Transcript: Episode #301: Homeward Bound
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Host 1 0:20
Thank you for taking the time to listen to today's episode. As you know, the current crisis in Myanmar is extremely concerning, and we appreciate that you're taking the time to stay informed. There is even value in just becoming more aware and helping to inform others. So please consider sharing this episode so that more people may learn about what is happening in the country. It's critical to ensure that this issue remains present in public discourse. But for now, let's get on to the interview itself.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 2:16
Thank you for inviting me so my name is Sha Kerpaw Wah, and you can just call me WA, to easy to remember, and the name I use on social media is wa fish paste, yep. And full introduction, I am a refugee background, no poor refugee camp since 2004 me and my family, we got the chance to move to Norway, so we resettled there. So it's been 20 years, and yeah, I've been I went to school, went to the army. Now I do humanitarian work back in my homeland.
Host 3:12
So there's so much in your journey to cover. I really thank you for taking the time to come with us and open up to our listeners. And I think your story is one that many people who know about Burma should know and be informed with of. I think your story is a microcosm of so many stories that are happening there and the ways that people are currently engaging in the crisis. And so to go back to your early years, you reference how you grew up in a refugee camp and then at some point, moved to Norway. So can you describe for us a little bit about the life in a refugee camp as you remember it before you moved on to Norway?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 3:51
So the life in refugee camp, I was just a kid and didn't know much of the evil in this world, so I was having a good time. The people around us were the people we loved, our friends, we went to school, we played when we went, come back in the rain, in the river. You know, we didn't know anything else other than friendship, love, laugh, go to school and but one thing we knew was, I knew was, this is not a village. This is not where we belong and and it must be some change one day, you know, as a kid, I had that in mind. And, yeah, that's the life of refugee camp. We didn't, I didn't get to spend time with, especially my dad, a lot, because he served the people, and he was always away, maybe came back once a year or every two year, and we didn't get to see him very often. So we moved to Norway, that's where we got. To stay as a whole family.
Host 5:02
And how old were you when you moved to Norway?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 5:04
Nine years old.
Host 5:04
Do you remember nine years old? I think that is an age when you do have some memories intact, and you have enough awareness of the world to know that some shift is taking place. And so as a nine year old, what do you remember about that transformation from the jungle refugee camps to icy Norway.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 5:25
What I remember so this is a moment that I go back to all the time when we went to Norway the first couple of weeks or months. I still like close my eyes, and I hope that when I open up my eyes, I will appear back in no poor refugee camp among my friends where I can play again be a kid. But the reality was different. I still woke up in a different country, where people spoke a different language, so it was a little bit tough. But when you kid, you adapt quick as well. So, but what I miss the most when we arrived in Norway was just the friendship, the the bamboo houses. You know, we didn't, even though we were just refugees, didn't make a lot of money. We were not we didn't have our own village or freedom. We still were able to have some fun with friends. So that's that's the memories that sticks with me forever, and first impression always, like, it's cold, it's fresh air, big mountains, and we were one of the very first family that arrived in Norway as refugees. So we didn't have a lot of Korean friends, so we there were three families that went that time in the same village where I went to so that's the friends we had for many years. That's it, and we just had to adapt to the new life.
Host 7:08
Now I realized, when I was tracing back your story, you referenced being in the camp. But did you at Were you born there? Do you have any memories? Or were you born in Burma proper?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 7:19
I was born in manipla, which is used, which used to be the headquarter. You probably heard of it too, the headquarter of Korean national union. Yeah, it was a very big headquarter, like a stronghold area even all the ethnic groups look up to the leaders at that time and the the world, man of law, the place was very powerful. So I was I was born there. And when I was only after two and a half months,
Host 7:52
The headquarter fell. That was 95.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 7:55
And I was born 1994 so in 1995 January, I was born November, 1994 so 95 January, that was when I fell right.
Host 8:05
So you were so your life started with you running through the jungle away from the Burmese military, basically, yeah.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 8:11
My mom ran and carried us. Wow,
Host 8:15
That's a lot, yeah, yeah. So then going back to Norway, so you were there as a nine year old. You're adjusting with Norwegian culture, language, climate, everything else. So how and you would stay on in Norway for 20 years? So how did that that really did become your home in many aspects of the world? Do you consider Norway a home?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 8:38
So we're very lucky to got placed, because before we went to Norway, the interviewer, they asked my dad, what kind of place you guys want to stay, like low key, outside the city, in a small village, small town. And that's why we got put and it's very quiet. Water is super good, tasty Norwegian water. And the country is very beautiful. And the small town that we went to is has a where everybody greets everybody. So that's right, we were welcome with open arms and very loving village or community. So we are very blessed, lucky there, and so it was a good childhood as well, you know? So I do consider it as a home, because my family, my mom, my dad, my sisters now, my wife and my, you know, other close friends are there too. We grew up together, you know? So it's like my second home, Galle, where most people know it as cran state. That's where I truly belong, yeah, no matter how much I love Norway. Me, I would always love to come back to my homeland.
