Mesozoic Era. It had many small, sharp teeth..."
Source/publisher: "Asia Nikkei Review" (Japan)
2020-06-08
Date of entry/update: 2020-06-09
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Description: "Ngon Pok remembers his father and grandfather returning triumphantly to his tribal village in Myanmar’s far north with a human head – and the agony of the tattoo he was given to celebrate their victory. He is a proud member of the Lainong, one of dozens of Naga tribes – many with grisly histories – wedged in a semi-autonomous zone near the Indian border. Ngon Pok, who believes he is around 80, gestures to his six-year-old grandson, saying he must have been about the same age when he received his tattoo. “People had to catch me and hold me down,” he says, removing his jumper to reveal his chest adorned with parallel, vertical stripes and two warrior figures. Tribes and villages commonly waged war over land, and there are reports of warriors hacking off their enemies’ heads for trophies as late as the 1960s. To celebrate, a thorn would be used to drive tree sap under the warrior’s skin to ink a permanent reminder of his headhunting prowess – and his family would often follow suit. Ngon Pok’s wife, aged about 75, says she chose to have the geometric designs etched on her arms, legs and face as a teenager. “It was so painful,” Khamyo Pon Nyun remembers, hoisting up her skirt to expose her legs..."
Source/publisher: Agence France-Presse (AFP) (France) via "The Guardian" (UK)
2020-03-02
Date of entry/update: 2020-03-02
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Sub-title: Pyin Oo Lwin residents are urging the government to include five buildings that are more than a century old on the national heritage list.
Description: "U Ko Gyi, secretary of local environmental conservation association Sein Lan Pyin Oo Lwin, urged that the five colonial-era buildings be renovated to showcase the town’s rich historical past. The group submitted the list to U Tin Latt, deputy minister of Hotels and Tourism, during his visit to the town last week. Included on the list were the People’s Hospital and All Saints Church. Aside from the General Hospital, built in 1900, and All Saints Church, built in 1912, other buildings on the list were the Survey Training School, the Thaw Ka Myaing, and Basic Education High School No. 1 in Pyin Oo Lwin. U Ko Ko Gyi said the buildings are the best examples of Pyin Oo Lwin’s colonial heritage. “This could also boost tourism in the town.” He added that there are many more colonial heritage buildings in Mandalay that need conservation. The May Myo Heritage Trust, Hotel Entrepreneurs Association of Pyin Oo Lwin, Elders of Pyin Oo Lwin, and Sein Lan Pyin Oo Lwin are cooperating to include the five buildings on the heritage list. Pyin Oo Lwin, a distinct hill town in central Myanmar, was a centre of British colonial rule. Its strategic location in the Shan hills, easily reachable from the ancient city of Mandalay, made it an ideal location for British colonial offices. The city was founded after the Third Anglo-Burmese war as a vacation spot for the ruling British elite. Due to its cool climate, government offices were moved to the area in the summer to give civil servants a reprieve from the blistering heat in southern Myanmar..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-03-02
Date of entry/update: 2020-03-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Finding a partner is an essential part of human life, whether that person is a match on Tinder in Yangon or a childhood sweetheart from a neighbouring village in Chin State.
Description: "Human forms of courtship can take many forms, from instant messaging on Facebook, flirtatious behavior in the office to cinema dates and weekend holidays with a partner. The purpose is to establish suitability for long-term, intimate relationships. In the animal kingdom, patterns of courtship are equally as varied – from the nest-building skills of the brush turkey, to the eight-hour synchronised dance of the seahorse. These timeless rituals provided much of the energy, creativity and fun at this year’s Chin National Day celebrations, which were held at the All-Chin Society in North Dagon last week. The entertainment began with a dance from Khumi Chin performers, who originate from the western-most part of Myanmar. Wearing bright yellow and red dresses, the women’s ornateness complimented the men’s smart black trousers and white shirts. The differences in colour and patterning is a typical feature of traditional Chin clothing, and serves to accentuate the polarity between feminine and masculine. So too their movements differ, the men swaying from side to side mimicking the actions of the farmers, gathering crops from the land. The women play a supportive role, using hand gestures to wave to their menfolk. The courtship process was much more explicit in the next performance, as the Kuki Chin group hit the stage – the girls in modern-looking black dresses and red-, green- and black-beaded necklaces, matching the men’s long sashes(“puandum”), worn across their shoulders..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Aviation authorities are planning to run direct flights between Bagan and Lumbini for Buddhist pilgrims in Myanmar, according to the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism. “We are trying to arrange a pilgrimage from Angkor Wat, Bagan, Lumbini, Gaya, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Sri Lanka to Shwe Dagon Pagoda. "We learnt that an international airport will be opened in Lumbini (Nepal) in May. With a direct flight to Lumbini, where the Buddha was born, it will be easier for Myanmar pilgrims to visit. We are trying to introduce a trip to Lumbini through the Angkor Wat-Bagan direct flight, which will start in October, ” said Tin Latt, Deputy Minister for Hotel and Tourism. Myanmar and Nepal signed MoUs to promote the tourism sector in 2019, and Nepal has announced its “Visit Nepal in 2020” plan to introduce travel destinations in its country..."
Source/publisher: "The Star Online" (Selangor)
2020-02-26
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-26
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The ninth instalment in our travel series about wild swimming spots takes us to Myanmar’s northernmost state, a land of ethnic diversity, impenetrable jungle and… tubing.
Description: "Kachin State is famous for Myitsone and manau festivals, but also contains vast expanses of impenetrable jungle wilderness, a large variety of ethnic groups and even the country’s very own section of the Himalayas. So, I hear you ask? Okay – it also possesses a range of fairly special water-centric excursions, so next time you make it that far north do yourself a favour and add at least a couple of them to your itinerary. INDAWGYI LAKE You don’t have to be a devout wild swimmer to enjoy Myanmar’s largest natural lake – it’s an essential Myanmar travel destination in its own right. You can rent kayaks and bamboo bicycles, visit hot springs, and sign up for a range of different boating tours. While all of that comes heartily recommended, nothing beats heading for the middle of the lake at sunset, and diving headfirst into those deep, deep waters. MYITKYINA Myitsone About 90 minutes north of Mandalay, two rivers that wind down from the Himalayas – the Mali Kha and the N’Mai Kha – converge to form one giant super river, the Ayeyarwady. The current is pretty brutal away from the shallows so I can’t really recommend swimming here. What you can do though is rent a boat (K20,000) for a 15-minute spin around the river(s). That, and renting out a traditional Kachin outfit, and posing like a total dork in front of the confluence..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
2020-02-23
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: The subsistence farmers of the Gongwang Bonyo tribe are among the most isolated people in Myanmar. Living near the Indian border, they gather each year to bless the harvest
Description: "Naga children playing in front of their homes in Tarmaw Lawri village in the Lahe township...Children play tug-of-war in front of the school in Toe Lawt...Children playing as they surround their teacher in front of their school in Toe Lawt in Lahe township...Bath-time in the Chindwin river in Hkamti township...Naga is the blanket term for dozens of tribes each with their own distinct dialect living near the Indian border, only accessible by nerve-shredding motorcycle journeys and on foot...Sunset over the Lahe township in Myanmar’s Sagaing region. Like most Naga, the Gongwang Bonyo are mainly subsistence farmers who clear and burn the steep slopes around them to plant paddy, maize and vegetables...Men working as they prepare for the upcoming overnight ceremony by Naga tribeswomen to bless the harvest. It will be the men’s turn in a few weeks’ time, once the newly designated land is fully cleared and ready for planting...A man walking with his child as the village prepares for the night’s festivities..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Agence France-Presse (AFP) (France) via "The Guardian" (UK)
2020-02-20
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Outrage is growing in Myanmar after the emergence of a 12-minute porn video shot in Bagan, the country’s best-known tourist hotspot and a UNESCO heritage site with thousands of hallowed Buddhist pagodas. The video was posted on PornHub by users “YeeesYeeesYeees”, who describe themselves as a 23-year-old Italian couple with piercings and tattoos. According to the site, the pair boasts more than 81,000 subscribers and over 35 million video views since they joined 11 months ago. But the couple’s naked antics against one of Bagan’s ancient pagodas have been less than well-received in Myanmar, with condemnation spreading online. “Our Bagan pagodas are The Holy Land,” wrote Mg Khin Gyi on Facebook with multiple angry emojis. The video in question had been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times by Thursday evening – but registered twice as many dislikes as likes. Managing director of New Fantastic Asia tour company, Tun Tun Naing, questioned what seemed to be “negligent” security at Bagan’s sites and called for action..."
