100 years Myanmar – Myanmar unlimited

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

copyright Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde München. All Rights reserved — Buddha in Kaukdawgyi Pagoda in Mandalay @ Christine Scherman

copyright Birgit Neiser 2012. All Rights Reserved — 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

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

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

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

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

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

Kola, a village on stilts on Inle Lake @ Christine Scherman

Nam Hu, a village on stilts on Inle Lake @ Birgit Neiser

Inla Lake — Using their legs to row leaves fishermen a hand free to fish @ Birgit Neiser

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

„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

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

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

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

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

44_95E_5038_PS — 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