Host 10:04
Can you say more about that? Say more about this, this deep heart connection you have to Kathleen, despite the trauma and the pain and the suffering that has emerged from there and also the displacement that's happened and being in Norway for as long as you have, talk more about that deep, heartfelt connection you have and what home really means to you.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 10:25
So why I call kathuli home and why I believe it this is where I belong. Is because, first of all, I was born here, and my people still lives here, and there's still a conflict. And you know, war, longest running civil war in the history, yeah, 70 years plus almost 80 so I kind of have a sense of duty in my DNA, that I have to do something for my people. I wasn't just lucky and blessed to be able to go to Norway like for free. We went there for a reason. One day we all have to come back and do something for our people, to come back and serve. You know, it's not the easiest option is just forget it. I can live a simple life. I can have a proper job, a big house, big family, fine car, and it's easy, it's comfortable, but I don't like comfort so much. It kills my growth. I want to keep growing and do something for my people.
Host 11:46
You say you want to keep growing. Can even Can you give examples of ways that you feel you have grown and are striving to grow, that you're eschewing comfort and going in a different direction in order to prioritize a certain kind of growth instead.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 12:04
When I say when I talk about growth, I mean, like personal character, growth and character in mind, open minded, and don't just believe in things that I see with my eyes. I don't just believe in because people say I want to explore it, I want to understand it, and then I can make my own judgment. I want to make good decisions, you know, because in life, we always want decision away from ruining our lives so not to ruin my life. I want to become a better person that makes good decision, not just for myself, but people around me. I want to be useful. Grow so I can be useful.
Host 12:50
Yeah, I have to say, I'm sensing this really powerful inner resolve in you, this this sense of caring for one's community and something greater than yourself. And I'm curious, is this something that you feel has just been inculcated from a young age through your culture and conditioning and family that has always been within you? Or is it? Is it? Is it the result of a hard fought battle of discovering who you are and what you want to be in this world and landing on that after maybe some wrong turns.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 13:22
Right now, my current version and my mind, my heart is, is at peace like I make I can make peace with really tough stuff, really challenging stuff, hard situations. I know how to control my emotions or my my my mind. And so to get to that level, I had to go through a lot of course, and to and then I have, I live by a quote like say, maybe a prayer. You know, God gave me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, have the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. So that's why I'm I consider myself as a very calm person right now, but I went through a lot to to get to this level of a peace, state of, you know, peaceful mind. I think then, when it comes to the love for the people, my mom always talk about her experiences, you know, with kids, I think that when, when your mother tells stories about the struggle, the war, it's emotional. It stays into in your heart, in your head. I mean, that's how it gets built, slowly and slowly and slowly when you're a young age. And I'm very curious person, I'm I like to ask a lot. I don't mind. Uh, asking dumb questions just to learn new stuff. I don't mind being seen as stupid, but because I want to learn. So, yeah, I ask a lot of questions, and that's how I learn more about our history, peoples and and why I have to do something about it, because once you know that you can do something about it and not doing anything, you feel as guilty as the people that are causing the the suffering to your people.
Host 15:36
And what role if any, does this faith or religion play in this journey?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 15:41
I don't preach a lot. I try to be the very character of if people see that I have a good character, if people see that I'm sense that I'm a good person, then that's it. I don't I don't say that I'm a good person. I say I'm come from a Christian background, and as you may already know, but I don't, I don't like go out and preach it. I would like, I want to live it. So if I'm a good person, people will copy people we learn from my character. If not, then.
