Enchanting Myanmar2-3
 |
| Contents Happy New Year to Our Readers Braving The Rapids Kayin Clothing Is it a Hinmyo ? Bogyoke Market - Yangon's Oriental Bazaar Bringing In The New Year A Wonder World: Monywa Thanboddhay Tender is the Night Events Calendar Pinya Message of Felicitation from H.E Brig.Gen.Thein Zaw,Minister for Hotels & Tourism |
 |
|
Happy New Year To Our Readers
Dear Readers,
No, we are not wishing you a belated happy New Year of the Goat that started on February 1st. Our New Year falls on April 17th, bringing in 1365 according to our lunar calendar, and although we cannot splash you with water as we should, nevertheless we wish you all the joyfulness of the celebrations with our article on Thingyan, the period preceding the New Year. The water symbolise a cleansing of bad fortunes of the old year so that we face the new with purity in our hearts.
The Editorial Board of Enchanting Myanmar also take this opportunity to express its sincere thanks and wishes for the New Year to H.E Brig.Gen. Thein Zaw, Minister for Hotels & Tourism who graciously consented to write a message of felicitations in this issue of the magazine.
In this issue, we invite you for a glimpse of our nationalities, the Kayin, whose weaving traditions were often overlooked. As the cover story we present a selection of their costumes, simple in cut but intricate in workmanship.
The Thanboddhay Pagoda of Monywa is one of the most delightful places in Myanmar and you will know why when you see the photos taken by our Art Director Sonny Nyein.
In the same region as the Thanboddhay Pagoda is the Alaung Daw Kathappa National Park, and Hpone Thant tells us of an almost close encounter with a tiger.
Many know about the glory of Bagan, its greatness of temples and pagodas and the fact of its era being the First Myanmar Empire. Between its end and the beginning of the Second Myanmar Empire, there were brief periods in history with no less fascinating stories. We take you to see some of the relics of the Pinya period, which followed the decline of Bagan in the 13th century.
Lastly, we bring you a short story from Kan Chun, a writer and painter who lives in Mandalay.
Enjoy; and may you have good fortune for 1365 M.E.
The Editorial Board
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR
MINISTRY OF HOTELS AND TOURISM
YANGON
|
| THINGYAN GREETINGS FROM | Letter No, 12 KA 2003/1727 |
Dear Readers,
Mingalarbar! May you be blessed with auspiciousness, health and wealth in the coming New Year!
Enchanting Myanmar travel magazine is the joint endeavour between the Ministry of Hotels & Tourism and Swiftwinds Services Co. Ltd to promote tourism in Myanmar and it is my great pleasure and honour to write this short message of felicitations on our Myanmar New Year to all the readers of this magazine.
Myanmar is a country of many sights and scenes. Starting from the majestic snow-covered peaks of Mt. Hkakaborazi, the grandeur of Bagan, the proud cultural centre of Mandalay and the bustling metropolitan Yangon to the quaint villages and the colourful ethnic groups and their lovingly preserved customs and traditions, the diverse animal and plant life among the green and lush tropical forests, not to mention the beautiful and unspoilt beach areas, Myanmar can meet all the expectations of the international visitors.
The Ministry of Hotels & Tourism is striving to promote Myanmar as the premier tourist destination and put it firmly on the world?s tourist map. To this end I hope our Enchanting Myanmar travel magazine will make a significant contribution, for in this magazine you will find articles on not only the regular tourist sites but many interesting articles on the little known customs and traditions of all the ethnic groups in our country plus other useful information for those planning to visit Myanmar. I am indeed proud to also inform that the feedbacks received from many of our readers were very positive.
Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank you all for the support you had shown to our magazine and also for visiting our beautiful country and we hope to see you again and again.
Yours Sincerely,
(Thein Zaw)
Brigadier General,
Minister for Hotels & Tourism
PINYA
A SHORT PERIOD OF HISTORY
By Yin Wyn
Photos: Sonny Nyein
 |
| The temple on the South. |
| |
| A stone inscription |
The glory of 11th century Bagan which was the First Myanmar Empire still has a great influence on the culture, religion and traditions of the country, so that to the people it feels as if the heroes of Bagan lived recently and not a thousand years ago. But by the late 13th century, when Mongolian armies under Kublai Khan were sweeping across Asia making war on various countries, Bagan under the rule of a weak king fell to its forces. The Mongols did not stay to rule, but from then on the dynasty founded by Anawrahta declined in power not so much due to the invasion but to disloyalty of heirs and dissolute life-styles of the later kings.
Bagan was not won easily, however.
|
|
| The temple in the middle. |
Marco Polo in his "Travels" described, "How Kublai Khan effected the conquest of the Kingdom of Mien" (which is the name known to foreigners since the country came into being, a distortion of "Myanmar". The people of China still call Myanmar "Mien-tien") It did not seem to be an eyewitness account, but by the details and passion with which it was written, Marco Polo probably talked to a few veterans of this invasion. The account, however, did not portray the king of 'Mien' as weak; in fact it was noted that "he fought most valiantly and that the losses were severely felt on both sides."
 |
| The temple in the North. |
Marco Polo wrote that the "Mien" soldiers lost because they did not have the experience of war on the scale that the Mongols had. However, the Myanmar used elephants in battle, which the Khan had never before seen used in such a way. He wrote that the Mongol horses were terrified of the elephants and could not be restrained so the riders had to dismount and tie the horses to trees to continue fighting on foot. Arrows from both sides fell like rain as the elephants took cover in the forest. The Mongols took back with them over two hundred elephants which they too began to use in warfare.
 |  |
| Images in caves near the three temples. |  |
A military song called a 'Kar-jin' sang during the Pinya period that followed gave much the same descriptions that Marco Polo did, even as to the movements of the troops.
Narathihapate was the ruler when Bagan fell. He was a king who had such a fondness for food that as he fled downriver for sanctuary to Pyay where his son Thiha Thu governed. Legend goes that he wept that the usual three hundred dishes were not on the table during this flight. This son treacherously forced him to take poison. However, it was the younger son, Kyaw Swa, who became king in Bagan.
Three brothers Athin Garaza, Raza Thingyan and Thiha Thu, of Shan descent, served under Kyaw Swa and became governors of some provinces. They were not keen to keep Kyaw Swa on the throne as they felt he was too much under the control of the Mongols, so they replaced him with his younger brother Saw Hnit. The Mongols came again in 1301A.D to remove Saw Hnit but the youngest of the brothers Thiha Thu repelled them in a place called Myin Saing. The Mongols never bothered 'Mien' again.
