Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences/International Programs International Agriculture and Rural Development (IARD 6020) Course Field Study Trip in , January 1-17, 2017

Information on Myanmar Filed Trip

Thematic Groups

• Agricultural Systems • Rural Development • Value Addition

Course Coordinators • Dr. Khin Mar Cho • Dr. K V Raman

Table of Contents • List of Attendees • Trip Itinerary • Places of stay • Facts and • Introduction to States and Cities to be visited

Emergency Contacts

• Dr. Khin Mar Cho (09-420-078-524) • Dr. K.V. Raman (09-451-451-570) • Dr. Marvin Pritts (09-761-496-531) • Dr. Terry Tucker (09-761-496-532) • Dr. Alicia Orta-Ramirez (09-761-496-533) • Angela Smith (09-761-496-534) • Amy Karen Woodin (09-761-496-535)

Introduction to States/Regions and Cities to be visited • Region: Yangon City, Shwedagon • : , Nyaung Shwe, , , • Central Dryzone: -Nyaung U, , Sale, Popa, Kyaukpadaung • Region: Mandalay City, (May Myo) • Nay Pyi Taw: Yezin Agricultural University • : University, Pandanaw, Pathein, ChaungThar Beach

YANGON-

The Shwedagon Pagoda is one of the most famous in the world and it is certainly the main attraction of Yangon, Myanmar’s . Locally known as Shwedagon Zedi Daw, it sits atop of a hill and is 99 meters high. It can be seen from most places of Yangon day and night as the golden roof illuminates the city. According to some, the pagoda is 2,600 years old, making Shwedagon the oldest pagoda in the world.

In the capital city of Yangon, you will find the beautifully majestic Shwedagon Pagoda. The Shwedagon Pagoda sits upon holy Singuttara Hill. To understand the reason why this hill is considered so holy, and to grasp the significance of the Shwedagon to Buddhists and to the people of Myanmar, it is important to know both the history and the legends of how it all came to be. Over 2,500 years ago, there lived a king by the name of Okkalapa. He was ruler of Suvannabhumi and ruled over the Talaings. At this time, Siddharta Guatama was living in northern . He was still a young man and was not yet recognized as the Buddha. It was and is believed that a new Buddha, or “Enlightened One”, will come into being once every 5,000 years. At the time of Okkalapa, it had been approximately 5,000 years since the last Buddha, and it was considered time once again. Singuttara Hill is important because it was the holy resting spot of the relics of three Buddhas. Their relics were enshrined within Singuttara Hill, thus making it a holy place. To keep it holy, it was believed that gifts given by the new Buddha, which would become relics, had to be enshrined every 5,000 years in the hill. But Okkalapa was concerned, as a new Buddha had not come to be known yet, and if it took too long he feared the hill could lose its holiness. He went to the hill to pray and to meditate, unaware of Siddharta Guatama’s coming into enlightenment under the in northern India at the same time. According to area legend, he appeared to Okkalapa and told him to be patient that his wish for the hill would soon be granted. As Guatama was reaching the end of his 49 days of meditation, he was visited by two brothers. Their names were Tapussa and Bhallika, and they happened to be from Myanmar and were subjects of Okkalapa. These two merchant brothers present Guatama Buddha with a gift of some honey cake, as they recognized him as The Enlightened One. To express his thanks to them, he pulled out 8 of his hairs off of his head, and gave the hairs to Tapussa and Bhallika. They took the hairs and headed back home. However, during their journey they were twice robbed, and 4 of the sacred hairs were taken from them. By the time they reached Myanmar, they had only 4 of The Buddha’s hairs left. However, their return was still a celebrated one by King Okkalapa and his people, and a large party was thrown in honor of the brothers. It was decided that a shrine place should be built on Singuttara Hill to house these newest relics. At the party in their honor, the brothers presented a casket containing the Buddha’s hairs to their king, and he opened it. There were great tremors upon the earth, a great rocking earthquake. It is also said that all of the trees then burst into blossom and lovely jewels fell from the sky. A shrine was created on Singuttara Hill to house these miraculous hairs, and the area was deemed sacred. An enormous pagoda was then created atop the hill to house the shrine, and it is considered one of the most sacred places in all of Myanmar. The pagoda itself is a wondrous architectural achievement. The top soars well over 300 ft into the air (approximately 100 meters or more) above the hilltop and can be seen from quite far away. The Shwedagon, which means, loosely translated, “golden hills” is magnificently made out of and jewels all over.

