CONTENTS
TEAM MANAGING DIRECTOR Andreas Sigurdsson andreas@myanmore.com
EDITOR Bob Percival editor@myanmore.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Sondang Grace Sirait Gill Pattiso San Lin Tun Tet Ka Tho Soe Moe Naing Bob Percival R. E. Saw Marie Starr Mimi Wu Cliff Lonsdale Amanda Win
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Gerhard Jörén www.gerhardjoren.com
PHOTOGRAPHY & ARTWORK Hong Sar Marie Starr Pt@images
ART & PRODUCTION Kyaw Kyaw Tun
PUBLISHER U Myo Aung (Permanent No.00296/00371) InDepth MYANMORE Magazine 1st Floor, Annex Building, Strand Hotel, 92 Strand Road, Yangon
PRINTER Shwe Naing Ngan Press Permit No: 05745 No.90(C), Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd., Bahan Tsp., Yangon.
SALES sales@myanmore.com 01 375 680. Contact us on indepth@myanmore.com
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STREETS OF YANGON
2016 MYANMORE AWARDS
IN FOCUS
Bogalayzay Street - shades of gentrification, deep-fried kyar kway, and the poems of Pablo Neruda
Recognise, celebrate and promote quality dining & nightlife in Yangon
Waimar Min Thuu and May Thu from Mya Chemical Free talk about natural farming and fresh food
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TRAVEL
R. E. Saw talks to artist Zay Zay Htut about locks and censorsip
Marie Starr goes on a photographic coastal adventure along the beaches of Bay of Bengal
ART
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Bijin Japanese Restaurant, Manana Mexican, Cafe Del Seoul, and Nam Dao Kham Shan Noodle
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COVER STORY
TRANSLATION
Dr Ni Ni Tun is a major agent for change in the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS in Myanmar
A new original San Shar story – The Burmese Sherlock Holmes – A Murder on Pansodan Street
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Out of the closet and into the spotlight for local Myanmar documentary filmmakers
River Gallery celebrates with its 10th Anniversary Exhibition
FILM
BISTRONOMY
HOROSCOPE Tetkatho Soe Moe Naing predicts your fortune for February.
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DISTRIBUTION Find InDepth at Jasper House, Manhattan Fish Market, Chatime, Yoogane (Pearl Condo), Yangon Bakehouse, Summit Parkview Hotel, Pun Hlaing Golf Estate, Harley´s and many more places in Yangon and hotels around Myanmar. Contact us to have it distributed to your doorstep every month.
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 3
WHAT'S ON EVENTS
4 FEBRUARY International Culture Festival | Activities Horizon International Schools is organising the 3rd International Culture Festival. There will be participation by embassies, co-hosts and sponsors. This event is a great opportunity for visitors to enjoy the culture of many countries, watch traditional dances, taste a variety of cuisines, play interactive games and view expositions. Visitors and students will gain more insight into the diversity of the world, which will help to understand cultural differences and learn to respect them, so we can all live in harmony. Myanmar Convention Center - Min Dhamma Rd (Close by Victoria Hospital) | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
5 FEBRUARY Shark Music Showcase 2016 | Stage NUAC and Xenon Entertainment presents Shark Nuac Orchestra Music and Showcase 2016. They will present four different kinds of music (Hip-hop, Rock, Pop and EDM) together with NUAC Orchestra. Diramore will be the music director of this concert together with Sai Sai Kham Leng, Wai La, DJ Wine, Ni Ni Khin Zaw and Chan Chan. Tickets available at 1876 Hotline number. Ticket prices are 8,000 / 10,000 / 20,000 Ks. National Theatre - Myoma Kyaung St, Dagon Tsp | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Indie Rock Night with Side Effect | Nightlife You're not going to want to miss this! Join for an evening of live music with one of Myanmar's best bands! Side Effect will bring the best of indie and rock music to 50th Street. Music starts 9:00 PM with opening band General Tiger Gun. 50th Street Bar - 9/13 50th St,
Botahtaung Tsp (off Merchant Rd) | FROM 7:00 PM
6 FEBRUARY The Sunset Boat Party | Nightlife The new boat party for Yangon! Join the party and dance under the sunset as they sail past unrestricted views over our home city. Enjoy big bass, cold drinks and cool fresh air whipped off the water. The music will be pulsing, the dancing unhinged and the conversations flowing. The Boat Party will bring together DJ’s with swelling beats from House Music to Gypsy, Breaks to Hip Hop and Electro, for a nostalgic Yangon evening out. Entry is 15,000 Ks per person including 1 free drink. Botahtaung Harbour - Botahtaung Tsp | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Fete De La Francophonie 2016 | Activities Let’s celebrate together francophone Cultures on Saturday 6 February, join at the IFB for a day (& night) of activities celebrating French language and cultures. No need to speak French, just come and have fun! Free Entrance during the day. 8,000 Ks starting 8.30 pm onward. Dj Fisewook and Davdenam will make you dance all night with a special Francophone DJ set and black lights show. French Institute - 340, Pyay Road, Sanchaung Tsp (Close by Hanthar Waddy Bus stop) | 10:00 AM - 11:59 PM
February Sensation EME | Nightlife Hex Entertainment has announced their 2nd Sensation Electronic Music Event on 6th February, Saturday at J One Music Bar. Local star DJs: TerrorBass, Kabar, Tyrah T, Hane Nanda, Ace and Peterpan will be performing. Let’s rave with awesome performance of DJs. Pre ticket is 8000 Ks per ticket including one free drink. Contact Number: 09420025138. J-One Music Bar - Bo Cho St (Near Union Business Centre), Bahan Tsp |
4 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
FROM 6:00 PM
Tin Zar Maw One Lady Live Music Show | Stage Tin Zar Maw will be celebrating her Birthday with One lady Live Music Show at MCC Outdoor. Ticket prices are 10,000/ 20,000 / 30,000 Ks. Tickets available at Man Thiri Music Production, KoKo Beauty Salon (Dagon Centre) and Hotline number is 097820936. Myanmar Convention Center - Min Dhamma Rd (Close by Victoria Hospital) | FROM 7:00 PM
7 FEBRUARY Attwenger: The Alpine Pop Duo from Austria | Stage Their music was and is a discovery! The Duo of Markus (percussion) and Hans-Peter (accordion, vocals) presents a heartwarming mix of Pop, Punk, Rap and Hip-Hop with Alpine Folk music and texts. The Goethe-Institut Myanmar and the Austrian Embassy Bangkok are glad to welcome the acclaimed Austrian Duo for the first time in South East Asia. They will perform on the lawns of the Goethe-Villa. Go and experience with an extraordinary gig! Goethe Villa - 8 Ko Min Ko Chin Rd, Bahan Tsp | FROM 6:00 PM
The Big British Day Out | Activities A day of celebrating the very best of all things British! This is a free event and open to all. The traditional British fair will be held at the Ambassador's garden and will include sporting events, food stalls, games and lots of fun! The British Embassy Club Gyoe Phyu St, Alan Pya Pagoda Rd | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
The Cocks Plate 2016 - Myanmar vs Jakarta | Sports The Myanmar Fighting Cocks Australian Football Club will take on the Jakarta Bintangs in the inaugural
VALENTINES DAY PROMOTIONS
14 FEBRUARY Casablanca Valentine’s Party | Dining Enjoy an evening of romance at Belmond Governor's Residence! Join Casablanca Valentine's Day Dinner on February 14th. The evening begins at 6:30pm with a cocktail hour in the garden followed by a 5-course tasting menu of dishes that are perfect to share, and one bottle of wine per couple. The evening is complete with a live jazz band, special presents, and a five Lucky Draw prizes, including a Romantic Weekend Stay at Belmond Governor's Residence. This dinner is limited to just 15 couples so book soon at events.tgr@belmond.com or 01229 860. US$150++ per couple. Belmond Governor’s Residence - 35 Taw Win Rd (Near American Center) | FROM 6:30 PM
Valentine's Day Dinner | Dining US$55 per person for Gourmet Set Menu at L’Opera Restaurant. Special tables for 2 for couples with balloons and roses everywhere, and Gondola ride (need to reserve). Reservations at 01665516, 01660976. L'Opera - 62 D, U Htun Nyein Street (Near Inya Lake Hotel) | FROM 6:30 PM
WHAT'S ON Cocks Plate! Go down for a day of Aussie Rules football, drinks, food and (hopefully) some pool action. Two free busses will depart from the Train Station to get you there. The day's schedule is: 11.15am – Player/supporter buses (x2) depart train station, 12pm – AusKick Clinic for young kids, 1pm – Game time and 2.30pm onwards – Post match drinks and presentations. Free Entry. Star City - Kyaik Khauk pagoda Rd, Thanlyin Tsp | FROM 12:00 PM
12 FEBRUARY Sone Naing Kwint Live & Exclusive Concert | Stage Sone Naing Kwint Live and Exclusive Music Concert of Htun Eaindra Bo and Alex with Plus Three Music Band (harmony by Ever Glades) presented by Inspire Myanmar will be held on 12th Feb. Book your ticket at 09250677733 and 09260977733. Myanmar Convention Center - Min Dhamma Rd (Close by Victoria Hospital) | FROM 7:00 PM
14 FEBRUARY Valentine's Day - G Shock Lover Day | Stage G-Shock Lovers’ Day Live Concert presented by Bo Bo Entertainment at Kandawgyi Mhyaw Sin Island. Featuring Hlwan Paing, Yair Yint Aung, Shwe Htoo, Lil-Z, G-Fatt, Mi Sandi, Bobby Soxer. Tickets available at Bo Bo Music Production, City Mart, Orange, Nobody, Genius, RUNYGN, 1876, 1212 Call Centre. More details at 09425557666, 018619029. Ticket price is 8000 Ks. Kandawgyi Myaw Sin Island - Nat Mauk Rd (Inside Kandawgyi Park) | 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
MANDALAY Chinese New Year Celebration | Nightlife Unique Bar and Restaurant is going
to celebrate Chinese New Year Celebration and it's gonna make you feel something special again because of DJ K9 (resident Unique, he has got lots of experience and most of his style is Big Room, Progressive, Big Groove, Military Drum and Bounce Electro) and DJ Crany (Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City). She will be spinning EDM, House, HipHop, Trap and Twerk. Reservation Needed. Ph: 09777555456, 09250100056, 09258868504. Unique Bar & Restaurant - 66th St, Between 12th and 13th St, Mandalay | FROM 6:00 PM
VALENTINES DAY
CHINESE NEW YEAR PROMOTIONS
8 FEBRUARY Chinese New Year | Dining This year, L’Opera will be celebrating Chinese New Year with a Chinese Dragon show from 8 pm onward. A la carte menu will be available. Reservation at 01665516, 01660976. L'Opera - 62 D, U Htun Nyein Street (Near Inya Lake Hotel) | FROM 6:30 PM
13 FEBRUARY
4 - 22 FEBRUARY
Singles Night Party | Nightlife
Chinese New Year | Dining
Fortuna Gold Media & Entertainment are proud to invite you to their next event: Valentine's Eve: Singles Night Party. Yangon's singles are celebrating the sexiest day of the year with a cheeky rendezvous at Le Cellier French Restaurant and Bar. Show your cheeky side and take a chance on meeting your new flame. So bring your single friends and create double the mischief! Find out if you have the spark straight away and take the pressure out of meeting new singles. Enjoy 360 degree views of Yangon while local and international DJs bring the party to another level. The theme will be Red, White and Gold, dress code: Smart Casual/ Formal. Ladies don't forget to dress sexy and Guys dress to impress! (No runners or T-shirt). If you came alone and available - wear Red/Black. If you came with your partner and not available - wear White. Single-Entry Ticket includes 2 free drinks and snacks per person. More info call Mark: 09977333777.