Source/publisher: Agence France-Presse (AFP) (France) via "Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
2020-02-14
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Italian couple’s footage against backdrop of Myanmar’s ‘holy land’ provokes outrage
Description: "Outrage is growing in Myanmar after the emergence of a 12-minute pornographic video shot in Bagan, the country’s best-known tourist spot and Unesco heritage site featuring thousands of revered Buddhist pagodas. The video was posted on PornHub by users who described themselves as a 23-year-old Italian couple. The couple’s naked antics against the backdrop of one of Bagan’s ancient pagodas have provoked an angry reaction in Myanmar, with condemnation spreading online. “Our Bagan pagodas are the Holy Land,” wrote Mg Khin Gyi on Facebook with multiple angry emojis. The video had been viewed nearly a quarter of a million times by Thursday evening – but had registered twice as many dislikes as likes. The managing director of New Fantastic Asia tour company, Tun Tun Naing, questioned what seemed to be “negligent” security at Bagan and called for action. Myo Yee, the Mandalay chairman of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association, added his voice to the rising clamour, saying the case was bad news for an industry hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak..."
Source/publisher: "Agence France-Presse (AFP)" (France) via "The Guardian" (UK)
2020-02-13
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: When a lively traditional musical troupe plays, one that includes the bamboo clapper, oboe, flute, drum and cymbal, you may also notice a bushy moustached man. He will be accompanied on stage by a beautiful young lady wearing a long necklace and baggy trousers, dancing suggestively.
Description: "The two are known as U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe, and are some of Myanmar’s best known dance characters. They have been popular in Myanmar for generations, but not everyone knows exactly where they come from – or why they are so popular. Some believe that they have survived for generations, their mannerisms and moves handed down from performer to performer. But the pair have a more modern genesis, first emerging from early 20th Century movies. The creator was a man called U Bakalay, also known as Shwe Ta Lay – a cartoonist, and the advertising director at the Myanmar Aswe Department Store on Sule Pagoda Road. Despite his work in advertising and other media, it was his Shwe Yoe creation that was most enduring. U Bakalay first started acting in the films of U Nyi Pu, with makeup and wearing a smart dite pone ein gyi (traditional dress shirt). He assumed the name “Shwe Yoe” for these movies, where he would perform exaggerated moves that gradually built up to a dance routine. The U Shwe Yoe character became popular in a film called Taw Myaing Sone Ka Lone Aung Phan (Nostalgia at the Edge of the Deep Forest), directed by U Nyi Pu. But earlier than that U Bakalay appeared in a movie called Myittar Nae Thuyar (Love and Liquor), where he acted as a servant to the film’s main protagonist Maung Ba Htay. The servant’s name was U Shwe Yoe, who flirted with a maid, Daw Moe..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-02-10
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Thanaka – that yellowish paste that Myanmar people of all ages, men and women alike, have smeared on their face for centuries – will be proposed for UNESCO Cultural Heritage listing, according to a government plan.
Description: "Myanmar’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture will submit a proposal to UNESCO in March to include thanaka on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. “Thanaka is used by most people in Myanmar. It is found in literature, especially in the Konbaung era, as well as in songs,” said U Toe Hla, an archaeologist and chair of the Expert Group on Analysing Intangible Cultural Heritage. “It is used in religious ceremonies.” Those who work in the sun and plant rice wear thanaka for health, and others wear it for beauty. U Toe Hla said thanaka conforms to the requirements of the UNESCO list, which are practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals, recognise as part of their cultural heritage. He said it is important for Myanmar to apply for the recognition of thanaka as part of its cultural heritage before other countries claim it. Daw Nu Mya Zan, former deputy director general of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library, said, “Myanmar thanaka is used by every ethnic people from birth to grave. It is commonly accepted around the country,” she said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-02-07
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Standing next to the Second Vice-President Henry Van Thio, himself an ethnic Chin, the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave an inspiring speech on February 1 at Kyaik Ka San Road, to officially open the Myanmar Ethnic Culture Festival to the public.
Description: "The Myanmar Ethnic Cultures Festival is back in town, with participants from 14 regions across the country entertaining audiences in the first week of February. This year the festival will be organised by people from the Kayah community, according to U Min Banyar San, general secretary of the National Business Association. “Last year, the festival was led by Kachin people. This year, Kayah people are assigned to lead the celebrations. About one million people visited last year’s festival, enjoying music, food and fashion from a variety of different Kachin groups,” he said. Though the festival promises to deliver the same level of community engagement, U Min Banyar San worried that not as many people would show interest this year – given that the numbers of visitors to the grounds were down. A total of 1,500 Kayah dancers will perform the Tagundaing dance, said U Tayzar Win Tun, secretary of the Kayah Business Association. It’s also an opportunity to showcase the clothes, food and artifacts of Kayah people, he added. “The dancers have been performing for many months, and they have already arrived in Yangon for the festival. It’s a great opportunity for people to learn more about the rich history of the Kayah,” he said. The festival will also include exhibition booths, where people can see artifacts and read information about the 14 ethnic groups, as well as talk to many Kayah people in person. “Visitors will be able to see the traditional costumes on show, enjoy the handicrafts and enjoy all the food too,” said a member of the organising committee..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2020-02-03
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-03
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "An ethnics culture festival kicked off in Yangon on Saturday, with the participation of varieties of ethnic groups from across Myanmar. This year's festival was themed Myanmar Ethnics Culture Fest, which is the second time of the kind, is jointly organized by the Myanmar Ethnic Entrepreneurs' Association and Kayah State Ethnic Entrepreneurs' Association. Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi told the opening ceremony that holding such festival which gathers all colorful ethnic groups could support the development of the ethnic nationals. Suu Kyi also urged the ethnic nationals to achieve peace by lending a helping hand to and sharing mutual respect and love with each other. "Diversity of culture, tradition and cuisines of different ethnic groups residing across Myanmar could attract not only locals but also foreign tourists," said Vice President Henry Van Thio, calling for promotion of services including tourism and further efforts to penetrate international market with locally produced value-added products..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
2020-02-01
Date of entry/update: 2020-02-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Conservation, Economy, Environment, Fishing, illegal fishing, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, Unesco, Wildlife Conservation Society
Topic: Conservation, Economy, Environment, Fishing, illegal fishing, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, Unesco, Wildlife Conservation Society
Description: "An Irrawaddy dolphin was found dead on Tuesday in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). The male dolphin died of old age and was 220cm long and 132cm in circumference, the NGO said. U Hkyaw Hla Thein, who is responsible for dolphin conservation at the WCS, said it was about 6cm longer than the next biggest dolphin they had found. “Its teeth show it was quite old and, to confirm it, we examined its stomach and found it was empty. We do not know how long it had been since it ate. So we concluded it died of old age,” he added. The Fisheries Department and WCS said it was the biggest dolphin ever found dead between Mandalay and Bhamo. Some residents and civil society organizations suggested the dolphin died because of electrofishing. “Fish are abundant where the dolphin was found dead, which attracts electrofishers. And there are also fishing lakes in the area. Those working at the fishing lakes downstream said the dolphin died due to electrofishing,” said U Maung Maung Oo, leader of the Sein Yaung So environmental group. Fisherman U Maung Lay of Sin Kyun Village also suggested that the dolphin died of electrofishing..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
2020-01-09
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Kachin State, Rawang, ethnic issues, manau, Kachin, language, culture, conflict
Sub-title: A dispute over how to name the Kachin State Day Manau Festival in Myitkyina has revealed fissures in Kachin’s multi-ethnic society.
