Where is Myanmar, Burma?

Myanmar Map

Myanmar or Burma, is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Myanmar achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 4 January 1948 as the “Union of Burma”.

Myanmar is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Andaman Sea to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. One-third of Myanmar’s total perimeter, 1,930 kilometres (1,199 mi), forms an uninterrupted coastline.



Cuisine

Burmese cuisine has been influenced by Indian, Chinese, Thai, and other ethnic cuisines. The staple of Burmese cuisine is rice. Noodles and breads are also eaten. Burmese cuisine often utilises prawn, and fish, fish paste, pork and mutton. Beef, which is considered taboo meat by many (particularly farmers), is the most commonly-avoided meat. Curries, such as masala and chilli are also used. Mohinga, widely considered Myanmar’s national dish, consists of curried catfish broth with chickpea flour, rice vermicelli and fish sauce.[107] Tropical fruits are often served as desserts. Major cities offer a wider variety of cuisines, including Shan, Chinese, and Indian.

Music



Traditional Burmese music is melodious but without harmony. Musical instruments include a drum circle called pat waing, a gong circle called kyi waing, a bamboo xylophone called pattala, cymbals, wind instruments such as the hnè or oboe and flute, bamboo clappers, and string instruments, which are often assembled in an orchestra called saing waing. The saung gauk, a boat-shaped string instrument consisting of silk strings and mica glass decorated along its neck has long been associated with the Burmese culture. Since the 1950s, westernized music has gained popularity, especially in large cities.



Dance

Duet Dance of U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe

U Shwe Yoe dance was U Ba Ga Lay’s jolly joker dance sequence in one of the pioneer films of Burmese movie history. The dance is full of fun and joy. It has strong appeal amongst Burmese audiences and has been adopted as a dance for all celebrations.

With thick eye brows, long curved mustache, traditional Myanmar headdress (Gong Baung), long muffler around the neck, traditional Myanmar jacket (Tyke Pone), checked long sarong (Taung Shae Pasoe) and the small Pathein Umbralla. This became the trademark of U Shwe Yoe. Later the dancers easily copied his image by using special comical sunglass with artificial plastic nose and eyebrows.

Originally U Shwe Yoe was an individual dance performance, but over time the Daw Moe Dance was created and appended to the original version. U Shwe Yoe dances with his comic mustache and comic movements trying to woo the spinster Daw Moe. U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe are the comic characters. They sing, they dance and they flirt, and make the spectators (audience) laugh.