The Engleson Files

One of the most enduring memories I will take away from my time in Burma is that of the monks. Simply put, in Myanmar, they are the heart and soul of the country, the culture and the people. Every Burmese citizen at one point in their life has lived in a monastery (and many will serve as much as three times) and all have a very deep attachment to them and their cause. No matter where you are in Myanmar you can be rest assured to see shaved headed men walking around wearing their dark red cloaks and carrying their black wooden bowls engaged in their daily chores (Myanmar nuns wear pink cloaks and also have shaved heads). The life of a monk goes as follows: rise and shine very early in the morning and begin to walk to the streets (must be in barefeet) in search of their breakfast and lunch meals. Here they will go from door to door collecting food, which they put into their black bowls, and as we were told, it is every citizens duty to feed the monks and provide to them any offerings they can. The monks will search for food all morning and are only allowed two meals per day - breakfast and lunch, then in the afternoons and evenings they must return to their monasteries, or other places of worship, to study. It is very obvious that their place in Burmese society is very, very important, which is why the junta government has so many issues with them, and is also why the people will always stand by them through thick and thin.