Khun Laser : Personal shoots:

A PORTRAIT OF A WONDERFUL PEOPLE: THE PA-OH

The Pa.Oh people are one of the ethnic minority groups in Shan State with a population of over 1.5 million.

A great majority of the Pa-Oh make their home in southern Shan State, where they represent the largest ethnic minority in the state. A small group lives near the Thai border and opposite Mae Hong Son, and a larger number resides around the southern town of Thaton, in Mon State. In general, most Pa-Oh live in the area bounded by the Sittang River to the west and the Thanlwin River to the east. Nationwide they number about 3 million.
Historians claim that the Pa-Oh originated in Thaton (Mon State) and the surrounding area. The Pa-Oh believe that they once had their own kings in Thaton, but after the fall of their dynasty they were driven north. Some historians argue that the Pa-Oh migration was the result of the defeat of Mon King Manuha by King Anawratha of Bagan, founder of the first Burmese empire who carried away many Mon craftsmen to work as indentured laborers on his many construction sites in Bagan.

But the Pa-Oh averted this misfortune by fleeing northward, all the way into southern Shan State. Linguistically, they are related to the Karenni in Kayah State, but the Pa-Oh might find this fact difficult to believe. They call themselves Pa-Oh whereas the Burmese designate them as Taungthu, meaning hill men. And that is what most of them are, hill farmers, with Taunggyi as their commercial center, Kak Ku as their main religious center, and Naung Htaw and Kyauk Ta Lone as their two power centers.

A Little Bit About Of Pa.Oh Land

Kyauk Ta Lone, east of Lake Inle, is only about ten miles (sixteen kilometers) southwest of Kak Ku. The Pa.Oh has invested in tourism, having built the beautiful Golden Island Cottages hotel in the middle of Lake Inle and another one on the eastern shore.
The government has recognized U Aung Kham Hti as a National Leader. My Pa.Oh friend told me that the Pa.Oh area, including Kak Ku and Indein, become fully accessible to foreigners. The Pa.Oh follow Buddhism devoutly and, unlike their Karen cousins, barred Christian missionaries from their homeland.
But oddly enough, it was an American missionary who several decades ago wrote the only English-language book about the Pa.Oh, a book that is very difficult to come by unless one visits their cultural center in Taung Gyi. I recall the title as being The Pa.Oh People of Shan State, Union of Burma, by William Dan Hackett.
Easily identifiable because of their distinctive clothing, the Pa.Oh wear black garments and brightly colored turbans, often a towel. Menswear consists of loose-fitting pants and jackets; the women wear skirts and decorated smock like tops. The farmers grow cereals such as rice and corn and many different vegetables, fruits, stimulants, and spices-gourd, soybeans, pumpkin, cucumber, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, sugar cane, peanuts, sesame, avocados, bananas, apples, lemons, pineapple, grapefruit, oranges, papaya, coffee, tea, onions, chili, ginger, and lots of garlic.

Their fields appear neat and orderly and their houses tidy, with colorful shrubs and flowers around them. They raise cattle and use oxen for transportation and work in the fields. Their main cash crop, however, is the thanapet leaf of the cordial tree, which serves as a wrapper for the popular cheroot. Nearby Taung Gyi is known to produce the finest such cigarillos, to which I can testify, having bought some for myself. The Pa.Oh have a reputation for being among the most skillful traders in all of Shan State, and in major towns, especially Taung Gyi, they own several businesses.The Pa.Oh is viewed as conservative, generous, peaceful, and deeply religious. Their daily lives are typically guided by their religious beliefs, which include nat worship. On the full moon of the lunar month of Tazaungmone (in November), they celebrate a famous hot-air balloon festival when they release large self-made hot-air balloons into the night sky, where the fiery balloons waft along like bright stars. But the highlight of the year for all Pa.Oh takes place on the full moon of the lunar month of Tabound (in March) when Pa.Oh National Day is celebrated at Kak Ku. Hundreds of tents and stands are made ready for the thousands of Pa.Oh who stream from the hills into the tiny village bringing their goods on oxcarts. The shy but hospitable Pa.Oh do not find it disturbing when foreigners join in their celebrations.