The details as to exactly when and how the construction of the pagoda began are somewhat sketchy, but writings document that it was well-known and visible by the 11th century. Over the years, various kings and queens took part in renovating it, and enlarging the structure, making it even taller and grander than before. Some interesting stories of the Shwedagon Pagoda deal with its enormous bells. In 1608, a Portuguese invader by the name of Philip de Brito y Nicote stole a bell that weighed in at around 6,0000 lbs, or 30 tons. However, as he was attempting to return home with the bell, it fell into the Bago River and was lost. The bell was replaced in 1779. That was after a massive earthquake in 1768 toppled the highest part of the pagoda. Once that part, the , was rebuilt, King ’s son had a 23 ton bronze bell cast. It was called the Maha Gandha bell. In the 1820’s, however, British soldiers plundered the pagoda, and stole this bell. En route to Calcutta, the bell fell overboard and sank into the sea. It was later recovered and now sits atop the pagoda platform, on the northwest side. Finally, in 1841 another bell was created, this one weighing approximately 8,000 pounds (40 tons) and covered with 45 lbs (20kg) of gold plating. This bell, called the Maha Tissada bell, still resides in the pagoda, on the northeast side of the enclosure. The years of 1852 through 1929 mark a time of British occupation in Myanmar, with colonial rulers controlling the areas. However, the people of Myanmar were still able to have full access to the Shwedagon. In 1871 a new diamond-studded piece for the pagoda’s structure was donated by King Mindon of Mandalay. The people of Myanmar were thrilled at this tribute and well over 10000 of them gathered at Shwedagon to celebrate. And although this made the British military somewhat uncomfortable, they had to allow it as the people were honoring their faith. It is evident that, over the centuries, the Shwedagon Pagoda has survived difficult times. It has withstood earthquakes, invasions, pillaging, foreign occupation and an internal stairwell fire in 1931 that destroyed many ancient monuments. Another earthquake in 1970, which was the 9th that the area had sustained since the 1500’s, led the government to begin a renovation project on the crown of the main pagoda. Each disaster brought damage to the pagoda, but it has always withstood the onslaughts and endured the renovations. The fact that Shwedagon has survived these times of hardship and damage and still stood firm adds to its sense of majesty. It also adds to the sense of pride within the people of Myanmar, that nothing can truly leave lasting damage upon this beloved site. And people have always pitched in to make sure that any needed renovations took place to strengthen and secure it. Thus, to this day it sits, strong and steady, mystical and sacred, high upon a sacred hill.

Shan State Most of the Shan State is a hilly plateau, the Shan Plateau, which together with the higher mountains in the north and south forms the system. The gorge of the Thanlwin (Salween/Namhkong) River cuts across the state. The famous where the leg-rowing live in floating villages, in the great Nyaung Shwe 'plain', is the second largest natural expanse of water in Burma, shallow but 14 miles (23 km) long and 7 miles (11 km) wide. Caves near Aungban are vast limestone caves which contain 6226 Buddha images.

