Myanmar, a paradise of cultural heritages A single piece of land, the second largest territorial size among ASEAN tenmember nations, is Myanmar oted for its bio-diversities and cultural heritages, both natural, man-and nature combined creation and man-made. Though a tropical country like other ASEAN member nations, certain unique geographical and climatic features bestow upon Myanmar many striking specialties. Firstly, the country is just one land entity with both land borders and a long coastline providing it with both terrestrial and maritime accessibilities. Myanmar is not a landlocked country for an isolated existence, but a country, sandwitched between two most populous great countries—India to the west and China to the northeast, thus receiving influence and impact of cultures of both neighbours, tangible and intangible. Physical features determine Myanmar’s geography and history. Thickly forested mountains and hill ranges run from north to south. Similarly its aquatic bodies in the forms of rivers, streams, falls,springs and lakes follow the same north to south direction creating valleys and plains of the same north to south design. Though generally tropical climate predominates, variations create differences—heavy monsoon in the south and along the coastline, dry and arid in the rain shadow middle areas and temperate and cold in the north, where, amazingly, there are year-round snow capped mountain peaks that are actually offshoots of great Himalayas. Into this peculiar patterns of climate and physical features human habitation originated appropriately, becoming nucleuses of indigenous ethnic groups who in course of time came to mix, mingle and assimilate happily with migrants. They form a mosaic of Myanmar anthropology today. The wealth of natural resources above and underground and under water clearly explain the earliest existence of living creatures that go through the cycle of Darwinian evolution for aeons of time. Fossils discovered by chance by world’s paleontologists include among other things, remains of early man. “Anthopithicus Enectus” [the first man who could walk upright on two legs] which they scientifically termed “Pondaung Primate”, honouring the name of the place near Monywa, Myanmar. Much to the surprise and marvel of them, after assaying these fossils in the laboratories of their respective universities they gave out their consensus of their results that “Pondaung Primate” fossils proved over 40 million years earlier than hitherto accepted oldest primate fossils found in the Nile valley. This is merely a piece of story of Myanmar’s cultural heritage. Since the two wellknown geologists Dr.Morvius and Dr. de Terra chance-found stone tools of man of Palaeolithic Age in the dry zone area of mid Myanmar Yenangyaung and Magway, which they scientifically examined and confirmed by their colleagues as the stone implements of the old stone Age, Myanmar has become a paradise for scientific researchers. Morvius and de Terra fittingly christionized their finds as “Anyathian culture”. Myanmar people call upper Myanmar “Anya” and lower Myanmar “Akyey”. Since they found old stone implements in upper Myanmar they gave due honour by terming them “Anyathian culture”. Since then Anyathian culture has been used in the wider context of Myanmar cultural heritage. Later, researchers who followed their footsteps discovered human settlements in coastal regions as well. Though the country seems so remote and less well-known to the world public, Myanmar’s natural resources and cultural heritages are long standing virgin fields for seekers of new frontiers of knowledge. After Myanmar regained independence on January 4, 1948, she became a member of the world organization UN in that year, and so in the activities of the UN and its associated agencies i n c luding UNESCO, Myanmar participated with full cooperation and spirit and was committed to all international obligations and agreements. In the “Myanmar Agenda 21” which was the happy outcome of the world’s Earth Summit held in Rio de Jenero, Myanmar, like all other attendant countries at that Summit had undertaken to plan, programme and implement for the preservation and protection of our planet the Earth for future generations in the 21st century. In it are specifically stated, defined and outlined regarding the preservation of physical (natural) environment and cultural environment. In defining the meaning and demarcating the extent of these two types of environments, Myanmar Agenda 21 covers specific domains with two aspects— tangible and intangible. Especially in the case of cultural environment, three types are clearly defined— (1) cultural environment created by nature only (2) cultural environment created by nature and man combined and (3) cultural environment created by man only. Under all these three categories of cultural environment Myanmar possesses abundance of resources and evidences qualifying her to be listed in the Register of World’s Cultural Heritage. Though one of those earliest 50 UN member states, Myanmar has lagged behind in many ways, in her progress and prosperity, owing to unfortunate circumstances at home, abroad and at international arenas. Her isolated far cries are either unheard or ignored or unheeded. Nevertheless, individual scientists, researchers and scholars are not wanting. They do visit Myanmar despite many difficulties and obstructions in the formalities of passports and visas. Myanmar in the last five decades was not entirely “isolated”. Despite its cautious foreign policy dictated by the existing international political climate, doors were open to friends, well-wishers, scholars and scientists, who courageously and honestly exposed to the world “what they see, discover, and feel of their research findings in Myanmar and clamour for Myanmar’s deserving place in the world.” A turning point came with the assumption of state office by the present government under the leadership of President U Thein Sein. Though barely over two years on the road to democracy, the process, the speed, momentum, and the results so far, together with sincerity and honesty of the leaders have earned admiration and even marvel in international communities, organizations and fora including UNESCO. Among many cultural heritage sites throughout the country, those most well-known, emerged in the limelight of the world especi a l ly UNESCO. With the cooperation of foreign and local experts and scholars attempts are afoot for the inclusion of Myanmar cultural heritages in the World’s List. The listing of “Kuthodaw marble Inscriptions shrines in the Register of World’s Memory by UNESCO in June this year was Myanmar’s debut on the World’s cultural Heritage Theatre.” Now both UNESCO and Myanmar are working for the inclusion of cultural heritage sites of Myanmar in the UNESCO List. In the lineup are the three ancient cities—Peithano, Sri Kestra and Hanlin. Other cultural heritage sites in States and Regions of the country are queuing up. Now the country is open 360 degree and the influx of foreigners with different interests into the country is booming. International attention focuses on Myanmar’s progress and prosperity augurs well for Myanmar cultural heritage.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 08:01:27 +0000
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