Traditional art of lacquerware

 

 

 

Traditional art of lacquerware from the Bagan area passed from generation to generation

 

By Nyein Thu (MNA)

 

Preserving cultural heritage from generation to generation shows the cultural prosperity of a country.

Likewise, preserving tangible cultural heritage, maintaining physical artefacts from generation to generation as the country's lifeblood, and promoting soft power in cultural aspects is the country's reputation and the contribution to tourism, which can generate significant revenue for the State.

Myanmar has rich natural resources with rivers, long coastline, land and mountain ranges. Bagan, a heart of cultural heritage, is standing proudly in the central region

Bagan enchanting tourism with its cultural values

Bagan has been boasting its cultural heritage with the ancient temples and pagodas from the 12th Century AD. It's the priceless treasure of the country with its architectural wonders and historical features. King Anawrahta of the first Burmese Empire founded Bagan as well. The visitors can feel the historical significance, prosperity and cultural dynamics of the Bagan dynasty even by walking near the temples and pagodas to date. Despite the loss and damage to the physical artefacts, the eminent Bagan is still the most popular destination for tourists.

 

Inviting tourists to explore the ancient city

 

"Bagan and art of lacquerware are coexisting in the Bagan zone. Lacquer (locally called Yun) is one of Myanmar's ten best well-known traditional arts and crafts (Ten flowers) and aesthetic finest art. Lacquerware Technology College is providing the technology of lacquerware arts to maintain traditional lacquerware from extinction and pass it on to future generations. The college offers a two-year diploma and shares the technology with the locals.

Bagan Lacquerware Technology College, in cooperation with Asian Lacquer Craft Exchange, is exchanging lacquer arts from Asian countries. There are lacquer craft exchange programmes in Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Viet Nam and Laos. They are temporarily suspended in the COVID pandemic. There were teacher exchange programs between Myanmar and development partner Japan. Japanese lecturers conducted an intensive course for the locals executing lacquerware for living.

The lacquerware technology college is an institution where the technology of lacquerware is offered to meet international standards, preserve traditional lacquerware, and not lose its grip. Furthermore, tourists can also explore lacquerware at the Lacquerware Museum on campus. More than 400 lacquerware, including traditional items maintained from the 12^th century AD, is showcased at the museum. The foreigners usually visit there. Also, the lacquerware production hall features production stages from the raw materials (bamboo, timber). The foreigner is charged K2,000 to enter the museum and hall, and the earnings will go to the revenue of the State.

Moreover, over 40 antique lacquer objects have been collected with the State's budget. Also, there are two buildings for the foreigners to explore the arts of lacquerware at the college. Additionally, lacquerware shops also offer items produced with Japanese techniques and traditional ones. The college will be reopened on 12 May 2022, so the tourists are cordially invited," said Daw Nilar Myint, a principal of the college said.

Preserving and protecting the lacquerware arts to date and maintaining temples and pagodas from the Bagan dynasty is a price of the Bagan zone. The locals have been preserving it as vocational education and passing on the future generation is a national responsibility. Lacquerware Technology College (Bagan), operated under the Department of Cooperative and the Department of Small-Scale Industries, is preserving the lacquer arts from the threat of extinction up to now.

 

Academic upgrading of the College

 

Lacquerware Technology College (Bagan) was started as a lacquerware vocation school in 1924 and upgraded to Myanma Lacquerware Institute in 1995 and Lacquerware Technology College on 23 December 2003.

 

Aims and objectives of the College

 

The college is opened to preserve Myanmar's traditional heritage from the Bagan dynasty, protect the endangered lacquer craft from extinction, provide technical assistance to the lacquer industry to promote and maintain traditional crafts and produce artisans and lacquerware professionals to be well-known experts with business knowledge.

 

Emergence of self-help lacquerware vocational school

 

The vocation of making lacquerware is also preserving the country's cultural heritage. Retired assistant to minister Bagan U Tin in Myanmar kings' era, was a person who appreciated traditional arts. He tried to establish a lacquerware vocational school for the sustainable development of lacquer crafts in Bagan city. U Ba Tin met with lacquerware experts and opened a self-help school. In 1924, the state-owned school was opened.

 

Upgrading to college level

 

The government changed the course duration of the lacquerware vocation school from three years to one year in March 1960. The school offered a one-year course every year from March 1960 to March 1965. According to a meeting (32/94) of the Union Government of Myanmar on 31 August 1994, the school was upgraded into Myanma Lacquerware Institute. Later, it was turned into Lacquerware Technology College in December 2003.

 

Completing bachelor degree

 

Those enthusiastic with graduate (under 35 years) and post-graduate (under 25 years) education can join a two-year diploma course. Those who successfully accomplished the two-year diploma course starting from the 2005 intake are entitled to attend the Co-operative University to learn business science and receive a bachelor's degree.

 

Cooperation with international institutions

Lacquerware Technology College (Bagan) was made partner with Japan for lacquer craft exchange programs in 1953. At present, it's working together with the Universities of arts in Japan, China and Thailand to exchange lacquer crafts.