Host 16:19
Yeah. But do you feel your Christian faith or the teachings of Christ? Has this gone into the way that you try to lead a life in this world?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 16:27
I believe so, because I don't, I don't think we have other purposes on this world than serving people around us, because tomorrow's not promised you think about everybody you love, they will die in 100 years. Says they will die. That's a fact. You cannot escape it, and you just have to make peace with it, like you're gonna die one day, sooner or later. And everything you know, everybody you love, will be owned by others and will be disappeared, and this whole planet will be new people in 100 year, maybe some lucky people that still lives. But you know, it's new world will not be the same world that we live in today. So it's pretty short. If you think about it, say you live 100 year, 100 years. Let's say you live 100 years. If you sleep eight hours a day, that's already 1/3 of it gone. If you waste more time than that, you know shorter. And if you work eight hours a day, even shorter. What time do you have? We're too busy focusing ourselves and not people around us, because in the end of the day, it's what you do to others that we that's how you will live a mark on this world. That's what I believe.
Host 17:50
Yeah, that's really profound. I just I want to take a moment personally to thank you for for sharing, sharing this with me in this moment. It's giving me a lot to think about as well, and it's very inspiring. And I'm wondering as well, because you you were in Norway for 20 years, and after coming settling there when you were nine years old. And so this commitment and this connection to Kathleen and the Kenya people is, is this something that after a 20 year period, you had a transformation or transition in your life to then make a real change and relocate geographically. Or during these 20 years, were you constantly going back and forth or being involved in different initiatives during that time as well.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 18:39
I started making real change in 2018 there was a man a indigenous community leader in Catholic in mutual district. He got shot by the Burma army. And then left behind a widow and seven, seven kids, so, and then, shortly after they came, Kyi San made a video of that the guy and one, there's a small speech that he he he made when he said the same that I mentioned, he can live comfortably alone, but if he has to lay down his life for people that he loves around him, he will. And you know, the small, just a short sentence, and, uh, his action also proved that he did the same. Made me just realize, uh, question my life, my life decisions like, Am I doing something with my life, or am I just trying to am I living my life, or am I just trying to survive in this world? Hmm. Just like that wasn't my final year in the University College, University College in Norway, and I actually did something that I don't recommend a lot of people do, which I dropped out and but I was committed to this cause, so I didn't just drop out. I went back and forth. I was drop out. I'm gonna leave everything. I'm gonna go back to see his family, the guy that passed away. I made myself that promise, and I did it after a few months. And so the rest is history. Yeah, so that was the turning point for you. That was the turning point for me. So he, because of him, made the decisions that I made that made me the person I am today.
Host 20:45
Wow. And have you had any connection with this man before seeing this?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 20:49
Never met him, never seen him, never heard of him, huh?
Host 20:52
After that video only, huh. So that video made that kind of impact.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 20:56
This is a short video, storytelling. Yeah, the power of storytelling.
Host 21:00
Yeah, the conditions must have been right for you to get that message at that time.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 21:04
Yep, I was sitting in I like to most of the time. I like to do stuff alone. So I was in a room all by myself, studying, writing, reading books and a video popped up, and I just click play, and then, yeah, that's, that's the turning point. And also, one thing I'm not gonna tell the things that I know, because I want people to pity my people, you know, think that I I'm not a fan of victim mindset. Yeah, I don't expect a lot of help for people if they help, but good if not. I don't mind that we have to. We have to do it ourselves. And so yeah, we are my people is very divided. We have a very divided history and leaders different opinion, different mindset. They can never agree on one thing which results in division and fight against one another. So I uh, we've been in, let's say in colonial time in Burma, call it, a lot of scholars, like big names, like educated people higher education, say, even in the army that time used to be Khin, Khin and nationality, General Smith, dong, dr, San si po and there's a lot of more morning like she showed they Were like great leaders in Burma when the British Empire was in Burma. So I think because my people were kind of advanced in a lot of areas, there were some envious people that didn't want us in power. Or my people don't like to be in power, because they when they in power, they don't know how to use their power. So it gets disasters. You know, it becomes so. But when they have people that higher up than them, then they can be very useful, very obedient people, the Korean people, that's why I consider our people as obedient people. We take pride in being peaceful. We don't fight back, we don't rebel, we don't we just do as we being told. We take pride in being the good kid, like, um, missionaries. A lot of missionaries write about other crime people, loves peace and blah, blah, blah and all that. Yeah, we do, but we also take a lot of pride in it, and then it becomes a good slave. You become a good slave when you take obedience. So, so yeah, and my mind, I think too much now I want to simplify it.