From 1st to 22nd February, Sule Shangri-La Yangon celebrates the auspicious arrival of the Year
Le Cellier - Novotel Yangon Max, 14th floor, 459 Pyay Rd, Kamaryut Tsp | FROM 7:00 PM
of the Red Monkey with special New Year set menus perfect for family reunions and gatherings (at US$29 and US$42), with an instant chance to win a lucky draw prize. Guests may also enjoy traditional Poon Choi Fortune Pot (at US$199 good for 10 to 12 persons), a dish that signifies abundance and affluence and comprises a bountiful array of Abalone, Fish Maw, Poached Prawns, Scallop and Stewed Duck, Suckling Pig, and a selection of Yu Sheng salad. Chinese New Year Cakes (at US$5, US$7, and US$9) as ideal gifts are also available with three delightful choices such as Scallop Turnip, Water Chestnut, and traditional Nian Gao Food & Beverage team: 01242828, Extension 6401, 6402. Sule Shangri-La Hotel - 223 Sule Pagoda Rd (opposite Sakura Tower) | ALL DAY
PROMOTIONS
4 FEBRUARY The Taste of Switzerland | Dining The taste of Switzerland in Yangon! To celebrate the “Fête de la Francophonie”, the Embassy of Switzerland in Myanmar is proud to welcome famous Swiss Chefs Patrick Clarke and Jerôme Zbinden from the world-known Lausann1983 (max. 8 persons per booking). Shwe Sa Bwe - 20 Malikha St, Mayangon Tsp (Close by American Club) | 12:30 PM - 9:30 PM
2 - 9 FEBRUARY Carnival of Venice Week | Dining The whole restaurant will have
our notorious Carnival Theme with the towers of St. Marco's square, the Rialto bridge, the masks, the gondola ride. L'Opera - 62 D, U Htun Nyein Street (Near Inya Lake Hotel) | FROM 6:30 PM
7 FEBRUARY German Frühschoppen | Dining The German Frühschoppen at Mahlzeit is already a full success! White sausages, sweet mustard, pretzels, potato salad, cabbage salad, free flow of German beer! All you can drink and eat for 32,500 Ks! Bavarian music and coziness all inclusive! Contact: reservation@mahlzeit-myanmar.com Mahlzeit - 84 Pann Hlaing St, Sanchaung Tsp | 10:30 AM - 3 PM
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 5
Photos by Hong Sar
6 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
STREETS OF YANGON
BOGALAYZAY STREET Bob Percival walk the streets of downtown and finds deep-fried kyar kway, Gentrification and the poetry of Pablo Neruda.
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here is something different about this street. You almost feel like you are in a different city. There isn’t the hustle and bustle of 37th Street with its bookshops and street vendors, or the sights and sounds of the Indian Quarter or Chinatown. Instead there is an atypical calmness and order, wrapped up in a streetscape of freshly painted buildings, frontages with tended gardens, and newly opened upmarket restaurants. What is happening here is Gentrification. The rich are moving in and the established locals are eyeing the changes with a cautious curiosity. On the bottom block coming up from Strand Road there is the busy stall run by Kyat U Hta Min Kyawvare pumping out early morning sweet tea latpatyay (300 Ks), fried rice and egg (500 Ks), and wood fired woks deep-fried kyar kway (100 Ks). He has three kettles on the boil to keep up with his regular customers. The adjacent freshly renovated office of Khiri Travel is a sign of the new Bogalayzay Street. Old buildings like the languishing four-byfour-storey 1922 apartments at No. 21, once luxurious and now rundown, have a much greater chance of survival here than in most other downtown streets. An interesting Sunni mosque is just opposite. Go around the rear side to enter. Check out the back lane on the way! At No. 37 there is a cheap Indian ‘Rice & Curry’ joint, and at No. 40 there the striking Berbodhanwala Building, a fine 1929 three-storey structure also ripe for renovation. On the right hand side of the street just before you reach Merchant Road are more old apartments, built with a huge light well. Crossing Merchant Road you reach the upper block. On the left is what used to be the grand
Royal Hotel where everybody who was anybody would stay in the 1920s. At No. 88 you will see a fine example of gentrification, with original iron fence covered with vines, and at its base a picturesque flower garden. The terrace has been fully restored inside and out – cosmopolitan lifestyle at cosmopolitan prices. Further up at No. 100, the former home of Pansuriya photo gallery is again being renovated, this time into another upmarket restaurant. At No. 108 there is some beautiful metalwork on display with the front door, and at No. 108 there is the newly established Tin Tin Yangon, Mexican food in a beautifully restored old building, where you can sit upstairs and look across to the historic 1902 headquarters of Yangon’s YWCA. The rest of the block offers you a fine example of a 1920 streetscape of once luxurious apartments that will hopefully be restored to their former glory. On the left at the southwest corner of Bogalayzay Street and Mahabandoola Road you will find the magnificent 1928 H. A. Soorty Mansions. In 1929 it housed the Chilean Consulate, and it was here that a 22-year-old Pablo Neruda worked for eighteen months as a junior official. His poems of a passionate love affair with ‘Josie Bliss’, a young Burmese secretary at the consulate, must be read! One of the poems is titled The Widower’s Tango. Buried next to the coconut palm you’ll find the knife I hid because I feared you’d kill me and now suddenly I would like to smell its kitchen steel so accustomed to the weight of your hand and the shine of your foot … Enjoy, and languish in the heat and passion of 1920’s Rangoon.
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 7
ART
THE ARTIST WITH THE LOCKS BY R.E.SAW
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ART
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mediately. “Once our economy improves, once our living situation improves, we will have time to enjoy art. Now people do not even watch news. They just want entertainment to relax after a long hard day. I, myself, saw a painting in real life only back in 2007. I did not know where the art galleries were. If children are taught basic a level of art and art appreciation, I believe we will become a more polite and civilized society.”
ay Zay Htut answered that he was twenty-three years old. He then silently dabbed red paint on his unfinished artwork. “Oh wait”, he paused and looked up to the ceiling, “I am thirty-three years old”. He softly laughed and went quiet again, seeming to forget all about the people crowding his living room which also acts as his work space. In person, Zay Zay Htut does look in his early twenties. He is very soft spoken and has the calm demeanour which sometimes tilts to the point of someone who might be lost in space. As an artist, you might have seen his paintings at the River Gallery located in Strand Hotel. They are hard to miss. Big, heavy doors that are heavily secured by chains and locks so that the outside world cannot see or enter inside. It seems that whatever is behind those doors they would have a harder time to get out. This is his signature style; the locked doors. In some paintings, a key is dangling inside the lock, and there would be a keychain with a small picture of The Lady. Some of his foreign buyers playfully complained to him that locked doors are unlucky but the majority immediately understand them as political statements. The unfinished artwork in his studio, however, is of an open window with a smiling woman inside. Her left hand is raised in peace sign. The window is red in colour. “Is it because of the election result?” I asked. He smiled at the question but did not give a concrete answer. “I already have some ideas of opening them (the doors).I went to Shan State recently and put all of my emotions from that trip in this painting. Of course I am happy with the result because the party I voted for won. I am happy that the road has opened, although there is a long way to go.” He then paused, frowned for a moment in thought. There are artists who could express the meaning of their works in prose while others grunt and run away from these questions, letting their works speak for themselves. Zay Zay Htut appears to understand the need to engage with his audience and even though he’s Opposite page: Today Light (II), (92 cm x 122 cm), Acrylic on Canvas, 2015
Zay Zay Htut with his still-in-process artwork
not loquacious, he tries to express his thoughts in words without needing to probe or prompt. “I started painting the lock paintings because I was young and going through a heartbreak. Only some of my close friends know this as I do not see the point in telling this without being asked”, he explained. His lovely wife came in to offer a glass of orange juice. The subject of the heartbreak was not explored any further. “So I painted two of them under the title ‘My Heart’. It clashed with the censorship. They were telling me I would not be allowed to exhibit them. I was very sad. I begged and pleaded with them, saying it was just about my personal experience and nothing to do with politics. They told me to put a heart sticker on the lock. And I did.” “It was at that moment that I knew my artwork has been intruded and violated. I painted something with complete innocence and they forced me to change it. I was not into politics and the country’s affairs, but now I understood it concerned every one of us. So I painted an opened door with a group of puppets inside. Because the artists were just like puppets, with no real freedom to express themselves. It cleared the censorship. And then it was banned. That was the last time I clashed with
Photo by pt@images
So I painted two of them under the title ‘My Heart’. It clashed with the censorship. They were telling me I would not be allowed to exhibit them. censorship. Now it is okay.” “So I continued painting locks, and other artists liked them. Although I did not get to sell any, I was encouraged. After the day of 2012 election, I sold my first lock painting. I was also adding the keychains by then. Afterwards, a lot more people know about them.” He stated that most of his buyers are foreign collectors. “Why do we have very few local art collectors and buyers?” I asked him. “Economy”, he answered back im-
“I am self-taught. My father liked to paint for fun but he passed away when I was very young. I knew about the State School of Arts but I did not have funds to attend. I was working during school holidays to help out my family. I would just trace drawings and pictures with pencils. Later on, an artist moved into my neighbourhood and I learnt from him about mediums and paints. Also the existence of art galleries. Afterward, I would draw paintings to sell at Bogyoke Market. The subjects were very repetitive, of flowers and monks. Some days, I got really frustrated, but it gave me money to buy canvas and paint to draw what I wanted. I know some of the artists looked down on this practice but that is how the situation is. You do not earn much but at least you get to continue painting. Things were so, so tough for the older generation of artists. They used to have only one or two exhibitions in a year. I really respect them for surviving it and still withstanding now.” Zay Zay Htut is unconcerned about his past as a Bogyoke Market artist. After all, he knew very clearly from the start, of the path he wanted to choose. “The styles were different. I did not sign them with the signature I plan to use for life and to express my real art.” He thoughtfully added, “Once things are more peaceful and we gain more trust from investors, it will become easier for the artists and we will not need to do these things anymore”. Zay Zay Htut’s artworks can be seen at: River Gallery I: 92 Strand Road, Yangon. Tel:95-1-243377/8/9 Orient Art Gallery: 121(e), Thanlwin Road , Kamayut Township, Yangon. Tel: 95-1-502745
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 9
COVER STORY
AGENT FOR CHANGE DR. NI NI TUN BY MIMI WU
Ni Ni Tun with a patient's family, at one of the clinics in Hlaing Thar Yar Township.
Had Ni Ni Tun followed her 16-year-old heart and pursued life as a stewardess, Myanmar would have been robbed of one of the foremost doctors in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.
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r. Ni Ni Tun and I arrange to meet at Medical Action Myanmar’s (MAM) office one weekday afternoon. I’m ushered into a conference room and wait until she arrives, petite, long flowing hair, tanned skin and all. She flashes a great big smile as she shakes my hand, and I feel charged by her kind and energetic aura. Before she became Dr. Ni Ni Tun, she resided in Bago Division until age 15 when her father, an engineer, was posted to a government job in Yangon. By the time she graduat-
ed from high school, her top marks meant she could pursue any field for tertiary education. A challenging profession was not her initial desire. Instead, the stewardess next door had caught her attention. Gorgeous, well dressed, and leaving a trail of perfume, the woman seemed to lead a glamorous lifestyle. Her father wanted Ni Ni Tun to study medicine but rather than push, he compromised: “Start medical school with a backup plan as a stewardess.” In the end, fathers know best. By
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her second year, Ni Ni Tun’s studies fascinated her, and she graduated in 2002 as Dr. Ni Ni Tun. She began her clinical work at Thingangyun Training Hospital but was confronted by the limited medical supply available to doctors and patients. “If you see a patient with a head injury, you don’t have suturing materials, and no gloves. How can you ask the patient [to pay for it] who is very sick? So you buy it yourself. I was asking my mother and sister for money every month for an emergency medical kit. My salary [as a doctor
in training] was 1,600 Ks a month,” she said emphatically. I was incredulous. She repeated herself, then added, “I had to depend on my parents for bus transportation, everything.” By 2002, Myanmar was the site of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders’ largest medical program in the world with attention in Shan State, Kachin State, Rakhine State, and the Yangon Region. The organisation provided free basic healthcare and was the first to provide free antiretroviral (ARV) drugs on a large scale. When
COVER STORY
a colleague introduced her to MSF, she leapt at the opportunity to join. “At that time, there was HIV treatment, but it was not free in my country yet. Hospitals didn’t have the medicines to treat AIDS, so many people died. Before [I joined MSF], I thought HIV was an untreatable infection.”
