BURMA AND THE BURMESE 7
A 19th century description of Burma, Burmese culture and Burmese customs

BURMA AND THE BURMESE 7

will calmly receive any amount of kicking and cuffing from a European, revenging himself, if he be a servant, by robbing his master whenever the opportunity presents itself, but a Burman would return the blow as quickly and as energetically as any Englishman. It is very rarely indeed that the Burmese become domestic servants, for they are far too independent to be at the beck and call of anybody, and, besides that, they like to have almost as many holidays as working days. Their superstitions, too, are very trying to European masters. One of them is that, during sleep, the spirit leaves the body and flits about at will, and that if the sleeper be suddenly awakened he will surely die, for the “butterfly spirit” would be absent. This idea is certainly a very pretty one, but the worry caused by having a servant who will on no account awake you is exceedingly great. You may argue with him, you may threaten him with dismissal, but you will never induce him to disturb your slumber. A lazier man than the average Burman it would be extremely hard to find. When it is absolutely necessary for him to work he generally hits upon some method which will save him a lot of exertion. If he wishes

to cultivate a piece of ground he sets light to the brushwood as a cheap, easy, and efficacious method of preparing the soil. For two or three years he cultivates that piece of land, and then sets light to another spot, allowing the jungle to grow in the old place, which will be ready for reburning when the other ground wants a rest. Rice-growers dispense with ploughs, turning loose instead a number of buffaloes, who cut up the saturated soil with their hoofs. When a Burman has earned a little money he immediately proceeds to spend it all, for the Burmese have no ambition to be rich and never hoard. Consequently there are no large landowners, and there being no aristocracy the people are as near being on an equality as possible. Poor people are quite as rare as rich people, and the only beggars to be met with are the lepers, who sit on the steps of the pagodas. Should a Burman find himself in possession of a large sum of money, he builds a pagoda, and possibly a zayat or rest-house. If any money still remains he gives a theatrical performance. There is no Burmese theatre, but when a Burman wishes to entertain < 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12 > Henry Charles Moore, "Burmese Traits" 1893