This Thiha Thu became king in 1303A.D and moved the capital to Pinya not far from Mandalay, which only came into existence almost 600 years later. As was usual with all Royal capitals, Pinya had an official title of Wizara Pura. The town area was nearly one square half-mile.
The Pinya period was a short one, incomparable to the greatness of Anawrahta's First Myanmar Empire, Bayintnaung's Second Myanmar Empire or Alaungpaya's Third Myanmar Empire, but with its own niche in history as the transition period between eras of greater glory.
 |
 |
 |
| Stucco, glazed relief and painted works |
The kingdom of Pinya was not a large one by any means, but was ruled with the system of governance that was practiced in Bagan; the period was a peaceful one. Agriculture was the main industry, and with fertile Kyaukse region within the country?s boundaries, the people had plenty. With believers of Buddhism becoming more devoted to its compassionate philosophy, slave ownership declined, as many slaves were set free. Even then, as was in Bagan, slaves were not ill-treated as can be seen from stone inscriptions where dire curses were set out for "those who would do injury to the slaves" who had been donated to pagodas.
The Pinya kings continued to delegate governors to rule at various towns and regions. Learning from experience from the Mongol invasion, the Pinya period was known for a strong military, much supported by the kings. The generals also had administrative powers beyond control of their troops. Where villages were few and far between, to ensure better communications and security of the population, the military built new settlements, which later grew into towns and villages.
During Thiha Thu's reign, his son Athin Garaza Saw Yun set up another small kingdom with Sagaing as the capital. Thus Pinya and Sagaing Kingdoms existed side by side. The Pinya Kingdom lasted over fifty years with six rulers: Thiha Thu of Myin Saing fame, Uzana, Sithu, Nga Hsee Shin Thiha Thu (owner of Five White Elep hants), Kyaw Swa and another Thiha Thu. The names are similar to the kings of the Bagan period and hence somewhat confusing. The Sagaing Kingdom lasted nearly forty years with seven rulers.
Sagaing later became a religious centre and existed as such all through the times, but Pinya, after it faded in glory, was abandonned. Only ruins of old pagodas were left, covered with earth and grass so that they looked like round hills. You can see them as you drive out of Mandalay International Airport, called the Three Caves by the locals.
They are three huge cave temples of the Bagan style, about 80 ft by 80 ft square, with four porches at each point of the compass. The fine stucco decorations are in the same patterns that one sees on Bagan temples. Archeologists noted that some fragments of wall paintings could be seen inside two of the temples. Some glazed plaques showing scenes in relief of the Jataka stories decorate the exterior of the temple walls of the middle and the northern-most one.
There is, unfortunately, no record on the history of the temples, nor of who exactly erected them. However, Myanmar history stated that in 1312 A.D King Thiha Thu had built a great temple in Pinya. A stone inscription found near the temples said that King Uzana dedicated the completion of a temple in 1340 A.D, but it could not be deuced from this inscription exactly which temple it indicated. Nor is there any such evidence of which one King Thiha Thu built.
When Pinya's and Sagaing's powers finally declined, a descendent of both the founder of Sagaing and the Bagan King Kyaw Swa, named Thado Min Pya, integrated the two kingdoms into one. Thado Min Pya in 1363 founded Inwa as the capital, which was to be abandoned and reclaimed as the Royal seat of some future kings. The periods just before Pinya and after were turbulent times, but in its duration there was peace. Its presence is now noted only in history books, a small village and the three great ruined temples in the midst of wide paddyfields.
BRAVING THE RAPIDS
Call it Mayhka or N'maihka but whatever it is many people knows it as one of the two tributaries of the Ayeyarwady River, a tempestuous brother to his more gentle sister, Malihka River.
Born of virgin snow fields and glaciers on the high peaks of northern Myanmar, Mayhka River rushes through narrow gorges, leaps over immense boulders, whispers beside quiet villages towards the rendezvous with his sister at a point about 28 miles from Myitkyina to form the mighty Ayeyarwady River. Because of his wild and rough nature none had dared to tame him.
Now a team of intrepid adventurers led by Mr. David H. Allardice and comprising (4)members from such diverse countries as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and U.K, with the full support of the Ministry of Hotels & Tourism and other departments concerned, had finally conquered him. Starting their journey by canoes from the upper reaches of Maykha River on the last week of February the team braved the raging torrents, the dangerous whirlpools and other perils that threatened to disrupt their adventure time and again, to finally arrive back at Chipwe on March 12, 2003.
"We are very happy", the team leader told us when we met them in Yangon at the end of the trip. "Mayhka is rated as one of the most difficult rivers for white-water rafting. At some places the rapids can be rated at 4 or even 5 on a scale of 6 and we had to be very careful. Now that finally it has been conquered we are of course also very proud. I would like to thank all the Myanmar authorities and my friends in Myanmar for making this adventure a success".
It is learnt that the team also rafted down the Nam Lang River, which has it source on Mt.Phungan, before attempting the Mayhka Expedition.
This first ever white water expedition in Myanmar was organised and financed by Shwe Lay Ta Gun Travels and Tours, with a view to establishing a commercial white water rafting operation near Putao.
Enchanting Myanmar takes this opportunity to congratulate Mr. David Allardice and the members of the Team on their success.
CONGRATULATIONS!
The Editorial Board
IS IT A HINMYO??
By Hpone Thant
 |
| Checking out wild animal spoor. |
"Sir, I think a hinmyo approached our camp last night" the leader of our team of forest rangers excitedly said to me, poking his head into my tent. "Say again?" I groggily replied, as the cobwebs had not been cleared from my brains completely, to be so notified at the crack of dawn. Hinmyo is the traditional name in Myanmar given to tigers by all the folks living in the jungle. The village people believe that if you call a tiger a tiger the guardian Nats would not like it and in many places snakes are called, "Long Creatures" Maybe it is just superstition but who knows the mysterious ways of the jungle!
The United Kingdom based Scientific Exploration Society (S.E.S) was mounting a comprehensive survey in the Alaung Daw Kathapa National Park with a view to present suggestions to the relevant authorities on upgrading it to international standards. In collaboration with the Forest Department under the Ministry of Forestry, S.E.S had gathered a varied group of resource persons and nature lovers divided into small groups to explore the Park and each group was delegated a specific objective. The Expedition members were formed in companies: Group Alpha, Baker, Charlie and Delta etc.
