burma

BURMA

“A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP...” DIANE SEVERYN MORRIS

BURMA“A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES

BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP...”

DIANE SEVERYN MORRIS

Photos taken in 1997

Copyright ©2011 Diane Severyn Morris. All rights reserved.

Inle Lake

for the children of Burma...may they live their dreams

“The mind forgets but the heart will always remember”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DIANE SEVERYN MORRIS

Reclining Buddha at Chaukhtatgyi Paya in Yangon City

The culture of Burma has been heavily influenced by Buddhism and the Mon people. It’s neighbors, particularly China and Thailand have made major contributions to Burmese culture. In more recent times, British colonial rule and westernization have influenced aspects of Burmese culture, including language and education. Once known as Burma, Myanmar was an independent Buddhist Kingdom from the 11th to the 13th centuries, when the country fell to Mongol invaders. One hundred years later, it was a satellite of China.

Britain and France vied for Burma, and in the early 1800s, France was in the ascendancy. Britain, however, eventually triumphed and Burma came under the control of the British raj of India. In 1937, Burma became a self-governing protectorate. In 1948 the Union of Burma was born. Fourteen years later a military coup overthrew the government. The result: “Burmese path to socialism” caused economic stagnation and isolation from the international community. Military rule was finally restored and in 1991 international attention was focused on Burma as the Noble Peace Prize was awarded to Aung San Suu Kyl.

Youn

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Paya (T

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Intha Fisherman

Farmer’s Market

Attitude

Strawberry Shortcake

Sun

set

on I

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Lak

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“Don’t tell me how educated you are... tell me how much you have traveled.”

Diane Severyn Morris was born in 1944 in Massachusetts where she spent her childhood. She enjoys world travel, gardening, and tending to her grandchildren. She presently resides in Vermont, South Carolina, and Washington, DC.

Acknowledgements:

To my traveling companions from World Presidents’ Organization whose generous donations made dreams come true....

a new school house filled with supplies for the children of Burma...

Thank you