Topic: Kachin State, Rawang, ethnic issues, manau, Kachin, language, culture, conflict
Description: "AS A CHILD, Khang would eagerly look forward to Kachin State Day on January 10 and the accompanying manau dancing in the state capital, Myitkyina. This year, that feeling all but disappeared, said Khang, now aged 26. “I feel like Kachin State Day is just for show. The celebration doesn’t come from the bottom of our heart,” said Khang, who is from the Rawang ethnic group in Kachin. “We Kachin are lacking harmony… It’s like there is something between us, that we are not all the same.” The festival planned for January 5-12 this year was to be the first Kachin State Day celebration initiated by Kachin society, rather than the government, since conflict resumed between the Kachin Independence Army and the Tatmadaw in 2011. The event, commemorated with traditional dancing around the six pillars that stand in Myitkyina’s Kachin National Manau Park, is known popularly as the Manau Festival. Discord leading up to this year’s Kachin State Day event, however – including a cancellation and last-minute resumption – dampened the spirits of many Kachin. The dispute, which stemmed from disagreement over what to call Kachin State Day in Jinghpaw, the Kachin lingua franca, touched a nerve within Kachin’s diverse society and prompted a broader debate about Kachin identity and who gets to define it. Anthropologist of Kachin society Mr Laur Kiik describes Kachin as a multi-ethnic nation, integrating people from six or more ethnic groups to widely varying degrees. Debate over the names and boundaries of a Kachin identity, he said, has existed for decades; and Kachin State Day manau festivals have previously brought these debates out into the open. Though the Myanmar government recognises 12 Kachin “sub-groups”, the Kachin National Association of Tradition and Culture, or Wunpawng Myusha Htunghking Hpung Ginjaw (known by the clipped acronym WHG), represents six linguistically distinct groups – Jinghpaw, Lachid, Lhaovo, Lisu, Rawang and Zaiwa..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
2020-01-14
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "John Clifford Holt’s Myanmar’s Buddhist-Muslim Crisis: Rohingya, Arakanese, and Burmese Narratives of Siege and Fear makes a timely contribution to the growing literature on the Rohingya affairs in Myanmar. A scholar of Buddhist studies whose primary work is on Sri Lanka and Laos, Holt lends his expertise in the comparative analysis of Myanmar’s ongoing ethno-religious turmoil among Bamar Buddhists, Arakanese (or Rakhine), and Rohingya with its neighboring, predominantly Buddhist countries, Thailand and Sri Lanka. In addition to a thorough historical context that introduces Buddhism on a global scale, the narratives in the book are organized based on three geographical locations in Myanmar: Yangon (Part One), Arakan (Part Two), and Mandalay (Part Three) because “many of the referents within the discussions are locale, and [his] conversational partners were steeped in those specific concerns” (p. xvi). Holt provides a disclaimer in the Preface that his limited linguistic skills in Burmese led him to conduct the interviews primarily in English. The author notes that interviewees’ command in English indicates their well-educated backgrounds, and therefore, the narratives in the book are by no means “representative of most Rohingya, Arakanese, and Burmese” (p. xii). While I appreciate the disclaimer about the possible limitations of the author’s interviewees, it is also important to keep those of the author’s own (lack of linguistic command in local languages) and his researcher positionality (Sri Lanka as his primary field of study) in mind when reading this book. The book is accessible with little to no academic jargon. The interlocutors’ narratives are coherently interlaced with the author’s own reflexive thoughts. The kaleidoscopic nature of narratives situated in three different cities offers much needed context that is nuanced, and provides first-hand perspectives for any layperson who is concerned with Myanmar’s Buddhist-Muslim conflict, but exasperated by the over-generalized and sensationalized nature of news media stories about the topic..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: " Teacircleoxford" (Yangon)
2020-01-09
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "...Book contents: Chapter (1) Introduction, Burma a distinct type- previous isolation - influence of Buddhism - current misconceptions about Burma - sketch of history, Chapter (2) Childhood, Infancy - early influences - children's games - school teaching - Togwin, Chapter (3) Adolescence, Universal monastic novitiates - Buddhist institution - The Yanan Theinthamot - Kyaung, Ecclesiastical architecture - Decadence - Zedi - ancient religious orders - Brahmans - Payadyun - Religious worship - principle of Buddhism - return to secular life Chapter (4) Manhood and occupation, agriculture - home industry - Manners and customs - settlements - climate, Chapter (5) Trade and professions, Oil - pressing - palm and cane sugar growing - fruit and vegetable gardening - fishery - the chase - pottery - brick and tiles - plaster - work - stone - cutting - cordage - silk weaving - umbrellas - lacquer - work - foot - gear - metallurgy - implements - ornaments - coins - alchemy - alchemy - forest and timber - carpentry - carving - painting and design - inscriptions and writing - literature - medicine - dealers - transport - boats and carts - travel, Chapter (6) Shan - Karen - Chin - Chimpaw - Chinese - Native of India - European, Chapter (7) political, chronic wars - brigandage - village system - native administration - British administration - royalty - history, Chapter (8) pageants and frolics, the drama - music - games - festivals - Nat worship - pilgrimages - the great shrines, Chapter (9) Age and mortality - funeral observances - tombs..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Kham Koo Website
1901-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-12
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : PDF
Size: 20.6 MB
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Description: "If traveling to Myanmar for the first time, well, you have many reasons to get excited about it. Myanmar is the second-largest country in Southeast Asia and is enjoying an increased tourist tide every year. That shows that Myanmar is definitely a trendy destination for most tourists. It is indeed a great place to visit with loads of picturesque spots and more than a hundred ethnic groups. The land-locked country borders with China, Bangladesh, and Thailand and boasts of hundreds of islands and an impressive coastline. Myanmar is a leading destination for thousands of Buddhist temples and the temples of Bagan. The capital of Myanmar boasts of amazing colonial architecture and authentic, lively markets. There are plenty of opportunities for boat rides and biking tours. Although the country may not be as developed as other countries, Myanmar should be on the bucket list of every avid traveler as a trip here indeed offers a unique experience and an amazing trip..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Chart Attack" (Canada)
2020-01-06
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Everything seemed to be going pretty well. Because of the recent protests and riots, I was nervous about traveling by myself to Hong Kong (population 7.400,000). The Hong Kong airport was closed to residents coming into the airport to pick up visiting passengers. But I found my way outside and met up with long-time friend and 40-year missionary in Hong Kong, Linda Smyth. I stayed a few days in Hong Kong and then Linda and I boarded a plane to Yangon, Myanmar. We would stay there overnight and then go onto Myitkyina (population 200,000) where we would team teach at Faith Theological Seminary for two weeks. When we landed in Yangon (population 7,500,000) we were directed to immigration. Linda went in one line and I went in another. There was absolutely no problem for me. I showed them my passport and then my visa. Quickly, I passed through..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "The Havre Daily News" (Montana)
2020-01-06
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Thirty-thousand monks assembled in the early morning chill in Myanmar on Sunday (Dec 8) for a spectacular alms-giving event, partly organised by a controversial mega-temple under scrutiny across the border in Thailand. With many barefoot, Buddhist monks from Myanmar and Thailand and senior religious officials from a dozen countries collected alms next to an airport in the central city of Mandalay, that is also a heartland of the faith. As the sun rose over the ancient town, a sea of saffron and maroon-robed monks assembled in an area the size of a football field. They meditated, prayed and collected alms in an event meant to tighten the relationship of "monks and Buddhists between (the) two countries" and to "strengthen the monkhood" in the region, according to a statement. "I hope we can continue to hold bigger events in the coming years," said U Thu Nanda, a 24-year-old Burmese monk..."
