Page 68 - Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam

Girls do not have a shinbyu ceremony, but they do receive religious instruction and can be
ordained as nuns at or after the age of 20. The female rite of passage, the na htwin, is a ear-
piercing ceremony (as in a physical piercing, not a loud or screeching noise). This ceremony is
more of a social event then a religious one, since Burmese women traditionally wore earrings
as a sign of social status.

Religious holidays include Thingyan (the New Year Water Festival), Vesakha (“Buddha’s
Birthday”), and Wa-dwin (Buddhist Lent). Buddhist holidays follow a lunar calendar, so their
exact date changes from year to year. But generally Thingyan falls in mid-April, Vesakha is
always in May, and Wa-dwin is three months from roughly mid-July to mid-October. Local
religious festivals are usually pagoda festivals, which double as old-fashioned market fairs,
with stalls selling food and handicrafts.

Cuisine in Burma
Burmese food has its own special identity. Although it draws on its’ neighbors, it is neither as
hot as Thai, as spicy as Indian nor does it resemble Chinese cooking much except in the stir-
fry vegetables.

/TʬP]PY_ ]PRTZY^ bT_STY _SP NZ`Y_]d SLaP OTʬP]PY_ aL]TL_TZY^ ZQ ɭ^_LYOL]Oɮ OT^SP^ @^P ZQ
seafood is more prevalent along coastal cities such as Mawlamyine (formerly Moulmein),
while land animals are more commonly used in landlocked cities. Beef and pork, although
certainly not forbidden, are avoided by many Buddhists and Muslims. Vegetarian dishes are
also common, as the Buddhist lent (Wa-dwin), a three-month fasting after midday is observed
by many orthodox Buddhists.

Local dining tables are round and low-footed. Family members sit on the mat around the table
_Z SLaP XPLW^ @YWTVP _SP BP^_P]Y VT_NSPY QZZO T^ YZ_ ^P]aPO TY NZ`]^P^ /T^SP^ bT_S OTʬP]PY_
items are spread out on the table for people to take from themselves. Food is eaten with the
ʭYRP]^ ZQ _SP ]TRS_ SLYO 3ZXP^ TY NT_TP^ LYO _ZbY^ SLaP OTYTYR _LMWP^ LYO NSLT]^ ^ZXP
people eat with standard western utensils (fork, knife, and spoon.)

Water Festival
One of the biggest holidays in Burma is the week-long Burmese New Year, which is more
commonly known as the Water Festival because of how it is celebrated—with locals of all
ages splashing each other with water. This can be a joyful time of year, with lots of traditional
music, dance, and street festivals. But it can also be crowded and noisy. Travelers who are in
Burma during the festival should expect that their itinerary will have on-the-spot adjustments
MPNL`^P ZQ N]ZbO^ _]LʯN LYO M`^TYP^^ NWZ^`]P^ ?SPd ^SZ`WO LW^Z Pc[PN_ _Z RP_ bP_ dZ` bTWW
be soaked) and join in the fun of what maybe the world’s biggest water party. The dates of the
festival change from year to year, so we suggestion checking an online holiday calendar like
www.timeanddate.com/holidays.

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