Alaung Daw Kathapa National Park is one of the most famous of destinations for nature lovers as well as for Buddhist pilgrims. The Park is in Yinmabin Township of the Sagaing Division and is a well forested area, situated to the west of the Lower Chindwin and Myittha valleys and comprises the Patolon and Taungdwin Reserves Forests.
The total area of the Park is 620.32 sq miles. The Park consists of the Patalon and Taungdwin River Valleys and these valleys are separated from each other by north to south running ridges. These ridges have many steep escarpments. The elevation of the Park varies from 670 feet to 4265 feet with an average of 3000 feet. The highest point is the Hlaingma Mountain at 4265 feet. The Park is drained by a number of tributaries of the Potalon River, notably the Petpa and Taungdwin creeks. The Potalon River empties into the Chindwin River which itself is the main tributary of the Ayeyarwady River.
 |
| Elephants are the only means |
Major rainfall occurs between May and October and is heaviest in August and September. The Western Chin Hills greatly influences the rainfall and the annual rainfall is around 1500mm. Even in some dry years the rainfall is reduced to around 750mm. The temperature in the Park varies from 10?C with the highest recorded at 41?C. The humidity averages around 72%.
The Park is accessible by road only. One way is to cross the Chindwin River at Monywa by ferry or cross the Chindwin by the Sinbyushin Bridge at Chaung Oo. The best time to visit the Park is from late January to before the Myanmar New Year in April. Come early and you cannot cross the Chaung Ma Gyi Creek which has not subsided or come late and get trapped by the monsoon. Even the monks at the monastery depart for Kabaing at the edge of the Park during the rains.
 |
| A Group of scientists at Alaung Daw |
The Buddhist pilgrims usually visit the Park to pay homage to one of the disciples of Lord Buddha, Shin Maha Kathapa, whose sarcophagus is said to be lying inside the cave in the Park and hence it is the origin of the Park's name. Also, on the Full moon Day of Tabodwe (February), the presiding monk of nearby Pho Win Taung Monastery organizes an annual ceremony to prepare Hta ma ne or cooked glutinous rice offering to the monks and pilgrims visiting the holy place.
The cave where this holy relic is said to be buried, is about 45 minutes' walk from the Log Cabin Camp along a narrow bridle path, or an elephant can take you there in just about 20 minutes. A steep ladder takes you down into the main cave, dark and damp. There you will find an entrance to another smaller cave where the body of Kathapa is said to be. But the cave is blocked with a boulder and many pilgrims sit in front to worship. They place gold leaves on this boulder. Legends say that inside the cave and beside the sarcophagus, are stacked so many offerings of gold and gems that once upon a time a man went in and was so overcome with temptation that he could not find the way back out of the cave. Curiously, an attendant will point out the shape of a small footprint way out on a narrow ledge overlooking the gorge."There was a young boy who accompanied this person into the cave but being a child he was not overcome with greed when he saw the riches. So he was able to escape through a narrow opening and here you see his footprints" the attendant explained. Well, the small indentation in the rock is similar to a child's feet and maybe the story is true! And since that time the cave has been blocked.
But for the nature-lovers, it is the rich bio-diversity that draws them to the Park. The Park possesses wildlife such as tsaings (Bos banteng), gaurs (Bos gaurus), sambar (Cervus unicolor), wild elephants, black bears, porcupines plus troops of monkeys etc. Birdlife is also varied with hornbills, woodpeckers, laughing thrushes, babblers, orioles, parakeets, barbets etc. Reptiles are also numerous. It is not uncommon to find bears up on the trees hunting for honey. Leopards are plentiful in the Park. Once, by chance, together with a Japanese photographer we had caught on film a family of leopards feasting on a kill. But that's another story!
One night S.E.S's Chairman Col John Blashford-Snell (J.B.S), a retired colonel from the British Royal Engineers, announced "Tomorrow Group Charlie will head for Kuzaik at sunup, so please be ready to start in time". Kuzaik is situated about five days? march, in the northeastern direction from the base camp. The group that was to go with J.B.S comprised of a medical doctor, an elephant management expert, an ornithologists, a zoologist plus two pack elephants and their oozies (handlers) and some forest rangers.
By dawn of the next day the Log Cabin Camp that was our base was a busy hive. The different groups that were to leave camp on their assigned tasks were already up and about. Baggage had to be carefully divided and loaded onto the pack animals: rice, oil, pots and pans as well as enough potable water for all the participants as the round trip would take about 5 to 6 days. Meals were to be cooked at rest stops. All the members of the group were to walk, except in emergencies. That was the strict rule.
 |
| Tigers are extremely rare now |
J.B.S led Group Charlie as we marched out of camp, followed by the elephants. Along the way, vegetation studies were carried out to determine the forest type. Habitat, animal and birdlife were also carefully recorded.
This area west of the Chindwin River was the scene of many pitched battles between the Japanese and the Allied Forces during World War II. Another objective of the expedition was to hunt for the remains of Allied pilots and to send the remains to be buried properly at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yangon and any news about Allied warplane wrecks were eagerly sought.
Other groups in the expedition had their own routes mapped out and they too set out on their assigned objectives. Some were to study the feasibility of introducing solar cookers to the families of the elephant handlers and also to assist in elephant management practices. Another group provided basic healthcare to the villagers and also gave talks on elementary hygiene and sanitation.
One memorable moment was opening a bird watching tower on the banks of the Potalon River. David Shepard Conservation Foundation (DSCF) and other sponsors from the United Kingdom had donated funds for the construction of the bird-watching tower as well as to supply camping gear and carpentry tools for the rangers at Alaung Daw Kathapa National Park. A master carpenter from U.K was with the expedition and he led the locals as well as the expedition members in constructing this tower, and it was a proud moment when the David Shepard Tower was officially opened.
Our Group Charlie was kept busy during the day. J.B.S was the typical British Army type, keeping everyone on their toes when not at parade rest! Lunch stops were under the shade of towering trees and beside bubbling brooks reminding us of the poem "The Brook" from our school days.
