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Golden_Burma
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Name: Golden_
Metro:
Interests: Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and is currently under house arrest. In December 2004, the junta announced it was extending her detention for at least an additional year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved human right
Occupation: Government
Industry: Government
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
12/21/2005
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| Festival IN Myanmar ## Tapoutew (Tabo-dwe) :February |
| The Harvest Festival |
Come Tabo-dwe (February), the eleventh month of the Myanmar calendar, the Myanmar have the harvest festival. All products of the farm and garden are made into htamane, a concoction of glutinous rice, coconut slices, sessamum seeds, peanuts and generous amount of cooking oil.
Among the Myanmar, there is a custom which is called 'top priority for those to whom respect is due'. It is best illustrated today in small towns and villages where rice is cooked in earthen pots with humped lids and the cooked rice has a peaked shape in the top is crown of rice is reserved for offering to monks and senior relatives and the household shrine. If a Myanmar comes by a rare delicacy, he would set aside a portion, however small, for "top priorities". The rarer the food, the more care he takes to do so.
Among the agrarian people in the country it is customary to set aside the first and the choicest products of the farm or garden for alms giving. Hence the tradition of making htamane, which includes most of the fruits of the land.
Htamane feast is either celebrated communally or done in the private circle of family and friends. But with the Myanmar whose way of life includes 'extended families' it is always a fairly large gathering. The nature of the feast is such that it needs lots of helping hands. There is such a lot of work to do and there is no dearth of willing hands to help. |
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| Even in family celebrations the harvest festival calls for a lot of people to rally round to do the chores. Girls do the winnowing of the rice grain. This done with flat circular bamboo trays. Each girl had a tray half filled with rice grains. She holds the tray with both hands, one on each end, so that her hands stay on the two opposite points of the circular shape. This position in important, because the next movement is to toss the grains up in the air and catch them again on the while most of the dust and trash are blown away in the wind. Then she rolls the grains in the tray so that the trash will separate itself from the highest from of virtuosity. |
| Since winnowing is for experts, the less talented might try their hand at shelling peanuts. They are put in a flat bamboo tray and a fair-sized bottle is rolled over them to remove the husks. Then the tray is made over to the expert winnower to do away with the husks. Since separating the husks from the seeds is not so difficult as winnowing the small rice grains, some girls might try the tossing and rolling themselves. This is good apprentice training fro future expert winnowers. |
| Boys and men tear away the fibers of coconuts, which sometimes have to be taken down from palms soaring up to twenty to thirty feet. The bare cylindrical trunk is none too easy to climb. It is an exciting thing to watch men with ropes and knives go up the palm, and from a precarious foot hold, tie a rope to the bunch is slowly slid down to the ground where eager hands await to receive the prize. |
| Now to break open the coconuts, the first step is to tear away the fibers. The built-in defence which Mother Nature has provided for her rare delicacy does not easily yield to human hands. Not only brute stength, but also an understanding of the intricate ways the fibers are interwoven is required. |
| At long last the shell appears, but go slow, please. Do not spoil the shape. The shape must be in a condition that could be sliced on the carpenter's plane leaving minimum scraps. The clear sweet milk inside is shared by the deserving workers. |
| Menwhile, a giant concave iron pot is put over the fireplace, a pit dug in the ground for the purpose. with huge logs blazing fire underneath, the oil in the iron pot sizzles and shredded ginger is the first to go in, followed by glutinous rice which had been soaked in water. |
| A large cauldron of water boiling in another dug-out fireplace is kept ready to be added to the glutinous rice cooking in the pot. Hot water is added slowly in small portions, stirring the mixture as things go along. When the rice is soft enough and there is no water left, the pot is removed from the fire. |
| The glutinous rice in the pot is soft and pliant with oil oozing out. The big pot is secured with bricks and stones, its base begin to stir the rice, crushing it between the ladles. Even as they stir and crush, the rice gets sticker, so they have to use not only strength but skill to make the coagulate mass yield to the ladles. |
| After some time of vigorous stirring and crushing, people come round to add slices of coconut and peanuts, slowly and in small portions to make the whole thing a good mixture. By this time crushing and stirring can no longer be done by two men; another pair is called in. Now two men are at the top end of the ladles while the other two take hold of the lower ends. Those at the top end guide the movement while the two at the base exert all their strength to bring the mass of glutinous rice together between the ladles so that they are thoroughly crushed. |
