Garrett Parsons served in the Thailand Bangkok Mission, which covered Myanmar, and said dangerous and humbling conditions due to civil unrest have molded the dynamic of the people in Myanmar.
Parsons, a freshman from Utah majoring in psychology, said in February 2021 there was a coup.
The New York Times reported after an election produced results the Myanmar military did not agree with, it overthrew the government. As a result there have been mass protests and civil unrest across the country.
The people of Myanmar “have endured a lot. They don’t have a lot of the things we enjoy. ... They’re so humble, so friendly and so outgoing towards others,” Parsons said.
Yin Lwin, a senior from Myanmar majoring in social work, said there are only five students at BYU–Hawaii who are from the country of Myanmar. She said her people “are generous and smile to anyone who visits the country.” She added they like to help everyone.
What is the traditional dress in Myanmar?
Lwin said the women in Myanmar wear different dresses depending on their tribe. She explained there are eight main tribes: Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Chin, Burman, Mon, Arakan and Shan. Lwin comes from the tribe of Myanmar.
Naw Eh Htoo Shee, a senior majoring in social work from Myanmar, said, “By viewing somebody’s outfit, I can know which tribe he or she is from.” Shee hails from the tribe of Karen/Kayin.
The Phoenix Voyages website explains the outfit for women is called thummy and resembles a long skirt in various colors and patterns, usually worn with a blouse with multiple collar styles. The Indochina Tours website says women also apply thanakha, a powder that functions similar to sunscreen.
Parsons said the formal attire for men is a skirt called the longyi, a collarless shirt and sandals or flip flops. “They don’t even sell socks in Myanmar, so you could just wear sandals, and it would still be considered part of a formal business attire.”
He said most people will dress formally “if they want to dress nicer than the crowd.”
How many languages are spoken in Myanmar and what does the flag symbolize?
Parsons said there are more than 100 different dialects spoken in Myanmar but Burmese is the main language spoken. “It comes from the Burmese tribe, which is currently in power.” He said he was called to speak Burmese and served in Myanmar for the entirety of his mission.
Lwin explained the colors in Myanmar’s flag. “The yellow represents unity, the green represents peace and the red symbolizes courage.” In addition to the stripes, the flag contains a white five-pointed star in the center. “The white star stands for the significance of the union of the country,” said Shee.
What is the dominant religion?
Lwin said the dominant religion in Myanmar is Buddhism. According to the Cultural Atlas website, 87.9 percent of the Burmese population is Buddhist, with minority populations of Christians, Muslims, Animists and Hindus.
Lwin said there are only two branches of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they do not allow missionaries to proselyte. She explained missionaries can only teach people upon invitation.
What are some special traditions celebrated in Myanmar?
Lwin said New Years is celebrated in April and their tradition involves people splashing water on each other. There are “10 to 20 volunteers who go out and splash water on the citizens. They believe if you splash water, your sins will wash away,” she explained.
Shee shared people in Myanmar celebrate the Thadingyut Festival, which was on Oct. 20 in 2021. During the festival, she said people pay their respect and show gratitude to one another. “[People] show gratitude to [their] elders, children give gifts to their parents, employees give to their employers, students give to their teachers.”
She said people will gather their money and find a gift, such as food, medicine or clothing. They then kneel down before the person, thanking them and clasping their hands to express their respect and gratitude to them, she explained.
Also known as the Lighting Festival, Shee said Thadingyut is celebrated by lighting up the streets at night. “Every street is lit, so it’s looks like Christmas everywhere.”
What is Myanmar known for?
Lwin said Myanmar has 1,000 Buddhist temples that are covered in gold, giving it the name “Golden Land.” She said one famous temple is the Pagoda Temple, where people offer up their diamonds and jewelry at the top of the temple.
The BBC Travel website says in Myanmar, gold is used in temples, traditional medicines, face creams and sometimes even in drinks and food. “On special occasions, gold leaf can be added to steamed rice and beans, and local spirits are shaken with gold leaf to drink on special occasions. Gold is literally part of the land and people,” the article says.
What are some important customs and traditions in Myanmar?
Parsons said it’s considered rude to wear shoes inside another person’s house. He added, “Every time you shake someone’s hand, you grab your own elbow with your left hand.”
Shee said, “[Showing] respect to one another, especially to an older person, is important.” She said it is especially important to dress modestly and speak courteously in the presence of an older person.
She also said whenever somebody receives something from another person, they must take it using both of their hands.
Additionally, Shee explained they attach significance and reverence to books so it is considered rude to place books on the floor when not using them. “We [believe books] give knowledge and [people] are able to learn from them, so we have to respect our books.”