Inle (Inlay) Lake and Hydroponic Agriculture Inle Lake also known as Inle Sap, is a freshwater lake located in the of of Shan State, part of Shan Hills in Myanmar. It is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of 44.9 square miles (116 km2), and one of the highest at an elevation of 2,900 feet (880 m). During the dry season, the average water depth is 7 feet (2.1 m), with the deepest point being 12 feet (3.7 m), but during the rainy season this can increase by 5 feet (1.5 m). The watershed area for the lake lies to a large extent to the north and west of the lake. The lake drains through the Nam Pilu or Balu Chaung on its southern end. There is a hot spring on its northwestern shore. Although the lake is not large, it contains a number of endemic species. Over twenty species of snails and nine species of fish are found nowhere else in the world. Some of these, like the silver-blue scaleless Sawbwa barb, the crossbanded dwarf danio, and the Lake Inle danio, are of minor commercial importance for the aquarium trade. It hosts approximately 20,000 brown and black head migratory seagulls in November, December and January.

NASA's Earth Observatory released this image of the lake below which shows just how large of an area has been devoted over to a "floating farm" that grows mostly tomatoes, but some other crops as well. So how did it happen? Although the farm is built quite far out into the lake, the tomatoes aren't literally floating, they're being supported by a vast network of water hyacinth roots that have grown together so tightly that they're capable of supporting another plant on top. Already covering a significant portion of the lake, the farm is still growing; it has already increased fivefold in size since 1992.

Khit Sunn Yin (Lotus, and Hand Centre) East Quarter, Inn Paw Khon Village , Inlay Lake , Shan State , Myanmar. Tel : +959 516 4177, +959 4925 3333 , Email : [email protected].

Lotus (Kyar): Different kind of lotus grown in “Inlay”; the most famous among them is the Kyar Pandonmar lotus, also considered a holy flower. One hundred and fifty years ago, Daw Sar Ou, a devote woman in Inlay, created a robe made of true lotus which she offered to a revered abbot. This was the origin of the art of making Lotus thread out of the stem of the lotus flower. Once extracted from the flower stem, the thread is spun by hand using spindle. After spinning, the cloth is woven using traditional handloom. Lotus thread is used to create beautiful fabric with a soft finish and is used to make a monk’s robes, scarves for holy images, ladies scarves, shirts, jackets and ties. The Lotus is said to absorb negative energies and bodily odors and brings good luck.

Silk and Cotton: Today silk and cotton are one of the popular products of Myanmar. Silk and cotton have been worn since ancient times and have qualities which no synthetic fibre has been able to imitate. They are cool and comfortable when worn I hot and humid weather yet warm in cold climates. Cotton and silk are suitable for all seasons. Unlike many synthetic fabrics, natural fibres are less flammable in the event of fire. Cotton and silk are spun into using traditional Myanmar weave. In spite of modernization, spinning is still done by hand using a spindle. The are given their colors using natural and chemical dyes either before or after weaving, depending on the fibre. Natural dyes such as flowers, leaves, fruits, and the bark of certain trees give the fabric their deep rich hues. They are then woven on traditional handlooms. These qualities have made natural fibres such as lotus, silk and cotton popular and they will continue to be admired for their beauty which synthetic fibres cannot equal.

Aythaya Winery Aythaya wine is the first western-style wine in Myanmar. It has its name from the village of Ayethaya which is located between Inlay lake and Taungyyi. There the wines developed at an altitude of about 1,300 m above seas level on calcareous soils, the best for growing quality wines. A team of German wine experts and dedicated Myanmar enthusiasts have proven that top- quality wines can be grown in the sub-tropics of . Characteristics are a brilliant clear dark-ruby colour, decent wood-aroma in combination with fruity components reminiscent of dry plums and cherries give the wines its type note. The light “fruity” background is coming from the domfelder as blending partner. The soft tannin with a decent background acidity gives this wine its well-balanced structure.

MANDALAY

Mandalay is the second capital of Myanmar. Mandalay is full of historical places, culture and tradition

Mandalay Hill is a 240 metres (790ft) hill that is located to the northeast of the city centre of Mandalay in Burma. The city took its name from the hill. Mandalay Hill is known for its abundance of pagodas and , and has been a major site of the Buddhists for nearly two centuries. At the top of the hill is the Sutaungpyei (literally wish-fulfilling) Pagoda. A panoramic view of Mandalay from the top of the Mandalay hill alone makes it worthwhile to attempt a climb up its stairways. There are four covered stairways called Saungdan leading up the hill from the south, southeast, west, and north and convenient seats of masonry work line these stairways all the way up. A one-way motor road today saves the time and also makes it accessible for those who are unable to climb up the stairs, leading to an escalator and a lift to the pagoda at the summit.

