|
NATIONAL CULTURE |
| In accord with the
policy of the State, the Ministry of Culture has been making endeavours for the
vitalization and flourishing of Myanmar culture and arts through conducting
courses and research, entertaining the public, maintaining culture and the arts
and preventing their waning, working for their flourishing, and also to allow
the public to fully acquainted with the traditions and cultures of the national
races. |
| Under the Ministry of
Culture, there are the Fine Arts Department, the Department of Archaeology and
the Department of the Cultural Institute. |
|
Department of Culture
|
| In its
endeavours to ensure the flourishing of Myanmar fine arts and the performing
arts, the Department of Culture runs the schools of fine arts and the
performing arts in Yangon and Mandalay. Moreover, in order to see that Myanmar
theatrical art does not wane, the department organizes the State orchestral
troupe and dance and drama troupes and presents both at home and abroad
traditional dances and drama performances.
|  |
With a view to
enhancing bilateral relations and acquainting the world of Myanmar culture and
the arts, Myanmar cultural delegations have performed in neighboring countries
and those in the west and has received similar delegations in reciprocation.
Myanmar cultural dances and those from abroad are performed at the National
Theatre and the Padonma Theatre in Yangon. Similarly, a modern National Theatre
built in Mandalay has been completed. |
| To ensure
flourishing of Myanmar culture and performing arts and to nurture world-class
artists, the University of Culture was opened in Dagon (South) section of
Yangon on 24 September 1993. It provides a four-year degree course in art,
sculpture, music and theatrical performance. A host of 173 graduates received
their degrees at the first convocation on 30 October 1997 and the fifth
convocation was held on September 2001. The University of Culture (Mandalay)
was opened in November 2001 and attended by 194 students. |
|
Department of the Cultural Institute
|
|
The Department of the Cultural Institute takes charge of
libraries, research on literature and culture of the national races and the
observatory. It runs the National Museum, the National Library, the observatory
and the Bogyoke Aung San Museum. It runs the libraries and museums in Kachin,
Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan states. It also runs the libraries
and museums in Mandalay, Mandalay Division, and in Pathein, Ayeyawady Division.
It takes charge of conservation of rare ancient Myanmar inscriptions and rare
books. It also takes charge of research into and recording of the cultures,
traditions, modes of dress, means of livelihood and traditional festivals of
the national races. |
| The new National
Museum was opened at 66/74 Pyay Road, Yangon, on 18 September 1996. Each of the
floors of the five-storey building is 380 feet by 200 feet. It consists of the
chamber for the Thihathana Throne, the displays of Myanmar alphabet and written
scripts, the display of the Yadanabon period, the display of Myanmar
Pre-history and early history, display of Myanmar history, display of Myanmar
musicology, display of Myanmar folk art and ten traditional arts, display of
Myanmar art, display of Buddha's statues, display of Myanmar national culture,
display of natural history and the display of ancient armour and dress. |
|
Department of Archaeology
|
| The Department of
Archaeology has carried out excavations concerning the Stone Age (for example
Shwesaryan, Taungthaman Lake and Letpanchaypaw Village), the Pyu period culture
(1st Century to about 10th Century AD), ancient Beikthano City (1st to 4th
Century AD), ancient Hanlin City (5th to 9th Century AD), ancient Tharekhittra
City (5th to l 0th Century AD), ancient Mengmaw City (5th to 9th Century AD).
To study ancient Mon culture, excavations were carried out at ancient
Kyaikkatha City (circa 5th Century AD), and to study ancient Rakhine culture,
excavations were carried out at ancient Wethali City (5th to 9th Century AD).
