Pictures by Anita Lategan.
These 22 pictures of the people of Pyinmana, near Naypyidaw, central Myanmar, were all taken in the relative political freedom of 2018, three years before the military junta returned themselves to absolute power.
I tried to be all profound and meaningful when writing this post, to talk about the failings of development programmes, of juntas, and of coups. But quite honestly, Anita (whose pictures these are) and I spent our time in Myanmar generally inviting ourselves into a closed world and pointing our cameras at what and whomever stayed still long enough. It seems hypocritical to bemoan evils when we both lived expenses paid at the Naypyitaw Hilton. Poverty tourism? Maybe. I like to think we managed to document moments of daily life in a world only so briefly open to the gaze of outsiders. Did we treat our subjects like exhibits in an anthropological diorama? I hope we preserved the uniqueness of their world. So few members of the development-industrial complex invited into Naypyidaw bothered to explore beyond the hotel bars. I only met one other westerner in Pyinmana – a flash-packer who had mistakenly gotten off the train in the wrong place – in two years.
These pictures might as well be from science fiction for the radically different reality they capture. I have no desire to romanticise the awful poverty the people live in. Yet, and without wanting to strip anyone of their agency or dignity, these images testify to the uniqueness of their society and to the creativity and determination of these much put-upon people. Yes, the smiles are the result of the camera; yes, our being there prompted mirth otherwise absent. In our defence, we posed for selfies with anyone that asked. People wanted to meet us just as much as we did them, amazed we showed interest in their lives.
We took pictures thinking we were documenting a soon-to-be-gone world: the Lady was spear-heading change. Sadly, the 2021 coup put the patient back on life-support. You have to feel most sorry for the young raised on the prospect of a brighter future. The Tatmadaw destroyed that hope. Again.
We were very lucky to have been able to take these pictures. We couldn ‘t do it today. Mine abound on this blog; Anita’s represent the last of our material. I long wanted her to do something with her images and I’m thankful she allowed me to edit and share them. It was a good opportunity to revisit such amazing people and their unique home.
Someone needed to document the people of Myanmar in that place and time. I’m glad it was us. Pyinmana, you should know we miss you.
Lee Russell Wilkes 