Transcript: Episode #170: Acting Against Injustice (Bonus Shorts)
Below is the complete transcript for this podcast episode. The transcript was generated using an AI transcription service and has not been manually reviewed by a human reader. Consequently, certain words in the text may not accurately reflect what the speaker intended to convey. This is especially evident with speakers who have pronounced accents, as AI transcription may result in more errors when interpreting and transcribing their speech. Therefore, it is advised that this transcript should not be referenced in any article or document without cross-referencing the timestamp to ensure the precise verbiage spoken by the guest.
Host 00:09
Hi there, and thanks for listening. If you're enjoying our podcast and have a recommendation about someone you think that we should have on to share their voice and journey with the world, by all means, let us know. It could be an aid worker, monastic author, journalist, Doctor resistance leader, really anyone with some Thai or another to the ongoing situation in Myanmar. To offer up a name, go to our website insight myanmar.org And let us know. But for now, just sit back and take a listen to today's podcast.
01:07
HA HA HA HA HA HA, HA HA really? Not a good idea, I would say at least so let's do that
Host 01:43
I'm really pleased for this episode of insight Myanmar podcast to bring you a special guest. Quite a lot of stories to share from Myanmar over many years, may win mountain. Thanks so much for joining us on this episode of insight Myanmar podcast.
May Wynn 01:57
Thank you. Thank you for asking me. And give give me this opportunity.
Host 02:04
Yeah, so I think that you're a name that maybe younger Burmese might not be familiar with. And people outside of Myanmar may not as well. But for those of another generation in Myanmar, I think everyone will know a little bit of something about you and your career and be very interested to check in and hear your thoughts now. But for those who are not familiar with your life and work and previous career, I wonder if you could take us from the beginning and share a bit about your early years growing up and then the movie career that you settled into.
May Wynn 02:43
Yeah, I grew up in all of our Burma since my father was an Army officer. So we had to move from town to town. But when we became teenagers, we stayed in Rangoon, and I started my movie career right after my high school graduation. So in around 1972. So and then until 1993 that I left for America. Around that time, I think people my generation may know me, I think.
Host 03:34
Right? And before we get into your movie career and learning more about Myanmar cinema, let's just go back to those early years. You mentioned how you moved around a lot because your father was in the military.
May Wynn 03:46
Actually, my father joined general, our sons army. He was the second group, I think. So it's very early. And then we even he was not married. And then after a while, he left me and then he was attending the university but before he finished it, his younger brother joined the army. So he joined again. And then he got married and when we were pretty young in my elementary era, he was a with the parish shooting school he and at one point he became a he became the head of the that parachute in school. So we live very near to the airports and I've seen the aeroplanes you know, flying over our ears. We all the time and in 19. And then not we when we were in that still the military, I mean parachuting school, there was the 1962 coup happen. So we were so young, so we didn't really realize the effects of those. But I remember that there was the announcement of the $50.50 charts, pills and 100 chats Bill, you know, that, that you cannot use it anymore. So I heard that, that my mother was complaining a little bit, but we, I think, we didn't hurt that much at that time. But a lot of people lost a lot, a lot of their money and all that kind of stuff. And then we move from there, we move to a different military areas. And then when I was in the high school, he was, we were in Megalodon. And he was q1, his position was Jiwan. And then from that position, he was forced to retire from the his military position and then asked to move to the government minister, one of the mysteries, so even though he was not so happy about that, he didn't have a choice. So he, he did accordingly until he has retired Ah, so and then, when I was after my high school graduation, I, I attended the Rangoon Arts and Science University. And when I was there, there was this Wu Tang crisis. It was in 1974. So he was Oda was the third UN Secretary General of the United Nations. And he worked there from 1961 to 1971. So what happened was a series of protests and riots in the den Burmese capital of Rangoon, triggered by the death of junta caused by government's refusal to hold a state funeral for that.
Host 08:02
I'm wondering what all sounds funeral, did that have an impact on you or your father? Where was your family involved in any way in those 74 protests?