But the evenings were fun. When camp was pitched for the night, usually beside a running stream, the accompanying rangers and oozies doubled as cooks also. Most nights the meal was rice cooked in bamboo stems, what is known as hke tan chi tauk with stir-fried fresh vegetables. Rice is put into a short hollow bamboo stem with a little water, then the top was plugged with dried leaves or straws and the bamboo placed next to the fire. When enough time has passed the scorched bamboo was peeled back to expose the fragrant rice, ready to eat. If the rangers were lucky enough to have bagged a jungle fowl or caught a fish it gave some variety but normally it was canned sardines or chicken sausages. Sections of bamboos made good drinking cups. A bonfire was kept burning in the centre to provide warmth and light. Even before the night sky fills up with twinkling stars everybody was fast asleep, tired out from the day's exertions.
 |
| At the opening ceremony of |
After four days' march the group was near exhaustion. That was when the men on sentry felt the presence of the tiger and the story of the close encounter with the hinmyo was born. Tired and heavy with food everyone had fallen asleep as soon their heads touch the ground except for our trusty rangers who stood sentry duty around our campsite. A bird known as nget hku has a symbiotic relation with the tiger, and is known to accompany it on the hunt. This bird scouts ahead and warns the tiger of any lurking dangers and also acts as a scavenger of what is left over from the kill. The rangers heard the cry of this bird in the night and had deduced that there could be a tiger on the hunt.
The group carefully searched the surroundings. Someone called out excitedly, " Come here, there are some tracks here. Looks like a big cat". And sure enough, among the many signs of small animals we saw that there were also some footprints of a large cat on the soft sand near the stream. Presumably a large cat had come down to drink near our camp but seeing the bonfire had vanished again into the forest.
Most say there are no tigers in the Alaung Daw Kathapa National Park and that it would be a very rare and exceptional chance to meet one on a hunt. But whatever it is there was an animal with catlike paws that approached our camp in the night and it certainly gave our group a very exciting camp-fire story that would be retold time and again.
Hpone Thant was a member of the Expedition and is also a regular contributor of articles on the culture and traditions and wildlife of the country to various magazines.
He can be reached at: harry@swiftwinds.com.mm
Kayin Clothing
By Ma Thanegi
Photos: Sonny Nyein
 |
| A couple who lives in Hpado Village, Taikkyi Township. The costume she wears was onced worn only by ladies who own many elephants. He holds a buffalo horn musical instrument. |
'Thin-daing' is the Myanmar word for the straight-cut loose tunic worn by the Kayin Nationalities. It is made from two long, narrow strips of woven cloth sewn together with openings for neck and arms.
The split of the neck opening turns into a V shape when the Thin-daing is worn, and the length can reach to the waist, the hips or the knees, and for children, to the ankles. Sleeves are not attached to this tunic but as it is loose and big, the shoulders slope over to cover the top part of the arms.
Described thus, the outfit of a Kayin man or woman seemed almost the simplest fashion of all times. However, the ingenuity of the traditional weavers turns the Thin-daing into clothes of intricate weaving and embroidery.
The Thin-daing is worn over a waist garment called longyi, a nearly two-meter piece of cloth sewn into a tube and tied at the waist. As with other nationalities of Myanmar, the men wear their longyi knotted in front, while the women fold it into a flap to cover the front, either from left to right or right to left, and keep it in place just by tucking one small corner in the waist. The women?s longyi has an additional strip of black cotton sewn along the top for better securing. Waist garments woven on the traditional back-strap looms require two narrow pieces to be first sewn horizontally.
 |  |
| Kayin girls weaving and spinning | |
The designs and the colours are not for mere decoration, however; sometimes there are certain colours that are specific to the wearer. For example, one design is meant to be worn only by a person who posses a big herd of elephants. As their region has many thick jungles, elephants are necessary possessions and a man?s wealth is counted by how many of these docile giants he owns. They are hired out for use in logging or transportation, together with their own handlers.
 |
| Loom set in a small wooden frame |
The Kayin nationalities, although their sub-races can number nearly thirty, can be roughly divided into S'gaw and Pwo races, or, those who live on the mountains and those who live on the plains. The long and narrow Kayin State is tucked between the Bago Division and Mon State on the West and Thailand on the East. However, a great many Kayin people live in the rich and fertile Ayeyarwaddy Delta. Those who live on the plains grow rice, while those on the mountains are hunters or own small farms, where they sometimes grow cotton. The looms on the plains are similar to the fixed-frame looms of central Myanmar while in the mountains the Jut-khote (Backstrap) looms are more often used. Backstrap weaving is when the warp is tied to the weaver?s waist as she sits on the ground with her legs stretched out and soles of her feet set firmly against a wall or barrier. The cloth produced this way is only about 18 inches wide, or sometimes even half of that. Many other mountain races use this easy-to-transport loom as well. The plains Kayin nationalities more often than not use Backstrap looms which are set within a small wooden frame so that it is more stable and the weaver can sit in relative comfort. The daughter of the household is expected to know how to weave and to supply the clothing for her family, apart from going to school and helping her mother around the house. In most tribes, however, the tradition for a girl about to marry is for her to weave her own wedding costume, and one for her groom.
 |
| Intricately hand-woven shifts |
In some tribes only unmarried girls wear the colour white. The tunics are usually black, and the bottom decorated with colourful parallel lines. The lines can be so few as to just edge the bottom or be so wide that they reach to the armholes.
Newer fashions mean that the tunics are sewn from cloths of any colour of choice.
Sometimes intricate embroidered flowers or traditional designs fill in the gaps between the rows. White, oval seeds known as Job?s Tears are treasured decorations, to be sewn on like rows of pearls. The seams, neckline and the armholes are also bordered with embroidery. Tassels of yarn are sometimes left uncut after the weaving so that they contribute to the design as well. A few pom-poms made of colourful wool are also pretty touches.
The longyi are woven with horizontal stripes, not the wavy lines popular with the Bama race, but in straight lines which vary from narrow to broad. However, they may use the zigzag pattern in a line or two to create a prettier pattern.
 |
| Young couple in contemporary-style costume. |
As there are many sub-races of the Kayin, some tribes have more ornate headdresses or a different style of Thin-daings, or pattern of longyi. Most commonly the men?s longyi is red or green in colour, with fine horizontal lines in black or white. The women?s longyi has the broader lines in the middle or all over the cloth, and both the background and the stripes can be of any colour. As is true all over the world, the women have a wider choice of fashion. Even then, the men?s unadorned tunics and longyi give a look of simple dignity and elegance to the wearer.