At Lashio in Shan State, patients were dying and hopeless. Relatives told us, ‘This is the end of life, so do whatever you want.’
Caring for people and being touched by their lives is why Dr. Ni Ni Tun fell in love with her job at MAM. “My parents wanted me to go [to Australia], but Australia has a lot of doctors. Everyday there is need [in Myanmar]. There are not enough human resources.” After a year at MAM, she decided, “It’s better to stay here and do something useful.”
Following her mentor, Swedish Dr. Per Bjorkman, Dr. Ni Ni Tun learned not only about antiretroviral therapy but also about hope. “At Lashio in Shan State, patients were dying and hopeless. [Relatives] told us, ‘This is the end of [the patient’s] life, so do whatever you want.’ But after treatment, the patient was really different and healthy, and could go back to his job. You could see an obvious difference. It made me very excited and gave me job satisfaction.” Dr. Ni Ni Tun was later sent to Muse to care for sex workers infected with HIV and other STDs. Growing up in a conservative household where the family never talked about sex, let alone prostitution, she was not sure what to expect. But the women’s kind nature and hard working attitude to provide for their families quickly changed her mind. As their relationships grew, many HIV positive sex workers became peer educators who encouraged HIV testing in their communities and trained on prevention and treatment. “There are quite a lot of patients who have touched me, especially in Shan State. I was there alone, so the patients were my family. Almost everyone had a sad story. The father left or died, the mother had HIV, so [the children] never had warmth and love. I remember a patient. I said, ‘You are sick, but if you take this medicine, you have a good chance to get better.’ At the end, I asked if she had any questions. She asked, ‘Why are you so nice to me?’ I said, ‘I’m not nice, I’m doing my job.’ Nobody wants to talk to them, so if you are friendly, they can’t believe it. They become attached to you. I also love them.” After a year and a half in Shan State, Dr. Ni Ni Tun returned to Yangon
found to be HIV positive. Treated at one and a half years old, the girl is now seven and enrolled at school. She now lives with her aunt and receives MAM support for school and food.
Ni Ni Tun examining a sick patient at the day care centre of one of the clinics.
to care for her ailing father. “It was very painful moment [to leave Shan State], but I still have communication with some of those patients; they come to visit me. Now, they are already healthy. When you see them, you don’t recognise them! Many of them are volunteers.” Dr. Ni Ni Tun continued her inspired work with MSF’s Yangon team, where she and five other doctors saw hundreds of patients each day at the Insein clinic. Two years later in 2006, she was sent to Antwerp University in Belgium for further training and returned as an HIV trainer for doctors at each MSF program area throughout Myanmar. She retained this role until leaving MSF in 2009. Over the five years she worked with MSF, the organisation treated more than 35,000 patients. Invited by Dr Frank Smithuis, MSF’s Myanmar country director of 15 years, Dr. Ni Ni Tun then joined the newly formed Medical Action Myanmar (MAM) NGO. MAM’s first clinic took over a closing MSF facility in Hlaing Thar Yar. Limited funding initially meant a slow expansion but over time the network of donors grew and MAM now supports seven clinics around the country. MAM further supports approximately 900 village health workers to
treat malaria, tuberculosis, and malnutrition and cover basic health care in the most remote villages of Mon state, Kayin State, Kayah State, and Kachin State. As the clinical HIV coordinator for MSF and later for MAM she has trained a few hundred doctors and other health staff on correctly diagnosing symptoms and their appropriate treatments. Recalling some of the most emotional moments of her career, Dr. Ni Ni Tun recounted a day of torrential rain when staff heard a baby crying just outside MAM’s clinic. “The baby was sitting next to her mother who was lying down on the street in the rain; the mother was severely wasted and died within a few minutes. We kept the child at the clinic, but the clinic closes at night, so what to do? Our staff took her home.” The staff informed Hlaing Thar Yar’s Ward Leader, who eventually tracked down the girl’s aunt. The background-story was that when the baby’s father passed away, her mother traveled from Ayerwaddy Division to search for her sister, who lived nearby the clinic. Unable to track her down and sick, likely infected with HIV, the baby’s mother ultimately passed away in front of the clinic. The child was tested and
According to 2014 UNAIDS estimates, Myanmar has a low HIV prevalence rate of 0.7% among adults aged 15 to 49 (200,000 people), and approximately 11,000 children under 14 years old are living with HIV. However, HIV/AIDS is a heavily concentrated epidemic among sex workers, drug users, and populations in certain regions. MAM, other HIV associations like the Phoenix Association and Myanmar Positive Group, and the government recognises that as transportation improves across the country, this fraction could easily rise exponentially. That is why to prevent its spread, “we need to emphasise treatment among key affected populations. Medical Action Myanmar is working in close cooperation with the government. The government is giving free drugs, and we take care of the human resources, care and support, and home visits. But it’s like an iceberg. We only see the tip. We only see patients when they feel symptoms. But we also need to test and treat people who don’t show symptoms to prevent the spread of HIV.” “Now we are working on malaria, HIV, and TB. In five years if the government structure is strong enough to handle these diseases, then I might do something else that needs support. I’m looking at patients with non-communicable diseases, like hypertension and stroke, or care for street children or neglected elderly people. ” It seems that at age 39, Dr. Ni Ni Tun’s work is just beginning.
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 11
FILM
OUT OF THE CLOSET, INTO THE SPOTLIGHT BY SONDANG GRACE SIRAIT Like Lei Lei Aye, both Ma Yu Marlar Myint and Swam Yaung Ni are graduates of a one-month long Rainbow Reels filmmaking workshop, an initiative that aims to develop a new generation of young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender filmmakers. The basic idea is to foster a creative and accepting space for the LGBT community to express itself, and at the same time, to use the power of film to challenge perceptions, raise awareness and change mindset. Through a series of workshops given by a team of professionals, participants learn the technical aspects of filming with video cameras, some theoretical background on storytelling through film, scenario writing, and shooting, as well as editing. 'This Kind of Love' by Jeanne Hallacy, which depicts the struggle of human rights activist Aung Myo Min.
T
he scene took place in a serene village called Yesagyo, 54 miles from Bagan. In a traditional Burmese country teak house with a big yard, an extraordinary couple opened up to the world to tell their inconceivable love story.
lings. It is only at this point in Soul Mates, that the audience realises that U Wim Ngwe is not a man. He was born a woman, and still is a woman, though dressed in traditional Burmese men attire, and last but not least, a person crazy in love.
Even after more than 15 years together, sparks still fly between U Wim Ngwe and his partner Daw Ngwe Tham. Both are good humored and possess a contagious smile, though it takes longer for U Wim to open up. Now, after years of staying closeted, they decided it was time to end their silence. Thus began the documentary entitled Soul Mates.
“I want everyone to know what a good woman she is. I will always praise her no matter what others say. Once she’s made up her mind, there’s no going back,” says U Wim Ngwe of her partner.
It was his caring nature and persistence that won her over, confesses Daw Ngwe. She had been a young starry-eyed schoolgirl. He had been a city boy who would come to the village selling popsicles, always riding a bicycle and loving to flirt with her. Over time, their flirtations built into a steady relationship that would see her rising to defend their relationship to her family of nine sib-
Theirs is the story that filmmaker Lei Lei Aye was determined to tell the world. It took her a decade to gain trust and approval from the couple, whom she had met and befriended while working as a photographer. Finally, at the end of 2015, the stars were all lined up. “It was their love story that I wanted to tell, of love, kindness and family relationship. My message is that they’re just like other people in their acts of love and kindness,” says Lei Lei. In a country where same-sex rela-
12 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
tionship is prohibited by the Penal Code and in a society where being gay is still shunned upon, the topic of the documentary is highly unconventional. At the &Proud Yangon LGBT Film Festival in January though, the film was only one of several Myanmar productions that centered on the issue of homosexuality, along with others from Asia, Europe and the United States. Another Myanmar film on display at the festival was This Kind of Love by Jeanne Hallacy, which depicts the struggles of human rights and LGBT rights through the eyes of long time human rights activist Aung Myo Min, who’s back home after 24 years of exile in Thailand. Another documentary, entitled Love and Other Matters by Su Su Hlaing chronicles the lives of seven LGBT people living in Myanmar, how they long to love, be loved and accepted. Adding to the hour-length documentaries were the short films Dear Mum by Ma Yu Marlar Myint and Channel G by Swam Yaung Ni.
“The Rainbow Reels project is an experiment in itself and it’s exploring different ways to achieve its goals which are always the same, telling LGBT stories by LGBT through cinema for the people to find synergies with a discriminated community in order to sympathise and find tolerance for their difference,” says Daniel Calderon, a trainer on the workshop. For Lei Lei Aye, her experience participating in the workshop, and later directing her own short film, had been very personal. “Whenever I see a good documentary, it gives me an overwhelming feeling. I know art can make people change their mindset. It happened to me,” she says. Changing the world one mindset at a time is indeed what films do best, according to those in the industry. “Movies entertain us, and often they are nothing more than grab bags of gimmicks, gags and gab. But those that continue to appeal to audiences over time and to lodge in our individual and collective memories do so
FILM
'Soul Mates' by Lei Lei, starring Daw Ngwe Tham and U Wim Ngwe.
because they reveal patterns of how we live our lives,” writes the legendary film professor Howard Suber in his book The Power of Film.
reform and also a review or amendment for our current penal code. We also do advocacy with local authorities in different areas,” he says.
issues in one of the countries where same-sex relationships are still criminalised,” says Billy Stewart, one of the festival organisers.
When effectively used as an advocacy tool, films can go a long way. Just ask Hla Myat Tun, Program Manager of Colors Rainbow, a partnering organisation behind the festival, who says movies have had a positive influence in supplementing their work. “Aside from organising the film festival, we’re also meeting with members of parliament to push for bigger
With the festival taking place after Myanmar’s historic elections, hopes are high among the local LGBT community that change is coming to the position of their rights in this country. “That’s the real power of film, putting the spotlight on the issue, and also providing a platform to open a discussion into the issue of LGBT, the movement and the rights
Myanmar film industry icon Grace Swe Zin Htaik shies away from commenting on the LGBT issue, but agrees that film festivals are a good way to promote a cause. “In general, there are two kinds of purposes that organizers of film festivals want to achieve: raising awareness and promoting education. The films also generally follow international practice, which is good, and keep out of mainstream controlling system,” she says. It may still be a long way to go before the once-proud Myanmar film industry makes its comeback, but the now abounding film festivals in Yangon suggest something exciting is brewing. There’s sophistication in Myanmar’s next generation of filmmakers and a newfound pride in their history.
'Dear Mum' by Ma Yu Marlar Myint
Some of these new filmmakers have had the luxury to live up to their idealism and to stay away from the necessity to produce C-grade movies for rural cinemas or direct-to-video. With generous contributions from
donors, these promising young directors have managed to churn out productions that speak from their heart, targeted toward a special audience. That, however, also means their genre is hardly mainstream material. That’s okay, says Lei Lei, who reserves a dream to go international. For now, she just wants the stories she tells to make a positive impact on the society. “I want my films to show the inequality still happening in Myanmar,” says the filmmaker who’s also a passionate human rights activist. Next to Lei Lei stood Daw Ngwe Tham, the lead character in Soul Mates. The three of us were chatting in the front yard of the Institut Français de Birmanie, where the films were being screened. “How about you, Daw Ngwe Tham, are you happy with how the film turned out?” I asked. The woman gave me a coy smiled as she answered, as translated by Lei Lei, “I feel happy with the support I’m now getting. There were a lot of gossips in the first few years I got together with U Wim Ngwe. But now, after 15 years, there’s no more gossip.”