Source/publisher: "The Straits Times" (Singapore)
2019-12-08
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Doubtless there was a fair bit of politicking going on when the Unesco World Heritage Site bods sat down in Azerbaijan last month to decide which spots were going to make it onto the list. The good news is that – after applications spanning more than 20 years – Bagan, the 1,000-year-old archaeological theme park that’s home to 2,000 or more temples and pagodas, finally got the thumbs-up. Despite an earthquake or two in recent years and some spam-fisted development that has impinged on the ancient capital’s authenticity, it’s still well within the bounds of possibility to wander off and totally immerse yourself in what is undoubtedly one of the architectural marvels of Asia. Where to stay: Sink a pick just about anywhere in Bagan and you’ll unearth some archaeological treasure or other. So while the hotel count has risen over the years, it hasn’t proliferated unchecked, hence the absence of the bigger brands that might otherwise be attracted to such a prominent destination. The watchword is small and (almost) perfectly formed..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "South China Morning Post" (Hong Kong)
2019-08-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Sprawled across an arid flood plain of the Irrawaddy River in central Myanmar stands Bagan, one of the most remarkable archeological sites in Southeast Asia. The architectural masterpieces built here between the 11th and 13th centuries rank on par with other awe-inspiring religious monuments such as Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and Indonesia’s Borobodur. Amazingly, in the 40sqkm of country that stretches back from the river, over 2,000 Buddhist pagodas are still standing and a further 2,000 are in ruins! As the capital of the country at the time, Bagan must have once also been home to thousands of secular buildings such as palaces and houses. However, because they were constructed of wood, they have all long since rotted away, just leaving a landscape covered in brick pagodas and temples. The mighty Bagan Empire weakened over time and it is thought that Mongol invaders plundered and overran the city at the end of the 13th century. This once-great capital was then abandoned, but still remains as a magnificent memorial to a spectacular Buddhist renaissance. Most tourists arrive at Bagan by air from Yangon, but a far more tranquil mode of transport is by river from Mandalay. We journeyed on the lovely old M.V. Pandaw, a vessel that once belonged to the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company (IFC). Before WWII, this company operated over 650 such boats on the rivers of Myanmar, which was then the British colony of Burma. The whole IFC fleet was deliberately scuttled when the Japanese invaded Burma in the 1940s, but some boats, the Pandaw amongst them, have since been re-furbished..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Portugal Resident"
2019-11-26
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar will hold a large wood sculpture exhibition in Bago region to show the world that the country owns the largest number of wood sculptures. Eight sculpture awards will be presented along with the eighth exhibition which will run from Nov. 29 to Dec. 4, according to event organizer U Kyi Win late on Sunday. In the exhibition, 227 wood sculptures made by wood sculptors from 20 townships will be contested and the winner of the "favorite" wood sculpture competition will be awarded 10 million kyats (over 6,600 U.S. dollars). After Cyclone Nargis devastated buildings and trees mainly in Yangon and Ayeyarwady regions in May 2008, the government encouraged wood sculptors to make wooden sculptures out of trees downed by the cyclone and large wood sculpture exhibitions were held for seven occasions from 2009 to 2017..."
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
2019-11-25
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Forty years ago when Yin Myo Su was a child, she would regularly wash in the waters of Inle Lake, in Myanmar’s Shan State. Not any more. “Today, the lake is dying,” says Yin, better known as Misuu, the founder of Inle Heritage, a not-for-profit organisation that works to preserve it and the culture of the lakeside communities. “And if we want it to survive, we have to take action.” Yin, who was born and raised in Nyaung Shwe, the main hub for visitors to the lake, has been involved in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years, and has spent the past decade at the forefront of the area’s steadily growing eco-tourism industry. She has implemented waste water management systems, opened a vocational training school, opened a resort of traditional houses built on stilts over the water, and held environmental workshops. She is determined to conserve the place she calls home..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "South China Morning Post" (Hong Kong)
2019-07-29
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Inle Lake is not only the pride and joy of Shan state, it also stands as one of Myanmar’s top travel destinations, and many efforts are being made to attract more tourists through a branding campaign titled ‘Inle– A Perfect Balance’.