| Sessamum seeds are added last. This last portion does not call for strength, but it needs skill, so they say. While others are pitting their might to stir and crush and mix the glutinous rice and other ingredients, the one who 'spreads the sessamum seeds' sits by, sprinkling the seeds by handfuls at regular intervals. The blend and the flavour and the taste of the htamane depends on the art of the sessamum seed sprinkler--so it is claimed by the seesmum seed sprinkler. |
| 'Sprinkling seeamum seeds' is Myanmar idiom not meant, I am afraid, to describe some commendable work, but to disparage something people do only after others have done the dirty work. |
| Come to think of it, I am, perhaps doing the same thing. Whatever participation I have ever had in the harvest festival is may appreciation of htamane and the propagation of the creed. I am sprinkling sessamum deeds; figuratively, by writing this piece. This goes to show that the pen is mightier than the giant ladles that stir and crush the htamane. | | | |
| History of Zoological Gardens (Yangon)
History
Yangon Zoological Gardens was established in 1901 with the public donation of 240000 Kyats. The construction started at the present site after clearing 61 acres of virgin soil, but the first collection of wild animals initiated since 1882 in connection with the Phayre's Museum which was then situated at the present site of the Yangon General Hospital. The collected animals were moved gradually to their new enclosures.
The newly established zoological gardens, by the side of the Royal Lakes, was named Victoria Memorial Park which was formally opened on January 1906.
A Natural History Museum which was also a part of the zoo, was opened on the 1st of May, 1966. Furthermore, an amusement park was opened on the 7th of October, 1997.
The Zoo
The Zoo today is one of the centers of attraction in the city of Yangon for both local and international tourists. Covering an area of 58.16 acres, in downtown Yangon and lying close to the Great Shwe Dagon Pagoda, the zoo with it's collection of nearly 200 species of animals and
big shady trees, draws nearly 1.5 million visitors
annual'y. The animals comprise of over 60 species of mammals, 70 species of birds and 20 species of reptiles.
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Mammals |
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Elephant |
Zebra |
Leopard |
Lion |
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Jaguar |
Tiger |
Red Panda |
Hoolock Gibbon |
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Asiatic Black Bear |
Eld's-Deer |
Takin |
Giraffe | |
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MAMMALS |
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Scientific Name |
Local Name |
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Asian Elephant |
Elephas maximus |
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Zebra
Donkey
White rhinoceros
Hippopotamus
Pygmy hippo
Dromedary camel
Eld's deer
Fallow deer
Sambar deer
Chital
Muntjac
Hog deer
Mouse deer
Giraffe
Mythun
Cape buffalo
Red goral
Takin
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Equus burchelli
Equus asinus
Ceratotherium simum
Hippopotamus amphibius
Choriopsis liberiensis
Camelus dromedarius
Cervus eldi thamin
Dama dama
Cervus unicolor
Axis axis
Muntiacus muntjac
Axis porcinus
Tragulus Javanicus
Giraffa camelopardalis
Bos frontalis
Syncerus caffer
Nemorhaedus cranbroki
Budorcas taxicolor
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Slow loris
Assamese macaque
Rhesus macaque
Pig-tailed macaque
Crab eating macaque
Stump-tailed macaque
Hamadryas baboon
Phayre's leaf monkey
Dusky leaf monkey
Hoolock gibbon
Lar gibbon
Chimpanzee |
Nycticebus coucang
Macaca assamensis
Macaca mulatta
Macaca nemestrina
Macaca iris
Macaca arctoides
Papio hamadryas
Trachypithecus phayrei
Trachypithecus obscurus
Hylobates hoolock
Hylobates lar
Pan troglodytes
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TOP |
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Pangolin
Crested porcupine |
Manis javanicus
Hystrix brachyura
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Asiatic jackal
Brown bear
Sun bear
Asian black bear
Asian bear(Albino )
Hog badger
Short-clawed otter
Smooth-coated otter
Yellow-throated marten
Red panda
Little civet
Common civet
Small-toothed palm civet
Masked palm civet
Ferret badger
Binturong
Mongoose
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Canis aureus
Ursus arctos
Ursus malayanus
Ursus thibetanus
Ursus thibetanus
Arctonyx collaris
Aonyx cinerea
Lutra perspicillata
Martes flavigula
Ailurus fulgens
Viverricula indica
Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
Arctogalidia trivirgata
Paguma larvata
Melogale personata
Arctitis binturong
Herpestes javanicus
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Leopard cat
Jungle cat
Fishing cat
Puma
Jaguar
Leopard
Black leopard
Tiger
Lion
Clouded leopard |
Prionailurus bengalensis
Felis chaus
Prionailurus viverrinus
Felis concolor
Panthera onca
Panthera pardus
Panthera pardus
Panthera tigris
Panthera leo
Neofelis nebulosa |
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Reptiles |
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Star-Tortoise |
Crocodile |
Snake |
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Birds |
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Crowned Crane |
Great Hornbill |
Cassowary |
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Rufous-necked Hornbill |
Sarus-Crane |
Brahminy Kite | | | |
| KACHIN STATE
 