May Wynn 08:11
No, not not to my father, but I was still a student at the university. So we saw a lot of protests. And so I was not really involved. But I oversaw the the crisis and protests. And then we had to the school had to stop for a couple of months, and then we continue. So what happened was the goals of the student at that time was the to get the state funeral at the old side of Rangoon University study student Jr. But it was violently suppressed. So I was just oversaw the crisis. And then 1988 uprising happen at that time I finished my university. Already, I was working as a as an actress, and it was started by students in Rangoon on it was happened also in it was in August 1988. And then there was student protests spread through the country, march 12, through September 21 1988. So that's why it was called 88884 eighths uprising. So many firms in the formal sector of the economy were nationalized, and the government combined Soviet style central planning with Buddhists and traditional leaves in superstition.
Host 10:05
Right and your your your father joined a very different army than the time it would become as the military took over. And as it started to really control the country with an iron grip. Do you recall your father's attitudes or feelings about being involved in an organization that was now affecting and impacting the country and society very differently than how it was when he joined that military for probably for trying to gain liberation and independence?
May Wynn 10:44
I was. I'm not very sure about that. Because they, what I heard what I overheard, all the time was when the water bottle is dripping doesn't matter, you have to fill the water bottle. That's what the, you know, we're told all the time. So no matter what, how the water bottle was leaking, you have to you you always have to fill it.
Host 11:18
What does that mean?
May Wynn 11:19
That means I think, whatever I think and I think also think that these days as well. If you are happy or not, I think you have to follow the orders. I think that's that's what they were trained. I think.
Host 11:36
Right? So you're not familiar with your father's opinions on how
May Wynn 11:41
No, he didn't, he didn't express his actual feelings in front of us. So he was just doing his job? Yeah.
Host 11:50
Right. Okay, so then let's go to yourself, then in 1974, you're a college student and the first real cracks in the military regimes oppression start to show that's who thought the Secretary General nation whose hands funeral there was a protest over where he will be buried in how we will be honored May when the dictator at the time sees him as something of a rival and doesn't really want to give him too much respect. And even though you're not so much involved in organizing these protests, or perhaps participating in them, you're conscious of them going on and they're happening all around you and your your campus and fellow students and such. So was this is it fair to say this was kind of the first moment in your own consciousness and awakening that, that something was not good with this military regime? And that there was now turbulence and trying to, to give some kind of expression against them? Or what what was your as this was going on? What was what was your feeling and observation at the time?
May Wynn 12:51
Yes, you can say that because people were people forced us, you know, stopped expressing their feelings, you know. And then OTA also was a special person for Burma. And then I don't know why they had to, you know, let him honor his you know, name and his walk. So at that point, I maybe I, even though I did not really say anything about those, but that's when my my feelings of doubt of the our military government started I think,
Host 13:43
okay, that's, that's great. Let's bookmark that for a moment. And let's take a completely different track. And or perhaps it's not different, because these these might go parallel. But let's just take a moment to better understand your story movie career as an A list actress in Myanmar. So can you tell us a bit about how you got involved in movies, what your big breaks were, and then what roles you started to play and maybe tell us a bit about the state of Myanmar cinema and the process as as you came to be involved in it?
May Wynn 14:13
Oh, how I started my career was we use we used to go to Shwedagon Pagoda, quite often. And then my my father has a friend who, who knew a director who was looking for an actress at the time. So we met each other and then I had to do some auditions, but I didn't realize it. That was the audition. So I did. I did whatever they asked me to do, and then they chose me. So that's how I started my career and then that director at the same time, had another projects and then and then other people notice me And then so on and so forth. So that's how I got into the movie business. And I was doing about 60 films, and about 30 Video movies at that time, and before I left to Merica
Host 15:22
so tell us a bit about the state of Myanmar cinema for those that are only familiar with the Hollywood version and the story of American cinema. Tell us a bit about what you know about the origins of Myanmar cinema about the the expression of the art form, as well as about what it was like, trying to make movies in a state that did not have freedom at the time.