Description: "Come experience the harmony for yourself, where you’ll see people living on floating homes, travelling by boat and sustaining a whole way of life via the water, and you’ll get a sense of how balanced life can be. Indeed, Inle is more than an amazing lake. It’s a way of life, nestled in the Shan highlands. If you’re planning a trip, here’s a list of the top ten things to do there: Take a Boat Tour Around the Lake: Well, obviously. The lake is so vast, it’ll take a whole day to soak up the expansive waters around you, with the green Shan mountains on the horizon. Let your soul float away from the everyday hassles you’ve left behind. You’ll see small villages, huts on the riverways and temples along the banks. Above the lily pads, you’ll be racing with herons and dragonflies, alongside flocks of migrating birds and fishermen idly paddling by. Bamboo Delight Restaurant and Cooking School Located in the middle of Nyaung Shwe, Bamboo Delight is not only a very relaxed open-air restaurant but also a place where you can learn to cook local Shan, Inthar and Pa’ O dishes. My favourites were the Pa’ O peanut sauce dip (a versatile, coconut-infused replacement for peanut butter), Shan chicken curry and lady finger salad. If you turn up early, you’ll be treated to a tour of the market – where you’ll get to chose the ingredients, and meet some of the local characters. The Inle Cat Village: Admittedly, I wasn’t expecting this one when I first arrived in town. Burmese cats are another unique thing about Myanmar, and the species recently almost went extinct in their homeland. That’s right, pure Burmese breeds were almost non-existent in Myanmar until the official Inle Burmese Cat Village changed all that. Founded in 2009, the village caters to a range of feline breeds and temperaments. Most of the Burmese breeds descend from an American-bord cat called Wong Mau, who was bought to Myanmar in the 1930s, according to the village owners. Petting time is from 11am to 2pm..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-11-15
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "When you live in a place long enough it can become boring, and the things that were once exciting are now ordinary and humdrum. As you walk across the congested streets, or contemplate moving to another country during a blackout, it’s time to remember the things that make this country stand out. Here are the top ten most interesting things about Myanmar.....In the early 1960s foreign students would flock to Yangon to study, when English was the prized language of instruction. Though things have changed significantly after decades of military misrule, Myanmar is still an interesting place for people and languages. Though not as many people speak the global lingua franca anymore, the country is home to more than 100 different native languages. From Kachin and Chin languages in the north, Burmese, Shan, Padaung, Rakhine in the central parts, and Mon and Karen in the south, some languages even have dozens of unique sub-languages and dialects..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-10-25
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar celebrates its traditional Tazaungdaing festival on the full-moon day of Tazaungmone, eighth month of Myanmar calendar on Monday. On the full-moon day, pagodas across the country are crowded with Buddhist devotees and pilgrims and are hosting well-known traditional festive activity called robe-weaving competitions, known as Matho Thingan competitions. At the robe-weaving competitions which started in eve of the full-moon day, the contestants have to weave beautiful decorative robes for the Buddha statues and the teams with most beautiful robes are announced winners. The woven robes are offered to the Buddha statues at the pagodas in early hours of full-moon day. As part of celebrations, people offer alms, candle lights, joss sticks, flowers and fruits as homage to the pagodas. On the day, streets are also packed with alm-offering for monks and Satuditha meal serving for people as part of merit-makings. There is also "Kathina Festival", called "Kahtein-Khin, which is being celebrated by bringing tree-shaped moveable stands, where varieties of offerings and gifts are hung, to the monasteries, accompanied with Myanmar traditional orchestra bands playing music with dance along the journey during the festival..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Xinhua" (China)
2019-11-11
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-13
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Myanmar is well-known for its cultural and historical heritage but is generally lesser-known for its rich natural wonders which showcase an impressive and unique biodiversity. Unfortunately, these natural heritage sites are increasingly coming under threat as a result of unchecked logging, illegal wildlife trade, as well as unsustainable agricultural and fishery practices, among others. Over the past several years, UNESCO has supported the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) in strengthening its capacity to protect and manage the country’s natural heritage sites. In 2014, Myanmar, for the very first time listed seven natural sites on the World Heritage tentative list. In late 2018, with UNESCO’s support, the Government reaffirmed its engagement to strengthen the level of protection of these “Seven Natural Wonders”, by developing a Roadmap for World Heritage Nomination of Natural Sites. As part of its endeavor to get the natural wonders of Myanmar better known and to raise awareness on the importance of protecting and conserving these sites for World Heritage status, UNESCO, with the financial support of the government of Norway produced a short video and booklet entitled ‘Discover Myanmar’s Seven Natural Wonders’..."
Source/publisher: UNESCO (Myanmar)
2019-02-17
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Arakan (Burma), Th eravada Buddhism, colonial history, ethnic identity, monastic historiograp
Topic: Arakan (Burma), Th eravada Buddhism, colonial history, ethnic identity, monastic historiograp
Description: "Th ere is an abundance of scholarly material on the relation between the temporal and the spiritual power in Southeast Asian Buddhist kingdoms some of which I discuss in the notes or refer to in the bibliography. Th e latest contribution to the field is Ian Harris, ed. Buddhism, Power and Political Order (London: Routledge, 2007). 2) Steven Collins’s discussion of “kingship and its discontents” in his land-mark Nirvana and Other Buddhist Felicities: Utopias of the Pali Imaginaire (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998) contributed to a “new vision of Buddhist history” because his analysis leads beyond earlier approaches such as Melford Spiro, Burmese Supernaturalism (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1967), Melford Spiro, Buddhism and Society: A Great Tradition and its Burmese Vicissitudes (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1970), and Stanley J. Tambiah, World Conqueror and World Renouncer: A Study of Buddhism and Polity in Th ailand against a Historical Background (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976). Collins argues that “most ethnographies and histories do not make [. . .] a separation” between “Buddhism as constructed by scholars” and the “socio-cultural life . . . lived historically, first in the conditions of pre-modern agrarian states, and then in the context of modernization, nation-building, colonialism and capitalism”: Collins, Nirvana and Other Buddhist Felicities: 568..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Academia.edu" (USA)
2008-05-13
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
Format : pdf
Size: 258.16 KB (51 pages)
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Sub-title: Tourists visit monastic schools to donate stationery
Description: "Some tourists take time out of their busy schedule to visit a monastic school, even if the visit is not a part of the itinerary. They ask us to take them there,” U Tun Myat, a tour guide who has been working in the tourism industry for more than 20 years, said. Monastic schools are a symbol of ancient education in Myanmar. It’s been an age-old tradition. As a Buddhist country, and as an expression of how children of Buddha work for the betterment of society in the country, some tour agents put visiting monastic schools on their schedules as a tourist activity. “The tourists donate stationery for the children. They spend time with them,” he said. Before modern schooling education in Myanmar often took place in monastic settings, dating back to the ancient kings. One notable student was king Thibaw himself, the last vestige of royalty from the Kongbaung dynasty. He studied at a monastic school in Mandalay. Decades passed. The age-old tradition is still alive across the country, mostly for impoverished people. Monastic schools run by monks and nuns have been of vital importance in educating disadvantaged children. In Sagaing and Nyaung U, where many old monastic schools have survived, sites are frequently visited by tourists. Some monastic schools educate ethnic children coming from unstable states such as Shan and Kachin. Their parents think monasteries and convents are safer places to send their children, said U Tun Myat. Some girls and boys come from one-parent families. They were sent there when a father or mother died, and the surviving parent cannot take care of them..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
2019-08-16
Date of entry/update: 2019-10-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: MYANMAR, travel, Tourist attractions
Topic: MYANMAR, travel, Tourist attractions
Description: "The former capital is a playground for those who love food, culture and having a great holiday. Answer this quickly: What’s the capital of Myanmar? If you answered Yangon, well…you’re wrong. The capital has shifted to Naypyitaw in 2005 but Yangon remains the cultural and economic capital and most populous city in the country. This means that Yangon is still the place to travel to in Myanmar. Besides being a melting pot of the 135 ethnic groups in the nation, Yangon also features delicious food and multiple cultural landmarks. Plus, it’s affordable, which makes it even more attractive. Bonus: A quick three hour flight will get you there, which means it should be on your travel bucket list for weekend getaways. What are the things to do when you’re heading to Yangon? We’ve got you covered..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Asia One" (Singapore)
2019-09-28
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Sub-title: Far from the bright lights of Yangon and Mandalay, a Bagan local has managed to build up a business empire – with help from some friends in high places, according to residents.