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Kachin State is in the northern-most region of Myanmar. It is reachable by flight or land or waterway up to Bhamo, which is reachable by flight or waterway from Mandalay.
Myitkyina is the capital city of Kachin State, and Bamaw (Bhamo) the second largest city. Myitkyina and Bamaw (Bhamo) are reachable by flight or car. The Kachin people are one of the eight major ethnic groups, who are hill tribes. There are many other tribes in Kachin State. They speak their own dialects and wear their own dress. The people are mostly Christians.
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| KAYAH STATE |
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Location : Kayah State is situated in eastern Myanmar and bounded on the north by Shan State, on the cast by Thailand and on the south and west by Kayin State. It lies approximately between l8° 30' and 19° 55' north latitude and between 94°40' and 97° 93' east longitute. The area is 4,530 sq. miles.
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KAYIN STATE
Kayin State occupies the eastern part of Taninthayi ranges, which are the continuation of the Shan highlands. Hap-an is the state capital, with monumental hills, wonderful caves and lakes. It can be reached in 8 hours drive from Yangon. The leading towns of Kayin State are PhaArn, Hlaing-Bwe, Shwe-Gun, Than Daung, Kaw-Kareik, Kya-Inn-Seikkyi and Myawaddy. PhaArn, the capital, is centrally placed at the foot of the Zwe Kabin Hill. The Zwe Kabin Hill has a very unusual shape, which, once seen, is not easily forgotten. The leading town in the northern section is Than Daung. It is a very beautiful hill station
Chin
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The western Hill of Myanmar stem from the vast mountain knot in the Tibeto-Chinese borderlands and swing southward through the Naga Hill, Chin Hill and the Rakhine Yoma Mountain Ranges. Among the western Hill, these Chin Hill are formed as Chin State bordering with India and Bangladesh. Chin state is very famous for Mt. Victoria, 3053m in Kanpalat and different kinds of Chin tribes in Mindat. There are four different tattooed faced women in Mindut and Kanpalat region. Mt.Victoria hosts several endemic bird subspecies. It is also the only know locality in Myanmar from which several species typical of the Himalayas have been recorded. A number of other little-know species occur only in the Chin Hills. The White-browed Nuthatch (Sitta victoriae) is found only in mountain forest of Mt. Vicoria. Chin State is beauty with not only nature but also Chin nationality.
 