May Wynn 15:48
At the time, when I was in the movie business, there were only black and white films. So we were shooting with the films, and then all more, no, no color movies were there yet. And then, but around 19. And of the 80s, I think, or early 90s, the color firms were started in Myanmar. So and they were movie theaters, individual theatres. And at that time, and there were the they showed it at the same time, I think upper Burma and lower Burma and, and into the other smaller towns as well. And the we, when we, when I started there were the posters were too big, like, like the bharta, three times or four times of agile, you know, agile human sizes. But at one point. And also there were the government was importing some foreign mu films, and they post the they had the as they always have the small posters. So at one point, the big, the big posters are all canceled, and everybody has to be the same. So our posters became this smaller as well. It's more like, maybe I'm not sure about that. But like 50 by 50 by 30, or something like that, for the you know, right angle, right angle posters. And that that was I remember that, that happen when I was there. And then also there were. At that time, at one point, there were about 100 movies were produced. But later, they were very, very little I heard after I left. And the academy giving ceremonies were held almost every year. But right now I think everything is stopped, you know, because of the COVID started and also the coup happened. So every thing in the movie industry also has nobody can continue their work. So a lot of hardships for the the people from the movie industry, as well as you know, the rest of the country, you know,
Host 19:11
right? And how about the connections between Myanmar cinema and the military at that time were their connections, what was the nature of them? And to what degree was freedom of speech and creativity? limited by filmmakers?
May Wynn 19:26
Oh, there were a big a big censorship censorship so early early in the movie, early movie days there were even though they were kind of censorship, but not that much strict, but when I became in the industry that censorship at one point censorship was very strict. You cannot say such things you cannot wear such clothes, not not Not very low, you know, no low neck blouses or even the big buttons, they were in, you know, the censorship, don't, don't won't allow those things, and bell bottoms and all the kinds of stuff. And then also in the, even in the telephone, there was the television and my television program started. And then they cannot wear Bell buttons or, you know, the European attires. But now, it's a lot more open, I think. But at that time, and then there was there was an actress who was who was banned for a couple of years from performing because she was wearing something, you know, in appropriate the set, but in this era, it is it is nothing at all at that time. So, it sends the ship was also very strict. And then you cannot say things like, okay, there was a movie I was involved, it was called. key, the key, the key, the key there means a traveler to such and such city. So actual distance from Rangoon to that city is about like a one day trip. But along the way, they had a lot of problems happen. So it took them like 10 days to get that city. So that and so when they when they tried to get the censorship pass, the sent the bot the bot from the censorship was not very happy about that movie. So they, they asked the producers and directors to cut a lot of themes out of them what they thought they thought it was about them, because I don't know. But so the then the the, the, the they were not happy. And then they did a lot of censorship to that movie. So things like that you cannot express even a little hint of your unhappiness, or whatever do do. If they think it is about them. They will they will give you a hard time. Yeah, things like that. That that's one of the things I remember.
Host 22:55
And how did that feel for you as an artist who is working on this, this medium of film for two decades and doing as you said, over 60 movies and along with television shows this kind of really tight censorship of what you can say how you could say it, what the references and inferences could be what you can wear, the plotlines everything else having ever everything under so much scrutiny and, and such censorship? How did it feel for you as an artist working in those conditions?
May Wynn 23:31
Oh, not happy, of course. And not just me, a lot of people from our industry felt the same way. But we cannot do anything about it. Because we are under the law. So we had to walk, you know, the way they wanted us to. So even these days, even even even these days, this censorship is still there. And then we you cannot express a lot, but it's a lot more flexible than before, I think, because since I'm away from the long time, so I'm not sure how things are over there. But I just heard someone was complaining about the censorship, the censorship of the art, you know, so if the, if they are forced to cut out a line or two or the way they express things, they don't have the freedom of expression. So they are not happy. That's that's what I just heard. So I think still a little bit of the I think,
Host 24:40
was there ever a time you remember where you or other people in the film industry tried to protest this or to to expand beyond the censorship laws or was it just too dangerous of an operating environment to attempt to do that?
May Wynn 24:56
At the time I I don't know why. including me Nobody dare to express and protests about the censorship and stuff. But after the event, even after the 98 uprising, I was I and also everybody was involved. But after that, after the control back, we had to sign we had to sign then the agreement that we I don't know the details. I don't remember the details, but I roughly it is, we are, we promised that we're not going to get involved in the political movements anymore, and things like that, only. Only then we can continue with our work. So there were a couple of actresses who would never sign those agreements. So they are out of business. They cannot be in the movie business anymore. But she passed away with that, with her believes in her own heart. So there were there were actresses. I know at least two of them. So the one of them passed away the other one, I'm not sure about her. So they will not they would not sign. They will not sign but we had to sign and then we continue with our career. But some are very strong minded. And they will, they would never say we're sorry.
