My Sandals (A Story Of Displacement From Myanmar)
"Do you believe objects have souls too? I believe they do, because of a particular object - my sandals. They were a gift from my friend, Kay Kayy. I met Kay Kayy at a very strange time in my life. Six months after our country Myanmar fell under dictatorship, I joined the resistance and went to a liberated area in the far south of the country.
I met Kay Kayy there. She had been there before my arrival. She was short, smart, hardworking, kind and hot-headed. She had deep affection for the character ‘Snoopy’. We bonded over art, literature and a zero-tolerance policy towards sexism - our shared interests. We became sisters, not by blood, but by spirit. I looked up to her. She protected me like her family. Together, we faced challenges and took care of each other.
As a present for my 21st birthday, she gave me a pair of sandals - durable, lightweight and comfortable for hiking, knowing that my footwear caused me difficulties. One day she went on a work trip, promising to be back with my favourite snacks the same night. However, she never returned. She was seized by the military on the way. I couldn’t believe it.
Since we lived together in the same barrack, it became my duty to clear out her things. How could I? Living in denial, I kept telling myself that she would come back. The image of her wearing her favourite Snoopy T-Shirt, assuring me she would return, remained in my mind. It took me a month to realise she wouldn’t return. The only person who made me feel at home was gone.
I was wearing the same sandals when I heard the news of her getting a seven-year sentence in prison. I wear those sandals all the time now - in the jungle, on the mountain, through the mud and on concrete roads. Whenever I wear them, I feel that she’s with me. They have become a part of me. So, I have to say, I believe objects have souls too."
Discussion Questions For Young Readers
- Why are the sandals important to the storyteller? (The sandals were a gift from a friend who was captured by the military. The sandals are all that the storyteller has to remember her friend by.)
- Have you ever received a gift that is as important as the sandals in this story? Why was/ is it important to you? (The gift could be a meal, an object, an experience or anything else that is valuable to them.)
Discussion Questions For Older Readers
- Do you think objects have souls? (This is a reflection question and answers will vary based on the reader. All kinds of answers are possible, but the responses should reference the story and how the author felt that objects have souls.)
- What does this story tell you about the lives of people in the resistance movement in Myanmar?
- Do you have a similar object that reminds/reminded you of someone? Can you share that story with the other participants?
- Why do you think the storyteller and her friend bonded over arts, literature and a zero-tolerance policy to sexism?
This story (and its associated discussion questions) was shared by HWM as part of the "Our Stories Matter! A Place-based Educator's Toolkit" place-based knowledge training guide. To see other stories and recommendations, click the link to download the full PDF copy.
Myanmar (Burma)