Khun Laser @ Taung Gyi

Taunggyi is situated in the southern Shan State and is the capital town of Shan States. It is (4,712)feet above the sea level and has a moderate climate. Also located about (500) kilometers north of Yangon and about (10) kilometers southeast of Mandalay. The capital city is situated on a high plateau surrounded by high mountains.

As Taunggyi lies on a hill region, the atmosphere is conducive to good health especially by means of the salubrious mountain air. It usually rains in Taunggyi from June to November and average annual rainfall is 32.68 inches. To reach Taunggyi you first have to fly to Heho, about 40 kilometers to the West, because the town itself does not boast an airfield.
Taunggyi can be reached by road, rail or air from all parts of the country. The distance between Yangon and Taunggyi is 456 miles and can be reached by road directly. The road to Taunggyi is full of bends and zigzags and, seen from above, resembles a snake. One can have a good view of the surrounding area while travelling along this road. As soon as you enter Taunggyi, the magnificent Sao Sam Htun Hospital can be seen first and further on there are the Taunggyi Department Store, the market, Dhammayon (congregation hall), Agricultural Bank, cinemas and shops and stores, restaurants, churches, Shan State Cultural Museum
Taunggyi Degree College, the golf course and residential buildings.There are pines, cherry and eucalyptus trees growing all over the town and the whole area is green and pleasant. The busiest part of Taunggyi is the Myoma Market, a place where people from the environs used to flock only once every five days to buy and sell their regional products. Now it has become a daily market and is constantly crowded with people. It is also the gathering point of different national races residing in Taunggyi.
Museum: Another interesting place to visit in Taunggyi is the Cultural Museum where cultural objects, musical instruments, traditional dresses, household and farm implements, paintings, sculptures, arts and crafts of the different national races residing in Shan State can be seen. There are also 'Hawnans" (palatial residences) where the Shan Sawbwas (Shan Chieftains) used to live can also be observed.

Festival: In Taunggyi the people celebrate the Tazaungdine festival with Kahtein (offering of monk robes) as well as the releasing up fire-balloons into the sky. Balloons in the shape of elephant, ox, horse, water-buffalo, bird, pig, fish, owl and parrot are released. The Taunggyi festival is the biggest festival in the country. It is attended not only by Taunggyi Citizens but also by people from southern Shan State and many different races. Taungyi's Kahtein tradition is amazing and worthy of reverence.

Pa.Oh Traditional Wear !!!

Pa.Oh Main Religious Center Kaku and Logo.

P.Oh Traditional Wear is Base on this Logo.


Here is Desktop Wallpaper for you all....

At the top of the highest mountain of Pa.Oh Land.

Khun Laser took this photo when he went to Lwe Mor Mountain.
The location is near Pan Own village and Hthan Yan village that the east side of southern shan state. These village are the mountainy villages.
He have many friends there.
The mountain is over 8000 feet high.

The local pa.oh people also called as family mountain bez the mother mountain have one son and one daughter of mountains.
The frog mountain is also near there.
That is very wonderful place.

Warmly Welcom For New Friends

His name is Khun Lazer. He is Pa.Oh nation.
He is 22 years old. Khun Lazer is interesting in MCSE & Cisco Certified. He is from Southern of Shan State, Taung Gyi, Mingalar Oo Quarter & Kyaut Ta Lone Gyi.
Khun Laser took this photo when he was in Malaysia,
Kuala Lupur, 59100, Bangsar baru.

E-mail : khun.tgy@gmail.com
Phone : 0095-1-546968, 555701 (Temp)
Location : Yangon, Myanmar

Foster Father and Foster Mother !!!

Khun Laser took this photo when he went and visited together with some of German sponsors and many children to Yadanarbon Play Station, Mandalay.

We had a grate fun that day.

Trip to Kaku.




At the top of the mountain of Shwe Bone Pwint (Taung Gyi).