 

Creating job opportunities for the trainees

 

The college produced 2,564 trainees between 1924-1925 and 2019-2020 academic years. Of them, 15 can set up their own business, 80 serve as civil staff, and 550 join private firms. Three of them are engaged in the lacquerware industry for a living. The college helped them to hunt for jobs.

 

Translated. 

 

 

Moeyungyi Wildlife Sanctuary

 

 

Moeyungyi Wildlife Sanctuary rich in biodiversity

By Kaung Htet

The foliage is dying back and turning brown at Moeyungyi Wildlife Sanctuary due to the scorching heat in May. It is not time for the migratory birds to fly to Ramsar site so only a small number of visitors are witnessed at that time. However, relaxing nature’s sound and native birds singing are soothing the surroundings. The visitors can practice forest bathing and explore scenic views.

“It is a natural healing spot. Those bird watchers can visit the site when the migratory birds flock to the Moeyungyi Sanctuary. We stay at Bago and visit here. It is good to visit during the off-season. Feeling the breeze of nature relaxes our mind and body”, a visitor U Aung Kyaw Soe from Yangon city said.

Moeyungyi Sanctuary has a habitat education centre, birdwatching towers, accommodations, restaurants and boat tours for ecotourists. It is an appealing site for birdwatching tourism.

Myanmar’s Moeyungyi Sanctuary is 40 square mile (22,600 acres) wide and it is located between Waw Township and Bago Township, Bago Region.

Moeyungyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary is habitat of the wildlife animals, migratory birds and rare bird species. It is the protected area for the endangered bird species by the Forest Department. Moeyungyi Sanctuary was recognized as Ramsar Site in Myanmar in 2004.

“As Moeyungyi Sanctuary is home to rare bird species and migratory birds, it was designated as Important Bird Area- IBA in 2011. East Asia- Australasian Flyway Partnership recognized it as Flyway Network Site in 2014”, said a warden of Moeyungyi Sanctuary in the Forest Department.

The department is implementing a five-year-wildlife sanctuary management plan (from 2019-2020 to 2023-2024) and ten-year-wildlife habitat restoration project (from 2019-2020 to 2028-2029) to preserve the wetland ecosystem. 

"Our department is endeavouring to effectuate the development in ecotourism and create job opportunities for the local community while preserving the ecosystem. We ensure the balance between the tourism development and nature conservation", a warden elaborated. 

The staff of the Forest Department is patrolling the protected areas to combat bird hunting and illegal activities that affect the biodiversity. Also, they are raising awareness of the wetland ecosystem, encouraging the participation of the local residents in environmental conservation, protecting the migratory birds from illegal hunting and supporting the eco-tourism sectors. The department is conducting a bird survey to observe the population of native bird species and migratory birds. Similarly, collecting surveys on aquatic plants and fish species and water quality assessment for habitat restoration projects are being implemented as well. 

There are 27 water bird species, 55 migratory bird species, 106 forest bird species at the Moeyungyi Sanctuary, totalling 185 species. 

Migratory Birds enter Myanmar through two flyways: Central Asian Flyway and East Asia- Australasian Flyway every year.

Migratory bird species such as Glossy Ibis, Asian Openbill, whistling duck, purple heron, stork, spot-billed duck, pelican, Sarus Cane, northern pintill, Podiceps cristatus, Garganey, river tern, gull and Eurasian wigeon enter Moeyungyi through Central Asian Flyway, while Spoon-BilledSandpiper, black-winged stilt, American Golden-Plover, small pratincole, common crane, Ferruginous Duck and pied avocet fly via East Asia Australasian Flyway, according to the Forest Department. 

"The population of birds is estimated at over 30,000.  Most importantly, the critically endangered bird species (SarusCrane-VU, Spot billed Pelican- NT, Black headed Ibis- NT, Painted Stork-NT, Oriental Darter - NT, Greater spotted Eagle - NT, River Tem - NT, Black-tailed God-NT, Asian Golden Weaver-EN) and newly recorded species (White -headed Stilt, Pied Avocet, Pallas's Gull, Heuglin's Gull, CaspianTern, Red-Breasted Merganser, Northern Shoveler, Short- tailed Shearwater, Common Crane are listed. 

As a result of this, conservation and research activities and awareness campaigns for the local community to realize the importance of the ecosystem are also carried out, a warden said. 

The Forest Department is striving for participation of the CSOs and those engaged in fishing business. The eco-tourism and community-based tourism plans are underway and research activities are also being undertaken for sustainable tourism efforts. 

Moeyungyi Wildlife Sanctuary is the first ever Ramsar site recognized in Myanmar. Being an IBA and Flyway Network Site, the ecosystem sustainability is prioritized as well.

Wetland ecosystem helps the local residents earn for living. The department is making effort to keep balance and synergy between the tourism sustainable development and preserving landscape. Translated by Ei Myat Non