Briefings International

This is Thingyan In the is all about water

t’s around 6am in the middle of comfort, you crouch around with Not for Everyone . I’m in the small town of a group of soaked locals. Their After some hours, you feel relief Myeik on the coast of Myanmar. enthusiasm grows even higher — a when instead of hoses and ice water, I Not much has changed since white face is still a rare, giggle- you see kids with plastic containers. George Orwell’s times. inducing sight here. Then your fear Especially the little ones — there’s Citywide chanting comes on way kicks in as you see the real madness a good chance they’ll miss and you too loud, echoing all through the ahead. get a bit of satisfaction when they streets. But today, no wake up call is Makeshift stages set up along the do. Some taunt you with big, empty needed. Everyone’s up early. Every road, one after another, as far as you buckets, just to watch you scramble kid in town is already on the street, can see. for cover as they laugh. Everyone in front of their house, wearing a Forget buckets! Those bucket around seems to have endless energy. slightly evil and overexcited grin on kids were amateurs! Here, they’ve Well, you’ve had the thrill of your their faces. They’ve been waiting for got industrial strength water hoses life but you’re exhausted and cold. this day all year. shooting in every direction! Those You hop off, ready to call it a day. In their hands is a weapon of damn things hurt! But you suck it And as you do, you face a young, choice. The older ones tend to go up and as you open your eyes and reddish-robed monk, no older than for buckets, the younger kids stick shake the water out of your ears, six or seven. And you are gripped by to water guns or plastic bowls. among the wild bumper-to-bumper sadness. Near each group there is a supply traffic, there’s a crowd dancing Monks don’t participate in the magazine — a giant water cooler — around you, as if in a trance. water fun. He discreetly glances filled not just with water but ice. A Bikes, cars, people on top of at his thoroughly-soaked peers motorbike appears on the horizon, buses; anything on wheels. And swinging water left and right nearby the first victim. The grins stretch hundreds, no thousands, on foot. and in his eyes there’s so much wider, excitement grows higher. There are bicycles with creative longing, held-back excitement, envy. Check your ammo, fix your grip on DIY sidecars carrying whole Before you know it, an older monk the weapon. Get ready… Four days families. Drops of water fly through rushes the boy along and he’s gone. of absolute madness is about to kick the air in slow motion. The roads You’re left on your own, in a brief off. The countrywide water-war turn into rivers. moment of quiet contemplation… starts with a merciless… Splash! “That’s such a waste of water!” you Apparently not brief enough. This… is… Thingyan. think, as kids nearby recycle dirty Where the monk just stood, three puddles to fill up their buckets. kids have taken his place. Splash! Water Wars Then you get distracted with And again. Splash! And another. Non-participation during Thingyan, the sweet smell of — the Splash! the Burmese New Year and Water traditional sunscreen and cosmetic This is Thingyan. — Matt Festival, is not an option. Neither is — that hangs in the air. It’s too Dworzanczyk staying dry. Yet there’s not a single much for the senses. Someone Matt Dworzanczyk is a filmmaker, grump in sight. The collective thrill hands you a beer but your ‘thanks’ writer and a long-time Hanoi expat, is addictive. gets lost in the noise and you didn’t currently on a motorbike journey from So you climb onto the open-back even catch his face. You pop it open Hanoi, loosely headed towards Nepal. minivan, one of many. Around a and you drink it in one go. Seconds For more on Matt’s films and travels, plastic tarp-covered speaker, which later you’re under water-cannon visit etheriumsky.com. You can follow blasts bad pop way too loud for attack again. his monthly trip diary in Word

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