Named the Golden Land by its earliest settlers, Myanmar has not only rich resources: oil, gas and other minerals but also precious stones: sapphires, rubies, etc. Several treasures are tropical forests with some unique timbers such as teak and rosewood. It is where various wild animals’ shelter but one of the best treasures of the Golden Land is its people. Travel Indochina Myanmar
The Golden Rock, a must-see when visiting Myanmar – Source: uhxem.com
People of Myanmar
Traditionally, Burma people are well-mannered and hospitable. They treat visitors and foreigners with respect and dignity. Children in Myanmar commonly address older men as uncle and older women as aunties, showing their politeness.
When visiting to Myanmar, travelers could see something similar in dress for both men and women is the lungi. It is made by sewing a piece of two-meter material in length and forming a circle in the end. After stepping into it, a woman wraps the lungi around her midriff, like a skirt and tucking the loose at her waist. On the other hand, a man takes both ends and loosely ties them in front at the waist. Modest, the lungi is perfect for the tropics in Myanmar.
People in Myanmar are hospitable and friendly – source: hexagontravel.co.uk
Moreover, people in Myanmar are very talented. They showed by weaving silk, handcrafting jewelry and carving wood. Myanmar people embellish even such daily things such as tabletops, room dividers and chairs with carvings. Although they are handy and talented, you still need to bargain to have an affordable price.
People of Myanmar also excel in making spectacular adorned lacquer ware like bowls, platters and lidded boxes. However, the unique here is their free-form designs and incised patterns. The basic form begins with a woven mesh of fine bamboo slivers. Then, the craft man adds 7 layers of lacquer on this skeleton by mixing oil to the lacquer tree with ground and burned animal bone. After that, he engraves a design onto the surface of the article with a steel stylus when a dried lacquer. Then, the result is both a nice work of art and useful item to bring home after painting and polishing.
The influence of religion in Myanmar – the Golden Land
About eighty-five percent of people in Myanmar are Buddhist and the other mainly is Muslim or Christian. The same as Southeast Asia, religion plays a vital role in the lives of almost all people in Myanmar. However, certain religious customs and traditions would be unfamiliar to many travelers.
For example, Buddhist monks vow not to touch female. It is the same as the religion of Thailand. Therefore, women should not come too close to the monks to show respect. Moreover, religious customs even impinge on bus. You should not ask the arrival of the bus schedule because Buddhists believe that the spirits of anger depending on a question and may postpone the bus.
Some religions in Myanmar travelers should notice – Source: architectureofbuddhism.com
The history of Myanmar – the Golden Land
Several tribal groups migrated from neighboring lands in Myanmar in the days of earliest history. Apparently, the Mon gave this land the name Suvannabhumi meant “Golden Land”. After that, the Tibeto-Burmans came from the eastern Himalayas and the Tai moved in where southwestern China locates now. Therefore, Myanmar has some separations with numerous tribal and language groups.
In the early of the 19th century, the British began to arrive from India. They settled in the southern region and then occupied the whole country. Until 1886, Burma or Myanmar annexed to British India.
During World War II, this land became the center of fighting between several countries. Few months in 1942, Japanese armies drove the British out. As a result, they built “Death Railroad” with 250-mile line running through jungle and mountain terrain. This railway connected with Burma and Thailand. However, because of the shortage of metal, almost line united in the center of Malaysia.
“Death Railroad” in Myanmar – Source: lonelyplanet.com
With the help of 400 elephants and over 300,000 men who are prisoners of war and Indian and Burmese civilians, they completed the railway. Tens of thousands died while working. However, Allied bombers pounded it and then the line was abandoned and using elsewhere.
Although the British went out the fight, they came back and successful retaking the country from Japan in 1945. However, the Burmese gained their independence on January 4th, 1948. Then, the United Nations adopted a new name of this country – Myanmar.
Golden Capitals in Golden Land
Myanmar possesses several capitals over the centuries. For instance, Mandalay, the heart of Myanmar, popularly named the Golden City. This 500,000-people city dotted with hundreds of pagodas of every vintage, the last capital before British occupation.
Far from 200 kilometers from Mandalay, it is Pagan. Pagan is another former capital that was found during the first millennium of the Common Era and rose to the heights of splendor in the eleventh century; however, it was abandoned 200 years later. Even though, several small villages and hundreds of temples and pagodas surrounded this city like echoes of a former glory.
Yangon, an official capital of Myanmar, another golden capital – Source: hotels-myanmar.com
These days, a new capital of Myanmar – Yangon (official known as Rangoon until 1989), is a lively and crowd city over three million population. It brings not only ancient buildings from British colonial days but also modern transport such as skyline, high-rise hotels.
Myanmar is the best Golden Land because of its people and golden treasures. Do you desire visiting to Myanmar once? Pack your bag and go now!
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