For formal occasions, the men of Myanmar of any nationality like to wear a turban. The Kayin men wear a long strip of cloth tied around their foreheads knotted on the right side of the head, and with the two ends hanging free. The women wear theirs like a headband, tied at the nape and the two ends allowed to fall to the front over their shoulders. With a woven shoulder bag in matching colours, the costume of the Kayin couple is complete.
Acknowledgement: The Editorial Board of Enchanting Myanmar magazine extends their sincere gratitude to the Kayin Literature and Culture Committee,Yangon, for their wholehearted support, for making this article possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Man's tunic, Say P'lo in Kayin language, Lai Kai Kayin, Hpa-an region. 46" x 30". | Woman's blouse, Sai Saki, Pwo Kayin, Ayeyarwaddy Delta. 31" x 18". | Woman's blouse, Say Akay, S'gaw Kayin, Shwekyin Kyaukkyi region.. 40" x 9" each side. | Unmarried girl's blouse, Say Moe Wah, S'gaw Kayin, Bago Ranges. 48" x 25". | Woman's longyi, Ni Thair Taw, three horizontal strips S'gaw Kayin, Toungu. 34" x 52". |
|
|  |  |  |  |
| Woman's blouse, Say Bai, with seed decoration,S'gaw Kayin, Shwegyin Kyaukkyi region. 30" x 26" | Woman's blouse, Say Bu, S'gaw Kayin, Bago Ranges. 23" x 23". | Men's tunic, Say P'lo, S'gaw Kayin, Shwegyin Kyaukkyi region. 39" x 28". | Woman's blouse, Say P'lo, S'gaw Kayin, Bago Ranges. 30" x 26". | Woman's blouse, Say Bu, S'gaw Kayin, Shwegyin Kyaukkyi region,. 25" x 23 ". |
 |  |  |  |  |
| Woman's blouse, Say Bai, decorated with seeds, S'gaw Kayin, Shwegyin Kyaukkyi region. 30" x 25". | Man's tunic, Say P'lo, S'gaw Kayin, Bago Ranges and Thandaung region. 39" x 29". | One strip of a three-strip woman's longyi, Ni Thair Taw, S'gaw Kayin, Hpa-an. 14" x 57". | Woman's longyi, Ni Khee Taw, two horizontal strips, S'gaw Kayin, Shwegyin Kyaukkyi region. 30" x 32" | Man's formal-wear longyi, Sharn, Pwo Kayin, Ayeyarwaddy Delta. 33" x 88". |
 |  |  |  |  |
| Woman's longyi, Ni, two horizontal strips sewn together, Pwo Kayin, Thandaung region. 35" x 56". | Woman's longyi, Ni Khee Taw, two horizontal strips, S'gaw Kayin, Shwegyin Kyaukkyi region. 36 " x 52". | Woman's embroidered blouse, Sai Saki, Pwo Kayin, Ayeyarwaddy Delta. 32" x 22". | Woman's longyi, Ni Khee Taw, two horizontal strips, S'gaw Kayin, Shwegyin Kyaukkyi region, 39" x 68". | Bags for carrying small boxes of betel-nut chips, Tha Blue Hte, S'gaw Kayin, Shwekyin Kyaukkyi region. 7" x 28" each side. |
 |  | |||
| Detail of scarf, woven in pattern of Python skin. | Head scarves of men, Kho Hpone/ Kho Hpair, Hpa-an region. |
Bogyoke Market
Yangon's Oriental Bazaar
By Brenda Davidson-Shaddox
|
|
| Built in 1926, the domed clock tower tops the main entrance. |
While Shwedagon is the main attraction for visitors to Yangon, Bogyoke Market (a.k.a Scott Market) is the second-most destination of choice. This popularity is understandable, considering the choices of products for sale at the market and the colorful excitement of activity taking place there.
Baskets of succulent strawberries, piles of crisp green plums and a variety of Myanmar foods form a corridor through which shoppers pass to the market entrance. Delicate stomachs may dictate discretion in eating these foods for foreign visitors. Still, the rich spices, luscious fruits and expressive vendors draw the eye and the camera lens of all who pass.
Smiling children drop strings of postcards and spread city maps for examination by potential buyers. Native and foreign shoppers alike push their way through the throng.
More exclusive shops occupy street frontage at the market, their display windows a tempting array of neatly arranged jewels, carvings, silks and other fine goods.
Once inside, all vestige of a Western mall disappear, and the full flavor of an intriguing Oriental bazaar emerges. Choices are limitless in this 29,717 square meter market. Over 2000 shops sell anything a consumer could possibly want: Shan bags, luggage, sandals, tapestries, rattan, shoehorns, light bulbs, blankets, cosmetic, herbal medicines, kyauk-pyin (circular stone used for grinding the cream-colored facial cosmetic bark known as thanakha), thanakha logs itself, religious items, books, whiskey, bamboo trinkets, pots, clothing ? it's all in the market. There is even a restaurant section where one may enjoy lunch or a relaxing tea break.
 |
Myanmar handicrafts, ranging in variety, are coveted by tourists for their quality and price. Bogyoke Market is a treasure trove for such hand-made crafts.
Jade jewelry is a perennial favorite. Discriminating buyers can find Imperial Jade, unmatched anywhere in the world, set in gold mountings. Multi-colored necklaces, bracelets and rings of a lesser quality, but still beautiful and genuine Myanmar jade, offer the less serious jade buyer wide varieties of costume jewelry. These are often priced at US$2, or less, and are small to carry home as gifts and souvenirs. 
Antiques ? from knives to lacquer ware ? are plentiful at Bogyoke Market. Village and rural artifacts such as water buffalo bells and rustic utensils, brass weights and stone carvings, figurines and crystals give collectors a wide selection of unique choices.
Perhaps one of the best buys is the original works of Myanmar artists. Watercolors and drawings of talented local artists fill the perimeter of one of the market inner court ways. Pongyis with begging bowls and richly- colored robes, shy village girls, romantic sunsets, ancient temples, a quaint bullock cart?life in Myanmar, both modern and traditional, is depicted on the artists' canvasses. Prices are unbelievably low for original art works.
Fringed jackets of the Karen, intricately patterned Rakhine longyis, metal or silver-trimmed costumes of the Kachin?most ethnic groups in the country are represented in beautifully woven textiles that may be sewn into Western style clothing, used in home decorating or simply collected for their exquisite beauty.
