Are you satisfied with your soul?

We’ve been hearing a stream of positive feedback from listeners following the release of Literally a Nightmare Scenario, in which we interview Thiri about her work and activism.

What listeners might not be aware of is that the artwork actually being used on the template is from Thiri herself. She created it in 2018 following the Rohingya crisis. Although not an artist, she has always been fascinated by calligraphy, and so used this medium to express her vision.

The way this particular piece works would not be obvious to non-Burmese readers. She has broken down the Burmese characters so that one has to creatively reconstruct the words to find their meaning. Once doing so, the phrase translates as “Do you have a clear conscience?” or “Are you satisfied with your soul?'

Although Thiri created it as a way to express her anger and frustration with how fellow Bamar were responding to the Rohyingya crisis a couple of years ago, the meaning works for the current time as well, as a question to ask soldiers in the junta.

That Thiri uses creative expression so effectively should be of no surprise for those who have already heard her speak so eloquently and vulnerably during our interview. This artwork, and the story behind it, provides further insight into this courageous figure.