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 13
2016 MYANMORE AWARDS MYANMORE Dining & Nightlife Awards are given to recognise, celebrate and promote quality dining & nighlife in Yangon. We invited all Yangoners to nominate their favourites and then our juries selected the winners from the top five nominated places. Here are the results! BEST WESTERN
BEST MYANMAR WINNER Rangoon Tea House
WINNER Sharky's 117 Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Township 01 524 677 9am to 10pm
77 Pansodan Road, (Lower Block), First Floor, Kyauktada Tsp 01 224 534 8am to 10pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Padonmar Restaurant
2 ND RUNNER-UP Feel Myanmar
1ST RUNNER-UP Manhattan Fish Market
BEST FINE DINING WINNER Le Planteur
BEST CAFE AND BISTRO WINNER Acacia Tea Salon 52 Saya San Road, Bahan Township 09 731 13 812 10am to 10pm
80 University Road, Bahan Township 01 514 230 12pm to 2pm and 6pm to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP L'Opera
1ST RUNNER-UP Easy Cafe
2ND RUNNER-UP 365 Cafe
BEST BRUNCH WINNER Port Autonomy
BEST WINE BAR WINNER Le Cellier @ Novotel 459 Pyay Road, Kamayut Township 01 230 5 858 12pm to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10:30pm
22 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Near Golden Hill Tower, Bahan Township 09 250 064 694 11am to 4pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Cafe Sule
2ND RUNNER-UP 50th Street Cafe
2ND RUNNER-UP The Square Restaurant
1ST RUNNER-UP Wine Bar by Le Planteur
BEST MEXICAN AND LATIN AMERICAN WINNER Manana
2ND RUNNER-UP The Lab
BEST KOREAN WINNER Bulgogi Brothers G-136, Ground Floor, Building D, Nar Nat Taw Street, Kamayut Township 09 730 38 899 10am to 9pm
Pearl Condo C, Ga-05, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township 09 976 150 646 12am to 10pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Tin Tin Yangon
2ND RUNNER-UP Hummingbird
BEST SOUTHEAST ASIAN WINNER Monsoon
2ND RUNNER-UP Yoogane
BEST CHINESE WINNER Tiger Hill @ Chatrium 40 Natmauk Road, Tamwe Township 01 544 500 11:30am to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10:30pm
85-87, Theinbyu Road, Botahtaung Township 09 431 21 431 10am to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Golden Pho Vietnamese Cuisine
1ST RUNNER-UP Han Kook Kwan
2ND RUNNER-UP House of Singapura
14 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
1ST RUNNER-UP Summer Palace @ Sule Shangri-La / Si Chuang Dou Hua @ Parkroyal
2016 MYANMORE AWARDS
BEST GENERAL JAPANESE
BEST TEPPANYAKI, YAKITORI OR YAKINIKU WINNER Kobe Ya
WINNER Gekko 535, Merchant Road, Kyauktada Tsp 01 254 041 10am to 11pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Shiki-Tei @ Parkroyal
2 ND RUNNER-UP Kohaku @ Chatrium
615B, Marlar Street, Kamayut Township 01 535 072 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Manpuku
BEST KACHIN (LOCAL)
BEST SHAN (LOCAL) WINNER Shan Yoe Yar
WINNER Malihku
No. 169, War Tan Street, Lanmadaw Tsp 01 221 524 7am to 10pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Innlay Ahmataya
2 ND RUNNER-UP 999 Shan Noodle House
Kandawgyi Oo Yin Kabar
1ST RUNNER-UP Jing Hpaw Myay
2 ND RUNNER-UP Agape
BEST THAI
BEST INDIAN WINNER Indian Tadka
WINNER Mai Thai
7A, Pyay Road, Opposite of Inya Lake, Hlaing Township 09 420 187 010 11am to 11pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Coriander Leaf
2ND RUNNER-UP The Taj
197/1-3, West Shwegondine 5th Street, Bahan Township 01 383 662 10am to 10pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Green Gallery
2ND RUNNER-UP Sabai @ DMZ
BEST ITALIAN WINNER L'Opera
WINNER Le Planteur
62D, Kan Yeik Thar, U Htun Nyein Street, Mayangone Township 01 665 516 11am to 2pm and 6pm to 10:30pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Caesar
No. 80, University Road, Bahan Township 01 514 230 12pm to 2pm and 6pm to 11pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Le Petit Comptoir
BEST SEAFOOD
1st RUNNER-UP L'Alchimiste
BEST HOTEL BUFFET WINNER The Emporia @ Chatrium
WINNER Min Lann No. 45, Baho Road, Sanchaung Township 01 510 285 11am to 10pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Golden Crab
BEST FRENCH
2ND RUNNER-UP Manhattan Fish Market
40 Natmauk Road, Tamwe Township 01544 500 Ext. 6243 6pm to 1:30am
1ST RUNNER-UP Summer Palace @ Sule Shangri-La Hotel
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 15
2016 MYANMORE AWARDS
BEST TAPAS
BEST HOTPOT WINNER The Lab
WINNER DIY Hot Pot @ BBQ 95/F, Waizayandar Street, Yangon 09 258 200 088 4pm to 11pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Shwe Lar Shabu Shabu Hot Pot
70A, West Shwegondine Road, Bahan Township 09 250 675 289 5:30pm till late 1ST RUNNER-UP Parami Pizza
2ND RUNNER-UP Escape Gastro Bar
BEST BURGER
BEST PIZZA WINNER Parami Pizza
WINNER Savoy Hotel
No. 11/C, Corner of Malikah Street and Parami Road, Mayangone Tsp 09 421 1 194 100 11am to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Hot Stone Pizza
2ND RUNNER-UP L'Opera
129 Dhammazedi Road, Bahan Township 01 526 289 Open:10am to 10pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Union Bar & Grill
BEST BAKERY
BEST COFFEE SHOP WINNER Yangon Bakehouse
WINNER Sharky's 117 Dhamazedi Road, Bahan Township 01 524 677 9am to 10pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Yangon Bakehouse
2ND RUNNER-UP La Tartine
Pearl Condominium, Block C, Ground Floor, Bahan Township 09 306 09 951 8am to 8pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Bar Boon
BEST COCKTAIL
2ND RUNNER-UP The Press Office Cafe
BEST WHISKY BAR WINNER Cask 81
WINNER Roof Alchemy 330 Yangon International Hotel Compound, Ahlone Road, Dagon Tsp 09 502 0 073 5pm to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP The Lab
2 ND RUNNER-UP Sharky's
2ND RUNNER-UP Hummingbird
81 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road (opposite Pearl Condo), Bahan Township 09 254 083 981 6pm to 1am 1ST RUNNER-UP Gallery Bar @ Sule Shangri-La
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST BAR
BEST SERVICE WINNER L'Opera 62D, Kan Yeik Thar, U Htun Nyein Street, Mayangone Township 01 665 516 11am to 2pm and 6pm to 10:30pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Le Planteur
16 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
2 ND RUNNER-UP Ice Bar @ Sedona
WINNER MOJO 135 Inya Road, Close to Junction with Dhammazedi Road, Bahan Township 01 511 418 2pm to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP The Lab
2ND RUNNER-UP 50th Street Cafe Reataurant & Bar
2016 MYANMORE AWARDS
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST SPORTS BAR WINNER 50th Street Cafe Restaurant & Bar
WINNER Yangon Yangon
9/13 50th Street, Botahtaung Township 01 397 061 10:30am to 11pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Sport Bar - Mya Yeik Nyo
2 ND RUNNER-UP Time Out Sports Bar
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST NIGHTCLUB WINNER DJ Bar
2ND RUNNER-UP Pioneer Club
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST LIVE MUSIC WINNER 7th Joint - Tuesday Open Mic G-A 10, Corner of 48th Street and Mahabandoola Road, Botahtaung Tsp 09 260 600 552 5pm to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP My Garden
Sakura Tower Rooftop (339 Bogyoke Aung San Road, Kyauktada Tsp) 01 255 130 4pm to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP Vista Bar
2ND RUNNER-UP Piano Bar @ Parami Hotel
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST NIGHTLIFE EVENT WINNER Ladies' Night @ MOJO
U Tun Nyein Street, Yankin Township 09 519 8 565 10pm to 2am
1ST RUNNER-UP Inya Bar
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST ROOFTOP BAR
2ND RUNNER-UP Hummingbird
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST HOTEL BAR & NIGHTLIFE WINNER Gallery Bar @ Sule Shangri-La Sule Pagoa Road, Pabedan Township 01 242 828 Ext. 6430 1pm to 1am
1ST RUNNER-UP Club 5 @ Parkroyal
2 ND RUNNER-UP Club Rizzoli @ Chatrium
MYANMORE PICK - BEST NEWCOMER WINNER Mahlzeit 84, Pan Hlaing Street Sanchaung Township, Yangon 09 784 151 250 11:30am to 10:30pm
135 Inya Road, Close to Junction with Dhammazedi Road, Bahan Township 01 511 418 2pm to 11pm 1ST RUNNER-UP French Love Friday
2ND RUNNER-UP Fab
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST OUTDOOR DINING WINNER Le Planteur No. 80, University Road, Bahan Township 01 514 230 12pm to 2pm and 6pm to 11pm
1ST RUNNER-UP L'Opera
2ND RUNNER-UP Signature (the Garden Bistro)
PEOPLE'S CHOICE - BEST KTV WINNER Bar Code @ Novotel 459 Pyay Road, Kamayut Township 01 230 5 858 12pm to 2:30pm, 6pm to 10:30pm
1ST RUNNER-UP Music Box
2ND RUNNER-UP M3
BEST OF THE BEST DRAUGHT MYANMAR OUTLET WINNER Super Win Butar Yone Street, Insein Road, Hlaing Township
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 17
TRAVEL
Fishing boat on the beach in the bay formed by Gorengyi Island.
18 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
TRAVEL
A COASTAL
ADVENTURE BY MARIE STARR
F
or those of us lucky enough to be living in the travellers’ paradise that is Myanmar, I think it’s fair to say that an overland trip in the Golden Land is often as much about the journey as it is about the destination. Despite travelling being long hours accompanied by endless bad music videos, from a bus window our eyes can feast on a great many beautiful landscapes and quaint country life. Rolling green mountains give way to crystal clear streams where kids are fishing – water buffalo chill in their cool mud baths and puppies and piglets parade among grassroof houses. So I thought, why not make such a journey through this gorgeous land on the back of a motorbike? Feeling the fresh dawn air on my face, smelling the wood fires cooking local dinners, and watching the fishermen row their boats in from a night’s fishing in the Bay of Bengal. Chaung Tha would be my starting point.
Photo by Marie Starr
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 19
TRAVEL
Arriving on the night bus from Yangon at 4am we went to the beach to watch the sunrise. We began our journey with bellies full of delicious and cheap Burmese breakfast from the teashop on the bend in the road as you come into the town. Our driver Nay Myo a.k.a Nemo is an independent guide with good English, an abundance of energy and a great knowledge of the local area. He and another trusty driver Zaw Khine, and their two bikes, were ready to go at first light – packed with dangling snorkel goggles and all. We left Chaung Tha as an inky blue sky replaced the night. The coastal journey between Chaung Tha and Ngwe Saung is well known to travellers and is a pleasant journey through small villages, along white sand beaches and many river crossings. Throughout the morning we travelled further south. The pace of the journey was slow and calm. We sat on rocks waiting for boats to take us across small rivers. Locals carried fragrant produce from the morning markets on trays on their heads, and piglets were transported in canvas bags held cradled like babies. Along the delta coast we would drive for a few miles, meet another river and wait for a boat to come and take us across. A little boat chugged over, passengers unloaded, as well as the motorbikes and produce. The boat was then reloaded and the 200 Ks toll paid. Some boats were rowed, and another was worked by a system of rope pulleys. Conditions of the roads after the rainy season varied between bad and very bad. Many times we had to get off and walk up a particularly steep hill or over a very dodgy looking wooden bridge. It was all part
of the fun, and the sore bums and tired legs were definitely worth it. We stopped wherever we wanted, by a rickety wooden bridge or on a beach to watch the waves rolling on the white sand and sip some tangyi (palm toddy). There was surprisingly little else to be consumed along the way! At one point, while we were lounging on a stretch of beach, a group of fishermen – after watching us curiously from a distance – invited us to join their temporary home. They were camped on the beach where they were based for four month stretches and would go out fishing at sea every night. They sent a wiry son to climb up a very high coconut tree to cut down some exceptionally delicious young coconuts for us to drink from, and scrape out the sweet flesh to eat. While the trip was about the journey and not the final destination, our end point Gorengyi Island was just as lovely. To reach it, we crossed a
Locals carried fragrant produce from the morning markets on trays on their heads, and piglets were transported in canvas bags held cradled like babies.
