Miss Myanmar Opens Up

For five decades, nobody from Myanmar ever competed at the Miss International beauty competition, until Nang Khin Zay Yar stepped onto the stage. Representing her country as Miss Myanmar at the international pageant in Japan last year, the 23-year-old took home the Miss Internet Award with 20 million online votes and the People’s Choice Award from Missosology, a news portal for beauty pageants. Back in Myanmar now, the ethnic Pa-O from Shan State has a law degree but works as a tour guide and an active volunteer. She caught up recently with The Irrawaddy’s correspondent Zarni Mann about her life as a beauty queen.

What was your most memorable moment at the Miss International pageant?

I was nervous about wearing a bikini, since I had never worn one before. We were told to take a photo in our bathing suits for the voting website, and I was trying to get ready but wasn’t sure how to present myself. I was too shy to walk into the studio room, so I covered myself with a scarf. In my group, I was the last person still standing in the fitting room—I was so shy to stand in front of the photographer, and to expose myself to criticism from fans for wearing the bikini. Later I reassured myself that I had to wear the bathing suit for the contest, that I wasn’t doing anything bad because the contest required it. Standing up there in front of the photographer, I tried to forget what I was wearing, pretending I was just in my normal casual clothes, and he was very impressed. “You’re very active,” he told me. “You’re very sweet.” themselves. I think we need more practice answering questions and we need to build confidence in public speaking. I’m planning to cooperate with Ma Tin Moe Lwin [a successful model in Myanmar] to share my experience and provide some counseling for the upcoming Miss Myanmar contest this year.

Since returning home, you have been actively involved in social work. Can you tell us why you started volunteering at the Free Funeral Service Society (FFSS)?

How does the Miss Myanmar contest compare to international

Standing up there in front of the phowearing, pretending I was just in my normal casual clothes, and he was very pageants?

There’s a huge difference. International beauty contests and pageants aren’t only about beauty, but also about intelligence, confidence, cleverness and proficiency. They choose a winner who’s really talented in a wide range of activities. The future Miss Myanmar contestants shouldn’t only care about their beauty; they should also try to enrich

I wanted to send a message that we’re all connected. Rich or poor, we’re all human beings and we’ll all die one day. Most people would rather go to a wedding than a funeral, and here in Myanmar, many people are superstitious about funerals; some believe it’s important to wash off after returning from the ceremony, while others refuse to rewear any clothes they wore to the cemetery. I just want to get rid of these superstitions. That’s why I decided to volunteer for the FFSS.

I understand you’re currently filming commercials. Will you be an actress as well?

Contestants

I want to be an actress but I still have a lot to learn about acting and no time, given my tight schedule with tour guide work, social work and other responsibilities. But U Kyaw Thu [an actor and director who founded FFS] told me that he wanted me to act in his new film, and all profits will go to charities. So I’ve accepted a role in that film but don’t know yet what character I’ll play or when we’ll start filming.