The Burman Newspaper
Myanmar’s First Interscholastic Student-Run Newspaper
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Tributes
A ray of warm, golden light shines down the frigid, moist, dark cavern. The beam of light slowly spread until I could take in everything into my sight. It had been over a decade since I first saw the first game played. This is the twelfth time. The game is always brutal and bloody, at…
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Education Inequality Across Ethnic Regions In Myanmar
The education system in Myanmar has long been a site of both national development and increasing divergence. Vast inequalities within the education system persist particularly across the country’s ethnically diverse regions. Children from ethnic states such as Chin, Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan have been facing education inequality due to factors like underfunded infrastructure, resource limitation,…
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Traditional Festivals of Myanmar: From Thingyan to Tazaungdaing
Introduction Myanmar is a nation where spirituality, culture and traditions abound. Every year, Myanmar showcases its location in the world from their Buddhist heritage and traditions to its adorned cultural practices. There are numerous festivals that take place throughout the year that celebrate its traditions and changing of seasons. The three largest celebrations are: Thingyan,…
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Protecting Inle Lake: Can Myanmar Save Its Iconic Waters?
At dawn, the waters of Inle Lake once shimmered like polished silver, mirroring the sky as fishermen balanced gracefully on their narrow canoes, silhouetted by the sun’s golden rays. Floating gardens drifted between villages raised on stilts, and the rhythmic splash of oars was a lullaby to a region steeped in harmony with nature. However…
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Myanmar Myths: The Tale of Ma Phae Wah
(Author’s note on cover page- I figured that a picture of Ma Phae Wah would be inappropriate for the cover image) In Burmese folklore, “ma phae wah” (often translated as mythical or legendary creatures) plays a significant role in storytelling and cultural traditions. She is the spirit that watches over Myanmar’s cemeteries and graveyards. Ma…
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To You whom I Carry
Dear Younger Me, I carry you with me every day – your memories, your experiences, your preferences, your dreams, your thoughts, and your expectations for me. I carry your love for noodles, Korean dramas, flowers, and manhwas, though maybe not with the same intensity. I still share your hatred for worms too–perhaps even more than…
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The Stringed Souls: Daw Ma Ma Naing and the Revival of Burmese Marionette
Behind the dimly lit backdrop, Ma Ma Naing stands with her troupe, fingers deftly maneuvering the near-invisible strings. The wooden figures – each decorated differently in lavish clothes and facial expressions — came to life, gliding across the stage in perfect harmony with melodies from the Hsaing Waring orchestra. For centuries, the Burmese marionette (Yoke…
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Introducing Therigatha Mindfulness Journal: A Reflection by Buddhist Women
You might have seen thilashins walking slowly, heads bowed under the midday sun. Unlike the monks, they collect alms not at dawn but later, when the streets grow busy and alms less prepared. Some laypeople give rice, some shyly turn away. These nuns are not fully ordained bhikkhunis. In Myanmar, full ordination for women is…
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