My native, the Chin State is on the Rakhine Yoma in northwestern Myanmar. You can see the bluish mountain ranges, white clouds floating across the sky making unforgettable scenery.Our village, Baungta, is on the slope of one of these ranges. It is just three miles down the slope, east of Mindat. It is on a flat space and has twenty houses.

There are smooth rock slabs may be put in that way only after celebrating feasts with mythons.Our traditional house has only one door on the front and another one at the back.

There is a small verandah on the front and another at the back of the house. The poles and monuments that can be seen as one enters village and the rock slabs tell the story of village. Those monuments indicate the achievements of the villagers.

The whole village work on the taungya. The harvest is stored in barns. The barn is usually a long legged structure. The whole village is busy in the mornings and evenings pounding and winnowing paddy or some other edible things. We use wooden motar and pestle to pound cereals and others.
Our house has no compartment inside. The frequent smoke from the fire-place turned the house dark brown inside. Grandma cooks with an earthen pot and there are also wine pots near the fire-place.

Grandma is tattooed in accordance with old custom. Hunting is an important event according to custom. It is an occasion when every male, young and old, can show their diligence and courage. Before going out hunting, forecasting and consulting spirit is essential. Consulting spirit is done with the aid of an egg. The villagers always come and ask my grandfather to help them.

We fetch our water from a small stream near our village. We fetch water with bamboo slats up to our village. I fetch water with dried gourd prepared by my father for this purpose. When the gourd is large, it is quite enough for the evening.Tattooed face may be seen among younger belles. My cousin who is 30 years old has tattooed and smoke in style with a bamboo pipe as if she were imitating grandma.
My mother is good at back-strap weaving. She weaves colourful cotton yarns whenever she has time to spare. Damsels are expected to be good at back-sharp loom. It is a traditional cottage industry.In agriculture, paddy, millet and maize are supplemented by orange and tea.
We invite you to pay a visit, and see for yourself the tranquility, simplicity and beauty of our Baungte’ village.