 
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Rakhine State
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Formerly Rakhine area was known as Arakan, a strip of area between the Bay of Bangal and the Rakhine Yoma (Ranges). It is a coastal region, full of beautiful beaches, especially in the southern portion. Sittwe (Akyab) is the capital city at the mouth of the mighty Kaladan River, and is reachable by flight. Sittwe boasts to several interesting pagodas and a fascinating monastery on the main street, where there are some rooms of museum with a collection of Buddha images, and is hence worth visiting. Another highlight in Sittwe is a small beach with a promontory, an ideal place to enjoy the breath taking sunset. Rakhine people are staunch Buddhists, and they have their own culture.
 
 
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| Myanmar (Burma)
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Area: |
total: 678,500 sq km
land: 657,740 sq km
water: 20,760 sq km |
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Country name: |
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw |
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Government type: |
military regime |
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Capital: |
Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon) |
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Administrative divisions: |
7 divisions* (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon* |
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Independence: |
4 January 1948 (from UK) |
| State or Division Name |
CoA |
Flag |
State or Division Name |
CoA |
Flag |
| Chin, State |
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Ayeyarwady, Division |
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| Kachin, State |
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Bago, Division |
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| Kayin, State |
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Magway, Division |
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| Kayah, State |
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Mandalay, Division |
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| Mon, State |
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Sagaing, Division |
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| Rakhine (Arakan), State |
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Tanintharyi, Division |
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| Shan, State |
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Yangon, Division |
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Alternative Maps
     
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Land boundaries: |
total: 5,876 km
border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km |
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Coastline: |
1,930 km |
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Maritime claims: |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
Myanmar Historical
- 1752 - 1 Jan 1886
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- 1 Jan 1886 - 9 Feb 1939
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- 9 Feb 1939 - Mar 1941; 3 May 1945 - 4 Jan 1948
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- Mar 1941 - 1 Aug 1942 (provisional)
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- 1 Aug 1942 - 1 Aug 1943 (Republic of Burma)
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- 1 Aug 1943 - 3 May 1945 (Republic of Burma)
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![[1948 Flag of Burma]](http://www.vdiest.nl/images/Asia/Myanmar/mm-1948.gif)
- 4 Jan 1948 - 3 Jan 1974
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- Adopted 3 Jan 1974
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CHRONOLOGY
- 1364 Kingdom of Awa founded.
- 1559 Owing to internal dissension, Awa shatters and
- the establishment of numerous petty states
- occurs (Toungoo, Pegu, etc.).
- Apr 1752 Independence of Kingdom of Awa recovered.
- 1769 - 1 Jan 1886 Awa nominally a tributary of the Chinese Empire.
- 31 Dec 1784 Arakan annexed by Burma.
- 11 May 1824 British occupy Rangoon (from Nov 1824, Pegu
- is occupied).
- 24 Feb 1826 Arakan, Tenasserim, Manipur, Assam, and the
- coastline annexed to British India; Pegu
- restored to Burma.
- 20 Dec 1852 Pegu annexed to British India.
- 31 Jan 1862 Arakan, Tenasserim, and Pegu are united
- as British ("Lower") Burma, within
- British India.
- 1 Jan 1886 Remnant of Kingdom of Awa ("Upper Burma")
- annexed to British India.
- 26 Feb 1886 Upper and Lower Burma united as Burma, within
- British India.
- 1 Apr 1937 Burma a separate British colony.
- 1 Aug 1942 - 3 May 1945 Japanese occupation (in Tenasserim from Dec 1941)
- Dec 1942 - 1945 Thailand occupies part of Shan States
- [Kyaington and Mongpan] which are annexed
- on 1 Aug 1943.
- 1 Aug 1943 - 3 May 1945 Republic of Burma
- 4 Jan 1948 Independence (Union of Burma).
- 4 Jan 1974 Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma.
- 23 Sep 1988 Union of Burma
- 18 Jun 1989 Union of Myanmar¹
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Myanmar Paper Currency
 
1 Kyat
 
5 Kyats
 
10 Kyats
 
20 Kyats
 
50 Kyats
 
100 Kyats
 
200 Kyats
 
500 Kyats
 
1.000 Kyats | | |
| KYAIKHTIYO PAGODA
KYAIKHTIYO PAGODA
This mystical pagoda stands on a gold gilded boulder, precariously perched on the edge of the hil1 over 1100 km above sea-level. Kyaikhto, the town at foot of the hill, is about 160 km from Yangon. It is a 11 kilometer uphill climb for the hikers from Kinpun base camp. There is also a steep winding road for 4-wheel drive cars from the base to the nearest point of the pagoda. There are many legends about the Pagoda and the 'nats' or 'spirits'. Kyaikhto Hotel and Golden Rock Hotel have modern facilities for tourists.
 
Burmese Food
This gallery contains pictures of Burmese dishes and food. These are not necessarily representative of what the Burmese cuisine really is. I took these photos in Burmese restaurants and markets.
The traditional Burmese restaurants prepare the food they sell over the day in the morning. They will not cook dishes à la carte for you.
For information on licencing Myanmar photos contact us by email. To add an image to your selection, click on 'Select'. To view the content of your selecion, click on 'Cart'.
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