Try to simplify so in 1949 that's why we've been too much under we've been oppressed too much. We couldn't get our own independence, state or country, and just to simplify it that we want and that we had to take up arms and fight. We used to fight by the British side, the Korean people fought off a lot of Japanese soldiers that time. We very we. Warriors, especially greater warfare. And we're not known to fear a lot. So those are, there's a lot of good characters in my people as well. So yeah, and later on, we started armed conflict, you know, revolution, which we call it, but it doesn't look like revolution almost, almost 80 years. So year by year, you know, decades after decades, things just got out of hand after first, very first president saw babuji. He after he got assassinated, that's when we, I think we kind of collapsed, and the we haven't been fully we don't have a fully structured body till this very day. And there's no one that has the command, has the like super strong leader that will bring his people to victory, or say, you know, victory not to wipe out the enemy, but victory to control our own borders, areas, our own country, fully peaceful. We don't have that yet, so we still struggle today, still ongoing, and so that's why I became a refugee, and I come back and I joined people that are still standing righteously to just want to get out, not get out, just want to end this fight and start living peaceful life. So we so my children do have to grow up in a time in in war. You know, they can grow up peacefully play among the bamboos and in the river, in the rain. However they want to go, you know, that's why that's my that's my ultimate dream, a free, godly, aware all can flourish for everyone you know, not just Korean people, people that lives in our board, in our area, in our country, they can live freely as as a human being. That's my ultimate dream. So, yeah, it's not a lot of numbers and facts about history, but that's my, my part.
Host 27:32
That's exactly, exactly. Now you reference this dream you have of a free kotole and people living in this peace and harmony. And I know that you're, you're very involved in the micro level of humanitarian helping those that are in dire need, and we'll get into that, doing tremendous work there. I'm not sure if the whole political vision and political reality is something you're involved in or you think about, but if you do, insofar as your thoughts have gone in that direction, there's a lot of discussion these days of what a post military Myanmar would look like, in terms of a federal democracy, or fears of or hopes of balkanization and and independent units or states of some kind forming, as far as the Kenya people and Kathleen is concerned, as far as you've thought about that, to what degree are you looking at a Federal Democratic structure, or something else.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 28:29
You know, Burma, say, or Myanmar, you may call it. We call it in Kola The Greenland means the Greenland, the whole country. So if it was possible, it would have been a long time ago. I believe it will be one of the most beautiful country in the world. Yeah, you know all you know, Kachin, chin, SHAN Rakhine, Burmese, Korean Granny, you know, the tourist would go crazy, yeah, if this country, if the country was, well, How do you call it? Well managed, or better I forgot that word. But so since, if you look, if you look at, say, the United States, they speak English almost, you know, say every state. Still, they were like civil war. They fought. Could never agree. Still today, you know, so I believe that, and of course, an ideal federal democracy, you know, country. I'm not much of a political person, but if. I do the math, I don't think it's doable. Now, I don't believe so, but that's my personal opinion. So I believe in like, we all the, not the ethnic other, all the different people. You know, you should say ethnic like, too small. But the Korean people, almost 10 million, maybe plus. You know, that's not just minority, yeah, when you're 10 million, you know, Norway has 5 million, that's a big country. So when you're 10 million, you're not minority, normal. So we have a cult. We have our own language, a culture, every characteristic that can portray it can be a country, its own, independent country. So I think, from for me, my personal perspective, I think that will be the ideal, if we have the capacity, will be left first and then we can help others around us. If not, it will only be chaos. And again, even the Korean people alone, we can never we're dividing 556, groups. How can you have a super, big country where everyone's united? So if we don't first focus on building our house, how can you build a village, fully functional village? I don't believe. I don't see any logical, anything logical with that part. So, I mean, it's not that this is better. This is not, is that that's what I prefer as a as a Kanyaw person.
Host 31:42
Sure. So let's go more into the micro then, because we were looking more at Countrywide, statewide, region wide even, and you referenced these ongoing divisions among the Kenya people that have been going back generations and are still these fractures that are still apparent today, in some ways fracturing more today, in some in some ways, of different different armed groups and different different peoples, seeking, trying to clarify their own directions. So can you share with us how you would describe the divisions that are manifesting today, and where you think it's possible to bridge those divisions and gaps?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 32:27
Our first president was, who saw babuji. He was, if I'm not, wrong, not Howard, but one of the very best university in in England, UK, where he graduated as a lawyer and came back and served. And I think if more people like him, you know, has the chance to go to the third world country and educate themselves with more experience, more skills that are useful. Come back and build our country together, I think. And then we need a good, strong, great decision maker, leader that can take this CO we're great followers, if we have one good leaders, but if there's no one like super strong leader guiding us, then we tear ourselves apart. No enemy, no enemy has to do. Enemy barely has to do something. You know, we would tear ourselves apart if we lack leadership, good leadership. So I think we need a new leader that will, that can, can reunite the whole people. I think even I have been to the front line, myself and I, there are divided groups where we still fight together. When in the lower ranks, if I the only thing we say is, if our leader holds hand under say one command, now we're brothers. No different. We will follow anywhere as one, so we lack good leadership. That's what we do.