Of course, modern items are readily available. If a visitor has forgotten to bring a jacket or needs a change of clothing, toiletries or other necessities, a visit to Bogyoke Market will fill the need.
Though all tourists may not be prepared for the purchase of priceless gemstones, those who are interested will find unparalleled rubies and sapphires available at the market. Myanmar rubies are renown in the world, and the quality of sapphires is unsurpassed. Bogyoke Market has numerous government-certified gem stores who will guarantee authenticity. Quality and size, of course, affects price of precious stones, so even the budget traveler may find a special purchase. Certified shops will provide certificate of purchase, needed upon departure to take gems out of the country.
Specialty shops and the products they carry are too numerous to mention. But if one needs or wants any product, most probably, it can be found at Bogyoke.
Even if one is not a shopper, the market still holds attractions. Artists lay out brightly painted pictures and muted drawings, hoping to catch a buyer's eye. Tour guides, neatly dressed in checked longyis and gray Taik Pon eingyi (traditional Myanmar jacket for men), herd international clients through the maze of shops bulging with exotic merchandise. Buddhist nuns in pink and orange robes sing chants as they pass among the stalls seeking daily alms.
Whether bargain hunting, looking for interesting photo opportunities or just satisfying curiosity, visitors to Bogyoke Market will not be disappointed.
Bogyoke (Scott) Market is located at the corner of Sule Pagoda Road and Bogyoke Aung San Street. It is open from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm, daily.
Brenda Davidson-Shaddox is an American photographer/writer who visits Myanmar on a regular basis. She contributes often to Enchanting Myanmar, as well as to other Myanmar publications. Her work has been widely published internationally. The Asian Cultures Museum of Corpus Christi, TX, USA featured Davidson-Shaddox?s photography in a 4-month exhibition entitled ?Myanmar Perspective? during the summer or 2002. It was the first exclusively Myanmar display of its kind to be held in an American museum.
MONYWA THANBODDHAY
By Khin Thandar
Photos: Sonny Nyein
A pagoda complex in Monywa, an Upper Myanmar town 136 km northwest of Mandalay, rises like a fairy tale temple from the dusty land. A rainbow of colours flash in the sunlight from the glass mosaic set in the surface of the spires gives it a magical aura. The main stupa is surrounded by 845 smaller ones, all of them richly decorated in glass, gild, relief work and a myriad of colours.
Two huge white elephants so lovingly made that they almost look alive, guard the pagoda gates. Normally in pagodas, it is a pair of lions sitting on their haunches that guard the pagoda and it is an astonishing sight to see the elephants here. When you see the workmanship inside, you no longer wonder at the creativity of the craftsmen nor the support and full rein given to them by the Moe Hnyin Sayadaw, Abbot of Moe Hnyin Monastery, who commissioned this pagoda complex in the 1930s. It was said to have taken ten years to complete.
The pagoda is an endless source of wonder for children and all who take a child-like pleasure in wonderland.
For devoted pilgrims, the main stupa contains Buddha images of all sizes, from inch-high ones set in rows upon ascending rows on all available wall space, both interior and exterior. Huge images are enshrined within. Legend goes that the total number of Buddha images in this pagoda complex is nearly 600,000, or to be exact, 582,363.
A prayer hall of imposing dimensions stand next to the main stupa, amongst many smaller pavilions. What gives a festive air to the compound is that the prayer hall and all other structures are decorated with figures of people worked in stucco, caught in mid step so that they look about to walk away. Every single one of the stucco ladies and gentlemen, not to mention, monks, nuns, children, tigers and even a few stray dogs are painted in soft realistic colours. The wit of the artisans who created this complex is evident everywhere: in the group of fashionable ladies of the 1930s taking a stroll and just about to unfurl pretty parasols; two tigers trying to climb over a wall and looking so real you would swear their tails twitch; the hind end of a dog just as it sneaked into an open doorway, both dog and door created from plaster and paint. The 'portraits' of some of the donors of pavilions stand in their own corners, their full figures worked in stucco and looking lifelike with faces showing they are highly pleased at their good merit.
One can imagine the joy and amazement of the public who first saw this on completion, not to mention the fun the workmen had as they vied to complete one scene better than the next.
Once, the wide compound and many pavilions and rest houses gave sanctuary to thousands who fled the violence of World War II. Living there for the duration of the war, they had to keep to the strict rules of conduct laid down by the Abbot. Waste of water or fuel was not allowed, the place was kept pristine, and the children were tutored in their alphabets. Thousands lived out the war years within the pagoda precincts, watched over sternly by the Abbot and his monks.
The compound contains a large square pool where fish and turtles are allowed to live free from harm, as is usual with most famous pagodas. These pools are called Laik-kan, or Turtle Ponds. Pilgrims buy popped rice and watercress from sellers to feed the already satiated turtles. Here, the pond is decorated with pink stucco lotus flowers.
There are also a few old wooden pavilions with delicate, fancy fretwork, vying in charm with the stucco figures, flowers and animals.
One pagoda with a tower is called the Arlain Nga Sint, or the Five Stages Spiral Tower. Pagodas with such names are built to symbolise the one built in the heavens, it is said, enshrining the knot of hair that Prince Siddathta cut off before he discarded his prince's clothing to devote himself to a life of searching for Enlightenment. The hair had floated skywards, and was caught by the King of Celestials who built the Sulamuni Pagoda in the sky, which is set on a spiraling tower with five stages, each guarded by creatures such as Dragon, Garuda, and ogres. A stone inscription stated that work on this Arlain Nga Sint Pagoda in the Thanboddhay complex was begun in 1932 and completed in 1936.
You keep on discovering new delights, new scenes, and more stories unfolding before your eyes. It would take days to really enjoy all the scenes. When your legs get tired, there are wooden platforms built around huge shady trees where you can sit, doze or picnic. Friendly squirrels run down from the branches to beg a few crumbs and friendlier monastery dogs come around to wag their tails at you.
Around the prayer hall, in special niches there are single almost life-size figures of kings, queens, ministers and generals holding up sheets of stucco paper on which were written ethics by which people should live by, such as not to waste time nor to neglect studies. The stucco people stand there staring at you with solemn eyes, and no doubt you would come away a chastened and better person.
