In March 2024, there was a two-day event in Myitkyina, Myanmar (formerly Burma), for International Women’s Day (IWD) 2024. The theme was “Invest in Women — Accelerate Progress.” Although I was interested, I was a little nervous about attending the event because of my language difficulties, but I decided to go because I thought it would be a great opportunity to hear the voices of women in Kachin State and help me understand their lives better.
The organizer kindly asked a participant, who is an NGO worker and speaks very good English, to sit next to me and translate for me. She spoke fluent English and was very friendly but had to leave for another meeting before lunch. Then, a 22-year-old Buddhist girl, Mumu, approached me and tried to help me by speaking Korean. She had learned Korean from watching Korean dramas. Although her Korean was limited, we were able to communicate in Korean, and Mumu became a good friend and translator for me over those two days.
There were about fifteen young women from Myitkyina, mostly Kachin but also some from other tribes, as well as Buddhists, Muslims, and Christians. Because of this variety, the workshop was conducted in Burmese, the official language of Myanmar. We talked about the history of IWD and community activities and made our own art — paintings, bouquets, hair pins and bracelets, and hand-sewn sanitary napkin pouches. They were all very talented and actively participated in all the programs.
In small group discussions, we talked about gender — the differences between women and men, what women and men usually do, etc. It was a great opportunity to hear what they think about their culture and the status of women in society. A common response from each group was that men play games, go out and socialize with friends, while women stay at home to clean the house and take care of their family members.
Male supremacy has disappeared, women’s voices have become stronger, and it is socially recognized that women have the same rights and abilities as men.
The facilitator asked if I could talk about women and men in Korea. There was a time when the roles and responsibilities of women and men in Korea were very different. For example, women were expected to be housewives and do housework regardless of their profession, and girls were expected to take care of their younger siblings instead of continuing their studies. Men were expected to be the head of the family and thought that housework was not their job. But now the status of women in Korean society has improved greatly. Male supremacy has disappeared, women’s voices have become stronger, and it is socially recognized that women have the same rights and abilities as men. I stressed that we need to encourage and support each other and continue to work towards women’s empowerment in this world.
We then shared what changes we would like to see in this society. One of the participants said that she would like to see a change where women’s clothes are put out in the front like men’s clothes. It sounded a bit awkward to me, but I felt it really spoke to the current position of women in Myanmar society.
Then, I remembered that I watched the news when the military coup started in Myanmar and women protested by hanging their traditional skirts in the streets to stop the military from passing by. There is a traditional superstition that touching or walking under women’s garments brings bad luck and reduces men’s superiority.
As a foreigner, I think it is important to understand the culture in which they grew up to better understand the people I meet and to learn how to work with them. This is not to judge the culture, but rather, I believe that understanding the cultural background always helps me to find ways to live with and accompany people. Aft er arriving in Myitkyina last year, we were waiting to return to Banmaw, where we Columban lay missionaries used to work. However, with the civil war showing no signs of ending and the situation in Banmaw becoming more serious, the Myanmar Mission Unit has finally decided that lay missionaries will work alongside Columban priests in Myitkyina, and currently, we lay missionaries are preparing for new ministries in Myitkyina.
I have recently started the Visio Divian with young women and often meet young people like Mumu, who had a lot of dreams as a young girl. She hopes to have more opportunities to learn and have a good career. Meeting young people like Mumu, who have a passion for learning and growth, always makes me think about how I can encourage them and help them dream of a bright future and continue to strive for it, despite the grim reality of Myanmar now.
I hope that the day will come when women can hang out their laundry as naturally as men. That it will be a reality and not just a dream.
Originally from South Korea, Columban lay missionary Son Seon Young Catharina lives and works in Myanmar.