Host 34:26
How would you define or describe the nature of these fractures and these divisions that are taking place? What? How would you characterize the different aims and directions that people are splitting off into?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 34:40
I we say the biggest. Say, you know, Knut National Union top leaders, there could be more. You. Are stronger, more forward minded and open minded, and very precise on goals, how they want to reach it as of now, as a young guy myself, I don't sense that. I don't see it. So it's really hard to follow. So that's say your family will only be divided. If the head of the house don't know which direction he's going or where he want to take the family, then no one has to do anything. You will ruin yourself. I think that that's what the cost to the division is a lack of good leadership.
Host 35:52
When you say that there's they're not as forward thinking or open minded as you would like them to be. What are some examples of forward thinking or open mindedness that you personally advocate for in the direction that the Kenya people should be moving towards.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 36:09
Give more space to the newer generation, I see, and I'm not saying just the old people to give space to the younger generation, but also the younger generation has to, you have to look for opportunity, look for a duty, to look for things to do, if you just wait for people to order you this and that you will never be, you will never grow, because you don't think for yourself. I think we also have to say the things that I personally do right now, I don't wait for nobody to come. Ask me, can you do this? This is your test. No, I see I can sense that. That's where I can be useful. Let me try it. I won't give up easy until you know, I'm gonna, if I try something, I want to master it. I want to be good at it, or I want to accomplish it. So if we have more younger generations with that mindset to take up responsibility, you know, like you probably know the quote, you know, that's not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country if we are not, you know, just blaming the elders. I mean, I don't blame them, you know. I know we have weak leaders now, but I don't blame them, you know. But what can I do so we can assist, so we can advance, so we can, you know, I think if we're worthy, maybe, you know, two or three people want to keep their own position. But I think most of the leaders nowadays, they will, they will give space if you show that you're really capable of doing what is good for them, the whole the whole nation.
Host 38:01
So you talk of your initiative and projects you've been doing. This brings us back to your story, and we left off where you had been in Norway for 20 years. You were in the final year of your university degree. A video popped up which transformed your life, and you knew at that moment you had to change directions. But at this moment, you're also your your life is all but in Norway, your physical life at least, and probably your friends, your community, your professional direction. At that moment, that video pops up, but I can't imagine. It's as simple as merely buying a plane ticket to somewhere in Thailand and and showing up and saying, Okay, well, where do I go? What do I do next? You haven't been back there for some years, and so how did that process go for you of having this, this moment of inspiration and this new direction, and then having that manifest in a practical, logistical direction forward.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 39:01
I I like to challenge myself all the time. Do things that scares me a little bit and going into unknown territories, not knowing the outcome, but I just know that if I fail, at least I tried. So I challenge myself a lot, both like physically and mentally. And so I think that's you're not born with it. You have to practice it. Time off. You should do, like, stupid stuff, over and over again. You can get used to it. This is a little bit scary, but, yeah, I'm gonna jump anyway. You know, I do things like that. So that's where I think, where it scares a little bit. That's where I know. I'm gonna grow a little bit there, you know, I'm not, I'm gonna develop my character a little bit. So why not? Let's try it. If I have nothing to lose and. Let's try it. Even when I have stuff to lose, sometimes you can lose, like you play chess, you can lose a pawn to to advance to, you know, so sometimes you have to sacrifice a small piece of yourself to get a bigger, bigger piece. So, yeah, I'm not saying that I'm not scared, but courage means, you know, even when you're scared, you still want to go for it. I think, just have a little courage and try out new things. Then you'll see the world from different perspective.
Host 40:39
So is, did you simply board a flight and land?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 40:46
And yeah, I did find your way. I just bought a flight. I actually didn't tell a lot of people. Yeah, this came back and team up with a couple friends that was crazy enough to join. And yeah, we just went for it.
