|
 At
875 metres above sea level, Inle Lake is still surrounded
by high hills that help to keep the waters calm and the lake
area misty. The huge and beautiful lake does not only contain
a marvelous microcosm of aquatic life, but is also surrounded
by a harmonious blend of national races. 22 km long and 11
km wide, Inle Lake is home to 70,000 Bamar, Danaw, Danu, Intha,
Kayah, Pa-O, Shan, and Taung-yo peoples, among others - roughly
half of the areas population.
Of these groups, one of the largest is the non-indigenous
Intha, who live in 17 stilted villages around the lake. They
are said to have migrated from Dawei, in southern Myanmar,
in the late 1300s. Most are involved in fishing for the local
carp and other freshwater fish that are abundant in the lake
with cone shaped nets. The Inthas are renowned for rowing
their flat-bottomed boats from the stern with one leg, so
that they can watch for shoals of fish, and avoid the large
clumps of water hyacinth and low-lying islands that are scattered
about Inle.
Inle Lake also supports a thriving farming community that
produces a wide range of vegetables and flowers, and rice
is cultivated at the northern end of the lake on extremely
fertile floating islands. The local men also produce silver
and brassware, pottery and lacquerware, while the lake's womenfolk
are highly skilled silk weavers. The area is the second largest
producer of silk products in the country.
Many of the garments produced by
the local women find themselves in use at the yearly Phaung
Daw U and Waso festivals, which run concurrently in September
and October. During the former, sacred statues from Phaung
Daw U Paya are rowed around the lake to bless the local monasteries,
and bring prosperity to the hard-working local communities
of Inle Lake.
|
