About Burma.
Burma now known as Myanmar (1989) is situated in South east Asia . Burma is a Country full of ethnic diversity with 135 indigenous ethnic groups which are grouped into 8 national races Burman, Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan. The majority of Burma is rural with lots of jungle and forests, however there are 68 cities the largest being Yangon, which is most known for its golden temples. Burma is filled with culture and tradition which is visible through festivals, food, temples and clothing.
Cultures and people.
Here are some photographs from online showing examples of different cultures in Burma. The different cultures hugely impact the appearance of Burmese citizens. As there is around 135 different cultural groups I have only highlighted a few which show examples of culture, appearance and lifestyle.
1. The first image on the left is of the Burmese chin people. The Chin people live in the highlands of Chin State in western Myanmar. They account for 2% of the country’s population. The most striking feature of the Chin people is the women's face tattoos. The Chin legend is that the Burmese king kidnapped one of the women to make his bride, In order to protect themselves from being kidnapped by the king they tattooed their faces to make them 'unattractive' and safe from the king.
2. The second image on the right is of the Karen people also known as the long-neck Karen women. The Karen women have attracted tourists from all over the world and become a tourist attraction in Burma due to the women's long neck rings. Karen mythology claims the tradition arose to prevent tigers from biting their necks. However other explanations suggest it is related to an ideal of beauty with an elongated neck or to keep traditions alive.
3. The third image on the left is of the Bamar people, which make up the majority of Burma's population, their customs and identity are closely intertwined with the Burmese national identity as a whole. Traditional dress for the Bamar constitutes a type of sarong called a longyi (male) or htamain (female), with gold jewellery, silk scarves, cloth turbans and Mandarin-collared jackets often worn on special occasions. Though you will still see many Burmese wearing traditional dress today, in urban centres especially the trend is increasingly toward Western-style clothing and make-up.
4. The forth image on the right is of the Naga tribe in Burma historically known as warriors who kept the the heads of enemies they killed. The Naga tribes inhabit the hills in the northwestern corner of Myanmar and northeast India. They had long been isolated from outside culture and use their own resources for survival.
5. The fifth image on the left is of the Kayin/Karen people of Burma. The Karen tribe is different to the Karen red tribe. The Karen tribe can be found in the South/Southeast of Burma in the Kayin state. The ethnic group is made up of a large number of different sub-groups who do not associate with each other. The Karen tribe is interesting to me as this is where my family originated from, my great grandma and grandad grew up in Burma where she had my nan in Yangon. Although my great grandma and grandad had a very different life from the Karen people living in the city and then relocating to England to escape the war they will have relatives who will be in Kayin living in the way of the Karen tribe.
6. The sixth image is of the Moken people, who are an indigenous tribal group that resides in the Mergui (Myeik) Archipelago. They are sometimes described as 'the sea people' as they have lived on the sea for hundreds of years, they have a wide knowledge of the sea and use their abilities to fish and survive. The Moken people tend to keep to themselves However, despite their best efforts to steer clear, they have been harassed by the British, then the Japanese, the Thai and the Burmese – each of who has tried to legislate them, tax them, imprison them, and even enslave them by turns.
1. The first image on the left is of the Burmese chin people. The Chin people live in the highlands of Chin State in western Myanmar. They account for 2% of the country’s population. The most striking feature of the Chin people is the women's face tattoos. The Chin legend is that the Burmese king kidnapped one of the women to make his bride, In order to protect themselves from being kidnapped by the king they tattooed their faces to make them 'unattractive' and safe from the king.
2. The second image on the right is of the Karen people also known as the long-neck Karen women. The Karen women have attracted tourists from all over the world and become a tourist attraction in Burma due to the women's long neck rings. Karen mythology claims the tradition arose to prevent tigers from biting their necks. However other explanations suggest it is related to an ideal of beauty with an elongated neck or to keep traditions alive.
3. The third image on the left is of the Bamar people, which make up the majority of Burma's population, their customs and identity are closely intertwined with the Burmese national identity as a whole. Traditional dress for the Bamar constitutes a type of sarong called a longyi (male) or htamain (female), with gold jewellery, silk scarves, cloth turbans and Mandarin-collared jackets often worn on special occasions. Though you will still see many Burmese wearing traditional dress today, in urban centres especially the trend is increasingly toward Western-style clothing and make-up.
4. The forth image on the right is of the Naga tribe in Burma historically known as warriors who kept the the heads of enemies they killed. The Naga tribes inhabit the hills in the northwestern corner of Myanmar and northeast India. They had long been isolated from outside culture and use their own resources for survival.
5. The fifth image on the left is of the Kayin/Karen people of Burma. The Karen tribe is different to the Karen red tribe. The Karen tribe can be found in the South/Southeast of Burma in the Kayin state. The ethnic group is made up of a large number of different sub-groups who do not associate with each other. The Karen tribe is interesting to me as this is where my family originated from, my great grandma and grandad grew up in Burma where she had my nan in Yangon. Although my great grandma and grandad had a very different life from the Karen people living in the city and then relocating to England to escape the war they will have relatives who will be in Kayin living in the way of the Karen tribe.
6. The sixth image is of the Moken people, who are an indigenous tribal group that resides in the Mergui (Myeik) Archipelago. They are sometimes described as 'the sea people' as they have lived on the sea for hundreds of years, they have a wide knowledge of the sea and use their abilities to fish and survive. The Moken people tend to keep to themselves However, despite their best efforts to steer clear, they have been harassed by the British, then the Japanese, the Thai and the Burmese – each of who has tried to legislate them, tax them, imprison them, and even enslave them by turns.
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Landscape.
Burmese jungle.
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Burmese rural villages.
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Burmese cities.
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