skip to Main Content

GOLDEN LAND – 100 years Burma/Myanmar

Photographs by Christine Scherman and Birgit Neiser

Exhibition at the “Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde”, State Museum of Ethnology, Munich, June 14, 2013 until January 12, 2014, Yangon National Museum November 22, 2013 until January 12, 2014, Archeological Museum Bagan January 20 until March 28, 2014.

A hundred years lie between the travels of Christine Scherman in 1911 and Birgit Neiser between 2010 and 2013, two female photographers from Munich, Germany, who both journeyed through Myanmar, documenting the country with their cameras. Christine Scherman’s entire photographic material, which is largely in the form of glass-plate negatives, is now at home at the State Museum of Ethnology in Munich.  The juxtaposition of the photographs from past and present gives the viewer an impression of how, and where, the country has changed over the last century; and how, if at all, the perspective of the two photographers might differ – due to their era, personal experiences and varying perceptions.

View from the Sulamani Pagoda over Bagan toward the west to the Ananda Pagoda,
@ Christine Scherman
View from the Sulamani Pagoda over Bagan toward the west to the Ananda Pagoda, @ Christine Scherman
View of temples and pagodas of Bagan taken from a balloon. In the background, the Irrawady River, 
@ Birgit Neiser
View of temples and pagodas of Bagan taken from a balloon. In the background, the Irrawady River, @ Birgit Neiser
Buddha in Kaukdawgyi Pagoda in Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Buddha in Aung Htu Kan Than Pagoda, Pyin Oo Lwin @ Birgit Neiser
Bamboo raft on the Chindwin River, Shwepalin promontory in the background  
@ Christine Scherman
Bamboo raft on the Chindwin River, Shwepalin promontory in the background @ Christine Scherman
Bamboo raft on the Chindwin River. Today wood is still transported in the form of inhabited rafts @ Birgit Neiser
Bamboo raft on the Chindwin River. Today wood is still transported in the form of inhabited rafts @ Birgit Neiser
Floating gardens on Inle Lake are cultivated from boats
 @ Christine Scherman
Floating gardens on Inle Lake are cultivated from boats @ Christine Scherman
Floating gardens on Inle Lake. Since the lake is very shallow, the fields and beds are anchored in the bottom of the lake with poles @ Birgit Neiser
Floating gardens on Inle Lake. Since the lake is very shallow, the fields and beds are anchored in the bottom of the lake with poles @ Birgit Neiser
Remains of an ancient city gate in Bagan (11th/12th century) @ Christine Scherman
Remains of an ancient city gate in Bagan (11th/12th century) @ Christine Scherman
City gate in Taunggyi bearing the motto for the future @ Birgit Neiser
City gate in Taunggyi bearing the motto for the future @ Birgit Neiser
Container ships in the Port of Yangon. Small passenger boats serve as water taxis from one bank of the Yangon River to the other @ Christine Scherman
Container ships in the Port of Yangon. Small passenger boats serve as water taxis from one bank of the Yangon River to the other @ Christine Scherman
Merchant ships and ferries in the Port of Yangon  @ Birgit Neiser
Merchant ships and ferries in the Port of Yangon @ Birgit Neiser
Riverside with bazaar huts in Pekon. The bazaar traders arrive with boats early in the morning @ Christine Scherman
Riverside with bazaar huts in Pekon. The bazaar traders arrive with boats early in the morning @ Christine Scherman
Bank of the Yangon River in Yangon. Goods for the city’s markets are being unloaded @ Birgit Neiser
Bank of the Yangon River in Yangon. Goods for the city’s markets are being unloaded @ Birgit Neiser
Train at the railway station
 @ Christine Scherman
Train at the railway station @ Christine Scherman
At the railway station in Pyin Oo Lwyin. The railway cars date from the colonial period @ Birgit Neiser
At the railway station in Pyin Oo Lwyin. The railway cars date from the colonial period @ Birgit Neiser
Kola, a village on stilts on Inle Lake @ Christine Scherman
Kola, a village on stilts on Inle Lake @ Christine Scherman
Nam Hu, a village on stilts on Inle Lake @ Birgit Neiser
Nam Hu, a village on stilts on Inle Lake @ Birgit Neiser
Leg rowers on Inle Lake @ Christine Scherman
Using their legs to row leaves fishermen a hand free to fish @ Birgit Neiser
@ Christine Scherman
@ Christine Scherman
Today the enormous strength of the elephants is still needed for hard work in the teak forests
@ Birgit Neiser
Today the enormous strength of the elephants is still needed for hard work in the teak forests @ Birgit Neiser
