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The official language of Myanmar is Burmese it is spoken collectively across the country as a first and second language. It is taught in all schools across the country. There are many indigenous languages/ dialects spread across the lands of Myanmar and they vary linguistically, geographically, and or regionally. Until 1962 after gaining independence English was considered the national language, while it is no longer taught in schools it is accepted that basic knowledge is necessary, and its instruction is encouraged. (Aungi-Thwin et al., 1999)

Aungi-Thwin, M. A., Aung, A. H., & Steinberg, D. I. (1999, July 26). Myanmar. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Myanmar

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How to say hello and greet someone in Burmese

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Music plays an essential role in the lives and culture of the Burmese people. The Hsaing Waing is the national musical ensemble consisting of many traditional instruments. The ensemble accompanies religious ceremonies, rituals, and performances dating back to 1544. Modern adaptations to the Hsaing Waing include performances at events such as graduations, welcoming ceremonies, and festivals. The music is often accompanied by dance, theatrical performances, and storytelling. It is not just a means of entertainment but also a means of education of religion, culture, and spirit within the community. (Kengkaew, 2015, p. 1-13)

Kengkaew, C. (2015). Traditional Burmese Musical Instruments and Their Roles in Hsaing Waing. The International Journal of Critical Cultural Studies, ₁₃(4), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-0055/cgp/v13i04/43685

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Burmese food is vibrant, healthy, nutritious, and texturally exciting. Mains are served with an accompaniment of sides and sauces.  Popular dishes include the likes of local protein, fresh vegetables, herbs, and rice processed and cooked in many ways.

Here is an example of 3 highly recommended Burmese dishes to try from https://www.rainforestcruises.com/guides/myanmar-food

1.        Nan Gyi Thoke – A warm rice noodle salad with chicken or beef curry served with chili oil, toasted chickpea powder, and shallots.

2.        Myanmar Shrimp Curry -

3.        Mohinga – The national dish of Myanmar it is a lemongrass noodle soup often served for breakfast with split pea fritters, duck eggs, and fishcakes.

(Lewis, 2021)

Lewis, R. (2021, April 28). Myanmar food: 15 traditional dishes you should eat. Rainforest Cruises. https://www.rainforestcruises.com/guides/myanmar-food

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Myanmar food is an integral part of the Burmese way of life. The people of Myanmar love to indulge in food and spend a great many hours preparing and eating a meal, emphasizing on the cooking procedure rather than ingredients, and therefore paving a way for a variety of dishes with constant improvisation.

Burmese cuisine is an exotic blend of noodles, seafood, and rice, spiced up and enhanced by condiments and salads. Fruits, a feature of the tropical climate, are also an important part of this cuisine. The food has been influenced by the techniques, ingredients and flavors of Myanmar's neighbors: Thailand, India and China.

Dishes are characterized by the extensive use of fish products, while pork, beef and poultry are more commonly used in landlocked cities like Mandalay. The great Irrawaddy river flows through the country, which means freshwater fish is a mainstay everywhere, and a primary source of protein, used in a variety of ways; fresh, salted, whole or filleted, salted and dried, made into a salty paste, or fermented sour and pressed.

The Burmese enjoy a wide range of salads (thoke), usually dominated by one major ingredient which may include rice, wheat and rice noodles, glass noodles and vermicelli, to potato, ginger, tomato, kaffir lime, lahpet (pickled tea), and the pounded, fermented fish paste known as ngapi. These salads have always been popular as fast foods in Burmese cities.

Every dish has at least three of the five tastes of salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami, and every meal has a host of accompaniments. Texture is just as important as flavor, even within the same dish - for example, a bowl of Mandalay Meeshay will contain tender rice noodles, crunchy-sour pickles, beansprouts that snap to the bite, and meltingly rich morsels of pork.

Myanmar traditional food is wholesome, nutritious, and filled with the right amount of carbs, proteins, and vitamins. See below for a selection of must-try dishes from the Burmese cuisine.

