Tea Shops in Myanmar: Micro-Institutional Functions for Rural Migrants and Women
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Objectives and Limitations
1.2. Myanmar
2. Tea Drinking and Tea Eating
2.1. The Tea-Drinking Culture
2.2. Tea-Eating Culture
Myanmar fermented tea leaves are a typical signature and ancient national food eaten by everyone in the country, regardless of race or religion, at a get-together in family homes, monasteries, and traditional celebrations.[33]
3. Tea Shops
Traditionally, tea shops offer free plain tea refills whenever a table runs out of plain tea. It is a social norm in Myanmar society. Plain meetups are good because they do not present any health hazards or are costly.[7]
3.1. Tea Shops in the Public Sphere
3.2. Third Place
3.3. Understanding Micro-Institutions
3.4. Socializing in Tea Shops
“Tea shops are not just where people go to get good, cheap food”, says artist Kaung Kyaw Khine, 35, who earlier this year was featured in an art show in Yangon focusing on tea shops. “It’s a part of our culture, history, and where people go for all matters in life”.[37]
“Tea shop is not just a place which only intends to get good taste and cheap foods”. But, he continued, “We are spending time at the tea shop not because we don’t have anything to do. For us, a cup of tea is an opportunity to sit down and discuss: to share knowledge amongst old friends and new”.[7]
3.5. Business Meetings in Tea Shops
4. Barriers to Women’s Participation in Teashops
4.1. Traditional Exclusion
Where the Laphet Yay Gyan wine is considered a gender-neutral custom, the tea shop has historically tended to be regarded as a male-dominated space. No law has ever been written prohibiting women from tea shops, but they have been seen as less-frequented spaces for women and, instead, as a place for men to meet outside of the home away from their families. However, this culture appears to be changing, with many women now accompanying their male partners and friends and even sitting alone or in groups in tea shops. Yet even though everyone drinks tea in Myanmar society, whether young or old, male or female, tea shops are still generally set up to cater to a predominantly male clientele.[12]
4.2. Male Domination
For years, these have been no-go zones for women, where men congregate to ponder on news events and politics and access information, including on climate change. While tea shops have increasingly accepted female patrons in urban settings, these spots remain exclusively for men in rural areas. Women in these areas have few avenues to access information on the weather and rely primarily on radio programming.[11]
It is usual for Myanmar men to go to tea shops, gather around small square tables, sitting on footstools. Myanmar men can sit for long periods in this position, sipping tea and chatting about many topics. Tea drinking in Myanmar is one of the main ways people (especially men) socialize.[7]
5. Child Labor and Rural Migrants in Tea Shops
6. Social Cohesion for the Peace Process
6.1. Teashops and the Struggle for Democracy
6.2. Teashop as Community Resistance
7. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
1. | |
2. | AJL, a Kachin ethnic woman from Myanmar, is a graduate student at a U.S. university. |
3. | KMO, a Shan ethnic from Myanmar, is a graduate student at graduate student at a U.S. university. |
4. | |
5. | “Public Anger Grows in Myanmar over Junta’s Power cut”. Radio Free Asia (RFA), 11 April 2022. Available online: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/power-03082022162906.html (accessed on 5 June 2023). |
6. | “Junta Under Pressure to Restore Access to Electricity in Myanmar”. Voice of America (VOA), 11 April 2022. Available online: https://www.voanews.com/a/6493111.html (accessed on 5 June 2023). |
7. | Easter J. “Junta Cut off Utilities to Karenni State Capital under Siege.” Myanmar Now, 11 April 2022. Available online: https://myanmar-now.org/en/news/junta-cuts-off-utilities-to-karenni-state-capital-under-siege/ (accessed on 5 June 2023). |
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Bordering Nations | Distance |
---|---|
China (North and Northeast) | 2192 km |
India (Northwest) | 1331 km |
Bangladesh (West) | 256 km |
Thailand (East and Southeast) | 2096 km |
Laos (East) | 224 km |
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Lin, Z.; Molnar, J.J. Tea Shops in Myanmar: Micro-Institutional Functions for Rural Migrants and Women. Societies 2024, 14, 154. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14080154
Lin Z, Molnar JJ. Tea Shops in Myanmar: Micro-Institutional Functions for Rural Migrants and Women. Societies. 2024; 14(8):154. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14080154
Chicago/Turabian StyleLin, Zaw, and Joseph J. Molnar. 2024. "Tea Shops in Myanmar: Micro-Institutional Functions for Rural Migrants and Women" Societies 14, no. 8: 154. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14080154