Anger in Burmese Buddhist society
If you haven’t ever contemplated the intersection between punk music and Buddhist meditation, relax, you’re probably not alone. Yet for Kyaw Kyaw, Myanmar’s most famous punk rocker, the synthesis makes abundant sense, as he explained in detail during our podcast interview. Kyaw Kyaw and his band Rebel Riot have chosen to sing about very sensitive topics that are rarely confronted within Burmese society, a reticence he acknowledges in referring to as a cultural “shyness.” In this excerpt, he describes why he feels it is so important to have these uncomfortable conversations, even when societal mores frown upon it.
“People are so shy, because being angry is negative. If you are angry, it is not good for your karma.”
Host: So you're describing that when you formed your band, a lot of it was just wanting to shout and express anger and be able to get this emotion out. It was a response to the dictatorship and to the Saffron Revolution, you say. Yet I know in Burmese society for a variety of reasons, anger is not always seen as a very appropriate emotion to express. I think this is due to a couple of reasons. There is the role of Buddhism, as well as the military oppression. And it could be because some cultural underpinnings like ah nar ba deh. So what I'm curious about is, what has it been like for you to use your art form and your creativity as an outlet for anger, in a culture where expression of anger in any form is not considered so appropriate?
Kyaw Kyaw: Yeah, you are right, our country has a loss of shyness, that background of Buddhism and military. People are so shy, because being angry is seen as negative. If you are angry, it is not good for your karma. They say that anger is fire and peace is water, so people here aren’t allowed to become angry. But, for me, after I found punk, my mind has become opposite of this society.
I am looking through another view, and I know that I'm not easy to agree with others now. After I found punk, I know I'm no longer easy to be a follower. I always criticize and look from different perspective and views. Before I found punk, I was also like a shy guy. I didn’t care about what was right or wrong, I just was so easy to follow people.
But after my mind was totally changed, I always criticize now! When my other teachers say I'm not easy to accept what other people say, I think, this is very good for me. I had a different perspective and view after I found the punk.
They say, ‘Shouting is no good.’ Well I say, ‘Shouting is good if it means that you don't leave your anger burning inside yourself.’ If you shout and release your energies and you feel good, then ok. Our own songs criticize society, saying that if you follow the money, you're following the power, you're following something, then you don't see yourself. So this kind of song we wrote, it’s describing a puppet society. People don't trust each other because of money, authority, and you are always trying to starve yourself. You're trying to lie to your brother, you're trying to lie to your sister, you're trying to lie to your parents, so we criticize a lot when we see the society like this.
When we feel angry we shout again. But actually in my daily life, I am not an angry person! I am a very peaceful guy. Peace and quiet, really. Because when I was teenager, I used the Rebel Riot band, punk music, and I shouted a lot. Maybe that's why I am more peaceful and peaceful.