The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1921-06-17
The Eng-Caw-Yd Paeoda, Burma.

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington. ID. CO
While there is considerable
amount of unrest in many parts of
India proper, the people of Burma
which is governed a. a part of India
and yet is geographically separate
from ii. seem 10 be living contenteGly.
Geographical and social conditions and
the economic situation flowing from
them undoubtedly have much 10 do
with this. Burma knows little of the
fear Of famine or the pinch of poverty.
Its lands are productive, il is rich in
minerals, il is not over-populated. and
il is free from the elaborate caste sys-
TEN which is a tremendous handicap
To India. both socially and econOmi-
cally.
Kipling and practically all other writ
ers about the East have pointed out
repeatedly that ii is difficult at best
for westerners to understand the orr
entail peoples. If the observer from
the West wishes 10 tackle this admit
tedly difficult problem by easy stages,
perhaps he could find no better place
to start than Burma. In n number of
senses there is less of a gulf between
the life and customs of the Burmese,
and those of. the West than will be
found II the comparison Is made with
any other eastern country.
The Indian is in most cases n sober
individual. The lower castles must
take life with desperate seriousness
because OF its hardness and the diff
Guilty of cllnging TO it. The higher
castles are sedate and given TO specu-
lative philosophy. The Chinaman is
an enigma. His emotions are difficult.
10 fathom. The people of the Mo-
hammedan countries are marked by a
quiet dignity.
The Burmese Love Life.
In contrast with these other peo-
pies Of Asia, and almost alone among
them the Burmese are frank, open,
happy-lOvers of life. Their women
are not secluded. but are among the
and women are lovers of music and
wearers of bright clothing. Because
OF their spOntaneity and frienGliness
they have been dubbed THE Irish of
the Orient"
Burma is a country of many tribes,
but practically all of them are OF the
same racial strain. ShGns, KdrerS.
KatchinS. Chins and PaIaungs are
among those living in the outlying
parts Of the country. though the
Karens and 10 certain extent
the others are 10 be found in
parts of lower Burma. a more heav-
lily settled section which is most easy
Of access 20 the outside world. 1t is
the Burmese. however. who constitute
the dominant element with the high.
Is il iS known 10 most westerners who
visit the land.
The Burma Of the Burmese, that is
lower Burma and the basin of the
great Irrawaddy river, is a land of
pasodas. the ShrineS Of Buddhism.
Thousands upon thousands OF these
bell-Shaped structures surmounted 10y
gilded spires and tinkling bells have
been built. Many of them have fallen
into decay. but others are built each
year. They are the symbols of the
hold which the Buddhist religion has
upon the people of Burma. Ii is their
belief that the SlreSl way OF "acqulr-
ing merit" and achieving holy rest NJ
ter death is 20 erect a pagodG; and
very few Burmese who are able "a
add 10 the cOuntry's forest of pagoda
spires fail 10 do SO.
No Aristocrscy, Few Poor.
There are no noble classes among
the Burmese no aristocracy, few who
are very wealthy. and few very poc=
While the caste system as a system
does not exist in the country. there
are several classes of people who are
looked upon as degraded 10y their vo
cations and with whom practically ne
intercourse Is had by the majority OF
the people. Unfortunately. too. these
classes are hereditary. They are the
grave diggers. the descendants OF the
former pagoda slaves and the beggarS
The general attitude toward these un
fOriunates is one OF the contradictions
In Burmese character: and there are
others. Their religion requires kind
ness toward animals. and Burmese will