Fifty Viss

"Here’s one other final, sobering statistic: If Myanmar’s economy does manage to grow 7%-8% per year for a long stretch, it might still only hit GDP per capita of $2,000–$3,000 by 2030. […] But it’s still a far cry from its peers. Malaysia’s GDP per capita in 2010 on a purchasing power parity basis was nearly $15,000."

— “Myanmar’s Growing, but Has a Long Way to Go,” Wall Street Journal.

A play on different perspectives, playing on the fact that a Burmese character can be rotated 4 different ways to form different letters.

TOP: This is the letter “nga!” (င) It can only be that!
LEFT: This is the letter “ga!” (ဂ) Surely.
RIGHT: That’s the letter “pa!” (ပ) Yes. Yes. Yes.
BOTTOM: That’s “one!” (၁) Sure you’re right?

Cartoon by Aung San Kyaw.

f00dcoma:

The Burmese American community gathered this past May to celebrate the sacred umbrella hoisting ceremony at the Thondrarama Brahma Vihara monastery (aka the Azusa monastery)!

Beautiful costumes, yummy food, and a transplanted tradition dating centuries.

Read my account in its entirety here!

Word choice in President Thein Sein’s state of the union address (2012).

(Source: viss.wordpress.com)

Outline of a Burmese throne c. Konbaung dynasty.

A postcard I scanned from my dad’s collection.

Caption reads: Obeisance Dance Solo. Burma National Dance, Burma

Commentary on Burmese fears about its neighbours.

CHINA (dragon): Swallowing up whatever I can.
BANGLADESH (snake): Staying close to whatever I can.
THAILAND (elephant): Trampling on whatever I can. 

Cartoon by Aung San Kyaw.

Some social commentary on Burma’s recent electricity protests (1 | 2 | 3).

LEFT PANEL: [youth to government] I am demanding a regular supply of electricity!
MIDDLE PANEL: [wife to husband] I am demanding a regular allowance for groceries!
RIGHT PANEL: [kid to mom] I am demanding a regular allowance for snacks!

Cartoon by Aung San Kyaw.

(Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net)

"When Suu Kyi was growing up in Myanmar in the 1950s and early 1960s, the country seemed to have unlimited prospects. Rich in natural resources including petroleum, timber, gems and extremely fertile land, and possessed of a well-educated middle class and a highly literate population, it was viewed by the World Bank as one of the most promising economies in Asia. Though Suu Kyi’s father Aung San was assassinated by rival politicians before the country gained independence from Britain in 1949, Burma (as it was known then) built a vibrant democracy, and held regular, free elections throughout the 1950s."

— “Will democracy take root in Myanmar?” (link)

№1. Connexions

I was reading this reallty interesting article about how much Thai democracy has backtracked in recent years and came across the Thai word amart, which sounds uncannily similar to the Burmese word amat, which has a similar connotation.

Many reclaimed the word phrai — meaning peasant or serf — and proudly began calling themselves that. They began referring to Bangkokians as amart, or elite.

Lo and behold—they probably hold the same etymological origins, coming from Sanskrit amatya.

The Burmese definition for amat (အမတ်):

1. high official of the Burmese royal court
2. member of parliament; member of the legislature.

The Thai definition for amart(อำมาตย์):

government official, royal attendant, courtier, councilor.

Connexion made!