I visited Myanmar / Burma in December 2009. The country is rich in ethnic groups, languages and traditions that date back centuries.
In spite of a ruthless ruling junta that commands absolute power, the people throughout this fiercely religious Buddhist country exercise profound kindness, compassion and respect for elders, community and family. They maintain an exceptional mental discipline, and as a result, their disposition is persistently positive and their friendliness is organic. With seemingly little hope for a better life, I got a glimpse of what the human spirit is capable of accomplishing.
In an attempt to characterize the remarkable spirit of Myanmar’s people, pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi says, "It’s part of the unceasing human endeavor to prove that the spirit of man can transcend the flaws of his nature."
“Novice Monks”
These novice monks are from the ethnically diverse area of Kengtung, located in Shan State on Myanmar’s eastern border where Laos, China and Thailand come together. Because of the geographic relationship, this remote region is of strategic importance to the Myanmar government.
“Mun Chin Women”
The Mun Chin, Tibeto-Burmese people dating back to 500 BCE, live in western Myanmar in the mountains that border Bangladesh. I was told that only a handful of foreigners have ever been to this isolated village, and that I’m likely to be the only American to visit this tribe since the missionaries before WWII.