Host 41:03
And what was it? What did you land on? What did you start to how did you you know you want to help your community, but what does that mean? What did you actually begin to do?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 41:11
So I just started fundraising, my church family friends, and we raised just maybe 2000 USD for me that time, like, that's a lot of money. Came back, donated every penny of it, and it's just like, oh so happy. Get to do something, get to be useful, but it's not enough. I'm not satisfied. I'm happy, but I'm not satisfied I got to do more, because I can do more. So time after time after time. And then a friend of mine from New York, Utica. His name is honeymoon. We co direct. I am Knyaw right now, but before I am Knyaw, he just reached out to me, Yo, bro, you're doing all this cool stuff. Let me do fundraising for you guys, for you. Okay, cool. Let's do it. And then he did it. We raised 50,000 USD in four days, wow. And Facebook fundraising. So we were like, Oh, this is crazy. We cannot open. Keep it open, because it will be too much money. We don't know how to handle it. We didn't have five, one, c3, we have a lot of connections. We even asked the wrong people for advice, and they want to take advantage of us and so, but yeah, we stopped it at 50k we could have reached 100k or maybe even more easy, because something happened back home too. That's why we managed to raise a lot of money. Yeah, all those money came back in Galilee gave it away a few times, successful fundraising, and then we thought to ourselves, Jesse that time as well, came back together from urban village 2021, Jesse from the urban village and Kusha that time, we went on a trip in cathalia together. And now he said, he advised us, like you guys gonna keep doing this? Yeah, over and over again. I thought that maybe we should do something long term so we can help, you know, not just one time thing all the time. So that's how I'm Kenya started Jesse. Shout out to Jesse from the urban village, and Kusha, brother Kusha, he used to work at the urban village too, but he's more involved with his church right now. And yeah, and brother honeymoon, or the in social media, they call him Han Solo and me, so we kind of talk about the idea, and then me and Han, we came back after we got out, we met with the rest of our friends, and we said, Okay, let's start an organization or a group called I am Knyaw.
Host 44:14
And tell us about that name and what it means to you.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 44:17
I am Kanyaw. Before you got to I am Knyaw, is like Karen, this, current that, and Kenyan po and, but then just thought that, you know, you're making your in English, I am Knyaw, which means I'm current. Also baconyo means, like simple people or human, but like a little wordplay there. So I'm Kenyon, which is I'm I'm current. That's it I take. I want to take pride in my identity. And you know, we never thought it would go. This big, and now it's become like a brand. We, we we made a lot of merchandises and sold, raised a lot of money with that brand, and we sell T shirts now, tote bags now. Now we have almost 20 or 30 products. That goes but in the name of Knyaw. So yeah, are we very active on social media as well? I don't know if you've seen it, yeah, but if not, check it out. I just straightforward. I am, and the Knyaw is, K, N, y, a, W, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and most of our activities are there.
Host 45:45
It really the name really strikes me as an affirmation, as a straightforward affirmation of identity, of pride, of stability and and just, just an affirmation and one's identity and who one is, and one's community and and so you mentioned when you when you first started going on these missions, a large part of it is, is not denying fear, but the courage to feel the fear and still do what It is you want to do to continue growing and continue being on this path of giving back to your community and living with this kind of integrity. Can you describe the first time that you encountered a situation on one of your trips that really induced a great sense of fear that you had to work to overcome?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 46:40
I like to look at most things in a funny way, even when I was about to even when my bamboo rafting. You know, it was big river, rainy season, flip. Most people die. No like you know, I was smiling because I had some experience with seeming in the military as well and also school, my camera, my laptop, everything was in that bag, so I carried it with one arm. I swam across a river and survived. And it's like, okay. And then one time, where we came from, lemukla, the village where the saw Moo died, and we were gonna go to brigade three from brigade five, that's Burma army. Came, and they were around like 8070, soldiers, enemy soldiers, you know, Burma army. And then we were only, like, six seven didn't have guns. A few of them had, but we thought, like, it didn't matter. We was a little bit scary because there was a lot of bullets coming. Like, you hear those super close, but I think I don't know how to be scared no more. Or I wasn't that scared either, because the people around me, I accepted death long time ago, like it's a part of life, like I can die anytime, anywhere. Why worry about it, you know? So you one day you die for sure, why? Why? Why? You know, take it why take it easy? Why live like easy? So I don't even remember or recall some time when I'm super scared. Just, I don't know, not for myself, but say, last year, on a trip, I brought back a whole team, you know, coming home trip. We have a yearly trip where we invite overseas people to come back to the country to experience their motherland. And on our way back the river saloon River, it's pretty scary river. You know, it's very hard to swim to survive the river. If you fall, you should both flip. So the river was a super scary that day. And now I was, I was worried about, you know, almost 20 people on that boat. If anything happens, how many can I save? How many can I help? You know, that scare me a little bit, but for my for my own safety, I don't know. I don't, I don't think about that too much. I don't worry. Too much about it, or at all, just people that bring, would they be safe? You know, that's the kind of things that can scare me a little bit.