Description: "FOR MORE than 40 years, U Nyunt Lu has been a caretaker at Gubyaukgyi Pagoda, an Indian-influenced temple built in the 12th century, providing security and ensuring precious wall paintings are not damaged. To carry out his duties, Nyunt Lu has lived in a small house beside the pagoda compound since 1988. But now he faces eviction at the end of October, because the house is on land that has been claimed by one of the area’s most prominent and influential businesspeople, U Myo Min Oo. Nyunt Lu’s house is on a plot between the pagoda compound in Wetkyi-In village, northeast of Old Bagan, and the boundary of Royal House Hotel, one of four at Bagan owned by Myo Min Oo, who has extensive business interests in the area. Nyunt Lu said he believes it was built on land donated to the pagoda by Daw Khin Mar Kyi, a resident of nearby Nyaung-U (Frontier was unable to contact Khin Mar Kyi). “I have lived here since 1988 when the land was owned by someone I did not know, but now the Settlement and Land Records Department says the land is owned by Myo Min Oo,” Nyunt Lu told Frontier at his house. He said his eviction is being supported by the Archaeology Department, which wants him to relocate to another house about 600 metres from Gubyaukgyi Pagoda. The Archaeology Department and Myo Min Oo disapproved of him discussing his predicament with visitors, he added. U Aung Aung Kyaw, director of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library in Bagan, told Frontier that there was no record of such a donation and the land is owned by Myo Min Oo. “That’s why the pagoda caretaker [Nyunt Lu] has to relocate,” he said. Several sources said the pagoda compound contained two ancient stupas, but Myo Min Oo allowed no one to enter except guests at the hotel. According to Nyunt Lu, he has instructed his staff to initiate legal action for trespassing against anyone, including Archaeology Department officials, if they enter the hotel without permission. Gubyaukgyi Pagoda is in the Ancient Monument Zone, where development is prohibited under a management plan prepared by Myanmar as part of its application for Bagan to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar"
2019-09-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-09-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Description: "RIDE CHANNEL Feature February 2014 - Winner of Best Independent and Emerging Film Makers at the International Skateboard Film Festival 2011 - WATCH THE FOLLOW UP TO ALTERED FOCUS, YOUTH OF YANGON vimeo.com/58578845 (MADE PUBLIC - 9th May 2011) Filmed in the summer of 2009, Altered Focus: Burma follows three film makers and skateboarders as they travel across Yangon and Mandalay. The film explores the reaction to this unseen activity whilst touching on the political situation there..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Vimeo"
2011-02-10
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-17
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Description: "Guided by the insights of a Buddhist monk, we explore the lives of the Burmese intertwined with the reconstruction of the road and the environmental effects it will have on one of Southeast Asia's last remaining wildernesses..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Timeline - World History Documentaries
2019-07-27
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-29
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Description: "Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c... Add us to your G+ circles: https://plus.google.com/b/11510880727... Abonnez vous à notre chaîne pour ne rater aucune future mise en ligne ▶ http://bit.ly/19osCqa CRUISE IN THE LAND OF A THOUSAND PAGODAS Take a behind the scenes peek into the lives of liner crew members and discover the pleasures of a life spent at sea. Stop Over will take you on prodigious trips across the most marvelous oceans and rivers of the world. Travel with us as we explore not just the waters of the world, but also the mythical cruise ships, legendary liners, magnificent sailboats and fascinating traditional vessels that take us from place to place. Board the Queen Elizabeth 2, the Royal Clipper, Le France/Le Norway, the Sun Boat II, the "Classica", the Vat Phou, the Bolero, the Wind Song, the Grigoriy Mikheev icebreaker and the Silver Cloud among many others. Travel from Southampton to New York, Gao to Mopti, Aswan to Abu Simbel, Dubai to the port of Muscate, on the famous Incense Route of the Desert Cities in the Negev. Produced by NIGHT & DAY..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: Stop Over - Documentary, Discovery, History
2015-05-05
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Source/publisher: DAWEI YOUTH GROUP(DYG)
2013-03-18
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Source/publisher: MRTV Webportal
2013-09-27
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-11
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: The monk sat cross-legged in the Manhattan hotel room in augbergine robes on an aubergine prayer mat, a thermos of tea, his reading glasses and a book, Mindfulness in the Marketplace, arranged neatly by his side. Thich Nhat Hanh took time out from a U.S. tour to speak briefly with TIME about the monastic uprising in Burma. (See video) Nhat Hanh has a long history as one of Buddhism's truly international spokespeople. ["Thich" is a name adopted by all Vietnamese monks and nuns upon ordination.] He first came to global attention in the early 1960s, when he led fellow monks in his native Vietnam to oppose the prosecution of the war there by either side — a position that eventually led to the deaths of several of his followers and his own exile. He continued his opposition from the United States, where his counsel was influential in convincing the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to announce his own opposition to the conflict. King subsequently nominated Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize. He continued speaking and writing (in a variety of languages — he is a polyglot), working out a theory of "engaged buddhism," exploring the commonalities between his philosophy and other world faiths, attaining a popularity (and book sales) in the U.S. second only to that of the Dalai Lama, and lending his opposition to a series of world conflicts, including America's involvement in Iraq. He now lives in a monastic community he founded in France. Buddhism has three major branches: Theravada, historically the simplest, which is now practiced primarily in South Asia and is the faith of the Burmese monks; Mahayana, of which Hanh's own Zen discipline is part; and the Dalai Lama's Tibetan branch, which is labeled Vajrayana. In conversation, however, Hanh stressed the unity of the three and their solidarity with the embattled Burmese. "They also practice mindfulness and concentration inside like us," he said. He said the Burmese monks had "done their job. It is already a success because if monks are imprisoned or have died, they have offered their spiritual leadership. And it is up to the people in Burma and the world to continue." Pressed on the question of martyrdom, he replied: "We nourish the awareness that monks are being persecuted and continue to suffer in order to support the people in Burma for the sake of democracy." Perhaps the most striking gesture made by his Burmese bretheen before they were attacked was the symbolic act of turning their begging bowls upside down. In a Western culture where almsgiving happens in the confines of a church or synagogue, this may have seemed odd. But Nhat Hanh pointed out that it was a powerful statement of denial to the regime leaders. "In Buddhist culture," he explained, "offering food to the monk symbolizes the action of goodness, and if you have no opportunity to support the practice of spiritualilty then you are somehow left in the realm of darkness." Their supreme act of condemnation: giving the regime no chance to do good. The importance of monks in Burma was also suggested, in a grisly way, by reports that hundreds of Burmese soldiers had been arrested for refusing to shoot at them. In the U.S., the connection between Buddhism and social action is not readily understood. Many Americans perceive Buddhism as a philosophy that regards this world as transitory and unimportant; in this country, the most widely disseminated kind of Buddhism is a stripped-down version of Theravada practice with a strong emphasis on ritual supplemented by meditations on meta, or loving-kindness. Said Nhat Hanh: "Meditation is to get insight, to get understanding and compassion, and when you have them, you are compelled to act. The Buddha, after enlightenment, went out to help people. Meditation is not to avoid society; it is to look deep to have the kind of insight you need to take action. To think that it is just to sit down and enjoy the calm and peace, is wrong." After a brisk interview about Burma, Nhat Hanh gave some sense of the topics that were most on his mind that afternoon: He talked first about global warming and then about eating low on the food chain. He told a Buddhist story of a couple who were forced to cross a desert with their young son and, running out of food, killed and ate the child, whose diminishing corpse they carried with them, constantly apologizing to it. "After the Buddha told that story, he asked the monks, 'Do you think the couple enjoyed eating the flesh of their own son?'" Nhat Hanh recounted. "The monks said 'no, impossible.' The Buddha said, let us eat in such a way that will retain compassion in our heart. Otherwise we will be eating the flesh of our son and grandson." It was a stark and stern reminder of the steel beneath the flowing robe, gentle smile and peaceful demeanor.
