Lahpai Zau June grew up a widow’s son in the small village of Loi Kang, not far from the town of Kutkai. As a young lad, he walked the 3 miles back and forth from Loi Kang to Kutkai to attend primary school. It was a time when the teaching of Kachin had newly become […]
The move westward by the Kachins of Howa in the 1950’s, is a noteworthy chapter in the Kachin migration saga. The internal migration venture took settlers from Howa in the borderlands of northeastern Shan State, to the Hukawng Valley,some 400 miles away in Kachin State’s far northwestern corner, bordering India. The nexus was the Ledo/Stilwell […]
Photo: Kachin rangers lined up before a patrol against the Japanese troops (CBI Theater) More Kachin Offensives The Japanese apparently had more manpower and they possessed state-of-the-art weaponry. Although being a smaller fighting force equipped with light weapons, relying on our strong will and following Naw Seng’s lighting orders, we carried out offensive operations against […]
Photo: Kachin Levies on patrol in 1944 (Operation Longcloth 1943) Laphai Naw Seng was born in northern Shan State’s Loi Kang village in Lashio township in 1920. His father Lahpai Naw was an accomplished hunter who was well known in the region. Since age 7, Naw Seng accompanied his father in numerous hunting trips and […]
Maran Robin was born Maran La, or Palawng La, in recognition of guests from the Palawng tribal group arriving at his village of Maran Wa Yaw at the time of his birth. In 1867, his uncle brought him to Bhamo town, to be educated at the mission school run by American Baptist missionary Rev. Roberts. […]
The hype surrounding the upcoming national conference invoking the name “Panglong”, gives cause to hark back on the “first” Panglong Conference, and reflect on its place in the national psyche and the deep emotions it conjures up then and now. The Panglong Conference of 1947 brought together Bamar, Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders from discrete […]