Host 50:12
Yeah, right. So I am Kenya started through these. We can call them humanitarian trips, of collecting what, at the time was a massive $2,000 and then distributing that, with converting that to aid and giving it to people in need, and the incredible joy that you described and fulfillment that that left you with, or in your words, happy, but not satisfied. And then that led to the $50,000 campaign, which then I assume, went to more humanitarian kind of work. And so as as I am Kenyan. This is natural to many organizations that start out not really knowing what they are just to do to the backpack somewhere that ends up being becoming something much more than whenever imagined. Do you? Would you characterize I am Kenya now as a humanitarian organization with a humanitarian mission, or has it grown into many other things as well?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 51:01
I see ourselves as a bridge that between the gap you know, inside here in kavulet or the borders and overseas. That's how I see our team as you know, as a bridge that will connect our overseeing example to our homeland. There are probably many similar organizations. But as for ourselves, I think we're very unique. We have the influence among our community like no one else does. So, oh, we do humanitarian we do we host camps also in the States. We we fundraise. We make T shirts. We do a lot of stuff. We do podcasts. We have studio. We make chili paste. We sponsor students, we build schools, you know, a lot of stuff, but in the end of the day, I see us as a bridge, because our mission is to empower the next generation of kenyapo, you know, to empower them to, you know, let them know that in all of the unique profession they can still be a part of this movement, this revolution. You know, they can add they're all valuable. They can all add value to the movement, not just take up arms and fight. You know, you can be a cameraman, tell the story of your people. You can be a writer, write a book by your people. You can be a preacher. You can preach about your people. You can, you know, it's endless, a designer, design a school for your people back home, you know, entrepreneur, you know anything. So we just want to let them know that you can be a part of it no matter what skill you have.
Host 53:01
That's awesome. And it also seems to contrast your concern that you mentioned with older leadership and generations that aren't making room for that kind of involvement initiative. You seem to be really wanting to spark the initiative and the can do spirit that anyone of your background, volition skills, that there is a place for you to find your way and help your people.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 53:21
Before the coup, most of the areas I go to are like indigenous land, where maybe when rapok Come, he can talk here we also talk more a lot about environment, indigenous people, indigenous rights. Those are the places I go to. For me, that's where the real, authentic identity of left, and that's where I go. So I spend most of my time among, like all Korean villages, places in the front line. So now, after coup, I go, I joined my friends that are young leaders in the front, that are fighting with weapons. I joined them, and I see to find out how their life decision they make, how tough it is, and they have families behind I've lost couple friends already last couple months. I'm sorry, more friends so and after coop, you see more young Burmese as well that truly now understand the cause and joins the fight on our side, on the same side. It really makes me happy to see that. Oh, now we finally fighting one big, giant enemy together. It's not, it's not, it's no longer you. Korean versus Burmese, but it's good versus evil now. So it makes me kind of it gives me hope, you know, I'm more hopeful. And we sure. Of course, we have our differences, you know, we have different characteristics, but we can talk about it later. We beat the evil giant first, and then we can go on always later, you know, yeah, I see more young, very strong, not just Burmese youth, but other like chin Rakai, grainy, super brave. No nothing, no other. Nothing else than they want, nothing else than destroy the evil in this country. So we have one common enemy. Now we fight together. So we've never been more or you can say the ethnic armed ethnic groups has never been more united than ever. I think so it's, for me, it's after coop is good news for us.