For those who are fit to make the climb, it is considered a rewarding experience and a meritorious deed at the same time. Two gigantic, or leogryphs (stylized figures) stand guard at the southern and main approach at the foot of the hill, popularly known as the hnakaung atet ( two chinthes ascent ). It is a gentle climb and there are many stops along the way, most importantly the hermit U Khanti’s Dazaung or hall where the Peshawar Relics ( three fragments of bone of the ) were kept from1923 until after the second World War when they were moved to a building at the foot of the hill and no longer to display. Leaving U Khanti’s Dazaung is by the way of the tunnel lined by Hnakyeik Shissu or the 28 Buddhas of the past and present world, or alternatively up a steep flight of steps next to the tunnel. Farther up near the summit, a gigantic standing image of the Buddha called the Shweyattaw (literally standing), or Byadeippay (prophesying) Buddha with his right hand pointing towards the city. Legend has it that the Buddha once visited the place and prophesied that in the year 2400 of the Buddhist Era a great city would be built at the foot of the hill where his teachings would flourish. One curiosity that belongs to the myth surrounding the ancient Kingdom of Bagan is the so-called Kyanzittha’s spear mark’ near the top of the hill. He was supposed to have executed a miraculous pole vault using his spear across the Ayeyarwaddy. The last stop before the Sutaungpyei pagoda completes the legend of Mandalay.

U Bain Bridge

U Bain Bridge is situated in the third capital of Myanmar country, the 1.2 kilometre (0.75miles) bridge was built around 1850 and believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world, connecting the two banks of Taungthaman Lake , in (City of Eternity ), which used to be the capital of Konbaung . The bridge was built by U Bain ( U Pain ), who was the lord of the villages on the other side of Taungthaman Lake. Historical accounts said the main reason U Pain Built the bridge was that he wanted quick access for his villagers to the capital Amarapura .The constructiom is started in 1849 and finished in 1851. Myanmar engineers used traditional methods of scaling and measuring to build the bridge. According to historic books about U Bein Bridge, Myanmar engineers made scale by counting the footsteps. The bridge was built in curve shape in the middle to resist the assault of wind and water. The bridge is particularly busy during July and August when the lake is at its highest. The two other end of the posts were shaped conically to make sure that rain fall down easily .The joint were intertwined.

The bridge was built from the wood reclaimed from the former of royal palace in . It Featured 1,086 pillars that stretch out of the water, some of which have been placed with concrete. Through the bridge largely remains intact, there are fears that an increasing number of pillars are becoming dangerously decayed. Some have become entirely detached from the bases and only remain in place because of the lateral bars holding them together. Damage to these supports have been caused flooding as well as fish breeding program introduced into the lake which has caused the water to become stagnant. There are nine passageways in the bridge, where the floors can be lifted to let boats and barges pass. There are altogether 482 spans and total length of the bridge is 3967 feet or ¾ of a mile. The ministry of Culture’s, department of Archaeology, National Museum and library plans to carry out repairs when plans for the work

Culture - Respect All temples in Myanmar are considered sacred by the Burmese. Therefore you should dress modestly (cover your knees and shoulders). This dress code is also shown on many signs in front of bigger temples, but mostly ignored by western tourists. It might not be too obvious, but the locals and other Buddhists tourists are strongly offended by this behaviour. Since Buddhists are non-confronting, they will keep silent and just look at you. Be respectful and dress appropriately even though it is 40 degrees out!