Tender is the Night
by Kan Chun
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Ko Thitsar (Mr. Loyal) turned on his side, from left to his right; he was still sleepless. It was midnight.
He could still hear Ma Nyo Seint (Mistress Dark and Cool) who had started quarreling with her husband since nine; and she had not once repeated any of her arguments or her obscenities since. Ko Thitsar thought gloomily that it was lucky he was used to heavy metal music's loudness from the tea-shop amps: her voice surely carried well over a mile at least. But Ko Thitsar was unfortunately only fifteen feet away as he lived next door.
He had moved only recently to this new town where such niceties of whispered quarrels and smothered curses seemed to be unknown.
Ma Nyo Seint's husband Ko Than Chaung (Mr. Iron Rod) paddled a trishaw by day, and eased his tiredness at night by drinking. Ma Nyo Seint was a vendor in the market, so the couple saw each other only at night; and then and there commenced on the daily fights.
"Now look here, Ko Than Chaung?."
"Don't shout, I'm only two feet away from you?"
"That's why I'm shouting, so that you can move away, you!...you think I want to be that close to you? You don't care to lift a finger to work, do you?"
"What do you mean? I lift my damn feet."
"And how much of that money comes home, may I ask? If we had to rely on your money, we'd be long dead of starvation. Times when I?m not allowed by the municipality to set up my tray, there's nothing coming in. Isn't it just lucky we get credit from the corner shop?"
"Shut up, you...."
"I wont. I've been waiting and hoping for years you would somehow change; and to think we have six kids now, what all this waiting brought me. Now look here.."
"Yes, WHAT! I?m listening."
"I mean, LOOK HERE!"
"I'm LOOKING. I'm LOOKING. Now what?"
"I'm going back to the village tomorrow; we're through."
"Fine, go back, go on, and take those darn kids with you."
"KO THAN CHAUNG!"
This scream was so loud that Ko Thitsar in the next room sat up in bed, alarmed.
"When you married me I was alone; and when I leave you, I'll be alone. These kids are your property, I'm not taking them."
Ko Thitsar pricked his ears.
"Oh, you women, if the property means gold and silver you'll be begging for half, as your right. Now with the kids that both of us......"
"Shut UP, Ko Than Chaung"
"I will not; since you started this I have my duty to defend myself."
"Oh, but you easily forget your duty to feed us, right? It rained so hard today I couldn't go to the market; so I had to pawn something."
"It was MY longyi you pawned."
"And who bought it for you, pray? Do you think you inherited it with your father's fortune?"
"Shut up, you long winded woman."
"I wont"
"I'll make you shut up, bitch."
"Try, then, if you dare."
Crashes and bangs indicated that the verbal battle had changed into a more active one. Ma Nyo Seint, obviously with the belief that winning is not everything but that participation is noble, seemed to have entered the fray most enthusiastically.
"BONG"
It was a stroke of metal upon metal from the fireguard on the street, striking the time: one in the morning. Ko Thitsar thought he would go to the loo, situated outside the house at the far end of the back yard, and lit a candle. As soon as he came out the backdoor, something big and black whizzed by his head, to land with a crash on the roof of Ko Than Chaung's house, next door. Was it a bird? Was it a plane? A meteorite?
Ko Thitsar was still pondering, half out of the doorway, when Ko Than Chaung?s voice roared out.
"Now who's the f?g coward, throwing stones? If you're so brave, come outside."
Ko Thitsar did not know whether to move forwards or back. If Ko Than Chaung came out he'd surely see him standing there.
Then a voice came out of the night: "Stop shouting, jerk, its me, I'M brave enough to beat you up. I can't stand your f?g noise anymore."
It was the voice of Ma Kwe Ma (Mistress Lady Dog) from the next house. She continued:
"Really, it's gone on far enough. If you think you?re so brave, bashing your wife, come on out. No consideration for the neighbours who are trying to sleep; the neighbours considered your feelings, that's why they didn't say anything. But this is too much."
The voice of another trishaw peddler, Ko Tet Tu came loud and clear. "We all work, you know, the whole day. We're bone tired and need our rest. You should at least have some consideration?."
Ko Than Chaung fell silent. Then only did Ko Thitsar dared make a move to the loo.
"Really, we can't even quarrel in peace; don't imagine I'm too happy with this.."
Close after this remark of Ma Nyo Seint came Ma Kwe Ma's shout.
"Well, you're not happy? Come on out, then."
"I meant my husband! I was talking to him!"
After that Ma Nyo Seint fell silent as well.
"Well, talk during the day, then. If I hear any more shouting I'd really come in and bash you both. Hey, who do you think I am? Hey? If I think I?m in the right I'd kick the sky open.."
She went on and on.
"Really, I can?t imagine what kind of people they are. Going on at ten, at eleven, and now its one. If they don't care for us at least they should care for old Daw Mai Ma, (Mistress Ladyship.) who's so ill. That poor old thing cant eat, she needs her sleep. Do they think they live alone? Do they?"
Ko Thitsar felt peckish so he wandered into his kitchen and scraped some leftovers onto a plate. It was two in the morning when he finished his meal; he could still hear Daw Kwe Ma.
"Really, it's not only seven houses losing sleep, it's about seventy. Should know we need our sleep; even poor Pain Thay (Skinny) two houses down who has asthma coughs with his pillow stuffed in his mouth, poor thing, so he wont disturb the neighbours; but them! Such lack of consideration is unforgivable."
Ko Thitsar went back to bed. He could still hear Ma Kwe Ma's voice, although it was not, fortunately, as loud as Ma Nyo Seint's.
"Humans should behave like humans. It's easy to be a jerk. Hard to be disciplined. Hard to be polite. If you think this Kwe Ma is nothing, well, just try and find out, that's all."
Ko Thitsar tossed and turned in bed, again trying to sleep.
"Don't imagine I'm afraid of anyone. I don't mind showing what sort of a woman I am, if there are any takers."
Ko Thitsar tried sleeping on his back.
"People should have some consideration..." went on Ma Kwe Ma with unabated breath.
"BONG....BONG....BONG"
Ko Thitsar turned on his side.
"...some consideration for the neighbours...."
Kan Chun
Kan Chun, born 1946 to U Ba Htay and Daw Aye Shwe of Mandalay, is a journslist, painter, cartoonist and writer.
He has published a total of 34 books on various subjects ranging from general knowledge to humour, novels and short stories . As a painter he has participated in group shows and has held four solo shows. He lives in Mandalay.