Crossing rivers by rope-pulled wooden boat with locals coming from the market.
spit of land that apparently remains under water for parts of the year. Arriving in a perfect bay formed by the island in the afternoon, we took a refreshing swim in the clear Local life - a girl watches a beach football match near Chaung Tha.
20 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
blue water. Thousands of red crabs popped their eyes out of the sand to look at us. Kids splashed around the moored fishing boats that donned colourful flags. We climbed the hill on the island, and followed a path that led to the inevitable golden pagoda with an incredible panoramic
view of the coast. It felt like we had found a small paradise. The journey had taken around six highly entertaining hours, this was during the dry season. The road is most likely impassable during the rainy season. There are no guest-
houses in the nearby town of Nga Yoke Kaung that are allowed to accommodate foreigners without special permission. For the return journey we chose a better, inland road back to Chaung Tha in the direction of Pathein. The road skirts the hilltops at the tail end of the Rakhine
Yoma mountain range. We left the coastal views behind, for hours of hilly roads overlooking incredible, lush jungle. The area still has many wild elephants that were apparently never too far away judging by evidence left along the side of the road. This hot wilderness eventually gave
Photos by Marie Starr
way to cultivated rubber plantations, and we finally joined the main road between Chaung Tha and Pathein as night fell and reality kicked back in. The tour guide Nay Myo a.k.a Nemo can be contacted on 09253006800.
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 21
TRANSLATION
A MURDER ON PANSODAN STREET SAN SHAR - THE BURMESE SHERLOCK HOLMES
Episode One: San Lin Tun once again takes us into the world of famous detective San Shar in 1930s Rangoon, with his translation of a new original Shwe U-Daung story – Pan So Tan Lu That Mu (A Murder On Pansodan Street). Ko Thein Maung (San Shar’s Dr Watson) tells the story.
O
n a particular evening after having dinner, U San Shar and I were sitting in the living room. He was reading a letter from a friend and I was looking at the daily newspaper without much interest. I slammed the newspaper down on the table as it it had no real information to take note of and I let my thoughts drift. Then, U San Shar suddenly spoke out, "Yes, it's true, Ko Thein Maung, it happened as you thought. A piece of rubbish can cause fire to the entire pyatthat (tiered) building. It is a sorrowful fact that many people lost their lives in war on trivial grounds." Feeling surprised, I replied, "It's true. Anyway, how do you know that I'm thinking this." Smiling a little, he raised a question to me, "Do you believe that someone can know another man's thoughts without revealing what he is up to?" To that, I answered, "In Western countries they have never heard of ‘Thought Reading’ and they seemed to not to believe it." Then, he replied, " Don't be agnostic. It is a possible thing. Now, you believe that I know your thought." "Alright, you have known my thought, but I can't figure out how did you know it?" "It's not that difficult. Facial manner and expression, especially looking at the eyes can convince what one is thinking." "Well, can you tell me little bit about how you know my thought?" "It's like this. Firstly, you are reading a newspaper. While reading it, not long after, you dropped it onto the table 'cos there's no significant thing in it and you start to think randomly. While you're thinking I looked at
your face, and made an assessment of it. I found your eyes averted to the photo of La Kit Cha Nar that was hanging above the table. Then you looked at a space to the right of the photo. Thinking that it would be good to hang a photo that is suitable for the space, you dawned on the idea of hanging the photo of a military man 'cos La Kit Cha Na was also a soldier. Later you remembered one thing, the photo of Sir Douglous Heit in the Sphere newspaper. Then you glanced at the newspaper shelf, didn't you? The thought of the military man then turned to war. I knew your thought on war 'cos your face became nonchalant. That makes you think of the cause of war, doesn't it? You shake your head 'cos you realised the cause of it is: "A piece of rubbish can cause fire to the entire pyatthat (tiered) building". Then, I concluded it ‘cos I sensed your thought, isn't it? That's all." "It's true. I believe it 'cos you say it on cause and effect. If not, I would accuse you of witchcraft. In this way, your trait is not so bad." "Yes, Ko Thein Maung. It is a kind of detecting. When you know it, it's easy. But it isn't easy to be systematic. Well, get up, limbs are needed to be stretched out. Let's go out and take a stroll. U San Shar and I descended from the building and had food on Mogul Road [Shwe Bontha Road] and took a short visit to Shadow Halls [Cinema Halls]. At about eight, we went back to our apartment. When we arrived at our building, we found an Indian man dressed in European style with coat and pants, waiting for us. No sooner did he see us, than he stood up, conversing in English.
22 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
Cover of 'The Memoirs and Records of Shwe U-Daung'.
"What a good timing! I've just sat down. Are you U San Shar?" U San Shar replied, "Yes, come in and take a seat. Let us change our clothes." After changing clothes, and lighting a pipe, U San Shar asked him, "Well, tell me, what's your matter?" The visiting Babu said, "My name is Sannael, Dr Sannael. I'm a physician. I live in Pansodan Street. You might see my placard. I came here for this reason. In the last four or five days a queer thing has happened in my house. But, I make myself delay to tell anyone, day after day. Now, I came here 'cos I can't withhold it any longer. I hope you'll help me with that."
"It's like this. It'll be more comprehensive for you when I start with the inception of it. Let's me relate all of my school day incidents. It's like this. I'm a Bengali from Bangladesh. When my father died, I was too young, and lived together with my widow mother. My father left very scant things, with that my mother sent me to school. After F.A, I got a state scholarship and spent five years in medical school. Then, I passed my M.D. I came from a poor family, and I studied hard with all my diligence in medicine. I specialised in ‘epilepsy’. I have written a book on it, for which I received an award from the government. After becoming a M.D, I decided that to work in my town where educated persons were numerous, so I left for Burma. In Burma, upon suggestion of my friend, I opened up my own clinic rather than serve under government. I had only three or four hundred so that I couldn’t lease a grand building. I set up my clinic in a far-fetched place. Let's say I just tried to keep myself out of troubled water. I felt frustrated in this business. One day, an Indian man came into my clinic. I felt very happy because it had been really long time since I had been sent for. I gave him some space to sit down and asked what was the matter. The man asked me, "Are you the doctor who has recently written a book on ‘epilepsy’ and got awarded. Your name is Dr Sannael?"
Smoking his pipe, U San Shar replied,
I answered, "Yes, I am."
"Well, tell me about this incident. I'll help you with all my abilities. Be sure."
He asked again, "How long have you been in Burma?"
Then, the Babu said,
I replied, "More than a year."
TRANSLATION
Then, he said, " You need to answer my question truthfully. If you are truthful, you'll be benefited. I've overheard that you've got a good personality, a good style of writing, and a good practice of medicine, that means you are a very smart doctor. But, although you're smart, you find trouble in finding money. Well, I'll ask you one thing, you've got education, but do you have enough sense?
"I've never done it."
I asked him, "What kind of sense do you mean?"
"I'd love to."
"You are such a smart man, but why aren't you prosperous? And why do you set up your clinic in this sleazy street? Like I said, though you have enough education, you don't have money after that. Well, well, I'll tell you. Don't you want to set up your clinic on a big, good street like Pansodan?"
four or five thousand money, I'll lease a building on a good and grand street like Pansodan, and set up an grand and enormous clinic, on which your name placard will be hanged, and an advertisement will be put in the newspaper. You need to pay your patients' fees to me. I'll provide you with food and shelter, and I pay you one fourth of your earnings in return. If it fails, it's on me. If it is benefits, I'll take it. That's all. Do you agree with it?" he asked.
"No, I don't."
"Can you tell it to me thoroughly again to make it clear?"
"I thought that it was a strange way and considered whether I agreed with it or not. Then, I was barely feeding my stomach by setting up an unstable clinic by myself. I thought that this would be a good idea so that I agreed with his plan. Let me make it short. The next day, we leased a two storey building on Pansodan Street. Downstairs was now occupied by my clinic, and lived upstairs. I spent time in this way. In ten days, because of good fate, several patients came there. So, with subtracting one hundred and fifty, and the expense of my food, much money was left for him.
"What about betting on the horses?"
"It is like this: like I said before, with
"What is his name?"
Then, he said, " Sense here means the power of your knowledge. If I tell you something beneficial to you, you will obey that. That means ‘sense’. Well, do you have that kind of sense?" I reflected on what kind of person I was encountering, and replied, "I have my reasoning whether it is beneficial or not." He asked me again, "Do you have any bad habits like drinking liquor?"
"Well, I'll tell you one thing. I have four or five thousand extra money. I'll invest it in your clinic. Do you like this?" Then, without belief, I was agape and stared at him. "Don't you believe what I am talking to you? Do not think I favour you much and I do it for your own good. I have my own reason to do it for my own good. What about it? Do you agree with it?"
"Te Wah Ri.” "A Bengali like you?" "Yes." " Well, continue with your story." ''In this way, he showed no sign of associating with others. He stays upstairs all day. At night time, he comes down from his room, and takes my daily earnings, and twenty five pya out of every kyat is left for me, and then he goes back upstairs for a while. A few moments later, he takes hold of his walking stick and sets out for a walk. Everyday he gives me my dividend and takes a regular walk. To be continued ….
Shwe U-Daung (1889-1973) was a pro-Burmese writer and translator, who in the 1930s adapted many of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, placing them in the setting of the author’s Rangoon, in a time of nationalist fervour, high crime rate and social unrest. ‘Murder on Pansodan Street’ is an original story, not an adaptation.
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 23
ART
24 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
ART
RAIN OR SHINE
RIVER GALLERY 10TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION The exhibition opening party will be on Saturday February 20th, from 6pm - 8pm in River Gallery II. Fifty River Gallery artists have provided their best, new artwork for the show, and a special catalogue is being produced to mark this occasion. All are welcome to come and help celebrate River Gallery’s 10th birthday. The exhibition continues until March 6th. BY GILL PATTISON A Brief History River Gallery came about almost by chance. A couple of years after moving to Myanmar with my family, I was meandering around the local art scene when I discovered that many of the best Myanmar artists were producing works for a 2004 ASEAN-wide art competition. Artists, eager for this rare opportunity to engage with the outside world, were painting up a storm. Only three weeks before the submission deadline, disaster struck – Myanmar was fired from the line-up of countries by the organizers. Used to disappointment, the artists put away their paintbrushes and murmured about “next time”, but I thought we should try to find an alternative. Together with Ross Dunkley of the Myanmar Times - we organized the first Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards, which attracted nearly 500 entries, among them some startlingly accomplished and creative works. I remember the excitement of finally seeing the 30 finalists’ works hung, and it gave me a vision of what a gallery for contemporary Myanmar art could look like.
It has not all been smooth sailing. After the initial couple of years of growing tourist numbers and bubbly financial markets, we entered a darker phase when the country, beset by crises, seemed to turn in on itself. Then the global financial meltdown of 2008/9 cast a long shadow, and visitor numbers declined further.. And yet, through it all, the artists continued to produce their works of tranquil beauty, many of them expressing subtle protests in their art, discernible only to those used to reading between the lines. The second Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards in 2008 took place in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis which hit on May 2, 2008. We were due to have the exhibition of finalists one week later but there was no question of sticking to this schedule; just about everyone, including all the artists, was involved in relief work at that time. The gallery itself be-
came a collection point for donated goods. We had a laugh when one of the few tourists at that time, asked if a large pile of 50kg sacks of rice was an installation which he could take back to Texas.
building in 38th Street, right beside The Strand. Once again, a bit of scraping and dusting uncovered a gorgeous space, especially suited to the larger canvases many Myanmar artists favour.