Practically this means two things: no shoes and no shorts above knees would get you into temples without any issues. Shorts covering knees and a t-shirt covering shoulders is perfectly ok. Socks and open shoulders are more of a grey area. While technically prohibited, apparently nobody's rejected from entering, and you will see people walking around dressed up like that. Locals would stare at them occasionally, but will not confront. Most of locals know foreigners have to pay what is a two-week Burmese salary for the privilege of simply being there, making it difficult to ask them to treat it as a holy site while their government itself treats it as a paid tourist attraction

Ayeyarwady Delta Region

Delta Farming Systems: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation have arranged meetings with rice farmers, pulses farmers, fishermen and community members. Students and faculty will get a great opportunity to learn about Delta farming systems, ask direct to farmers and community members in the field, interview extension officers from township Department of Agriculture. Pathein Umbrellas Shwe Sar Traditional Umbrella Workshop, No.653 TawYaKyaung Road, Pathein

Pathein is famous for the production of colorful umbrellas, a cottage industry dating back several hundred years. A different person is assigned to each step in creating the umbrella. The handle, the staft and the framework of ribs are made of which is prepared by sinking it in mud for one year before starting production. This gives the umbrella a reliably long life. The shade is made of pure cotton, prepared with glue, or pine wine and wax making it both waterproof and strong. When each different part is ready, they are carefully assembled to make umbrellas of many different sizes and colors.

A wide variety of designs turn the umbrellas into graceful pieces of art to be used for sun or rain protection, or for garden shade. Nowadays, ladies choose umbrella, made of silk and stain with attractive floral designs as a fashion accessory. Once used at coronations or during special royal ceremonies, and by nuns to protect themselves from the sun and the rain.

Food Industry (Shwe Myin Pyan Harlawar)

Thanaka is a yellowish-white cosmetic paste made from the ground bark. It is a distinctive feature of the , seen commonly applied to the face and sometimes the arms of the women and girls, and is used to a lesser extent also by men and boys. The use of Thanaka has also spread to neighbouring countries including and India. All Thanakha trees grow abundantly in central Myanmar. The two most popular are Thanakha from Region and Shinmadaung Thanakha from . A more recent contender sold as a paste is Taunggyi Maukme Thanakha from Southern Shan State.

Thanakha trees are perennials, and a tree must be at least 35 years old before it is considered mature enough to yield good-quality cuttings. Thanakha in its natural state is sold as small logs individually or in bundles, but nowadays also available as a paste or in powder form. Thanakha cream is made by grinding the bark, wood or roots of a Thanakha tree with a small amount water on a circular slate slab called Kyauk Pyin which has a channel round the rim for the water to drain into. Thanakha cream has been used by Burmese women for over 2000 years. It has a fragrant scent somewhat similar to sandalwood.

Hotels and Restaurants Hotels • Yangon: Hotel Novotel and Hotel 7 Miles • Nyaung Shwe: Cherry Queen hotel • Bagan: Sky Palace Hotel Bagan (Bet Nwe Ni Street and Khatter St.reet, New Bagan, 09- 43043721, 09-256314119, [email protected], Manager U Aung Ngwe (17 rooms, 7 GD, 7D, 3 S) • Bagan- Kyaw Hotel (12 rooms, 9 rooms, three rooms with triple occupancy) • Mandalay- Hotel Hazel • Nay Pyi Taw: Sky Palace Hotel and Café Flight, No. 3 Yarza Thigaha Road, Hotel Zone, Nay Pyi Taw, 067-422122, [email protected] • Pathein - Naung Yo hotel • Chaung Tha Beach – Belle hotel

Yangon • Junior Duck Seafood Restaurant at Water Front • Shwe Shan Kan restaurant at Inya Lake, 132B Inya Road, University Boat Club, Kamayut township, Yangon, 01-706789, 09-73116666, 09-73006666 • Kone Myint Thar restaurant near airport and Hotel 7 Miles