There are ongoing excavations at ancient Myinsaing and Tagaung cities. |
|
Currently, the Department of Archaeology is maintaining the
5th Century religious edifices at the site of Tharekhittra City, 2230 of such
religious edifices and frescoes of the 11 th Century Bagan City and the 18th
Century to 19th Century wooden monasteries in Mandalay, Sale, Pakhangyi,
Sagaing and Innwa. |
|
Myanmar Traditional Performing Arts Competitions
|
| The Myanmar
Traditional Performing Arts Competition has been held since 1993, according to
the objectives laid down by the Government for the promotion and perpetuation
of the performing arts. The competitions have brought to the fore talented
young men and women who will carry the torch onward. |
|
Year |
Toatal contestants |
No.of prizes |
Value of prize[ks] |
| First competition |
1993 |
284 |
118 |
|
| Second competition |
1994 |
1427 |
295 |
6785000 |
| Third competition |
1995 |
1676 |
325 |
7675000 |
| Fourth competition |
1996 |
1751 |
323 |
7735000 |
| Fifth competition |
1997 |
2146 |
412 |
15860000 |
| Sixth competition |
1998 |
2572 |
419 |
17040000 |
| Seventh competition |
1999 |
2525 |
420 |
16700000 |
| Eighth competition |
2000 |
2553 |
442 |
18395000 |
| Ninth competition |
2001 |
2538 |
487 |
|
|
|
Venues of the competitions
|
 |
| Singing competitions |
National Museum,
Pyay Road, Yangon. |
| Dancing competitions |
National Theatre,
Myoma Kyaung Road, Yangon. |
| Composing song competitions |
Fine Arts Department,
Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon. |
| Musical instrument Playing competitions |
Badonma Theatre,
Sanchaung Township, Yangon. |
|
|
Level of contestants
|
-
Professional level
-
Amateur level
-
Higher Education level
-
Basic Education level [15-20 years old]
-
Basic Education level [10-15 years old]
-
Basic Education level [5-10 years old]
|
|
Singing competitions
|
-
Classical songs
-
Hymms [Religious song]
-
Modern songs
|
|
Dancing competitions
|
| Male Dance, Female
Dance, Marionette, Drama. |
|
Musical instrument playing competitions
|
-
Harp, Xylophone, Piano, Oboe Violin, Mandolin
-
Dhiobat, Ozi Myanmar Orchestra (Group/Single)
|
| Sr |
State/Division |
Gold |
Sliver |
Bronze |
Special |
Total |
| 1. |
Yangon Division |
103 |
63 |
39 |
|
205 |
| 2. |
Mandalay Division |
25 |
27 |
30 |
|
82 |
| 3. |
Ayeyawady Division |
12 |
17 |
13 |
|
42 |
| 4. |
Bago Division |
8 |
5 |
10 |
|
23 |
| 5. |
Rakhine Division |
6 |
8 |
6 |
1 |
21 |
| 6. |
Magway Division |
4 |
2 |
7 |
|
13 |
| 7. |
Kachin Division |
4 |
1 |
7 |
|
12 |
| 8. |
Taninthayi Division |
3 |
5 |
3 |
|
11 |
| 9. |
Shan State |
2 |
4 |
6 |
|
12 |
| 10.
|
Kayin State |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
9 |
| 11. |
Mon State |
1 |
9 |
12 |
|
22 |
| 12. |
Sagaing Division |
1 |
7 |
12 |
|
20 |
| 13. |
Kayah State |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
7 |
| 14. |
Chin State |
|
3 |
5 |
|
8 |
| |
|
172 |
157 |
157 |
1 |
487 |
|
|
Note: The award for the best player in drama and the award for the best
background music in drama are enlisted in "Gold" coloum. |
|
Myanmar Traditional Regatta
|
|
The Myanma Traditional Regattas are not simply
regattas where boatmen compete but include the Myanmar concept, culture,
traditions and traits, ancient naval craft, procedures and strategies and the
pomp and ceremony involving royalty. Among the twelve seasonal festivals in
Myanmar tradition, the regatta shows off naval prowess, its promotion and
perpetuation, with the valour of men of strength coming into full play. |
| With the
regaining of independence, these were revived in participation at the
Independence Day and Union Day celebrations. The revival of this festival and
related events enormously helped the revival and revitalization of the Myanmar
rowing art and sport, together with the encouragement of tenacity, industry,
team spirit and selflessness. |
|
Myanmar Traditional Equestrian Festival
|
|
To help remember each of the traditional festivals
identified with the respective months, there is a verse that aptly lines them
up in the Thadina Pyo treatise of the Minister Letweithondara. |
| Though generally
known as the Royal Equestrian Festival, it involved, in addition to horses and
elephants, infantrymen, archers, war charioteers, and all other war implements,
each section displaying all its skills. Swordsmanship by horsemen that boasted
37 items and another 37 items on the use of the spear by horsemen were included
in the ancient Myanmar battle displays, to help warriors improve while
competing. |
|
Myanma Traditional Cart and Cattle Competition
|
 |
|
Cattle have constituted the main component of the
traditional rural communities and mainstay workforce for agriculture. Evidence
is found of the extensive use of cattle for cultivation and transport from as
early as Bagan and Innwa periods onwards on stone inscriptions, frescoes and
ancient drawings. |
|
Cattle have been part of rural life, well cared for at
all times and trained from young. Cattle shows and skill competitions have also
dominated the rural scene. |
|
Myanmar Traditional Apparel Shoe
|
|
Myanmar Traditional Apprel show, ceremony was agened at 22
December 2000 to 21 January 2001 in National Museum organized by Ministry of
Culture. |
|
In this show, the demonstrations of Myanmar traditional apparel
show were presented on costumes of national races, dresses of Bagan, Inwa,
Nyaungyan, Konbaung, Amarapura and Yadanabon periods, dresses of ladies of
university in pre-war and post war preiods and from 1965 to date, and
demonstration of Myanmar Traditional Novitiation Ceremony. |
|
Exhibition of Ten Traditional Arts
|
|
Among the Four Social Objectives, it is required to
endeavour for the uplift of national prestige and integrity and preservation
and safeguarding of cultural heritage and national character. In keeping with
these objectives, the Ten Traditional Myanmar Arts Exhibition was held in
Mandalay which is home to such artisans and craftsmen, from 20 to 31 December
1996 at Sinbyukan Grounds, with thousands attending. |
|
As enunciated by the Monywa Zaytawun Sayadaw in his
Yazawwada treatise, the ten traditional Myanmar arts are Pabe, the art of
blacksmiths, Panhtein, the art of gold and silver-smithy, Padin, the art of
bronze casting, Pantawt, the art of making floral designs using masonry. Payan,
the art of bricklaying and masonry, Pabu, the art of sculpture, Pantamawt, the
art of sculpting with stone, Panpoot, the art of turning designs on the lathe,
Bachi, the art of painting and Panyun, the art of making lacquerware. In 2002,
another exhibition organized by Myanmar Traditional Artists and Artisans
Association (Central), was held at Tatmadaw Convention Hall in Yangon at
201-2002 to 3-2-2002. |
|
In the exhibition, altogether 712 paintings, 110 sculptures and works of ten
traditional arts and crafts are displayed and 33 private galleries also
participated. |
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Myanmar Necklaces (Beads) Exhibition
|
|
The exhibition was held in National Museum on July 2000.