A month later, we decided to go ahead with the exhibition. The art that had been produced for this competition was a bright spot in an otherwise grim landscape, and we thought it ought to be celebrated. The winner of the competition – Khin Zaw Latt – took his prize money and immediately travelled to his stricken hometown in the Delta to donate to the relief effort. Time and again I have witnessed this kind of generosity and willingness to help others in need, from the River Gallery artists.
So now at the start of 2016, Myanmar artists have options and opportunities that did not exist before. Many more are traveling abroad for residencies, art exchange programs and courses. But it is still tough, the market for original art, while expanding, is small, and Myanmar lacks the art infrastructure to support a fledgeling art industry. But Myanmar artists are talented and resourceful, and I’m sure they will continue to find ways of expressing their creative vision. Our aim at River Gallery is to help them connect with audiences, admirers and buyers, while contributing where we can to the development of the overall art scene in Myanmar.
We hit another milestone for the gallery in October 2013, opening our second premises, in the Chindwin Chambers, a charming colonial
When River first opened its doors in November 2005, I had no idea whether the gallery would last six months – let alone a decade. We found that there was a small, but avid market of visitors who wanted to take home a painting from the country that had enchanted them. Opposite page: Zay Zay Htut ,' I wanna go to school' , 183 cm x 122 cm, acrylic on canvas
River Gallery 2, Chindwin Chambers
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 25
ART
Khin Zaw Latt, 'Just a Portrait', 150 cm x 120 cm
Treasured moments Over the years there have been many memorable moments in the gallery, but I’d like to share a couple where were were able to help the artists push through the restrictions
they faced in Myanmar during the censorship era. The first was after I had been running the gallery for about a year. I had come to know many of the senior artists and on one visit we were
The Upcoming 10/10 Exhibition The brief to our River Gallery artists for this exhibition was to create their best work. It could be any style and medium, the only condition being that it had to be something we had not seen from them before. So, no landscapes from Zaw Win Pe, Buddha heads from Khin Zaw Latt, or thanaka-cheeked girls from PPA. We wanted to encourage the artists to challenge themselves to move beyond their comfort zone and find a new means of putting across their message. Despite many anxious faces at the briefing, I’m proud to say that almost all of the River Gallery artists have entered work for the exhibition. I look at the works and am surprised and delighted with the new directions they have taken. We hope you like them too.
26 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
talking about censorship and they were complaining about how they had to be so careful in their choice of subject, moaning in particular how they cannot display paintings of nudes. I learnt that three of them together had organized a model for life drawing sessions the previous year, so they all had sketches, but they had not turned them into paintings, knowing they could not be exhibited in Myanmar. But I figured I could get away with a show if I didn’t publicise it as a nudes exhibition and if it was for just one night, by invitation only. We used a wine tasting as a smokescreen, and called the event “Wine and Women”. The artists were up for it. Despite being quite secretive about the theme of the show, word got out, both among the expat community and the artists, and even before the advertised opening time on the
night, the gallery was heaving. The younger artists were longing to see how their seniors had addressed this forbidden subject, and of course the expat will go anywhere for a chat and a drink.. I was a tiny bit worried, as the Bureau of Special Investigation is right next door to the gallery, so in my blah-blah to open the show I suggested to the guests that if the police did come, we should all take off our clothes , thinking they would be so profoundly embarrassed they would flee immediately. Hearty endorsement on all sides – but no-one put to the test. Thankfully. Another treasured moment was in March 2011, when we were preparing for the exhibition of finalists of our National Portrait competition. Censorship of the media had come off, and we were hearing informally that censorship of art would also be lifted. But as nothing was black
ART Nann Nann, Friends and Dance, found pieces of wood
and white we decided we should invite the art Censorship Board (12 people, no less!) to review the exhibition beforehand. They duly arrived, gave all the works a cursory glance, apart from one, which they gathered around and discussed animatedly. It was a dramatic portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi, in monochrome red, with myriad tiny portraits of her father stamped all over the image. I believe this was the first portrait of The Lady to be seen in public for decades.
Nann Nann has had her own gallery in downtown 14th Street Yangon for twelve years. She was trained by her mother to paint from the age of four, but found her true passion in the art of ceramics and sculpture. She had her first solo exhibition in 1997. In the sculpture, 'Friends and Dance', she uses a large piece of teak wood found on the riverside and brought back to her studio. To this she has added found pieces of broken and incomplete teak carvings, recycled from local shops. The sculpture is a union of positive and negative spaces which from a distance is viewed as a unified form. Close up, shapes of a variety of creatures such as elephants, monkeys and horses can be seen. To Nann Nann all these animals are our friends who we have an attachment to, and are equal to us. She wants us to all dance together and be friends. There is only balance and unity.
The Censorship Board were in a pickle; some were arguing that it was way too sensitive, others making the point that she was out of house arrest, and a private citizen. Finally, after more to and fro, the leader of the group threw up his hands and proclaimed “It’s just a portrait!”, decisively stamping his red seal of approval on the exhibition licence. When the artist - Khin Zaw Latt heard this story, we figured this was the perfect name for the work. “Just a Portrait” has been admired by people from around the world, but for me it has an extra special significance. It marks the moment that Myanmar artists could stop censoring themselves, and paint what they pleased, something unimaginable just a short time ago. Artists have always inserted subtle political messages in their works, but now they can be direct in their references. “I Wanna Go to School” by Zay Zay Htut expresses graphically what is on many people’s minds these days. It’s good to see contemporary artists step up to play the important role in expressing “the people’s desire”, to borrow a favorite phrase from the former military government.
River Gallery 1 Strand Hotel Annex 92 Strand Road, Yangon Tel: (95-1) 243377/8/9 rivergalleryart@gmail.com www.rivergallerymyanmar.com
River Gallery 2 Chindwin Chambers 33/35, 37th&38th Street, Yangon Tel: (95-1) 378617
Than Kyaw Htay, 'Silent Sweat (19)' 122 cm x 152 cm, acrylic on canvas
Than Kyaw Htay was born in Sittwe, but left at an early age. He studied under U Soe Htay, U Tun Aye, and U Win Pe Myint and had his first solo exhibition in 2004. In 2013 he returned to nearby Mrauk-U and saw the women and children still carrying the distinctive metal water pots that had been so much of his childhood. This remembrance inspired his latest series of paintings. In 'Silent Sweat (19)', the women are walking away with their backs to the viewer. He thinks this gives more of a story. They are on a journey that has not ended. The pagodas are out of focus, as they represent the future, which is still unclear. He says the pagodas have been neglected and uncared for – they face an unpredictable future, as does the country of Myanmar. He believes strongly the country’s heritage needs looking after and must not disappear. Inspired by Van Gogh, Than Kyaw Htay gives his paintings texture and added depth by scratching a comb through the pigments, at times revealing the contrasting underpainting, and giving the effect of radiating lines. This adds another layer between the people and the background, and creates rhythm in the painting. Than Kyaw Htay’s newest paintings will incorporate Buddhist script transmitting the message: ‘everything has its own reason – he who knows that reason, is a noble man’.
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 27
IN FOCUS
NATURALLY GROWN,
NATURALLY DELICIOUS BY MIMI WU
F
ood that not only tastes good but is grown without chemicals? Waimar Min Thu and May Thu talk about all natural farming and their fresh food delivery venture Mya Chemical Free. Once while passing by a semi-industrial area just north of Yangon, I caught a terrifying glimpse at urban farming: blackened ponds of market-bound watercress and morning glory lapping against factory walls. The sight gave me pause to think. What exactly is in that water? And the follow-up: OMG, I’m eating factory water greens. The shock gradually wore down to a state of self-imposed amnesia, but alarm bells continued ringing among a small but growing segment of Myanmar’s households, entrepreneurs, and and also the Myanmar Fruit and Vegetable Producers Association (MFVP), which offers training courses on good agricultural practices and organic certification for produce. Mya Chemical Free is one venture, planting cleaner and chemical-free produce. Started in December 2014 by Panzar ‘Pan’ Phyu, Ei Khin Khin, and Zaw Min Aung, Mya Chemical Free grows fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices without any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Produce is ordered online and delivered directly to households. Waimar Min Thu and May Thu joined the team of directors in April.
Not only did May Thu’s family begin growing their own vegetables three years ago, they also firmly decided against using pesticides and synthetic fertilisers on their land as a reaction to the produce found at markets. Sharing food, safely grown in a traditional way with the Yangon community, is what drew her to joining the company. “When we eat conventional fruit, our bodies don’t recognise the pesticides, so it doesn’t know whether to fight against it or adapt to it. If it’s natural, then the body recognises it,” said May Thu. That’s the main reason for chemical free.” The company emphasises being “chemical free”, not organic, though Mya Chemical Free is on the path towards organic certification by MFVP. A major requirement is having chemical-free soil and water for at least three years to rid them of any trace chemicals lingering from past harvests. As further prevention against contamination, the company makes a point of digging six inches into the earth, laying agricultural film down, and filling the trenches with naturally treated soil. Farmers also use untreated window screen or mos-
Three of Mya Chemical Free’s farms belong to May Thu’s family, who had previously used the land for their father’s hobby growing flowers. The switch came abruptly when “one day, my family was making dinner, and the vegetables tasted funny and bitter. My parents said, ‘Why are we buying this from the market when we can grow them ourselves?’”
28 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
May Thu (left) and Waimar Min Thu, directors with Mya Chemical Free.
quito net-like material to construct greenhouses that prevent pests and grow wind-shielding plants, like lemongrass, along farm boundaries to block any pesticide contamination from neighboring farms. Though MFVP certification is a step in the right direction for Myanmar, it is not recognised internationally.
Photos by Hong Sar
Thus, the company is also considering stricter certification for organic farming that would allow fruit and vegetable export to Europe and the US. Organic or not, naturally grown produce is “an investment you put into your body. It’s not a short-term investment, it’s a very long term investment,” said Waimar. “One of the reasons why I joined is, last year my dad’s health was declining, he was in a very bad state. After I started working here, I only cooked with chemical free produce. His health really improved. His cholesterol and blood pressure dropped. There’s nothing more important than your health.” Admittedly, Mya Chemical Free’s products are more expensive than those at the wet market and grocery stores, but the products truly are not the same. From the taste, smell, freshness, natural way of growing, and its environmental impact, Mya Chemical Free’s tomato is not simply a tomato.
