Oral histories of Myanmar - life stories; some starting as far back as the late 1920’s.From my years of involvement in Myanmar I have become aware of the increasing scarcity of the generation of Myanma citizens who were born during the colonial period and have lived through the tumultuous years since that time. For me, these men and women are "national treasures" whose experience, perseverance and wisdom gained during their long lives will be lost unless we capture their stories in some way. To this end I have decided to interview a number of these elderly citizens. My hope is that these interviews will be of interest to historians, sociologists and other researchers in the future as well as for the family and friends of those interviewed.

wavePod

Myanmar Oral History Project - life stories

Episodes

Sao Noan Oo or Nel Adams, born 1931 - Unravelling the history of the Panglong Agreement and the rights of the Shan people

Sao Noan Oo or Nel Adams, born 1931 - the life story of a Shan princess- Chapter 16 of My Vanished World -The End of A Dynasty dealing with the disastrous long term consequences for the Shan people following the Martyrs' Day massacres on 19 July 1947

Linda Lewin - Episode 2 - the adventurous life of her great uncle San Po Thin and the sad end of her grandfather, San Po Lwin's life

U David Maung Nyi was born in Kyaukse on 15 April, 1936. He was educated in Kyaukse, Mandalay, Yangon and Otago (New Zealand). He worked in senior roles in the Government's mining companies but resigned after the 1988 riots and coup.

U Nay Oke was born into a prominent Burmese family in 1943 and is the founder of a well known English language school.

Linda Lewin - My Faraway Country Myanmar - Episode 1 - the marriage of her Karen grandfather and French grandmother and the flight from Myanmar of her grandmother and her children (including Linda's father Boh Lay) in 1942

U Than Htay, born 1932, views on colonial and Japanese occupation of Burma, geologist, retired as Deputy Director General of Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration in Ministry of Mines - life story

Dr Than Oo, born 1928, prominent educator, former DG of Basic Education, the key player in raising the literacy rate in Burma in the 1960's and for the re-establishing of the teaching of English to primary school children after a gap of many years.

U Myint Thein, born 1937, former Myanmar Deputy Minister of Mines 1992 to 2006 -life story

U K Ba Thaung (1931-2022) - interesting stories of his relationship with General Ne Win, including observing at first hand some of his many unusual superstitions and remedies