With the biting air whipping at our faces, we glided through the mist over Inle Lake — the peaceful, ethereal morning scene interrupted by the drone of outboard motor and the occasional splash of water. We were heading towards our first stop, a cigar factory within an extensive stilted, wooden complex that forms part of one of the many floating villages.
With a surface area of 116 sq-km, Inle is the second largest lake in Myanmar (Burma) and the centre of lush green Nyaung Shwe Valley in Shan State. Many ethnic tribes live on and around Inle’s vastness, surviving on a diet of fish caught from the lake, and fruit and vegetables grown in extensive floating gardens. Handmade goods for local use and trading provide a source of income. Typical products include carvings, ornamental objects, textiles and cigars, all of which are sold in nearby markets, and now also to tourists.
When we arrived, young women and girls sat cross-legged on the floor of a rickety building hand-rolling cigars and cheroots, a type of cigar with both ends clipped and a sweetened flavour. For a daily wage of less than $3, such work is performed by girls, who are considered to have the fine motor skills required to quickly and skillfully roll up to 500 cigars each day. Boys are expected to do manual work or fish. Across Myanmar cheap labour is commonly provided by children, whether it be in restaurants, on farms, fishing or in tobacco factories.
By gaining an understanding of present day Myanmar it causes pause for thought. This is a period of great transition after decades of oppressive military rule. On one hand the country is on the precipice of wider economic growth, founded largely on the nascent tourism sector. Yet many of those who benefit from tourism are government cronies, rich businessmen and former military leaders, not the poor and poorest. Without implementing responsible tourism through fostering cultural awareness and respect, environmental conservation, and civilian empowerment, the uniqueness of this beautiful lake area and the way of life for the communities that depend on it may be forever lost.
From December 2013, this photo belongs to the “Beyond Focus” series — images and stories from around the world.
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