Thet-pyauk-taing: The Memorial Pole
This oral narrative was collected by the students exploring the word concept - belief.
The guardian spirit was once an ordinary man. One day, while he was crossing the strem, he was bit by a tiger or kyar and died. The villagers erected a teak wood pole as a memorial to him and named it Thet-pyauk-taing. And from then on he became Taungthaman Bo Bo Gyi, the guardian spirit.
Local people who settled at the Taungthaman Inn and its neighbouring place believe that Taungthaman Bo Bo Gyi takes care of the people who believe in him and grants them prosperity. In Taunghtaman village all locals, including taungthu cultivators who grow seasonal crops like corn, beans, sunflowers, and also farmers, believe in him. They also believe that the guardian spirit owns this land and takes care of them. Thus, every year Taungthaman Bo Bo Gyi festival is celebrated where offerings are made to him and people do the spirit dance.
kyar: tiger
inn: lake
taungthu: term for seasonal cultivators
Observations from the field by Group comprising Lwin Kyar Phyu Thin, Seint Nadi Win, Kay Zin Myaing, Saw Kalayar and KhinYadanar Thant
Myanmar (Burma)