Politics & Bureaucracy

Farmers and Loan Money “Amadaw Kyay” Under BSPP

Daw May Myo Khine, 49 years old, who once lived in Sittwe, capital of Rakhine, and whose grandfather and father owned many rice farms explained that under the Burmese Socialist Programme Party, some farmers grew two different kinds of rice. They grew low quality rice, which they would sell to the government at the prescribed price and good quality variety, which they would eat themselves. The government gave farmers loans called “Amadaw Kyay”  for growing rice. In return, the farmers had to sell the harvested rice to the government.

Unusual terms used to refer rice under BSPP

There existed unusual terms used to refer certain types of rice during the BSPP government. Here are three examples. U Myo Win Than is a 55 years old Burmese man who used to live in Myittha, Kyaukse district, Mandalay.

He explained that “Yar Kyaw Sa Par” refers to the variety which exceeds a hundred tinns (Burmese unit of volume measurement that equals to 40.9148 L) per acre when harvested.

Chatting in the Street Under My Window (2)

One hears in turn two women in their sixties talking in Fulani about the case of covid19 detected the day before 600m from our home, two girls around 8 and 14 years old complaining about the decision of the President of the Republic to reopen schools and a male voice on the telephone, that of a teacher who, after three months' absence, is back to go back to school tomorrow morning.

The Changes of Value on Time

The orange-lined text in the figure is a decree which was issued by King Bodawphaya (1782-1819) in Konebaung dynasty. The original text of it has not been found until now. This is an excerpt from the article written by Ms. Nu Nu Kyi who wrote in Saunders Weaving Institute’100 anniversary magazine. In a decree, the lay men from the different regions had to wear pasoe (the nether garment of Myanmar males) by weaving cotton and satin threads only. Moreover, they didn’t allow wearing the turban, nether garment, and shawl which make with gold and silver threads with a fly shuttle loom.

Disappearing Aura

Simi Mariya Thomas, Research Scholar, MIDS, re-imagined an article circulated as pre-workshop reading in context of her work for the session Reading/Writing/Re-writing/Telling/Re-telling using prompts, 20 December 2019.

The temporary aura of Kannagi statue, in Chennai, which was visible during its installation as well as disappearance made me think about the current media culture.

Naga Women's Freedom (1)

Field of Baby's Breath

I wish I could wear 
a pretty Pale Pink
ankle-length Calico dress
with frills, flounces and lace,
break out of the mould
abandon the stereotypes
and get into my working clothes

Our brothers are a war
Our land is awash with blood
Our rice fields need tending
Our children caring
Our sick healing
Our streets cleaning
Our enterprises running
Our home fires burning

Luntaya acheik: The Making of Myanmar's Traditional Dress

In the first figure, the governors of Myanmar are being awarded the cloth as a mark of honour. Luntaya acheik was the sacred cloth of the ancient Myanmar royals. But under the colonial rule everyone could wear this acheik.

To know the preferences of the people of Myanmar better, the governemnt conducted a survey after which the acheik became the national costume.

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