Plowing with a water buffalo
@ Christine Scherman
Plowing with a water buffalo @ Christine Scherman
In many places work in the fields today is performed with the help of the „Chinese Bull“, a plough with a Chinese motor @ Birgit Neiser
In many places work in the fields today is performed with the help of the „Chinese Bull“, a plough with a Chinese motor @ Birgit Neiser
„Women bathing always make a pretty picture – whether on the riverside or at a well. Dressed in lungi, they step into the river or pour water from the well over themselves and soap themselves. A fresh lungi is put over the head, the wet one beneath falls to the ground and is washed“ (Travel diary, Christine Scherman dated 15 July 1911) @ Christine Scherman
„Women bathing always make a pretty picture – whether on the riverside or at a well. Dressed in lungi, they step into the river or pour water from the well over themselves and soap themselves. A fresh lungi is put over the head, the wet one beneath falls to the ground and is washed“ (Travel diary, Christine Scherman dated 15 July 1911) @ Christine Scherman
Women at the village well bathe just like their predecessors a hundred years ago @ Birgit Neiser
Women at the village well bathe just like their predecessors a hundred years ago @ Birgit Neiser
Kachin woman seated at a backstrap loom @ Christine Scherman
Kachin woman seated at a backstrap loom @ Christine Scherman
Weaver of the Ann tribe near Kyaing Tong. Her black teeth come from decades of chewing betel nuts @ Birgit Neiser
Weaver of the Ann tribe near Kyaing Tong. Her black teeth come from decades of chewing betel nuts @ Birgit Neiser
Headman’s house in Hensum on the Chindwin River
@ Christine Scherman
Headman’s house in Hensum on the Chindwin River @ Christine Scherman
Chin headmen in front of the house of the village elder in Kyar To near Mindat @ Birgit Neiser
Chin headmen in front of the house of the village elder in Kyar To near Mindat @ Birgit Neiser
Interior of a Palaung longhouse, Shan State
@ Christine Scherman
Interior of a Palaung longhouse, Shan State @ Christine Scherman
Longhouse of the Loi tribe, Shan State. Each family has its own hearth
@ Birgit Neiser
Longhouse of the Loi tribe, Shan State. Each family has its own hearth @ Birgit Neiser
Funeral procession for a deceased high-ranking abbot (pongyi). Two elephants figures made of paper-mache can be seen on the ceremonial float
@ Christine Scherman
Funeral procession for a deceased high-ranking abbot (pongyi). Two elephants figures made of paper-mache can be seen on the ceremonial float @ Christine Scherman
Balloon festival in Taunggyi on the occasion of the Tazaungmon Festival of Lights. White elephants are still highly venerated in Myanmar. They are prosperity for the country and its people @ Birgit Neiser
Balloon festival in Taunggyi on the occasion of the Tazaungmon Festival of Lights. White elephants are still highly venerated in Myanmar. They are prosperity for the country and its people @ Birgit Neiser
Boat race during the Nat festival at Taungbyou near Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Boat race during the Nat festival at Taungbyou near Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Boat race on Inle Lake during Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival
@ Birgit Neiser
Boat race on Inle Lake during Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival @ Birgit Neiser
Two Shan men in a pose in ritual swordplay
@ Christine Scherman
Two Shan men in a pose in ritual swordplay @ Christine Scherman
Shan girl participating in ritual swordplay
@ Birgit Neiser
Shan girl participating in ritual swordplay @ Birgit Neiser
Pwe orchestra with gongs and a circle drum played by an instrument maker
@ Christine Scherman
Pwe orchestra with gongs and a circle drum played by an instrument maker @ Christine Scherman
Music shop which sells mainly music CDs
@ Birgit Neiser
Music shop which sells mainly music CDs @ Birgit Neiser
The highest abbot at the entrance to the now destroyed Golden Palace Monastery in Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
The abbot at the entrance to the Tai Low Monastery in Sala @ Birgit Neiser
Monks in front of the Golden Palace Monastery in Mandalay
@ Christine Scherman
Monks in front of the Golden Palace Monastery in Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Monks in passageway of Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan
@ Birgit Neiser
Monks in passageway of Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan @ Birgit Neiser