1. Nan Gyi Thoke

Also known as Mandalay Mont Di, this is a hearty, warm salad of fat rice noodles, chicken or beef curry, chili oil, toasted chickpea powder, coriander and sliced shallots.

2. Burmese Tofu

Burmese tofu is made from chickpeas, while Shan tofu is made from split peas - neither type is made from the more standard soya beans. You can enjoy Burmese tofu in the form of fritters, which are crisp outside and fluffy inside (tohu kyaw) and served with a tangy tamarind dip; or sliced up into a salad (tohu thoke) with a piquant dressing; or even served while still warm and molten (tohu nway) over a bowl of spicy noodles.

3. Mohinga

Mohinga is the national dish of Myanmar. This hearty, herb-based, lemongrass and rice noodle soup, often supplemented with the crunchy pith of the banana tree is usually eaten for breakfast. It is heaped with crispy split-pea fritters, sliced soft boiled duck eggs and bouncy fishcakes, scattered with roasted chili flakes and shredded coriander leaves.

Served with lime or lemon wedges to squeeze on top, this is a perfect, balanced breakfast dish which is now creeping in as a filling snack that can be relished at any time of the day. Few people actually make mohinga at home, as there are countless street vendors and cafés vying for business, and everyone has their favorite.

4. Samosa thoke

The samosa thoke is a traditional Burmese street food that resembles the Indian samosa chaat but not entirely because Burmese samosas are smaller than their Indian cousins. They are filled in with potatoes and chickpea powder. These deep-fried pastries are then dunked in a plain Burmese curry and garnished with mint leaves, sliced onions, tomatoes, cabbage, and brown chickpeas. The base dish is not spicy at all so you can choose to add more chili if you wish.

5. Kyaw − Fried snacks

Myanmar has many popular fried foods that are light, crunchy and grease-free, which you can find on the street. In addition to deep-fried samosas and pancakes, you will find gourd fritters, urad dal fritters, prawn fritters, onion fritters, whitebait fritters, tofu fritters, spring rolls, sweets, breads, and noodles topped with deep-fried crispy garnishes.

6. Myanmar Shrimp Curry

Different from Thai or Indian curries, high on flavors, medium on spices, and low on broth, a Burmese shrimp curry has its own characteristic flavor and taste. Paired with rice, it can make for a perfect lunch.

7. Khao Soi

Khao Soi is a noodle soup made with chicken broth, shallots, and bean sprouts.

8. Nan Gyi thoke

This mouth-watering dish takes the form of thick, round rice noodles with chicken, thin slices of fish cake, par-boiled bean sprouts and slices of hard-boiled egg.

9. Laphet Thoke −Tea leaf salad

Lahpet Thoke is one of Myanmar's most iconic dishes. The sour, slightly bitter, pickled tea leaves are mixed by hand with shredded white cabbage, sliced tomatoes, ginger and other fried spices, dried shrimp, crunchy peanuts, lima beans and peas to create a piquant and savory salad, bursting with flavor and textures. The dish can be a snack, an appetizer or coupled with a plate of rice. Lahpet Thoke is widely observed at traditional ceremonies.

10. Ohn No Khao Swè

This Burmese curried soup contains egg noodles accompanied by coconut cream, vermicelli, and chicken along with spices. Consume with tangy lemon pieces, eggs, and fish sauces.

11. Htamin Jin

This famous rice dish is cooked with potatoes, tamarind pulp, and shrimp paste. It is commonly served with fried garlic, while for a spicier taste, dried chilies can be incorporated.

12. Shan-style 'tofu' noodles

The dish does not include tofu, but a thick sticky yellow porridge made from chickpea flour and turmeric, and served over thin rice noodles, marinated chicken or pork, topped with chili oil and pickled veggies and broth.

13. Burmese Coconut Rice

Cooked rice with onions, coconut milk, sugar and salt, the taste of this wholesome dish is not at all spicy, but deliciously sweet.

14. Ngapi Ye dipping sauce

This dip for deep fried items contains mashed fish or ngapi, lemon juice, shrimp powder and garlic.

