31 March
CARAVANS of bullock carts traveling towards the Mann Shwe Settaw Pagoda Festival, then leaving the pagoda after the festival, are still seen every March.
The centuries-old traditional trip by villagers to visit the pagoda has attracted photographers for decades. This tradition can also be seen at the pagoda festivals in Bagan, as well as at pagodas in central Myanmar, especially after the harvest season.
In the time of kings, the number of bullock carts reached over 70, according to records. The preparation period to visit the pagoda was a busy time for villagers after the harvest.
Each family decorated the bullock carts and bulls. They stored feed for their cows and brought cooking utensils and items for making camp at the pagodas, as the trip lasted from six to seven days. The trips were also a time for villagers to enjoy boasting about their decorated carts. Villagers camped near the pagoda and enjoyed performances at traditional theatres, as well as shopping at night during the festival.
The Shwe Settaw pagoda festival remains one of the most famous pagoda festivals in Myanmar, lasting more than two months and ending in April. March is the crowded season for the festival and the best time for students to rest after examinations.
Another festival which witnesses camps of bullock carts is the Ananda Pagoda Festival in Bagan, which falls in December or January during the winter season.
The festival is one of the most significant pagoda festivals in Myanmar and lasts more than two months. Visitors can enjoy the traditional lifestyle of the locals of Bagan during this festival.
Another camp where bullock carts can be seen is in April at the Shwemawdaw Pagoda festival in Bago, about 50 miles from Yangon.
Travelling in bullock carts to pagoda festivals is one of the intangible cultural heritages of Myanmar, and is still seen in some areas thanks to villagers who have preserved the traditional culture of our older generations.
Myanmar has cultural heritages in various fields. Several million year-old primate and fossil remains have been discovered in Myanmar. According to archeological evidence, Myanmar also witnessed the stone, bronze and iron ages.
In its early history, there were ancient Pyu, Mon and Rakhine cities where civilization flourished. The first kingdom in Myanmar was established in Bagan, followed by the Inwa, Taungoo, Nyaungyan and Konbaung dynasties.
Throughout those eras, there were many arts and architectural creations created by those people, who remain as cultural heritages. Similarly, there were religious beliefs, traditions and festivals of ethnic nationals throughout Myanmar who remain as intangible cultural heritages.
These tangible and intangible heritages are a matter of pride and honor for the country and the people.
The nation’s cultural heritage preservation law was enacted on 28 February, 2019 to protect both the tangible and intangible cultural heritages of the country.
Only then, would the work of protecting and maintaining national cultural heritages progress and develop.
If our cultural heritages are not preserved and recognized, they will be adopted, transformed or taken away by other countries.
In fact, the preservation of intangible cultural heritages requires coordination with local people and understanding the essential role of communities in safeguarding cultural heritages.
By Nat Ye Hla