IN FOCUS
Case in point: mutant kaffir limes, some nearly as big as a human head, with a fantastic perfume, and better than anything I have had from the market. Customers can also buy sweet pineapples, juicy honeydew, yellow peppers, avocados, and beefsteak tomatoes from May Thu’s and Pan’s family farms in Pyin Oo Lwin and Hlegu. Mya Chemical Free also contracts four small-scale farmers, who “produce small-scale amounts,” said May Thu. “If they’re busy on the farm, there’s no time to come to market and find the right clients. So we contact them and say we’ll take your produce and make a market for them.” Keeping them motivated has been a challenge. “Some of them are thinking of giving up on chemical free farming because it’s costly and time consuming and the market is still small, but we convinced them to keep growing, and we take some items even if they don’t sell, like romaine lettuce. Myanmar people don’t know how to use it, but we still have to take a large quantity,” said Waimar. Land preservation is an important reason for planting naturally. Waimar continued, “Once you go chemical free, it’s not just for your body, it’s also for the soil. Because once you put a lot of chemicals and pesticides in the soil, give or take ten years, you cannot grow anything anymore. The land becomes useless.” “With no trees in the soil, the weather changes,” May Thu added. The destructive flood this past rainy season has postponed many of their crop’s seasons. As Waimar described it, Mother Nature can be their best friend or greatest enemy. Once picked, fruits and vegetables are transported directly to Mya Chemical Free’s Yangon office several times a week to ensure optimal ripeness and freshness. Orders are placed through the company’s website; deliveries are made within two business days to private residences on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Hotels and restaurants, such as Sharky’s, District Coffee, Acacia, and Kandawgyi Palace Hotel, re-
ceive orders daily. “We don’t have a subscription; we’re still a young business. To stay in this game, we have to give good service. We send out our list every month to our customers, and we don’t have a minimum order because 30,000 Ks [their original order minimum] was a lot of veggies to finish. You only need to pay for delivery fees,” explained Waimar. Mya Chemical Free has a reliable delivery service and great return policy on damaged goods, but if picking your own tickles your fancy, stop by La Carovana Market every Saturday, where the team has a standing booth. Mya Chemical Free’s first year of operation has been all about learning from how to farm chemical free to creating a website and managing deliveries. Waimar said, “Most of the things we learned from MFVP, such as lectures on how to take care of your farms and natural fertilizers. For the first three months, I knew nothing about
When we eat conventional fruit, our bodies don’t recognise the pesticides, so it doesn’t know whether to fight against it or adapt to it.
fruits and vegetables; I didn’t even know that tomatoes are fruit!” “None of us graduated from agricultural school. We just Google and read,” chimed in May Thu. “Our family didn’t believe that we can start this company. They thought we were just playing.” With a team of five directors and two delivery staff, there is certainly no room for play if the company seeks to expand. “It’s a start-up. Everyone has to work,” said Waimar. “May Thu does paperwork and accounting. I do the website. One director works on logistics, another on operations and looking after farms and storage, and Pan works on HR and marketing.” “This is a new beginning for all of us,” she continued. “We have to learn everything. We have a good policy: When you’re given a good opportunity, just take it, you can learn it later. Working is the best way.” To shop for Shan tea, turmeric from May Thu’s farm, giant cucumbers, dragon fruit, and other fruits and vegetables, visit their webpage or their stall at La Carovana’s Saturday Market.
Mya Chemical Free www.myachemicalfree.com https://www.facebook.com/MyanmaMyaMyay La Carovana Market 22 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township Every Saturday 12:00 to 5:00 PM
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 29
BISTRONOMY
A DOOR INTO ANOTHER WORLD BIJIN JAPANESE RESTAURANT
lowed it to go cold through too much talking, and not enough eating. The dish must be served hot. The single piece of Oden is perfectly cooked.
BY BOB PERCIVAL WHAT IT IS The Bijin has occupied this wonderful space since November of last year. It’s a simple and sparse. A dozen stools placed along a wooden bench where you can eat, while viewing sashimi and sushi being prepared. There is also a private cubicle holding which can seat up to six people. Upstairs there is a bar, to relax after your meal. ATMOSPHERE We are greeted by the overwhelmingly amiable and hospitable hostess and manager Mirei Hirayama. She seats us at our table, advises us on the restaurant’s signature dishes, and heartily recommends that we start with a cold Kirin beer. Kirin will be added to their stable of locally produced beer in this country, some-
We finish with ice-cream, and choose Vanilla Ice-cream with Green Tea Chocolate (US$4), delicious, creamy and full-flavoured, cleansing the palette. . FINAL THOUGHTS
time next year. On a Monday night the place has only a few regular patrons, on the weekends it is full and you need to book a table. RECOMMENDATIONS The first signature dish chosen is Chicken Meatball (US$6). It is served in a beautiful small dish, with the softly boiled egg surrounding a ball of freshly minced chicken, baked and lightly grilled to dark brown on the surface. The next dish is Eggplant
with Miso Sauce (US$6). The sauce is thick and sweet, sprinkled lightly with small sesame seeds. The eggplant is cooked to a perfect tenderness, and it is very filling! This meal could easily be shared as a main dish. The last dish we order is Oden (US$3) , a specialty of the house, and the soul food of Japanese cuisine. It is meant for the cold of Japanese winter, to warm you body and soul. It can do the same here in Myanmar, and it does. Mirei brings us a new serving of the Oden, as we have al-
Bijin is a place where Japanese businessmen, and passionate lovers of Japanese cuisine can come to dine and relax. The service is impeccable, the food of the highest quality, and the sake and beer a perfect compliment to the food. Enjoy your escape into another world of eating.
Address: No.26(B) Yaw Min Gyi Street, Dagon Township Phone: 01252261 Opening Hours: 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM
A BRILLIANT TASTE OF MEXICO MAÑANA
BY CLIFF LONSDALE Mañana is proof that quality food does not need to come with a prohibitive price tag, and (due to its particularly compact and bijou situation) people are literally queuing at the door to get in, both Myanmar and foreigner alike. This simple little restaurant is not only brightening up the (frankly not very attractive) downstairs corridor of Pearl Condo, it is potentially starting a revolution as to how food should be served and priced in Yangon. Nidia Amaya, the owner and chef,
rushes in and out of the kitchen all night, she is clearly busy, but loving every minute of it. What can I recommend? Giant quesadillas, a meal in themselves, are a masterpiece of flavour engineering. Tostadas of beef-tongue are literally melt in the mouth, and the Ceviche is a delicate and moist combination of fresh Tilapia cured with pineapple, cilantro, onion and chili. The Mexican Myanmar fusion tostadas is her own invention, a taste that is unique yet very familiar, and well worth a try. If you’ve never tasted Mole then here is the place to do it, and although it
30 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
isn’t to everyone’s liking, the Enchiladas with Mole Sauce are incredible. The dish filled with such complexity of sour and sweet, spicy and rich, it is so moreish that you start to consider moving your belt down a notch in preparation for seconds.
me off. It is all just brilliant.
I tried too much food to record all the details here, bright colourful zingy Guacamole, rich luxurious black beans, homemade queso fresco, awesome Margarita’s. Nidia even forces a sliver of sweet fudgy flan down my throat to completely finish
Address: Pearl Condo, Block C, Ga- 05, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, BahanTownship, Yangon Phone: 09-976150646 Opening Hours: 12:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Mon-Thur), 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Fri-Sun)
There is no secret to their success, fabulous food, fantastic prices, attention to detail and a lively atmosphere.
BISTRONOMY
KOREAN GOES ITALIAN CAFÉ DEL SEOUL
Then there’s the Caramelized Carbonara Pane Spaghetti (US$16) for pasta lovers, which is a unique dish where the spaghetti is served inside a cube of bread. It’s one of the dishes that must be tried despite the price.
BY AMANDA WIN WHAT IT IS A quaint café located at 7 Mile, with dishes that will warm your S(e)oul. It gives off the impression of being a Korean restaurant, but you’ll be surprised to find that it is in fact an Italian Cuisine restaurant with some famous Korean dishes added on the menu, all of which are cooked by an experienced Korean chef (Soo Hyun Yang).
FINAL THOUGHTS
ATMOSPHERE You’ll walk in to find jars of light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, and tables clustered in a cozy manner; the colour scheme is elegantly touched with soft shades of pastels. There are two stories to the café and you’ll find that the staff are very welcoming.
RECOMMENDATIONS For appetisers, the Marinated Extra Virgin Olive Oil Poached Octopus (US$10) is a light, tasty dish for you to open with. The Slow Cooked Chicken Caesar Salad (US$14) is a subtle blend, and the chicken’s texture is extremely tender and soft.
To balance these light dishes, the infamous Korean dish – also one of the restaurant’s best dishes – Teopokki (US$13) is spicy and chewy and definitely worth the price. It includes spicy pork, sweet chili sauce rice cake, shrimps, mozzarella and poached egg.
The café offers fine-dining quality food at a lower price than other fine dining places but yes, it’s still pricey. All the dishes are tasty and well prepared. The beef and pork are imported from the U.S. and chicken from Thailand. The ambience is relaxing, perfect for you to enjoy a meal with your loved ones, or a business meeting. It’s definitely a place you’ll pay a second visit to.
Address: 24/1 Pyay Road, 7 Mile, Mayangone Township, Yangon Phone: 09971993711 Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM (Tues – Sun)
MICHELIN STAR SHAN NOODLE SOUP NAM DAO KHAM
Khamhe and the Papaya Salad that follow are both perfect. The Shan Khauk Swe is the grand-finale, and it tastes wonderful. The best in town!
BY CLIFF LONSDALE WHAT IT IS
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you weren’t specifically looking for the Nam Dao Kham, you’d more than likely pay it no heed as you passed by. If you did happen to glance in you would see that it was busy, it always is no matter what time of day, and there is a good reason for that. ATMOSPHERE Nang Phoung Kham, the owner, greets her customers with a huge smile, she knows all her regulars by their first name, remembers their favourite foods, and is quietly building a strong following amongst foodies
in Yangon. Her menu is as simple as her restaurant. RECOMMENDATIONS The duo of sticky stodgy dumplings that arrive first are a delight,
wrapped in banana leaves and speckled throughout with the green of spring onions they are as beautiful as they are filling and tasty. The fresh crispy bite of the onion carves its way through the glutinous texture of the rice flour dumpling. The Dao
Nang Phoung Kham returned to Myanmar a couple of years ago to establish her restaurant, and brought with her a wealth of experience from her years working at a Michelin starred restaurant in London, UK, and my three course meal is less thao follow-up the Papaya Salad n 4000 Ks.
Address: 10-12, Zay Yar Street, Hledan, Kamayut Township. Phone: 09 525 2435 Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 9:30 PM
February 2016 / InDepth Magazine 31
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32 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
HOROSCOPE
MYANMAR HOROSCOPE Tetkatho Soe Moe Naing has a Science Degree Major in Mathematics from Yangon University. Currently, he is writing articles and horoscopes for monthly magazines and weekly journals in Myanmar. In Myanmar astrology, star signs are determined by which day you were born. Each sign represents its own day, cardinal direction (utmost importance), planet (celestial body) and animal.
SUNDAY ▪▪ Extraordinary Time You will get a chance to prove your greatest abilities. You will be famous for your success in your environment. You will get a good message or good news from your family.
Love – Your love story will be legendary. You will suffer trouble and pleasure from love. Everybody will be interested in your love event. If you don’t cry for love, you will keep your love in your heart. Business – You will possess enormous money from a new project. You will discuss with important businessmen about your business’s advantage. Lucky numbers – 2.5.8.0 Lucky colour – Orange
MONDAY ▪▪ Confident Time You will create your life style confidently. You will smile with your hope. Everybody will respect you because of your humanitarian deeds. During this month, you will hear to bear a baby; you will be healthy and lucky. You will not forget to buy lottery tickets.
Love – You will show your love for your heart sweet. You will understand her mind. You will fulfil your lover’s needs and desires. Business – You will get benefit from a new market place. You will be a star among your business society. Your business will be developing from your ideas and imagination.
Lucky numbers – 3.6.9.0 Lucky colour – Brown
TUESDAY ▪▪ Intellectual Time You will be intellectual. Your tolerant mind will make your family’s life peaceful. You should avoid trust too easily about relative’s problems. You should avoid borrowing and lending money. You will have interest in detective stories. You will possess a healthy life and healthy style.
Love – You will get an opportunity to marry with your sweetheart. You will get a valuable present from your lover. Business – You will have success in persuading your customer to purchase your product. You will have a definite goal for your business. Your business’ monetary status will be ok. Lucky numbers – 2.5.3.6 Lucky colour – Red
WEDNESDAY ▪▪ Comfortable Time Your life will be comfortable. During this month your will hear wedding news, you will be very, very lucky. Don’t forget to buy lottery tickets. You will love music and entertainment. If you want to be healthy, you should avoid sweet food and drink.
Love – Your love story will be immortal. Perfect love, perfect marriage will occur during this month. You will be kind to your lover with unlimited love. Business – You business will
34 InDepth Magazine / February 2016
have success and be independent. You will increase your power to fulfil customer’s needs and desires. You will concentrate on your business data, profit, income and expenses. Lucky numbers – 2.5.1.7 Lucky colour – Grey
THURSDAY ▪▪ Trip Time God will protect you. You will have a trip with your family members and relatives. You will be elegant in style. Everybody will admire your logical thought. You will be satisfied with your present conditions. You will hear hopeful news. You will find a missing person or thing during this month.
