February 2016
A little ‘history’ is important here....
Hsipaw is the centre of the Shan state – or what was the Shan state (it’s no longer clear what the name is now) – in Myanmar. The Shan people, also known as the Tai people, live throughout Southeast Asia. But the largest number – somewhere between 4 and 6 million – live in Myanmar. They came from China into northern Burma (now Myanmar) centuries ago, and settled in the valleys where they grew rice, vegetables and fruits. These are still their main crops, along with some tea. And they’re involved in the ongoing deforestation of the teak forests. Many Shan are also artisans, making various items out of bamboo, and jewelry using the precious stones found in Burma, Thailand and China.
Most Shans still practice Theravada Buddhism, into which they have incorporated many animist elements. Informal ‘shrines’ to various animals can be seen in many Shan villages and monasteries.
They are a proud and independent people, who during the 1960s were involved in armed resistance to the control of Burmese military dictatorship, but now appear to live in relatively peaceful co-existence with other Burmese groups, and with the central government, which is again a military dictatorship, after a brief flirtation with limited ‘democracy’.
Today the Shans suffer a similar fate to many indigenous peoples – poverty, exploitation by those with more power, inadequate nutrition and poor health care, diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases, and goiter from iron deficiency.
It's possible to take 3-4-5 or more day guided hikes to visit – and stay in – Shan villages.
We elected to go for an unguided bicycle trip for a day of visiting some of the Shan villages closest to Hsipaw.
In all we travelled about 10 kms, every one of which was interesting, beautiful and rewarding.
Our trip started out on a little used 'road'
And many old carts, clearly still in use, with wooden wheels and pulled by water buffalo
Across a bridge....
Along another quiet, tree-lined road...
Through a small settlement beside a river....
We came upon a house that turned out to be a shrine
And then to a small village where a family was making bamboo fans...
We came upon the 'Teak Monastery' ....
And to a much older temple in an area known as 'Little Bagan'
Fittingly our day ended in an old cemetery where we wandered for some time, looking at the various headstones and mausoleums. Some of them were pretty old.
Others much newer, freshly painted, and some with pictures of animals and birds.
For more information about the Shan people go to:
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