Pathein • Pathein – Pathein University and Royal Lake restaurant • Chaung Thar Beach –Belle Hotel and Resort Bagan-Nyaung U • Nanda Restaurant and Puppet Show (Wet Gyi Inn Ward, Bagan-Nyaung U Main Road Phone: 061-60754, 061-60790 – U Kyaw Soe, Manager • Sunset Garden restaurant, River Side bagan – Manager, Daw Myint Myint Khin (09- 2042462), 09-799710910- Ko Aung Min Naing • Galon Minn Nyi Naung- Blankets and Wears Mill, U Bo Gyi and Daw Tin Yi, 6th Street, No (11) Ward, Pakokku, 09-2300771, 09-47207713, 09-401503636, 062-21733 • Weaving Workshop - U Than Maung and his daughters Ma Myint, Ma Aye, 11th Street, No (11) Ward, Pakokku, 09-256405926, 09-794835907

Mandalay • Hotel Hazel, Corner of 53rd & 37th Street, Mahar Aung Myae Township, Mandalay • Mingalabar Restaurant, Myo Naing Oo, Managing Director, 09-450041300, [email protected] 71st ROAD between 28th and 29th Street, ChanAyeTharZan Tsp, Mandalay

Pyin Oo Lwin • DOA- Dokwin research farm • December Dairy Farm • Pwint Gaung- Shwe Pu Zun Coffee Plantation and Industry, Pwe Taung Quarter, Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay, Farm Manager- U Win Aung, 09-2044191, 09-6708292, 085-22610, [email protected]

Shan State • YAU satellite campus in Aungban • Cherry Queen Hotel • Aythaya Winery, Sunset Wine Garden Restaurant, Htonebo Vineyard, Aythaya, Taunggyi, Phone: 09-49361367, 081-24536, email: [email protected] • Inlay Lake – Golden Kite restaurant Phone: 09-5213191, 09-5213411, 09-5213424, 081- 29446 • Khit Sunn Yin Lotus, Silk and Cotton Hand Weaving Center (East Quarter, Inn Paw Khon Village, Inlay Lake, Shan State, Tel: +959-5164177, +959-4925 3333, [email protected]

Major

Kachin are one of the ethnic groups who largely inhibit the Kachin hills in northern Burma’s and neighbouring areas of and India. More than ninety nine percent of the Kachin people indentify themselves as a Christans, while less one percent follows and some also adhere animism. Kachin people name themselves as “ Jinghpaw Wunpawng”. Jinhpaw people living in India, China and Burma the language Singhpo (Jinghpaw) is spoken in northern india and Jingpo in southwest china. Kachin state is also known as the land of jades and gold. The Kachin people are traditionally known for their disciplined fighting skills, complex clan inter-relations, craftsmanship, herbal healing and jungle survival skills. In recent decades, their animist beliefs have been largely supplanted by their accelerated embrace of . As such, many of their formerly animist events and symbols, such as the annual Manao festival in , have been largely re-interpreted as “ folkloric” celebrations and items.

Kayah Kayah people are known Karenni ( Red Karen ) , Kayahli ( Red Human ) , a Sino- living mostly in of Burma.

Karen are divided to two groups , such as Poe Karen and Sgaw Karen, refer to the individual Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic groups, many of which don’t share a common language or culture. These Karen groups reside primarily in Karen State , southern and southeastern Myanmar .The Karen make up approximately12 percent of the total burmese population with approximately 7 million people. A large number of Karen have migrated to Thailand, having settled mostly on the Thailand-Myanmar border. The Karen groups as a whole are often confused to with the Padaung tribe, best known for the neck rings worn by their women ,but they are just one of the sub-group of Red Karens , one of the tribes of Kayah in Kayah State , Myanmar. Karen legends refer to a ‘river of running sand’ which ancestors reputedly crossed.The Karen constitute the third biggest enthic population in Myanmar, after the Bamars and Shans. A pan-karen ethnic identify is a relatively modern creation, established in the 1800s with the conversion of some Karen to Christianity and shaped by various British colonial policies, practices and the introduction of Christianity . Karen people account for Buddhism is 65 percent and Christianity is 35 percent, primarily found in Karen state , with some in Kayah State, southern Shan State, Ayeyarwaddy Region, , and western Thailand.

