Gym's Ramblings: People of Myanmar

The People of Myanmar

There are about 55 million people in Myanmar. The country is split up into 7 states and there are 8 tribal groups of peoples that make up the whole of the population. About 70% of the nation is Berman and that is why the British called the country Burma. A recent government decided to change the country’s name to Myanmar so that none of the other indigenous groups would feel left out.

Unlike most of the rest of the world, Myanmar is not industrialized and therefore it is still mostly an agrarian population. Industrialization seems to have passed them by. Since there is little farm machinery and farming is still done stooped over in the paddy or field most of the people have work in agriculture and many are also fisherman.

Myanmar fishermen

No one owns a refrigerator or freezer. All food at the market is fresh and is right off the farm. A trip to the market is required every day for most families.

The Market in Bago

The women all use the same makeup. They make a paste out of rubbing the bark of the Thanaka tree on a flat and wetted stone. Some create designs on their faces and others seem to apply it to their cheeks in big round circles. Our guide told us this was considered a sign of beauty and it also had a practical purpose in that it kept the sun off the cheeks. We think a tan makes you beautiful but it seems that Myanmar women are looking for the opposite effect. Pale skin is beautiful here.

Garlic Booth Sales Associate -note her cheeks

Our guide told us that 80% of the men chew betel quid. It is a combination of a betel leaf wrapped around some betel nuts, tobacco and some white lime. Together the combination of ingredients cures bad breath and gives the chewer the affects of a mild stimulant. He told us that you want your bus driver to be chewing betel because it keeps him alert. However, he informed us the downsides are black teeth after long-term use and further down the road there is a possibility that it contributes to certain cancers. The men do not wear pants and I do not blame them. The average temperature while we were there was in excess of 35 degrees C. Most men wear a longyl, which is like a long dress tied at the front of the waist.

Our guide Than demonstrating the use of a bell at the Pagoda
Note his Longyl

Myanmar’s people have a deep conviction to Buddhism. To attain enlightenment it helps if you make an offering at the pagoda. A small offering is nice but if you are rich you might want to add a temple to the pagoda complex. If you are poor a small donation at the shrine for the day of your birth might be appropriate. Add it all up over the centuries and Myanmar is full of the evidence of countless generations trying to attain enlightenment because there are countless numbers of well kept pagodas and stupas in the country.

Young monks looking for offerings in the market. Monks depend entirely
on the generosity of their fellow man for all their provisions

Another way to attain enlightenment is to have your son become a Buddhist monk, even if it is just for a few weeks during the summer recess. We saw dozens of young boys who had entered various monasteries. We also visited the Kyatkhatwine Monastery during the lunch bell and gave the monks an offering of toothpaste. In addition, we witnessed three different indenture ceremonies at the Scwedagon Pagoda. These are elaborate ceremonies where a family presents their son or daughter to the monastery or the nunnery.