Farming the Burmese Hills

While planning our trip to Myanmar, one experience that we continued to read about, and become enamored of, was an overnight farm-stay and scenic, countryside trek through several tribal farming villages in the Shan Hills, near idyllic Inle Lake. Commencing from the old colonial hill station of Kalaw, the trek would take nearly two days of walking (with the help of a quick car ride to set us off and a boat journey up the lake) to reach Nyaungshwe village, our destination on Inle Lake. Well worth the trek, we knew this experience would take us deeper into Burmese culture, specifically agricultural practices of the local tribes, often missing from the typical tourist itinerary. 

We signed up with A-1 Trekking in Kalaw, and our gracious and informative guide, Shwe Ou of the Pa-O tribe, provided an insider’s view into village life as she steered us along the 40 odd kilometers it would take to reach our end point. We were peppered with local fact and lore (and answers to our many questions) as we weaved through small, rural villages and made our way via well-trodden paths along the raised edges of dried rice paddies, across fields of ginger and wheat and forests of bamboo and teak. 

Our 2-day trek through the Shan Hills of Burma led us through several tribal villages and across a whole lot of farmland (Feb 20). 

Several of the villages harvested wheat which was neatly gathered and left to dry in the sun for five days (Feb 20). 

On our walk, we saw very little machinery being used in fields but instead livestock powered tools (Feb 20).

This area was in the middle of dry season with most fields already harvested except for areas near water resources (Feb 20). 

A common sight, rice and red chiles, which are grown in abundance in this area, spread out on canvases to dry in the hot sun (Feb 20).

We had tea with a village lady who knits everything from scarves to satchels to mobile phone cases, which are then sold at market (Feb 20). 

Work in the villages ranges from working in the fields to weaving bamboo for housing or baskets to cutting firewood for cooking and warmth (Feb 20). 

Baskets of harvested ginger, another important crop in this area, lined the trails (Feb 20). 

Two to three times the size of ginger we see back home, this recently harvested batch will dry before being sold at market (Feb 20).

We witnessed firsthand the labor intensive agricultural techniques employed in a land of limited resources but ample commitment; it was amazing to see what these communities are able to achieve in the absence of petroleum-powered means. Entire tribes worked together in the cultivation of food, and it was abundantly clear how close the ties and mutual concern of interdependency have bound these tightknit people. Working in groups, they laugh and chat together throughout the day, bringing to life the axiom, “many hands make light work.”

Local school children played in and around the schoolhouse, waiting for the ice cream man to drive by (Feb 20). 

A beautifully cut, heart-shaped ice cream on a small bamboo stick (Feb 20). 

We witnessed much of daily farm life as we passed by on the trail to Inle Lake (Feb 20).  

Women returning from the field work (Feb 20).

We saw many burned fields, especially of corn, readying the soil for the next season (Feb 20). 

Children take a rest with their father after chopping firewood (Feb 20). 

As we ate lunch in Kone-hla village, women sorted red chiles for market (Feb 20). 

We saw very few vehicles in the villages but instead livestock being used to haul harvest (Feb 20).

Beautiful tilled fields ready for planting (Feb 20). 

Ack! A long green vine snake spotted on the side of the trail (Feb 20). 

The crafts of the Pa-O people in the Kone-hla village included handwoven bamboo baskets made by the men and colorful textiles woven by the women. These products, sold in the local markets (and to tourists) significantly supplement their income; however, agriculture is the mainstay of their revenue. Crops of especial importance to these communities include rice, wheat, corn, chili pepper, ginger and turmeric.  What they’re unable or unwilling to produce locally, they must collectively procure weekly at regional markets, which are often hours away by motorbike.

As we neared Pattu Pauk village, where we would spend the night, we passed local women walking to the well to collect water (Feb 20). 

in Pattu Pauk village, the men stay home to weave large bamboo baskets sold at market for around 3,000 kyat or 2USD (Feb 20).  

In the village, teens played a game of chinlone, a popular sport in Myanmar where a woven rattan ball is passed back and forth over a net using only the head or feet (Feb 20). 

After a rest, we departed the village for a short hike to watch sunset, and en route, we passed the local women returning with water (Feb 20). 

We took in a panoramic view over the fields and hills of Burma as the sun sat on our first day of walking (Feb 20). 

Morning life in the village as a women prepares a small fire for warmth (Feb 21).

As we sat out on another day of walking, we passed this local man waking up in the sun (Feb 20). 

The closer we got to Inle Lake, the more and more we saw bamboo forests (Feb 21). 

As the sun rose and temperature heated up, the livestock came to life in the hazy fields (Feb 21).  

These devoutly Buddhist people treat all living beings with care and respect, and we saw that most notably in their loving, tender relationships with their most important work animal, the water buffalo.  We witnessed farmers bathing their buffalo and shredding by hand the wheat meal that supplements their diet in the dry season. Even stray dogs and cats are tended to and seem to be healthier, comparatively, than those in other developing economies.

"Just over those hills," said our guide (Feb 21). 

Along the way, we often saw piles of wheat, used to supplement the diets of livestock during the dry season (Feb 21). 

We spent a moment with a gaggle of young mothers catching up by the trail (Feb 21).

The mother was particularly proud of her new child and wanted to see the pictures that had been shot (Feb 21).

Near the end of our walk, we spotted this family working together to collect and chop firewood (Feb 21).

Full of laughter and joy, the matron of the family was keeping them on task (Feb 21).

We passed a controlled (and hot!) fire used for agriculture and land management by the Burmese people for centuries (Feb 21).

Finally! We arrived to Inle Lake where we were ferried to our hotel in the north (Feb 21). 

Times are certainly changing for the communities in this part of Myanmar: electricity is beginning to make its way into villages, roads are being paved, homes are being converted from bamboo to concrete, and mobile phones (and Facebook) are prevalent as of just a few years ago. These changes are making domestic chores, such as cooking and washing, and communication with friends and family in nearby villages significantly easier as well as improving the safety of travel and of their homes, especially in the monsoon season. 

Our gratitude to the Pa-O people for hosting us on our overnight journey and in addition, to the Da Nu and Paulang tribes for allowing us to witness and briefly experience the rhythm, beauty and hardship of farming life in this challenging and progressing land.