Love – An arrow, that throws the cupid, will hit your heart. You will officially announce your love or marry during this month. You will really enjoy with your sweetheart. Business – You will apply limited resources to unlimited profit. You will be interested in import and export business. You will get enormous momentary gains from international trade. Lucky numbers – 3.9.8.5 Lucky colours – Bright colours
FRIDAY ▪▪ Challenge Time You will face challenge for chance. You will find a good master and you will get good servants. You will get knowledge and experience. You will be very popular among your friends. You will be interested in information technology. You will be pleased at
the idea of visiting relatives’ towns.
Love – You could be embarrassed by love. You will be annoyed about your love problem. You should not consider right or wrong and love or hate. Business – You will consider your new project. You will be busy about important business matters during this month. You will get experience from mistakes. Lucky numbers – 1.4.3.5 Lucky Colour – Blue
SATURDAY ▪▪ Surprise Time You will hear some surprise news. You will conquer your rival. You will be sensible and diligent. You will be attractive because of your charming and friendliness. You will share feeling with your family member. If you want a healthy life, you will avoid smoking and drinking beer.
Love – Love looks like a red rose with thorn. You will be difficult to understand your lover. Your love story will be sad. If you will possess love, you will be honest and polite. Business – You will realise the key of business success. You will have secret business plans. Your income will increase by showing your ability. Your business economic structure will be very good. Lucky numbers – 3.6.7.2 Lucky colour – White Tetkatho Soe Moe Naing has practiced astrology and Burmese traditional medicine for 40 years. Contact: 095012767
Organisations in Partnership with the MYANMORE Card:
MYANMORE CARD 00000001
RESTAURANT 999 SHAN NOODLE HOUSE - 10% off on total bill - Valid on weekends only, 1 person per card BULGOGI BROTHERS - 10% off on total bill. - Free Flow Coke, Sprite & Max Orange - No room charge and no corkage fee - Valid everyday. DIVINO - 10% off lunch and dinner - Valid everyday, maximum 4 people per card - (Not Valid for set menu, Business lunch and promotions) CORIANDER LEAF - 15 % off total bill - Valid everyday. COUSINS BAR & GRILL - 20% off total bill - Valid everyday, 10 people per card DIVINO - 10% off total bill for lunch and dinner - Valid everyday, booking required, maximum 4 people per card - (Not Valid for set menu ,Business lunch and promotions) EDO ZUSHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT - 10% off total bill, - Valid everyday, 1 group per card, advanced booking required. ELIQ RESTAURANT - 10% discount on total bill - Valid everyday,1person per card - Advanced booking required. GREEN ELEPHANT RESTAURANT(YGN,MDL,BGN) - 5% discount on total amount - Valid everyday HARLEY’S - Buy a regular set meal menu and upsize it for free. - Valid everyday, 2 people per card L’OPERA ITALIAN RESTAURANT AND BAR - 10% off the A La Carte bill (not valid for set menu, business lunch and promotions) - 10% off “Romantic” packages (for couples) - Valid everyday, for cash payment only, for up to 8 people. LA CAROVANA - 10% off total bill - Valid everyday (closed on Mondays) 6pm - 11pm MAHLZEIT - Get a Free Dessert for any main dish purchased. - Valid per 1 Person per Card, - Cash payment only and booking required. MOJO - Free glass of house wine, beer or soft drink with dinner - Valid Sun to Thurs,minimum order of 1 main course per person, for 2 people maximum per card.
MONSOON RESTAURANT AND BAR - 10% off à la carte bill - Valid ever!yday, 4 people per card ORCHID HOTEL - 10% off for Restaurant Charges. - Free fruit tray upon arrival - Valid everyday, 1 person per card PADONMAR RESTAURANT - 10% off total Food bill for a minimum order of 2 dishes per person. - Not valid on Set Menu. - Valid everyday, 4 people per card PARKROYAL LOBBY BAR - 10% off food and drinks, except Happy hours - Valid Monday to Friday. SPICE BRASSERIE - 10% off food and drinks - Valid Monday to Friday, booking required SI CHUAN DOU HUA - 10% off food and drinks - Valid Monday to Friday, booking required SHIKI TEI - 10% off food and drinks - Valid Monday to Friday, booking required PORT AUTONOMY - 10% off total bill except Happy Hour - Valid everyday (closed on Monday) PORTICO RESTAURANT @ ROSE GARDEN HOTEL - 10% off daily Business lunch - Valid on food items only, on weekdays, 1 person per card. TAING YIN THAR - 10% off total food bill - Valid everyday, 15 people per card. THAI 47 - 30% off total bill, Mondays to Thursdays - 15% off total bill, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays - 2 for 1 drinks from 7 p.m onwards, everyday. - Valid for up to 5 people, advanced booking required for weekend treatments. THE MANHATTAN FISH MARKET - 30% off desserts for any main dish purchased - 50% off desserts for hot or cold drink purchased between 2pm and 6pm - Valid everyday up to 12 people per card THE MYTHS BAR & RESTAURANT - 10% off total bill - Valid everyday THE PIZZA COMPANY - 20% off Pasta, from Monday to Friday - 20% off Large Pizza, on the weekend - Valid for 1 person per card - The deals are applicable to 3 outlets Dagon Centre 1- Myaynigone
Ocean Shwe Gon Daing Tamwe Junction Junction Maw Tin VINTAGE LUXURY YACHT HOTEL - 15% off food and drinks - Valid everyday, for 10 people!
BAR & CLUB CLUB 5 @ PARKROYAL - 10% off bottles of wine and hard liquor. Valid Monday to Friday, not valid for loose drinks CLUB RIZZOLI @ CHATRIUM HOTEL - 20% off on total bill from 10pm onwards - Valid Saturdays and Sundays, up to 6 people per card. SPACE BAR - 10 % off total bill - Valid from Monday to Thursday THE NEW BORIS - 10% off all drinks - Valid everyday, 4pm till late VERANDA BAR @ ROSE GARDEN HOTEL - Buy one Cocktail of the day, get one free (from 4pm to 6:30 pm) - Valid everyday,1 person per card.
CAFE D BISTRO - 15% off on all types of coffee before 12am (on weekdays only) - 10% off on total bill - Valid everyday, 1 person per card GUSTO CAFE - 10% off on total bill - Valid everyday, 1 person per card NERVIN CAFE AND BISTRO - 15% off on all beverages - Valid on weekdays, 1 bill per card - (Can not be combined with other discounts and promotions) WTC - World Training Center - 10% off entire selection of coffees - Valid everyday, for 2 people.
DESSERT SNOW FACTORY - 10 % off Snow Flake Menu - 10% off Coffee menus - Valid everyday, 2 people per card. SWENSEN’S - 20% OFF on Super Sundae on weekdays - 20% Off on Kids Sundae on weekends - Valid for 1 person per card - The deals are applicable to 3 outlets Dagon Centre 1- Myaynigone Ocean Shwe Gon Daing Tamwe Junction Junction Maw Tin
WELLBEING CALIFORNIA SKIN SPA - 20% off selected facial and full body treatments - Valid everyday, advance booking required, 2 people per card D SPA - 15% off total bill for 1 person - 20% off total bill when 2 people - Valid from Monday to Thursday, from 11 a.m to 3 pm, booking recommended - 10% off total bill for 1 person - 15% off total bill when 2 people - Valid on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, booking recommended
DEALS GYM
BALANCE FITNESS - 15% off 6 months or 1 year membership contract - Discount cannot be used with other promotions - Valid everyday, 1 person per card.
SHOPPING DAILY MART - Free delivery for order less than 30,000 Ks - 5% discount in total bill for order above 30,000 Ks - (minimum delivery: Ks10,000) - Valid everyday ( 9am to 5 Pm only),1 person per card
FIRST THAI SPA - 10% off total bill for 1 person - 20% off total bill for 2 people - Valid from Monday to Friday, 2 people per card
MONUMENT BOOKS - This bookstore is known for its wide selection of English language books. - 15% off on weekdays - 10% off on weekends - Valid everyday,1 person per card
INYA DAY SPA - 15%discount on all spa services1 - 10%discount on Thai Body Massage(anytime) - Valid everyday,1 person per card
PATRICK ROBERT THE GALLERY - 10% discount in all showroom items. Export orders and credit card payments not included. - Valid everyday (closed Sundays), one person per card
PARKROYAL Fitness & Spa - 10% off spa treatments, except Happy Hours. - Valid Monday to Friday, booking required.
SELECT BOUTIQUE THE THIRIPYITSAYA - 10% off all Jewelry - Valid everyday (closed on Tuesdays)
REVEAL - EMINENCE HAIR REMOVAL - 20% off one waxing service per bill - 10% off one I2PL (SHR IPL) service per bill - Valid everyday, 2 people per card, advanced booking required.
THE WAREHOUSE - 15 off total bill - Valid everyday, 1 person per card
SPA ELEMENTS - 15 % off - JAMU pre- and post-natal care packages - 10% off - Face, body and foot spa // Mani-Pedis // Hair // Waxing and scrub - Valid on Wednesday & Monday, 1 person per card. THE BODYGUARD - This hair salon and massage parlour had been designed by men and for men only. - 15% off from 10:30am to 5:30 pm - Valid everyday, 2 people per card VINTAGE LUXURY YACHT HOTEL - 10% off all SPA treatments - Valid everyday, for up to 10 people!, Advanced booking recommended. YANGON HAIR & BEAUTY CENTER - 20% off any single treatment - 10% off packages - Valid weekdays, one person per card YVES ROCHER SPA - 10% off total bill - Valid everyday, one person per card
VESTIGE MERCANTILE & RELICS - 10% off total bill. - Valid everyday at: . Vestige Flagship Store, Yangon . Vestige Kiosk, Avenue 64 Hotel. . Vestige Flagship Store, Nay Pyi Taw - Valid everyday, 1 person per card YVES ROCHER - 10% off all products - Valid everyday, 1 person per card
ACTIVITY WTC - World Training Center - 5% off Barista & Bakery classes - Valid everyday, 1 person per class.
HOTEL AMATA HOTELS MY BAGAN RESIDENCE - 5 % off room - 10 % off food - 10% off Spa Treatments at Nibbana Spa - Booking required, 2 people per card AMATA HOTELS RIVERSIDE HSIPAW RESORT - 5 % off room - 10 % off food - 10% off Spa Treatments at Nibbana Spa - Booking required, 2 people per card
HOTEL 51 - 15% off on all room types. - Valid everyday, 1 person per card HOTEL RED CANAL - 10% off Spa treatments (ladies only) - 10% off total bill at the Garden Restaurant - Booking required, 2 people per card INLE LOTUS HOTEL - 20% off total bill, incl Ticketing, Rentals, Trekking. - Valid everyday, 3 rooms per card, booking required ORCHID HOTEL - 10% off on all published room rates - 10 % off restaurant charges - Free fruit tray upon arrival - Valid Sunday to Thursday, 1 person per card, advance booking required PLATINUM HOTELS 4 outlets in Yangon - 20% off on all published room rates - Valid everyday, one room per card, at Hotel Platinum Tamwe, Mini Platinum Guesthouse Bahan, Platinum Riverview Hotel Dagon, Royal Platinum Hotel Bahan THAHARA (www.thahara.com) - 5% off on the published rates for all package booking from Oct to April - 10% off on the published rates for all package booking from May to September - Valid everyday, 2 people per card, advance booking required. VINTAGE LUXURY YACHT HOTEL - 10% off all room rates - Valid everyday.
SERVICES HINTHA BUSINESS CENTRES - One hour free wifi + a cup of Gourmet coffee once a month. - 10% off Meeting room rentals - 10% off Hot Desk packages (Daily, weekly, monthly) - 2 for 1 on hourly Hot Desk rental - Valid everyday, 1person per card, advance booking recommended
BUY YOUR MYANMORE CARD HERE! MYANMORE Office - 1st Floor, Annex Bld, Strand Hotel, 92 Strand Rd, Kyauktada Tsp | 01-375680 50TH STREET BAR Balance Fitness Monument Bookstore Inya Day Spa Padonmar Restaurant Orchid Hotel Happy Footprints