15. Shan-style noodles

The dish is a combination of thin, flat rice noodles in a clear, peppery broth with marinated chicken or pork, served with a side of pickled vegetables. Compared with other noodle dishes, it is relatively simple but delicious.

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Myanmar Food: 15 Traditional Dishes You Should Eat - Rainforest Cruises

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Myanmar food is an integral part of the Burmese way of life. The people of Myanmar love to indulge in food and spend a great many hours preparing and eating a

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Click link above to read an article about Thanaka.

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Traditional medicine is used extensively in Myanmar. The use of traditional medicine is of high importance to the health and well-being of the Burmese community and culture. Methods and practices are passed down through generations. (Awale et al., 2006, p. 47-48)

Thanaka is a traditional medicine made from the bark of the Thananka tree. For centuries Burmese women and children have been applying the ground paste to their face and skin daily to treat acne, for sun protection, and for its skincare properties. Thanaka trees are grown throughout Myanmar and harvested for their bark which is then sold in local markets.

(Lim et al., 2021, p. 68)

Awale, S., Linn, T. Z., Than, M. M., Swe, T., Saiki, I., & Kadota, S. (2006). The healing art of traditional medicines in Myanmar. Journal of Traditional Medicines, ₂₃(2), 47-68. https://doi.org/10.11339/jtm.23.47

Lim, M. W., Aroua, M. K., & Gew, L. T. (2021). Thanaka (H. crenulata, N. crenulata, L. acidissima L.): A systematic review of its chemical, biological properties and Cosmeceutical applications. Cosmetics, ₈(3), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics8030068

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One of the first things you notice in Myanmar (formerly Burma) is the ubiquitous, pale yellow paste that decorates the faces of women, children, even men. It's applied like face paint: dots on the cheeks, circles across the face, or even as fun designs like stripes or swirly leaves to add a cool factor.

For centuries, the people of have slathered thanaka, a thick, silky paste made from ground tree bark, on their faces to protect them from the sun.

Thanaka can be made from several tropical tree species that grow in parts of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent - but only in Myanmar is the bark from these trees used as a cosmetic. Thanaka is said to have been used in the country for more than 2,000 years, but the first written evidence of it comes from a 14th-century poem.

While you can get thanaka from stores in various forms (pastes, creams and powders), most people in Myanmar prefer getting it the old-fashioned way, by using the actual wood from a tree and grinding it on a stone slab called the kyauk pyin, and making a paste with some water. When it's wet, it's almost translucent and when it dries, it becomes a yellow crust.

"Thanaka crosses ethnic, religious and class boundaries, and is worn by people of all faiths in the country, from and to ethnic tribes, and is a matter of cultural pride like the longyi, the sarong-like national skirt," explains Winn, my guide in Yangon.

Not all sunscreens come from laboratories. The ancient Greeks used as a sun block, Egyptians used rice and jasmine extracts, and a nomadic race of people in Southeast Asia called the Sama-Bajau use a paste of water weeds, rice and spices.

Many Asian countries have traditions of using home-made remedies for sun protection - that these treatments have been around for hundreds of years is a sign of their efficacy. It was only in the 1930s that the first commercial sunscreens were developed.

In , for example, people wear wide-brimmed conical hats to protect themselves from the sun. In India, sandalwood paste has been used for many years to soothe sun burns and cool the skin (its purifying properties can also help clear acne and reduce oil production).

The wood of several trees can be used to make thanaka paste, with the Naringi crenulata (toothed-leaf limonia) and Limonia acidissima (wood apple) trees being the most common. The dry central regions of Mandalay and Bagan in Myanmar are ideal for these slow-growing trees, which is where most of the prized paste comes. A tree must be at least 35 years old before cuttings can be taken from it.

Traditionally, thanaka wood is sold as individual small logs or in bundles to be ground by the purchaser. It can be grown through sustainable farming techniques because of its regenerative nature. Fragrant thanaka has been used by royalty in the country, with a hint of gold powder added to it; farmers use it when working in the fields, little children going to schools have their faces smeared with the paste, and men wear just a hint of thanaka on their cheekbones and eyelids.

