NEWS FOR WOMEN Christchurch Woman’s Journey By Paddle Steamer In Burma

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28100, 16 October 1956, Page 2

NEWS FOR WOMEN Christchurch Woman’s Journey By Paddle Steamer In Burma

Two unusual water journeys in Burma—one in a boat propelled by leg-rowers on Inle Lake and the other by paddle steamer on the Irrawaddy river—are described by Mrs Neta Neale, of Christchurch, in a letter home.

Mrs Neale is at present in Burma with her husband, Mr R. D. Neale, who is in charge of the electrical engineering school at the University of Rangoon, for the Colombo Plan. “It was almost frosty when we left Kalaw for Inle Lake, which has an area of about 74 square miles and is dotted with islands and hundreds of thatched houses on stilts.” she said.

The lake trip was made in a long flat boat which was rowed from house to house and from village to village by leg-rowers. The men stand up in the stern, wrap one leg around the paddle and propel the shallow craft rapidly across the water. “They are. I believe, the only leg-rowers in the world.”

“This peaceful water scene was somewhat different from the journey we took part in when we left Bhamo for Mandalay on the Irrawaddy river by paddle steamer.” she said. “On the shore were crowds of men. women, babies, baskets of vegetables, rolls of bedding, sleeping mats, baskets of food, bags of rice, bundles of all descriptions mixed up together. On the deck were more men, women, and babies, mats and food baskets. Stolidly trotting up and down the gang-plank between the two noisy groups were coolies loading the ship. Bells rang, the sound of the voices rose in pitch and tempo, and the gang-plank was slowly moved away. Then shouts and encouraging shrieks from all sides rose as the inevitable latecomer threw his bedroll over the rail, grasped his food tin and basket more firmly and made a jump for the ship. He made it. “It is this kind of excitement a Burman dearly loves and it happened often enough on our various river stops for me to suspect that the late one enjoys it even more. What would it matter if he didn’t get aboard? There would be another boat in a few days and what's the hurry?” Colourful Passengers

Describing the journey along the river. Mrs Neale said that as the steamer swung out into the channel, the people settled themselves on their mats with their possessions around them. The confused scene sorted itself nut into a colourful pattern of bright longyia (worn by all Burmese), the khaki of the escorting soldiers. the brilliant orange robes of the Buddhist phongyis (monks), and the occasional red or black robe of some of the tribesmen.

“From time to time the rhythm of the paddles would change and the voice Tf an Indian sailor could be heard

calling out the depth of a changing channel.

“As the river wound between many bluffs, we were constantly reminded that we were in a Buddhist country by the sight of a white pagoda perched oh a cliff or tucked among the junglecovered hills,” she said. “We saw villages on the water’s edge with the people going about their business of growing food or just gossipping; then a long, shallow boat pulled down the river selling pottery water jars would drift by, or a small fishing craft with strangely-shaped bamboo nets.” At each village port of call cargo, the product of that particular area, would be taken aboard. Sometimes the cargo would be huge bundles of bamboo to be tied to the outside of the boat, or it might be tall baskets laden with vegetables, bales of cotton, rice, or lacquer bowls. “Now and then we would go ashore, scrambling up the bank or climbing rough steps to the village to buy a small piece of unfired pottery or some other unusual trifle,” she said. “Always the people were smiling and curious to see our strage clothes and our hair, which is so unlike their own shiny black locks.”

Back on the river, the paddle steamer would pass huge rafts made of teak logs being floated down to timber mills. Thatch huts on these floating wood “islands” housed the raftsmen. If the rafts had to pass through rebel areas, two or three soldiers would also be aboard. Mandalay Mrs Neale’s first impression of Mandalay was that it seemed to be full of pagodas and phongyis. The pagodas varied from the beautiful Arakan pagoda to small ruins, overgrown with grass. “I believe there are about 6000 Buddhist monks in Mandalay, and I can well believe it.” the said. “It seems a pity that the palace of the Kings of Burma was destroyed in the last war, but we found some interest in photographing the remains of the tower from which the ’ast Queen of Burma watched the first approaches of the invading British troops in 1885.” Pagan, the deserted land of Kings of Burma which is south of Mandalay, had its heyday from about 200 A.D. to the thirteenth century, vhen .Mongol hordes descended upon it. “It is now a dusty, almost deserted plain covered with pagodas,” she said. “All the trees in the area were cut down to provide fuel for making the bricks, but the Burmese Government has an afforestation plan to restore the trees.” Burma, which gained its independence from Britain only eight years ago. is a land of tremendous opportunities for development. “We watch with interest the progress of the many new projects which the Government has already started throughout the country.” Mrs Neale said.