Among exhibits, Traditional Necklaces of Nationalities and various kinds of
necklaces in Stone Age and Pyu Period to the present were included. Altogether
were 20 kinds of beads, 493 pieces of necklaces and 125 beads. |
|
Exhibition of "The Legacy of Bagan"
|
|
The Legacy of Bagan Exhibition was organized by the
Department of Archaeology. In exhibition, the booth on the ancient cultural
region of Bagan and the map of its environs and the illustrations of cavalries
and elephant troops, the livelihood of people in Bagan period drawn on the wall
and brick arches were shown. And also among exhibits, the valuable wall
paintings the replica of Nandapyinnya Pagoda is Minnanthu Village of 13 AD,
documentary photos of maintenance work of Bagan pagodas, the scale model of
Nanphaya made of stone. |
|
ASEAN Art Awards
|
|
ASEAN Art Awards began in 1994. It has been held every year
up to 2001 and now in its seventh time in a row. As it was decided the
forthcoming awards to hold it every two years, will be held at Bali Island in
Indonesia in May 2002. |
|
In the years 1998 in Hanoi, 1999 in Kuala Lumpur, 2000 in
Singapore, Myanmar has participated as a guest competitor along with Cambodia
and Laos. Up to the Singapore competition in 2000, only seven ASEAN countries
could have participated. Now, these three countries including Myanmar will take
part in the final stage of the ASEAN Art Awards to be held in 2002. |
|
Lawka Chantha Abhaya Labha Muni Image
|
 |
|
The stone sculptor U Taw Taw happend to find an unusually
large marble rock, 37 feet and 7inches long and 24 feet wide and over l 1feet
thick, 500 ton in weight, it is flawless and of high quality in Zakyin village,
Mattaya Township, about 21 miles north of Mandalay. |
|
He acquired permission to carve the marble rock into a Buddha
Image. The Chairman ofthe State Peace and Development Council Senior General
Than Shwe, gave guidance that it should be conveyed to Yangon for public
obeisance as Buddha Image in accord will religious traditions. The image was
conveyed in July with Yadanar Shwephaungdaw Jetty and taken to Mindama Hill,
Yangon on August 2000. |
|
The state gave guidance on caring of Lawka Chantha Abhaya Labha
Muni Image and all-round construction work of Mindama Hill, in Insein Township. |
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All-round renovation Hsandawshin Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda
|
|
The enshrinement Shwehtidaw hoisting and
consecration ceremony of Hsandawshin Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda was held on a grand
scale on 19 March 2001. |
The Kyaikhtiyoe Pagoda is located in Kyaikhto
Township, Mon State.
The original height of the pagoda was 13 feet 8 inches. As it was laid with
reinforced concrete to ensure durability, the height increased to 22 feet 5
inches. The decaying tiles on pagoda platform were substituted with 20000 two
feet by two feet heat-resistance granite slabs. A new 350 kv generator and
underground wiring system was installed with public donations. The pagoda was
illuminated to be more sublime. The 7-mile mountainous road leading to the
pagoda was laid with concrete and road drainage system was added. |
|
SEAMED
|
|
The History Agenda 21 Workshop, The Inauguration
Ceremony of SEAMED Regional Centre for History and Tradition (CHNT) and
Regional Arts and Crafts Fair were held in Yangon on December 2000. |
|
The History Agenda 21 workshop has two main objectives. The
first is to consider new initiatives for study and research in Southeast Asian
history and the second is to consider the needs to conclude regional history
into secondary school curricula and the methods of implementation. |
The main objective of the SEAMED centre is to develop a
better understanding of the history and tradition of the Southeast Asian region
through research activities as part of the efforts to create and maintain a
better sense of national identity.
A regional Arts and Crafts Fair was be held at Centre premises for three days. |
