Burma in Blur
Driving from Pyin Oo Lwin down to Mandalay late one afternoon, the rays of the setting sun were lighting up parts of trees and catching a lot of dust that…
The “Buddhist” Cats & Dogs of Burma
I am a visionary! Last night before going to bed I saw an email that made reference to an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune (here) about supposed Vietnamese eating…
The Other Jewel of Rangoon
If someone were to hear an expression like, “the Jewel of Rangoon,” what would undoubtedly come to her/his mind is the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most famous landmark in Rangoon (now…
Why is this Sign in Chinese?
A couple of weeks ago I was in a hotel in Mandalay, Burma when I noticed this sign near the elevator. It says that when spitting up phlegm, one should…
More “Guardian Gals” from 1950s Burma
Following up on this post (here), here are some more of M. Tin Aye's “studies in Burmese feminine beauty.” Pictures like these only appear on the covers of The Guardian…
The “Guardian Gals” of 1950s Burma
Earlier this year I wrote an entry (here) about a magazine from Malaysia called Malaysian Panorama which had pictures of beautiful women on its cover, but the content of the…
Daw Pyu the Mac Phsu Balm Queen
You may have heard of the two “Tiger Balm Kings” (Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par) that is, the two ethnic Chinese from Burma who went on to create…
Subalterns Speaking in Colonial Burma
One form of history that is fascinating to read but a challenge to research is what is often referred to now as subaltern history or “history from below.” This is…
The 1948 Burmese Olympic Team
The Nation reported on 12 August 1948 that members of the Burmese Olympic team were entertained at Buckingham Palace by none other than Their Majesties the King and Queen themselves.…
Viet-Nam Music Explained to the Burmese
I was looking at The Nation newspaper from Burma for 22 October 1948 when I came across this article about “Viet-Nam Music.” It is supposed to be a “broadcast talk”…