Nation and Nationalism
Hay Mann Zaw (540415501)
National Artifact Assignment (Part 1)
Human Geography, Chiang Mai University
Submitted to Professor Elizabeth Lunstrum
29th January, 2013
My Hometown, Mandalay as a National Artifact
My name is Hay Mann Zaw. I’m a second year student majoring in Social Science at Chiang Mai University. I am a Myanmar who has been living in Mandalay, Myanmar my whole life until I came to study in Chaing Mai. I am very proud of my hometown and it makes me a nationalist in some ways. Mandalay is also the hometown of both of my parents. The great, great grandfather from my mother’s side was the first engineer of Myanmar, he was sent to study in France during the pre-colonial period, 19th century. His son, my great grandfather was the one who translated Geometry from English to Burmese. My grandfather, himself was the activist in colonial period that sacrificed his left leg for the country. Because of my ancestors and the way I was educated, I am positively sure that Nationalism is in my blood. My ancestors had been living and passing bloodlines in Mandalay. It becomes a part of my life not only as hometown but also as something to be proud of. The education that Government provides in Myanmar is making history of Myanmar as compulsory subject. Basically, it promotes the culture and only the greatness of Myanmar Kings and Kingdoms. We are taught to look with full of pride at our pre-colonial history. Also Myanmar is the habitat of various ethnic groups; the definition of nationalism can be different for each ethnic group. "Nationalism is an ideology about individuated being. It is an ideology concerned with boundedness, continuity, and homogeneity encompassing diversity. It is an ideology in which social reality, conceived in terms of nationhood, is endowed with the reality of natural things”. (Richard Handler)
Before I make further explanation about Mandalay, I would like to describe briefly about Myanmar/Burma. The country was colonized by the
National Artifact Assignment (Part 1)
Human Geography, Chiang Mai University
Submitted to Professor Elizabeth Lunstrum
29th January, 2013
My Hometown, Mandalay as a National Artifact
My name is Hay Mann Zaw. I’m a second year student majoring in Social Science at Chiang Mai University. I am a Myanmar who has been living in Mandalay, Myanmar my whole life until I came to study in Chaing Mai. I am very proud of my hometown and it makes me a nationalist in some ways. Mandalay is also the hometown of both of my parents. The great, great grandfather from my mother’s side was the first engineer of Myanmar, he was sent to study in France during the pre-colonial period, 19th century. His son, my great grandfather was the one who translated Geometry from English to Burmese. My grandfather, himself was the activist in colonial period that sacrificed his left leg for the country. Because of my ancestors and the way I was educated, I am positively sure that Nationalism is in my blood. My ancestors had been living and passing bloodlines in Mandalay. It becomes a part of my life not only as hometown but also as something to be proud of. The education that Government provides in Myanmar is making history of Myanmar as compulsory subject. Basically, it promotes the culture and only the greatness of Myanmar Kings and Kingdoms. We are taught to look with full of pride at our pre-colonial history. Also Myanmar is the habitat of various ethnic groups; the definition of nationalism can be different for each ethnic group. "Nationalism is an ideology about individuated being. It is an ideology concerned with boundedness, continuity, and homogeneity encompassing diversity. It is an ideology in which social reality, conceived in terms of nationhood, is endowed with the reality of natural things”. (Richard Handler)
Before I make further explanation about Mandalay, I would like to describe briefly about Myanmar/Burma. The country was colonized by the