Host 26:42
Right? Right. We spoke last year on this podcast to Kenneth Wong, who is a Burmese living in San Francisco quite well known for his work in poetry and books and music and in movies as well. He's been a commentator of Burmese cinema in many different ways. One of the things that he said in our interview with him, was commenting on the tragedy of how many brilliant artists and filmmakers and storytellers there were in Myanmar, who were simply not able to tell the stories, they want to tell whether they were through short films or feature lanes or TV shows or documentaries, or whatever else, they just simply, they they could not, they were not able to, they lacked the freedom in the country to be able to, to tell a more dynamic and truthful story of what their vision was what they were seeing, which is what artists do.
May Wynn 27:40
I heard about a poet, he expressed his unhappiness in his one of his poems, and he was put into the jail. So that's what I heard about. So some people were not very happy about the situations and political situations and Myanmar. So they tried to express you know, their unhappiness with their words, but they were arrested. And then they he had to stay in the jail. But now he he is he passed away already.
Host 28:17
Right? And how about for yourself, were there were there times that you wanted to go a certain way with a topic or a role, and you were not able to proceed in that direction based on censorship?
May Wynn 28:32
To tell you the truth, at that time, I My mind was not that independent and strong. Like right now. I was just, most of the time, I was just following the directions from the director. So I was just, I was just doing my job and did whatever they asked me or they asked me to do how to portray so but in right now, I will be very different than before, but at that time, I was I, I'm also one of the most also like one of the a lot of people over there, we don't know how to express our own feelings, but some some very brave people like that poet. They, they express their feelings, but I was not that brave. And
Host 29:31
remind reminds me of the expression you used with your father of if the water is leaking, you have to fill it up that sounds similar to the to that mindset of of just, which I think is probably true of many of us in societies. We live in the conditioning that we we just kind of fit into the pattern and the structure of what that society is and only with greater work do we start to question things that haven't been examined before.
May Wynn 30:00
Yeah, yeah, a lot of people. And still these days, I think some people cannot come out and express their feelings even though they are not agree with what is going on around them, but they are they are you so used to, you know, being shut off. So some are still quiet right now, but some, some very brave people, they show the, you know, emotions and protests, you know, the coup and all that kind of stuff.
Host 30:37
Right. So, it's really interesting because you you said just a moment ago that the kind of bravery, I don't remember the exact words you use, but the sense of like bravery and speaking out and firmness, that these qualities you have now, were not qualities that you had during your 20 years as a movie actress. And so that begs the question, what changed? What was the period of waking up? What was the transformation that you went through? Where you suddenly realized, first of all, what was happening in your society? And second of all, having the courage to be able to speak out against that what what changes did you go through for that to happen?
May Wynn 31:19
I think experience and living living in this country did that to me, too, I think because here, you, you have the freedom of speech. So you know, and then you can express your feelings openly. And then also, I can see what is right and what is wrong right now. And a lot of innocent people were pushed away their own home, and they have nowhere to live. Nothing to eat. A lot of sadness. So I really feel I'm with them. And I feel really sorry for them. So and then that's why now I'm ready to speak out. And you know, don't think about, oh, what will happen to me and, but to say the truth, I'm also here, so I have the chance to do that. So some people over there, even though they may want to express their feelings, their lives are Tapan on the you know, their movements. So they they do not dare to say things. So I understand them, even though people don't want to don't try to say, the right things, I can understand their fear, fear, so I won't blame them. Yeah, I understand. I hear them, I hear their feelings. But me, I'm more independent, and I can express my feelings here. And also the age and experience, I think that change me into this. No, that's me right now.
Host 33:23
So you feel it was going to live in America and being in a freer environment that gave you the courage to be able to speak up and the awareness to be able to know what to speak up about is that right?