Creator/author: David Van Biema, Thich Nhat Hanh
Source/publisher: Asia Society
2007-10-12
Date of entry/update: 2019-06-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: During a recent walking tour in Yangon, 32 young people explored the city’s diverse communities and how people with differing religious and ethnic identities can live in harmony with each other. Over the course of the day, the youth, who represent eight of Myanmar’s ethnic groups, visited quarters of the downtown area where different groups, including Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and Jews, live side by side in vibrant communities. The event marked Myanmar’s first celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, highlighting themes that are vital to Myanmar’s future in many ways. Peaceful co-existence among different ethnic and religious communities is, of course, a top priority in a country that has been wracked by internal strife for decades. How can Myanmar build on World Day for Cultural Diversity and Dialogue to realize these aspirations and build a more harmonious and just society for all? Continuing violent conflicts in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states are fueled by a complex mix of drivers, but certainly ethnic and communal identities and perceived differences contribute to a continued level of volatility. Even outside the conflict zones, prejudice and discrimination too often lead to hate speech and social conflict. Myanmar’s extraordinary diversity with 135 distinct ethnic groups and manifold language groups presents unique challenges. Yet the walking tour in Yangon, through disparate communities that have for the most part have lived peacefully side by side, also explored models of coexistence and cooperation between communities without compromising each’s identity or values. Following the tour, which marked Myanmar’s first celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, an event at City Hall was attended by members of the Yangon Region Government, diplomatic community, and young people and other representatives of ethnic communities. “Appreciation of cultural diversity should be at the roots of development, not simply in terms of economic growth, but also as a means to better achieve sustainable development goals,” said Min Jeong Kim, Head of UNESCO Myanmar Project Office. The event also provided an occasion for the young participants, who were selected based on their membership in ethnic cultural and literary associations, to share their voices about cultural diversity based on their experiences. Representing the Bamar, Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan ethnic groups, the young people divided themselves into four groups symbolizing Diversity, Harmony, Prosperity and Unity, each comprising eight participants. “Diversity means coexisting in peace despite differences” was the lesson drawn from the walking tour, espoused by the group of the same name. “Through the historical narrative of the walking tour, we learned that people of different cultures in Myanmar used to learn, share and adopt each other’s culture,” representatives from Harmony said. “This celebration reminds us of the uniqueness and beautiful concept of diversity. It is our responsibility to cherish the similarities and embrace the differences of our culture.” The paired goals of development and peace also has particular resonance. “Despite our differences, we are all human and everyone is the same at the end of the day,” Prosperity members said. “With respect and understanding of diverse cultures, we will be able to drive towards sustainable development goals and thus achieve peace.” There was recognition that peaceful co-existence also involves an appreciation of differences. “We do not have to be feared to express ourselves, our ethnicity and our individualism,” Unity representatives said. “Throughout this walking tour, we witnessed signs of diversity everywhere we visited. However, it still remains a duty of every citizen to create an enabling environment for more people to accept the fact that diversity is beautiful.” “This celebration is a wonderful opportunity for the promotion of cultural diversity in Myanmar,” said U Maung Maung Soe, Minister of Municipal Affairs for the Yangon Region Government. “It is hoped that it will bring unity and a sense of harmony among the diverse cultures in Myanmar.”
Source/publisher: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
2019-06-11
Date of entry/update: 2019-06-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: ''Representing each of Myanmar’s 14 States and Regions, more than 130 civil society members attended the event, which was co-hosted with the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission in collaboration with Dan Church Aid, Norwegian Church Aid, Equality Myanmar and the Local Resource Center. The ICJ’s Asia Pacific Regional Director, Frederick Rawski, introduced the Forum objectives which were to raise awareness of the rights, obligations and reporting processes associated with Myanmar’s ratification of the ICESCR on 6 October 2017. As a State Party to the ICESCR, Myanmar is obliged to respect, protect and fulfill a variety of human rights including the rights to: decent work, an adequate standard of living, adequate housing, food, water and sanitation, social security, health, and education...''
Source/publisher: International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
2018-11-26
Date of entry/update: 2019-01-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Shagun Gupta looks at gender equality in relation to age...A recent article published in Tea Circle Oxford provoked some passionate responses arguing that more needs to be done to ensure the progress made on gender equality in Myanmar does not falter. The ensuing debate has largely favoured the rejection of an ill-informed diagnosis that is based on conjecture surrounding the ?myth of the disempowered Myanmar woman?. The thesis presented by Brandon Aung Moe was compelling in theory, and did establish that activists often view gender equality issues in Myanmar as a binary when in fact, they exist on a spectrum. More importantly however, the article failed to ground itself in the lived experience of not only Burmese women but also that of ethnic women who have historically suffered far greater injustices in troubled peripheries of the Union..."
Source/publisher: teacircleoxford
2017-08-28
Date of entry/update: 2017-09-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: Abstract: "This research paper would be conducted to integrate with cultural heritage buildings and new public buildings within the whole area of Bagan harmoniously. New public buildings such as hotels, motels, guest houses, inns, museum and viewing tower are constructed within old Bagan area, new Bagan area, area of inside city wall and Nyaung Oo area. The authority demarcated laws an d regulations, and building control plans within archaeological zone, monumental zone and preservation zone for constructing of new public buildings and then new public buildings must not construct within their demarcated areas. In present, new public buildings are influencing within the area of Bagan according to their site and setting, form and height. Bagan archaeological museum is influencing not only the environment of Gawdawpalin temple but also the whole Bagan area according to its massive form. And, viewing tower is also influencing with the height of building. Construction of new public buildings such as Bagan archaeological museum and viewing tower which can be compared in relation to their height and massiveness such as the height and form of Bagan monuments can lose the essence of Bagan from visual aspects. While taking every respect of old cultural heritage buildings, it is very important to consider ( i ) not to lose the value of cultural heritage buildings ( ii ) not to influence with site and setting ( iii ) not to influence with the form of building and ( iv ) not to obstruct with the height of building. Therefore, in depth research work should be conducted for the emergence of new public buildings in Bagan environment.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: San Nan Shwe
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 1.87 MB
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Description: Abstract: "Myanmar is giving increasing attention to gender inequality as an impediment to the development and attainment of human rights especially women?s rights. Realizing the close inter-­‐relationship between gender equality and cultural norms, a qualitative research study, ?Raising the Curtain: Cultural Norms, Social Practices and Gender Equality in Myanmar" was undertaken with the objective of furthering the understanding of social and cultural norms in Myanmar and their impact for men and women in relation to family and community life, work, health and education. The study was implemented in May 2014 covering 543 women and men participants covering seven States and four Regions in Myanmar. This study illustrates that cultural norms and related social practices impact men and women throughout their lifespan, from the most deeply personal?the sense of self, body, confidence, love and marriage-­‐ to the practical organization and valuing of paid and unpaid work; education opportunities; health status and services; participation in community development and the affairs of the nation. Furthermore, it shows how social and cultural norms carry ideas of different functions and worth for men and women, impacting on their life opportunities. Women, regarded as ?bearers and protectors of culture?, are often blamed for what are seen as disappearing cultural values and this can be a barrier to the realization of women?s rights and gender equality. Some salient recommendations from the study include i) using gendered lens on all developmental issues; ii) re-­‐framing gender equality from being seen as a ?women?s issue? to an issue of political advancement, human rights and democracy; iii) broaden the base in gender equality work from the circles of current activists, and engage people of different sexes, socioeconomic backgrounds, education levels, ethnicities, locations and abilities; iv) focus on gender inequality around concrete issues in peoples? lives that have impact at both individual, collective levels.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Pansy Tun Thein
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 177.12 KB