BRINGING IN THE NEW YEAR
By Khin Khin Lay
Westerners bring in the New Year on 31st December nights with champagne and fireworks. The Chinese celebrate with dragon dances and firecrackers. Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, the Theravada Buddhist countries, have a different approach to welcome the New Year: splashing people with water from head to toe until they are soaking, dripping wet, so that through this kind act of yours they may go forth bravely into the future, cleansed of all past ills. Some may understandably be none too appreciative of your efforts, but most people who are out and about during the four days preceding the New Year, in the period called Thingyan, are out there just to be so splashed. People who are out in the streets only through dire necessity can ask not to be wetted down so thoroughly, in which case a cupful may be poured carefully on his shoulders instead of a bucket being up-ended over his head.
This year, our New Year falls on April 17th, bringing in 1365 Myanmar Era.
Myanmar years are not marked with animal or other symbols, but the fortunes of the year change every April when the Thagya Min, King of the Celestials, comes down from his heavenly abode riding on a creature of his choice just a few days before New Year's Day.
When he descends it is time for Thingyan to begin. Households welcome him by putting out a flowerpot on verandahs or balconies or lacking either, on a chair placed outdoors.
The pots, especially sold for the occasion, are round terracotta pots with a wide mouth. The requisite flowers and leaves are put there, such as a few strands of the coconut palm, some Thabye leaves, etc. Flower sellers make up ready-to-use bouquets so that you would not forget some items.
Months beforehand, indeed as far away as six months in advance, the Board of Astrologers, a body of learned men especially delegated with the task, would do calculations as to the paths of planets and the sun and so on, and bring forth a detailed Report of Thingyan for the next year. As the day of the week a person is born on is important to one?s fortune, every birth-day has a detailed account of do?s and don'ts during the coming year, such as advice on when to marry or the sort of goods to deal in.
The most important feature in this Thingyan Report is the visit of the Thagya Min, who will return to his cloudy abode the day before New Year's Day. The astrologers in their wisdom are able to predict what colour clothes he would be wearing, and being a King, to ride on a particular creature chosen for the year. Kings, especially Celestial ones, do not walk!
By the colour of his raiment and what creature he rides on, the astrologers predict the fortunes for the whole year. This year he will descend on the 14th of April, at precisely 13.59 hours and 57 seconds, riding a snake, and wearing raiment of a milky white colour. The predictions are that people will be free of illnesses, that new cures will be found, and that prosperity will come to all. Little children are told that if they have been good through out the year, the Thagya Min would enter their names in a book of gold, and if they had been naughty, noted down in one covered with dog-skin.
Many shops stay open and the morning bazaars are busy as well, for Thingyan is the time that people clean every item in the house, wash out the floors and pay specially attention to cleaning every inch of the shrine room and shrines. The household Buddha images are brought outdoors where the men of the house wash them reverently with perfumed water.
After the house has thus been cleaned, the first act would be to invite some monks to recite sutras and partake of Soon, or lunch. The enterprising bazaar ladies who don't mind getting wet do a brisk business. In fact, with jokes and songs on everyone's lips, it is only the shy, the staid or the old who do not enjoy the fun.
If the housewife is not prepared to face the watery mayhem, she would refuse to go to the bazaar but just cook from her prepared store of dry good: sardines, dried salt fish, potatoes, eggs and beans. Or she may just throw up her hands and retire to a monastery to spend her days in meditation.
The young people take this chance to have fun and make new friends. The boys and girls go riding around in open cars, wrapped in thick towels, or they may opt to stay at the high wooden pandals to spray water on the passing cars. Bigger pandals entertain passer-bys with songs and dances.
Sidewalk caf?s do good trade by selling soft drinks, beer, chips and hamburgers. Western fast-food is never more convenient than when you just need to jump out of a car to buy some and jump in again while everyone is stuck in traffic jams.
The traditional foods prepared at pandals and served to friends and strangers who pass by and drop in range from the more elaborate fried vegetable or shrimp crisps to sticky-rice balls with bits of jaggery inside. As a joke the women who prepare this may, from time to time, replace the jaggery with green chilies. Some housewives prepare delicious desserts of coconut and jelly, and instead of inviting people, send out the children with boxes of it to be delivered to neighbours and friends.
By New Year's Day, apart from a few regions where they continue splashing water, the people are yet again on their best behavior. The nine or ten precepts of the Buddhist philosophy would be kept, monks invited for Soon, and good deeds done, such as to wash the hair of the elderly and trim their nails. After a few days of riotous fun, the people have released any stress and frustrations they may have, and feel once more invigorated in body and spirit to face another year.
Events Calendar
Thingyan Festival
Where: All over the country
When: April 13-16, 2003
Duration: 4 days
Traditional Myanmar New Year Celebrations.
People pour water over each other in a symbolic gesture of cleansing oneself of sins from the old year. The most festive places are Mandalay and Yangon.
Myanmar New Year Day
Where: All over the country
When: April 17, 2003
Celebrated all over the country to commemorate the Myanmar New Year. This is a deeply religious occasion observed mostly at pagodas and monasteries.
Kason Fullmoon Day
Where: All over the country
When: May 15, 2003 (Fullmoon Day of May)
Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment under the Bo Tree and Buddhists flock to pour water on this sacred tree to gain merit.Seen at most prominent pagoda and monastery precincts all over the country on the Fullmoon Day of Kason (May)
Pakkoku Thiho Shin Pagoda Festival
Where: Pakokku; Magway Division
When: 8th Waxing Dayof the month of Nayon to 10th Waning Day of the month of Nayon (June 7 to 24, 2003)
The Thiho Shin Buddha Image is one of the most revered in Upper Myanmar. A typical Myanmar Buddhist Festival.
Waso Fullmoon Day
Where: All over the country
When: July 13, 2003
Buddha is said to have attained Enligntenment and preached his First Sermon, the Dhammasekya, to the five disciples on the Fullmoon day of Waso (July). It is also the first day of the Buddhist Lent during which the monks are prohibited to travel and sleep outside of their monasteries. Religious ceremonies are held at monasteries to offer holy robes to the monks.
Posted by Kyaw Min
Social bookmark this post • View blog reactions
Translate: Portugues | Francais | Espanol | Deutsche | Italiano | Chinese | Korean | Japanese
|