April 2006 Archives
Padaut Pann (pann means flower in Burmese) that blooms usually right before Thingyan season. Men give women these flowers as a token of their affection during this time.
My family and I celebrated the second day of Burmese New year (Thingyan) today by having an all out Barbeque!
Most Burmese people don't have BBQs to celebrate Thingyan. Burmese in Burma would actually be making special foods for this time of year, they would be out and about throwing water on passers by, going to "Mundutts" - concert stages where there are dancing, singing, and people standing around with water hoses, water balloons, buckets of water, etc to throw it upon whoever is passing by. This is to, of course, cleanse them of their sins, worries, whatever is bogging them down, so they can start their new year fresh.
Thingyan goes for 5 days and then the day after all the water throwing activities end, it is the new year. This year, the new year started on April 13th and the 18th will be the official first day of the new year!
Buddhist folks also, tend to go into meditation sessions, do volunteer work at the monasteries, and so on to start the new year off afresh.
But seeing that we live in Singapore and that we only got the 14th off due to it being good friday, my family and I had a Barbeque with some of my parents' friends.
I did good - I did the grilling, the making of the salad, preparing dips, etc while my mom made fried noodles and samosas and some Burmese shrimp and squid salad. We had some white wine, sparkling juice, ate, laughed, listened to Thingyan music and just chilled. Would have been nice, if we could have BBQ'd at the beach as planned, but oh well, what is Thingyan without some rain?
Happy Burmese New Year, everyone and also Happy Easter to those who celebrate it.
Jackie, I miss the Easter egg hunts! I keep remembering the time I didn't know what Easter egg hunts were and I kept following Emilie around.. lol... so funny.
P.S: Myo fromBlog of Nyein Chan Yar is a genius for working on my blog templates for me, even if I take forever in changing them. Now, I need to make a banner to complete the look. I'm loving the white for a change. Definitely visit His Thingyan blog post to listen to the famous Thingyan Moe song (Thingyan rain) .
A Burmese American rapper added me recently on my myspace.com page. I don't know how to critique a rapper or his rappability. But I have to give props to a Burmese American Rapper who raps about Burma and his message is "Free Burma" on the aptly titled "Burma" on his new album.
I am not sure if the song flows altogether. But I like the Burmese classical beats he has integrated in it and I appreaciate the message he has - that is: Burma is messed up, UN needs to be aware, people need to do something.
But what I also noticed is that he claims to be born in California and so of course, that makes me think - has he been to Burma? - or does he just rap about it from what he reads in the papers, what people tell him? Is he really for the Burmese freedom cause, or is it just another issue that gives him an edge as an Asian American rapper from the Bay Area? I am leaning heavily in to the latter idea as his other songs don't mention Burma.
But then - I think - where is the balance? Does one need to be immersed totally in the cause to actually care about Burma? Can you have your own life where you can rap about, write about whatever you want and still care deeply for the cause of freedom?
You can check him out at his myspace page and decide yourself.
Teddy G: http://www.myspace.com/teddygyesyall
Mythical Burmese love birds - Kein da yi and Kein da yar hanging in Tanya and Josh's living room.
1 0 F A V O R I T E S
TV show: Lillies
Alcohol: Wine/Champagne ( never thought I'd say that but particularly after my Paris trip, wine & champagne are my favorite)
Movie: Fight Club
Color: Blue
