Burma (Myanmar) for Kids: Books and Culture

You are invited to join us for a discussion of the young adult novel, Bamboo People, by Mitali Perkins — a compelling coming-of-age story about child soldiers in modern Burma. The online discussion forum will begin tomorrow – Wednesday, January 12th. Then join the author for a live chat on January 19th.

Online discussion forum: January 12th-19th, 2011
Live chat session with the author: Wednesday, January 19, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST

Register online here (registration is free but participants are responsible for obtaining their own copy of the book). All are welcome – teachers, students, parents, and anyone interested in global issues!

Young Adult Photo Essay Book

Finally, “a picture speaks a thousand words” in this photo essay book built around a single letter of correspondence to a young soldier (and would be interesting paired with Bamboo People for middle grade or older):

Burma: Something Went Wrong by Chan Chao [non fiction photo essays for Young Adult]

The book is built around a single letter of correspondence sent to Chao in 1997 by Aye Saung. The brief letter relays news of a friend’s death, a fighter’s struggle, and a movement’s dreams and setbacks. While the letter and accompanying portraits are specific to Burma in 1997, the themes found in Letter from P.L.F. are universal, making this an artists’ book of the highest order.

Letter from two of the guerilla fighters: “Hallo! Dear Naing Naing, I am so sorry for not writing you earlier. Do you remember Myint Zaw, General Secretary of D.A.B.? He died in March of sickness. All the places you had been with us in Hteekabalae have fallen into the enemy’s hand. I was in the area when the enemy approached. I sent my men to the front and had to leave quickly. I was told by my men to leave they don’t let me know because they didn’t want me to worry.”

This book shows us a region in constant turmoil, whose people have been at war with themselves for generations, where violence and death, nevertheless, provide a backdrop to what is still a golden land.

Photos of Burma — Shangri La Lost?

I have heard people speak of the beauty of Burma and when I found these photos I was really quite stunned by their beauty.

Thabyinnyu Pagoda

Evening View of Bagan Plain

The Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon, Burma

Brief History of Burma: Colonization and Coups Never End Well…

Burma has one of the most eclectic cultural mixes in all of Asia. This began with the migration of three groups, the Mons from present-day Cambodia, the Mongol Burmans from the Himalayas, and the Thais from northern Thailand. The territory that is now Burma, was first united under King Anawratha in present-day Bagan. However, this unification was short lived and it took 250 years before Burma was reunified in the mid-16th Century under a series of Taungoo kings.  Since then, and even now, Burma’s history has been troubled and violent.

• Border clashes with British troops, economic potential, and empire expansion lead the British to invade Burma. It took three invasions to control the whole of Burma in 1824, 1852, and 1883. Burma, under British rule, was annexed to India.
• In World War II,  the Burmese National Army, fought alongside the Japanese to drive the British out of Burma. However, before the end of the war, the Burmese National Army changed sides and fought with the Allied forces to expel the Japanese.
• Following World War II, the British agreed to Burma’s independence, and elections were held in April 1947. However, most members of the new government were assassinated three months later.
• Despite this on January 4, 1948, Burma gained independence and became the Union of Burma. In 1948 the Burman controlled the area surrounding Rangoon, the different ethnic groups controlled the rest.  Many ethnic groups and religious minorities revolted and formed armed resistance groups.
• In 1958 Prime Minister U Nu invited the army to help restore the government’s political power, which for 18 months, had limitless power.
• In 1962 Burma’s troubled democracy was ousted in a military coup by General Ne Win. During the coup, the constitution was abolished and a military government took over the running of the country. Consequently, the government’s policies also changed, they became xenophobic and put the country on the path to socialism.
• Very quickly the country changed. In 1939 under the British Burma was the world’s largest rice exporter and it had a successful export business in teak and gems. Burma was one of the richest countries in Southeast Asia. After 1962, it became the poorest. All businesses were nationalized, all privately owned stores were closed and replaced with ones that were controlled by the state. No one received compensation for these seizures. Many people lost their jobs. A black market emerged and it was the only way to find essential items.
• Also due to the xenophobic nature of the military leaders, people who were not Burmese were encouraged to leave the country. A lot of Indians and Chinese who were entrepreneurs were expelled from Burma.
• After student protests in 1988, there was another military coup and Ne Win was replaced by General Saw Maung and his State Law and Restoration Council (SLORC). Maung declared Burma to be in a state of emergency which resulted in military law. Maung also suspended the constitution and changed the name of the country to the Union of Myanmar, because the Union of Burma, as it had previously been known, was an outdated colonial term.
• However, he also agreed to hold free elections in 1989. A group quickly formed a coalition party in opposition to the military-run dictatorship, called the National League of Democracy (NLD). Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of independence crusader Aung San, emerged as the leader of the NLD. Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the NLD were put under house arrest. Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in July 1995. In 1991 she received the Nobel Peace Prize.  She continues to be under house arrest.
• At the end of October 2004, there was another coup in Burma, with General Khin Nyunt being allowed to resign for “health reasons” while being under house arrest. He was allegedly ousted for being too inclined to democratic reform, and his successor, General Soa Win, is a military hardliner.

• Chicken (breast, thighs, skin removed)
• Chicken stock/broth
• Coconut milk can
• Gram flour
• Turmeric and Paprika
• Fish sauce
• Onions (cut into big chunks or use whole if small. Pearl onions will do also).
• Oil
• Garlic
• Can of Cream of Chicken Soup (optional)
• *Noodles (your choice – small flat rice noodles or linguini)

• Lemons or limes, sliced
• Crushed red pepper
• Fish sauce
• Crispies (like crispy chow mein noodles)
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Sliced green onions

• Cucumbers (skin on, halved lengthwise and sliced about ¼ inch thick or so). Estimate about 1-2 cucumbers a person (it will really shrink!)
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Sesame seeds if desired
• Slivered ginger
• Slivered garlic (if desired)
• Oil
• Optional: Crispy fried sliced onions

To examine any of the items listed, please click on image of item. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

• ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
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• Massachusetts Book Award Long List
• dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
• Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
• 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
• Green Earth Book Award Long List
• Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
• Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

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Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me