"I have worn thanaka all my life and its nature's in its purest form," says U Than, who sells bright sarongs at the crowded Bogyoke Market in Yangon. "Thanaka is safe for even babies." The paste is the ideal sunblock in a country that's humid and hot as it keeps the skin cool.

U Nyo, whom I meet at a lacquer workshop in Bagan, says: "Thanaka is also used as a beauty product, as it improves complexion, stops oiliness [and] acne and tightens pores. It works well with our olive skin tones, and creates a radiant complexion."

Thanaka contains two active ingredients: coumarin and marmesin. Coumarin accounts for its antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-ageing and antioxidant properties. Marmesin is the component responsible for sun protection. A Thai study from 2010 found that "extracts from thanaka bark showed strong anti-inflammatory, significant anti-oxidation [and] UV-absorption properties, mild tyrosinase inhibition and antibacterial activities".

"Thanaka has survived military dictatorships and British rule, but today it's challenged by modern beauty trends, and multinational cosmetic corporations," says Winn. "Now, young women in Myamnar think that wearing thanaka makes you look like a villager."

To compete with the latest trends, many manufacturers now sell thanaka as a ready-made powder, even though (when compared with the traditional method of grinding) there are more chances of it being altered in this state. Many cosmetic companies in Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand are adding thanaka to their products and marketing them abroad. It won't be long before the world discovers what the ageless beauties of Myanmar have known for centuries - the benefits of thanaka.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: World waking up to the cosmetics possibilities of Myanmar tree bark

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Burmese swear by this all-natural sunscreen made from tree bark

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Men in Myanmar wear thanaka paste, schoolchildren have the silky yellow concoction slathered on their faces, and women use thanaka because it reduces oiliness, tightens their pores and improves their complexion.

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Domain 1. Compentency Standard 2.2 Reflection

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Domain 1. Compentency Standard 2.2 Reflection

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For me, the most significant aspect of the competency standard 2.2 is understanding all cultural and language differences are important to address with a migrant or refugee patient. Now having learned further about the use of traditional medicines there is a huge importance and emphasis in my idea of safe nursing practice to be aware and informed so I can ensure my patients understand the importance of all aspects of their prescribed medicine, its use, and storage. I will consider a wide range of resources and aids to use to assist me in my nursing of people from migrant and refugee backgrounds

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Social Inclusion and Non-Discrimination impact the lives of immigrant Burmese as it ensures a mentally healthy transition into Australian life it is an essential part of integrating and participating in a multicultural society. According to Bateman and Merton (2007), Social inclusion is important to mental health” (p.i)  social inclusion is described as “being able to participate in and contribute to all aspects of a society that genuinely includes people living with mental illness; that supports, intervenes and prevents crises; and that does not discriminate or stigmatise”. Being part of a community and feeling safe ensures better outcomes in migrant health.

Merton, R., & Bateman, J. (2007). Social Inclusion: Its importance to mental health. Mental Health Coordinating Council. https://www.mhcc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/mhcc-social-inclusion.pdf

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A 2009 study of 156 Burmese refugees settling in Australia found that 37% were deficient in Vitamin D. The average age of the group was 30 years old, 51.3% male and 48.7% female. (Chaves et al., 2009) A vitamin D deficiency is a common health concern of refugees arriving in Australia. According to the Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide, a treatment option available is an iron oral D3 supplement. The dosage of the medication is dependent on age. It is advised to discuss exposure to the sun with the patient to encourage them to participate in outdoor activity to promote the production of vitamin D naturally in the body. (Paxton & Singleton, 2018)

Chaves, N. J., Gibney, K. B., Leder, K., O’Brien, D. P., Marshall, C., & Biggs, B. (2009). Screening practices for infectious diseases among Burmese refugees in Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, ₁₅(11), 1769-1772. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1511.090777

Paxton, G., & Singleton, G. (2018). Australian Refugee Health Practice Guide: Primary care for people from refugee backgrounds. Foundation House. https://refugeehealthguide.org.au/low-vitamin-d/