Chin is the primary ethnic group of the , who have many related languages, cultures and traditions. The major ethnic group of chin people are the Zomi. These people predominately live in the Chin state and Sagaing Division of Myanmar and they also throughout Burma, and India. The Chin ethnology was dismissed because the Chin are considered a hill tribe. The Chin ethnicity was again dismissed by the people of Chin State. Therefore , the nationalistic people rejected the Chin name given it’s negative connotations. The name (Chin) is disputed. The major group of Chin people Zomi , however , there are six other groups and several tribes and clans among the Chin people. Each group has hundreds of clans and family names. Although the word “Chin” is absent among the Chin language, it is found to be used by these people since the 8th century. Therefore, the majority of Chin people accepted the Hill people or Zomi. Traditionally , the Chin peoples were animists. Later 1800, the Christian introduce to Chin people. Today the majority of Chin are Christians, with most belonging to Protestant Denominations, especially Baptist.

Bamar are the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar. Bamar people live primarily in River basin and speak the , which is the official language of Myanmar. The Bamar are of East Asiandescent and speak a Sino-Tibetan language . The Sino- Tibetan speaking people of the Pyu city-states (1200-1500 years) , ethnic group that formerly dominated the region. Burmese , the official language of Myanmar, is spoken by the majority Bamar but is also widely spoken by the many of the ethnic minorities. The Bamars are most numerous in Myanmar, constituting the majority ethnic group. Bamar culture has been influenced by the cultures of neighbouring countries. This is manifested in its language, cuisine, music, dance and theatre. The arts, particularly literature, have historically been influenced by the local form of Buddhism. In a traditional village, the is the centre of cultural life. Monks are venerated and supported by the lay people. Rites of passage are also of cultural importance to the Bamar. These include , a novitiate ceremony for Buddhists boys and Nartha , an ear-piercing ceremony for girls. Burmese culture is most evident in villages where local festivals are held throughout the year, the most important being the . Many villages have a guardian and superstition and taboos are commonplace. Bamar people traditionally wear sarongs, known in Burmese as , Women wear a type of sarong known as Htamain , and Men as Paso. Both genders wear velvet sandals called Gadiba Phanat. Westernization mostly comes from western countries , but Bamar people of both sexes and all ages also wear Thanaka ,especially on their faces, although the practice is largely confined to women, children and young and unmarried men.

Mon are one of the ethnic group of Burma, living mostly in , Bago Region, and southern borders of Thailand. The Mon were believed to be one of the earliest peoples of Indochina .They founded some of the earliest civilizations there , including Davaravati in central Thailand. They were first receivers of Theravada missionaries from . The is part of the Monic group of the Mon-Khmer family, closely related to the Nyah Kur language and more distantly related to Khmer. The writing system is indic based. Mon culture and traditional heritages includes spiritual dances and musical instruments. The symbol of Mon people is the Hongsa, a mythological water bird that often illustrated as a swam.

Rakhine (Arakanese) forming the majority along the costal region of present-day . They possibly constitute 7.5% or more of Myanmar’s total population and also live in southeastern part of Bangladesh. The Arakanese are predominately Theravada Buddhism and claim to be one of the first groups to become the followers of Gautama Buddha in Southeast Asia. The Arakanese culture is similar to the dominant Burmese culture but with more Indian influence , likely due to its geographical isolation. The Arakanese language is closely related to and generally mutually intelligible with Burmese. Traces of Indian influences remain in many aspects of Arakanese culture, including its literature, music and cuisine.

Shan Shan is one of the Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia , live primarily in the Shan , and in adjacent regions of China , and Thailand. There are four major group in , and other various ethnic groups. The majority of Shan are Theravada Buddhists, speak the and are bilingual in Burmese. Shan language is closely related to the Thai and Lao and is part of the family of Tai languages.