May Wynn 33:35
And also what what people should the, you know, the should get the chances and freedom and, you know, the right of the people, you know, the rights of the human beings, what the human beings should have, what rights they should have, you know, so that's all now I can see all of them. So, but over there, people are always, you know, controlled by the military. So they can see things, they can see certain things, they can do certain things. They always have to be scared, you know, things like that. So I feel really, really sorry for them.
Host 34:24
And what did bring you to America when you came over what year was it and what what brought you over here?
May Wynn 34:30
It was in the first time I came here was 1989. That was a visit. So I stayed here for about five months in San Francisco and I left and the second time here was I was following my fiancee, who is my husband, so I came here to meet with him and to get married. So and then since then, I I've been here So it's been almost the second time I came was in end of the 92. So it was the Clinton era, Clinton was No, get in the position here. So it's been almost 30 years now.
Host 35:19
And when you were in Myanmar, you didn't really do much to speak up, it was really coming to America, and living in this society that started to give you that awareness encouraged to begin to act, is that right?
May Wynn 35:32
Yeah, as well as when I was younger, I kind of felt shy and scared and think, Oh, if I say this, what people would think this and that and things like that. But now, I'm more mature. And also, I had a lot of experience. So I'm more I'm braver, and, you know, I I can express my feelings more freer than before, I think.
Host 36:05
Right. And so since you've then come to America, and you've been speaking out more, can you give an example of the ways you've been engaging because someone like you as a, an exile from Myanmar now living in the West, you're you're not just any exile, you're you're very well known by a certain generation for your two decades in the industry. So you do have something of a platform and a voice that can stand out. And so since you've then taken on that role, in what ways and in what what have you express to be able to find that voice and to speak out
May Wynn 36:44
after hours, after hours, after seeing the you know, all the things in Myanmar, so I felt that we need to speak out, we cannot stay quiet, you know. And we also I also want to help people over there. So we started doing the getting involved in the fundraising a bit events. And also I was a first thing I got involved in doing some news translations and narrations for Myanmar media outlets, and also started supporting fundraising efforts. And then when he when my husband started writing the sannidhi musical. He wrote it in English to communicate with the theaters technicians. And why while he is learning that typing in Burmese, I translated what he's written into Burmese and then later he did it on his own. So and also I wrote the lyrics of the all the new songs involved in the sannidhi. So there are no Western cover songs, only the Myanmar songs. And then we also created some new songs for the musical as well. So and then got into the story, my husband and I discuss the lyrics back and forth until we got them right for the scenes, things like that. And I also played a Myanmar poetic character in that musical as well tell us
Host 38:31
what that sunny day musical is. That's something that you and your group have been working on quite a bit since the coup was an advocacy awareness fundraising project in the US. I'll tell us a bit about what that is.
May Wynn 38:43
Yeah, it is. It is the sunny day musical is based on the coup and the events of Myanmar spring revolution in highlights how the cool transformed people and the country and the theme of the musical is national unity. So we opened with the unity and we end with unity and hope for the future. So and then I like to say we the feelings to towards the Burmese people. We are united with majority of Myanmar people. We rejected the coup and the imprisonment of leaders and elected officials and a lot of people over there and we rejected the torture and the killings of the all the civilians. So that's why so we we performed the sunny day musical last year in March. And then a lot of people do Whereas supported and also we are going to play perform again in 29th of this month in San Francisco. And later, we are going to we are trying to post it on the web in the no video form, you know. So people can also people can watch, it
Host 40:26
seems there's something fitting in you having acted under such censorship, censorship for two decades in Myanmar, and being constricted and now suddenly being able to use your profession and use your acting skills with full free expression being able to say and do exactly as you like, in that creative medium.
May Wynn 40:47
Yeah. And then there is there was a one on one situation not so long ago happen. So we posted a part of my poetry, you know, reading on YouTube, and then I want the I realized my voice was all cut off. So there was silence. I was saying things, but you cannot hear my voice anymore. So somebody did that. They are still doing it, even though we are here.
Host 41:19
Right? Yeah, what has been your thoughts and seeing the military coup from February 2021, as someone who lived through successive coos and military regimes and lack of freedoms and violence against ethnic minorities and everything else, having lived through all of that, and then being able to see this blossoming, tentative, democratic transition? What were your feelings on seeing the COO after it developed?