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Description: Abstract: The cultural heritage buildings give a sense of past and of cultural identity. Those buildings encompassed the historical evidence, artifacts and beliefs. As being a last capital of Myanmar Konbaung Dynasty, there were various kinds of building which are still left out in Mandalay City. Since the City was founded in 1857, the King Mindon intended to be very spacious capital by laying down the systematic town planning. The urbanization is taken placed since that time. Moreover, the study area was experienced by the diverse political systems and is ruled by the different governance. Therefore, the buildings were constructed according to the rulers. In this study the buildings are categorized into 4 groups: religious buildings, institutional buildings, and residential buildings, industrial and commercial buildings. Although the buildings regarding religions and institutions are already recorded by the Government Offices and Archaeology Department, there is lack of record on the commercial or industrial or residential buildings. Nowadays, the urbanization system has been taken place very quickly in the city. The range of pressures facing urban heritage include: population gains propelling rapid, uncontrolled growth and socio-­economic transformations generating functional changes in the city. It caused to renovate or reconstruct the new buildings in the places of previous ones, especially for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. It will affect to lose the ancient architectural style of the buildings and their significance. Therefore, the major aim of this research work is put on to define, to record and to locate as the cultural heritage buildings.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Khin Khin Moe
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 2.37 MB
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Description: Abstract: "History, language, and literature are inseparable. Undoubtedly, historian represents the past via language and employs literature as historical evidence. The late Dr.Than Tun, the highly respected and prominent Myanmar historian, was trained in a positivist fashion under the supervision of D.G.E. Hall and G.H. Luce, the leading colonial scholars. Hence, his treatment of literature fundamentally confined to and empirical historical framework, attaching great importance to its factual data and historicity. Nonetheless, some of his writings reveal that he did not neglect discussing how to trace back and interpret Myanmar history from fictional genres of the past, for example, myth, legend and folklore. He suggests that pre-­‐Buddhist elements of pre-­‐literate societies are preserved in those traditional songs, fables, proverbs, riddles and customs. Moreover, to study the history of Myanmar literature is supposed to begin with the earliest form of literature, the oral tradition. While his copious historical research was primarily based on very formal literary evidence, for instance, inscriptions, royal orders, first-­‐hand accounts, contemporary historical documents on tax, revenue, demography and even tombstones, when he wrote his works he preferred to write in the colloquial Myanmar form. He advocated Ludu U Hla?s campaign for simple and accessible writings for people. He also urged his pupils to write theses in the colloquial language. This paper attempts to analyze Dr.Than Tun?s perception of Myanmar language and literature in a light of the historical context of Myanmar society.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Pamaree Surakiat
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 195.27 KB
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Description: Introduction: "Myanmar language is derived from Tibeto-Chinese family of languages. Myanmar language is tone language because high and low tones determine different meanings of words. Besides Myanmar Language has sayings, proverbs and metaphors like other languages. The usage of ?Ger A ye who is beaten by her mother? is the metaphor of Myanmar Language.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Mon Mon Aung
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 355.21 KB
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Description: Abstract: "This report is about urbanism and historical heritage preservation in Yangon, Myanmar. When we look at urbanism, we are as well to view from the perspectives of urban development along with urban planning. The buildings are merely the physical infrastructures for the citizens of Yangon but also the cultural landscape and the history of the place. They have been changing throughout the time along with social and culture values of the local people. To be able to understand fully about the urban development of a certain area, attentive investigation on urban planning is mandatory. Thus, decent urban planning is vital for the positive development. This research report is based on the theories of urbanism, cultural diversity and tangible and intangible cultural heritage but focus mainly on tangible historic architectural buildings conservation. The case study is in the city of Yangon, Myanmar and critical analysis is centered on the Yangon Heritage Trust, the local NGO working on preserving the heritage of the city. The analysis themes are made upon th e benefit and wellbeing of the city dwellers."....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Hay Mann Zaw
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-20
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
Format : pdf
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Description: Introduction: "The main purpose for this study on the Myanmar cloth painting fine art as comparative work during 11th?18th century is to attain perceptive knowledge and exchange of expertise among the neighbouring counties in Southeast Asia. In Myanmar, knowledge and practice of Theravada Buddhism has been related to the literature, architecture, fine arts and daily life style of the people residing in the ancient city of Bagan (11th-­‐13th century CE). At that time, the tr aditional fine arts of Myanmar in Bagan was unique and perpetually augmented. Thus varieties of arts like architecture, stucco carvings, inscriptions, sculpture of wood/stone and other materials turnery and tapestry and glazed plaques and reliefs and smith ?works were decorated at the stupas and temples. Moreover, mural paintings were also depicted those mainly consisted of Buddha?s life stories including Nativity scenes, ascending the throne, great renunciation, Enlightenment 45 years preaching Dhamma, 550 Jatakas stories and Demised Buddha in the Parinicana scene. Nearly at the same period of the 11th century, fine arts on cloth painting emerged in Myanmar. According to the documentary references and survey findings of archaeologists and researchers, it was stated that Myanmar cloth painting fine arts appeared in the ancient city of Bagan (Abeyatana Temple No. 1202). Since then, the tradition of cloth painting spread out by the fine artists to the other people within Bagan and also to different places in later periods. Abeyatana Ceti, situated over the vault of the main temple No. 1202 (1084-­‐1113 CE), was the only temple being built in 11th century CE. Even after 800 years, some remains of cloth painting were seen on the lowest terrace of the Ceti of that temple. Regarding the cloth painting terraces at Abeyatana Ceti, it can be assumed to be one of the oldest extent images in Myanmar. In this paper I will also argue that it could be one of the oldest extent cloth painting idols in Southeast Asia. At the present, there are traces of cloth paintings in twenty temples in Myanmar from the 11th-­‐18th century. (See map. 1) Out of 20, sixteen temples are situated in Bagan (See map. 2), one is in Salay, one in Sarle, one in Mandalay and the final one is in Pakhan Gyi.".....International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
Creator/author: Aye Aye Oo
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 3.58 MB
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Description: Abstract: "How Yintaw came into existence under the Myanmar monarchical rule and how it changed in the successive periods until Myanmar regained her colonial period are discussed. Yintaw was first inhabited by the Pyus, and it became an important locality ruled by Myanmar kings. When the colonial government divided the country into districts, Yintaw became a district and later became a sub-division of Mandalay Division. When colonial administration was introduced, priority was given to the maintenance of law and order rather than to the effectiveness of administration. This work revealed a broad perspective of the importance of the region in the development of societies throughout history. As is already known, the interrelation between the society and agrarian economy was so great that one cannot develop if the other is weak. In order to discuss these topics, the researcher has made extensive field research to collect primary source materials which have never been used before. Stone inscription, land mortgage deeds and contemporary records were used to speak of their supra and infra relation, administrative pattern, self sufficiency economy, economic hardship, social status and various religious sectors. I believe that my new finding research work will be a significant value for the South East Asian studies.".....Paper delivered at the International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015.
Creator/author: Moe Moe Oo
Source/publisher: International Conference on Burma/Myanmar Studies: Burma/Myanmar in Transition: Connectivity, Changes and Challenges: University Academic Service Centre (UNISERV), Chiang Mai University, Thailand, 24-­26 July 2015
2015-07-26
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 535.33 KB
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Description: "The Burman: His Life and Notions (1882) is a book about the peoples and customs of Burma (now Myanmar). First published under the pseudonym Shway Yoe, the book was written by the Scottish journalist and British Colonial administrator James George Scott. The book caused a sensation when it was first published because it was considered impossible that a Burman could write so well in English - Shway Yoe?s unbiased tone and positive curiosity is also one reason that the author was presumed Burmese by the British. The book is most note worthy in the fact that the author made an extremely detailed and unparallelled description of the Burmese people and their culture, from their pagoda festivals to their lacquer, traditions, religion, dressing, food, and almost any category related." (Wikipedia)
Source/publisher: Shway Yoe (James George Scott)
1882-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2010-05-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf pdf
Size: 2.67 MB 37.71 MB
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