Women on a feast day bearing gifts on the way to a monastery, Mandalay
@ Christine Scherman
Women on a feast day bearing gifts on the way to a monastery, Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Buddhist nuns on the way to Loikaw Monastery
@ Birgit Neiser
Buddhist nuns on the way to Loikaw Monastery @ Birgit Neiser
Evening prayers in Kettha monastery near Homalin
@ Christine Scherman
Evening prayers in Kettha monastery near Homalin @ Christine Scherman
Men praying in Ya Tar Pagoda during the Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival at Inle Lake
@ Birgit Neiser
Men praying in Ya Tar Pagoda during the Phaung Daw U Pagoda Festival at Inle Lake @ Birgit Neiser
Nat altar during a Nat festival in Mandalay
@ Christine Scherman
Nat altar during a Nat festival in Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Nat shrine on Mount Popa venerating the 37 Great Nats
@ Birgit Neiser
Nat shrine on Mount Popa venerating the 37 Great Nats @ Birgit Neiser
Carving marble Buddha statue in Mandalay
@ Christine Scherman
Carving marble Buddha statue in Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Today Mandalay is still a production centre for Buddha statues
 @ Birgit Neiser
Today Mandalay is still a production centre for Buddha statues @ Birgit Neiser
Shrines and small stupas at the foot of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. History of their construction dates back to the 14th century
@ Christine Scherman
Shrines and small stupas at the foot of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. History of their construction dates back to the 14th century @ Christine Scherman
Shwedagon Pagoda in sea of lights in 2012
@ Birgit Neiser
Shwedagon Pagoda in sea of lights in 2012 @ Birgit Neiser
Shwe Pa U Pagoda in Yawnghwe, Shan State
@ Christine Scherman
Shwe Pa U Pagoda in Yawnghwe, Shan State @ Christine Scherman
Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan. Shwe means „golden“ in Burmese
@ Birgit Neiser
Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan. Shwe means „golden“ in Burmese @ Birgit Neiser
Broken Buddha figure in ruins of a temple in Sagaing, west of Mandalay
@ Christine Scherman
Broken Buddha figure in ruins of a temple in Sagaing, west of Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Concrete sitting Buddha, 80 metres high, under construction
@ Birgit Neiser
Concrete sitting Buddha, 80 metres high, under construction @ Birgit Neiser
Group of young boys dressed for the Shin Pyu Festival with their parents on the way to the monastery in Monywa. Acceptance as a novice in a Buddhist monastery is the most important event in the life of a young Burmese boy
@ Christine Scherman
Group of young boys dressed for the Shin Pyu Festival with their parents on the way to the monastery in Monywa. Acceptance as a novice in a Buddhist monastery is the most important event in the life of a young Burmese boy @ Christine Scherman
Novices decorated with golden tinsel on the way to the Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon
@ Birgit Neiser
Novices decorated with golden tinsel on the way to the Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon @ Birgit Neiser
Reclining brick Buddha statue, protected by a corrugated iron roof, Pegu
@ Christine Scherman
Reclining brick Buddha statue, protected by a corrugated iron roof, Pegu @ Christine Scherman
Reclining Buddha, Mudon. A museum is located inside
@ Birgit Neiser
Reclining Buddha, Mudon. A museum is located inside @ Birgit Neiser
Three soldiers of the Kachin ethnic group and a soldier (back turned) from the Lishaw tribe. Bhamo. Northern Shan States
@ Christine Scherman
Three soldiers of the Kachin ethnic group and a soldier (back turned) from the Lishaw tribe. Bhamo. Northern Shan States @ Christine Scherman
Poster advertising the army. Myitkyina, Kachin State
@ Birgit Neiser
Poster advertising the army. Myitkyina, Kachin State @ Birgit Neiser
Village head with his wife. Pekon, Shan State @ Christine Scherman
Village shaman with wife in Ho Kyin No.1 village, Shan State @ Birgit Neiser
Old Taugyo woman from Minmati near Kalaw, smoking a silver pipe @ Christine Scherman
Chin woman with facial tattoos, smoking. Young woman with these tattoos are seldom seen since the custom is gradually dying out @ Birgit Neiser
Tattooed Tawngpeng ruler. The designs usually stretching from the thighs to the torso are both decorated and defensive magic like the small coins inserted in the skin. Mandalay @ Christine Scherman
Monk with tattoos – tattoos are still popular today even though they no longer cover a large part of the body @ Birgit Neiser
Back To Top