May Wynn 41:51
In the beginning, I was not sure how to really respond and felt feel, but later, more and more, you know, things happen. And then we saw a lot of protesters were crushed. And so at the time, you know, the country was somewhat open already after the Dong San su chi. But now they're trying to move it into the previous situation all along, you know, so, so, in the beginning, I was not sure what to expect. And then later, the more, you know, killings are involved, and the more you know, people are put into the prisoners and all that. So we, we didn't feel it was okay, anymore. So then we started to try to help them in any way we can. That's how we got involved. And I think it is not fair for the people in Myanmar, you know, to to do to be involved in things like that every day, and it's now it's already two years, and it is still, you know, people don't have peace. And a lot of people are in very hardship, you know, they don't have their jobs, no income, you know, they don't know what do you know what to do, how to eat, how to support, things like that. And then I think in this time, people don't have that kind of hardship. That's what I what we believe. So that's why we try to we like to help them as much as possible in any ways we can, you know, that's how we involve into these things.
Host 44:09
Right. Our platform evolved into being able to respond to the developments with the coup and the resistance movement. Initially, we were doing more interviews and explorations of Buddhism and meditation and monkhood and the spiritual path.
May Wynn 44:27
I am a true Buddhists. So I am a traditional Buddhists, but later, I believe, I really believe into the Buddhism. And I also did meditations. I went to the meditation camps a couple of times. And then I believe, you know, I believe in Buddhism, and I support it. And here as well, you know, I tried to meditate as much as possible but these days I am out of practice. So I need to go back to that. But I believe I believe in Buddha yeah that to see that they will see the shot
Host 45:23
and which teachers or lineages or techniques of meditation Did you did you study under and Myanmar.
May Wynn 45:31
In your mind, long time ago, I went to the morgue, Moto moto. We bought the car. And then here. I don't know if you heard about him the new car though. He came from Burma quite often and then did the meditation camps. So I tried to be there all the time. So but these days he he hasn't been here, but I hope he will be here soon. And I will go and get into the camp again.
Host 46:12
So your primary practice lineages have been first Mogok. And then yeah, who was that? Right?
May Wynn 46:18
Yeah, no, no, Seattle.
Host 46:20
And how how would you I'm familiar with Mogok. I know about the, the emphasis on the potty sama pada and the law of dependent origination, the practice of the emphasis of theory of mogul excited, I'm very familiar with Yahoo in terms of his his presence and the reverence that people have for him, some of my close friends speak very highly of him, I don't really know so much about his actual meditation instructions and lineage and technique. So Can Can you share a bit about what how exactly, yeah, who say that teaches perhaps how it's different from Mogok and how you've learned to practice how you've learned to practice meditation under now, how you have learned to follow his instructions and what exactly he teaches in terms of the the the meditation practice,
May Wynn 47:13
I think it is very similar to the Mogul method and Mia OCIO is also he also went to the Mogul we bought the NASA car and also as well as the Mahasi. So he learned from both both the marks, but his method is I think very similar to mogul, first you need to you need to concentrate on your breathing first. And then when your mind is kind of still then you just watch what is happening in your mind or in your body or you know, so you just need to be aware of what is going on in your mind or in your, the more you know the you just need to be aware of what is happening. If you think about something you just need to be aware. And if you feel something you just need to be aware of what is happening, how you are feeling things like that. So and you have peacefulness in your mind, but I'm still trying so I don't think I get anything yet but I need to try that's my goal. That's my big biggest goal of life. Yeah. Because I want to I don't want to come back anyway not even not even the you know in the as a people or as a better life. I don't want I don't want but I'm not sure but I need to at least try and do try very hard. That's my goal. Forever peacefulness to find the Forever peacefulness
Host 49:08
that's, that's wonderful. I wish you all the success in that effort and diligence, being someone who is a self proclaimed true Buddhists, traditional Buddhist who follows meditation instructions of mogul Kenyatta who have the very big traditions meditative traditions in Myanmar. What have been your thoughts of the role of the Sangha and the monks in the last several decades? First of all, we know that there's been nationalist movements who have supported government propaganda and anti Islam and and other kinds of hateful speech that has gone on and we've also not seen a very heavy monk response in the democracy movement. In this current revolution. There certainly have been some that have stood out and have ever really done quite a bit to support it at their own. Heroin sacrifice. But there hasn't been a really great involvement. And so what have been your thoughts as someone who believes so much in the Buddhist teachings and is a very devout Buddhist as well as meditative practitioner? What have been your thoughts and observations as you watch the form that the Burmese monk has taken over the past several decades?
May Wynn 50:21
I think Tonga is for the Buddhism, we need tank cars. We definitely definitely need tank cars. And then in the before, there were some yellow, yellow robe revolutions or something. You know, there were a lot of Tangos involved in some of the protests, and some are somewhere short. So I don't know if there are some casualties of Tangos, but probably. And these days, some of the tangos are still doing the protests in smaller Township, I can see see them on Instagram. And no, not the Instagram telegram. You know, but some of the some of the most like, for example, on Yahoo. CRO, he is not involved in this protesting. He is saying he is just ditching the mindfulness and to get the you know, our goal, you know, forever peacefulness he is. But at one point, at one point, I think he was detained to question to do to to question about his involvement, and the politics, but he, he never did any of the politics. So he was leader, he was free. And so there are monks, some monks, I don't really understand. But some marks, even though they are not really saying things, there were hints, there were hints about them saying, do good things, and good things will happen to you. If you do bad things, bad things will happen to you things like that. Some are giving some hints of stopping the, you know, stop to stop doing bad things. It's kind of hard if you live over there, because there is no freedom of speech. Sure, there is no freedom of involvement in the politics, you know, so they had to I think they had to be careful about you know, what they do? Yeah, but some are some, some people don't like about some very famous monks, because they are involved with the military people. So some people say bad things about them. So for for us, we don't know how, what stage they are in, you know, if they are, you know, the stage that they gained, they they attained the, you know, the I don't know how to say that. Some already attained some stage. If you say bad things about them, we believe that it's not not very good for you. So some people do do not they're saying things say bad things about some monks, some are still some are doing it right now. So I can see, I can see those in Facebook, but I, I am stay. I'm staying away from that. I don't want to say bad or good things about the monks. But the monks rules are very important in Buddhism and as well as political, I believe, but they I think they have to be careful. They are being f4. I think so that's why some are not getting involved. But some are still I can see some monks during the protests in some of the small towns.
Host 54:24
We talked about the possibility of the military trying to insert propaganda into the religion and the monkhood and their sermons and their actions. It reminds me of your time in Myanmar cinema and of course, the cinema is a very effective vehicle in any country to be able to get out messaging and I think even in our country, in our Hollywood, there have been instances where certain types of propaganda or messaging or whatnot has gone into some of the movies at the behest and encouragement of, of our government. And so I'm wondering in your 20 years is in the Myanmar film industry? Did Were you aware of? Or did you encounter any times where movie scripts or roles or messages or anything, were really just to cover for some kind of military propaganda that wanted to use the medium of film to be able to put out some kind of messaging that they desired?
May Wynn 55:21
Yeah, there were some, there were some military supporting movies as well. Some are produced by I think, not directly but indirectly produced by the military related people. So that those movies were there. Yeah, people people knew about that. But there were also good, good military movies, as well. Because there were like Japanese revolution and things like that. So they they also make movies like that. events from a long time ago, to get our independent, you know, so things like that happened, but these days, but people don't really, even though they do the propagandas I don't think people really buy that. They know, they know how, how the military is now they are proving it more. Yeah.
Host 56:40
Great. Well, this has been a really great conversation. I think those are all the questions I have really covering your your life, your career, your activism. Now, it's been great to hear about all that, of course, your your practice and meditation and Buddhism. Before we close, is there anything else you'd like to talk about that we haven't brought up yet?
May Wynn 57:02
I think we covered a lot. And I just want to thank you. Thank you so much for all that you've been doing for Myanmar and Buddhism. And also, thank you for your interest in the sunny day musical.
Host 57:27
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1:00:49
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