Host 56:24
Yeah, I want to ask you a question. I asked our mutual friend Ana, as he was describing his journey, and he was describing very eloquently, the as a young person, the abject hatred that he had for the bamar people for and his at that time, conflating bamar People with military and eventually growing and learning the distinction there, but feeling rightly so this, this persecution that his family had and all this community had faced for generations and across villages. And he describes his journey of forgiveness of of making friendships and communication with Mar people, and understanding that the evil, to use your word, that his people were encountering were at the hands of some very despicable people in the military, and the conditioning the military promotes, and realizing that that bamar people in cities didn't have until now, didn't have that understanding of what their military counterparts were doing in these ethnic regions, and his own journey, of which involved also his faith in in finding a way to to overcome that and to to let Go of that and work towards some change. But I want to ask you as well, because similarly, you've, you're, I mean, your mother was literally carrying you as an infant across scorched conflict zones to safety. You grew up in a refugee camp. You were displaced for so many years, and your people are still going through this and your you, your inner journey is as profound as your outer journey and how you've shared thus far and the inner landscape that you've described. And so within that inner landscape, what has been your journey, insofar as you're comfortable sharing with how you've come to regard this persecution and suffering that your people have gone through at the hands of another people. And if you've found some understanding, some forgiveness, or if that's or just where you stand with that.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 58:34
I make peace with it. I don't, and it's not I won't forget it, but I make peace with it. It won't disturb my inner peace, but I also know what I have to do to not go through the same suffering, and I don't see myself as a victim, nor my people as a victim. I want our people to get out of that victim mindset, waiting for a superhero to come save us. There's no superhero coming. Nobody. It's us. We're it once we start realizing that, oh, no one's coming. So I have to do it myself, then we will give our all. We give everything that we have. I think that's when we will get what we deserve. If we keep waiting, keep blaming people around us, keep talking about opportunity, lost opportunities, then you know, you it becomes what you feed yourself with those words, your mind tricks itself. It starts believing in it, and you think, sorry for yourself, and then you just destroy yourself. You know it's, it's a mindset, think healthier, speak to yourself in a healthier way, more empowering way. It, and then you will see endless opportunity. It's like, whoa. I should have just done that. It was just a switch on mindset. So, you know, I don't forget it. I make peace with it. Other people, my people has to go all the things my people has to go through at the same time, I'm gonna do everything I can so that they don't have to go through it more. No, yeah, if I must take, if I must commit any actions for the better of my people, I don't mind.
Host 1:00:44
Yeah, right, you mentioned also having spent time on front lines, and I think the experience of active conflict and warfare is something that is across human history. Is immensely hard to be able to share what it feels like in writing and video, documentary, movie, text, storytelling, whatever it's, the most extreme of human experiences we can have on this world is active conflict and so and I think right now, in Burma, this has been three and a half years of active conflict across the country. It's been, as you've mentioned, at least eight decades, if not more, if you start counting back before that of some kind of conflict with with civil war and the ethnic areas and and yet this, this conflict as as rages as it raged on, it's been difficult to to to have that story emerge outside of Myanmar for more attention and support. And I know that you've said that you've you've come to a realization that we have to do things ourselves. There's no superhero coming. We have to find our own way. I really respect that. Those are really powerful words. At the same time your involvement, your your active presence in those conflict zones. I think that's something immensely valuable for our listeners to try to understand the feeling of what's going on in Burma right now, and what what it feels like on those front lines, what the reality is, the color of that experience. And so what can you tell us and tell our listeners about what is actually happening on the front lines, what they would see or feel or hear or encounter if they were to take a stroll through some of these areas.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:02:37
Especially nowadays, is air strikes, like some of it, if it's if it's a jet fighter, we know before it come, it arrives that we can see cover before that. But there's a type of airplane that we call white health. They drop five to 10 bombs in one drop, and they fly above You for several hours, five to six hours all day. Say, if two of them come in a day, it's like that's a cover the whole day. So you can drop above your head all day. You hear that all day. So if you have that big fear in your heart, you won't be able to be there with the PDF or the knla or, you know, soldiers lie in front so they are no longer scared of that. I in their eyes, they're going through so much pain. They don't care about death no more. They just want to fight for good cause. Fight for the lost friends or lost like you use you have a dinner with your friend today, you laugh together, you sing together tomorrow, a drop of a bomb, you never see him again or her. No, so that's like, the reality is, like, this is real. It's not just a movie. Like people you like, you talk with me now tomorrow, I'm gone, like, so the reality is so much, so harsh. You know, it's like, it's not just something, some story people tell no more. It's like it's real. It's happening right now, as we speak, now too, yeah, yeah. So I want say I would like the listeners to think of it now it's raining season. Most of my friends are in the front line now. They in the rain. They don't have super warm clothes, especially if you have to wear uniforms. You wet your coat, you. You call the whole night. You never know where you get to sleep. You know for sure maybe you will get a meal or two if it arrives. Some people have to carry it all the way to the front line, and then in a bag, or in plastic bag, or wrap in bamboo leaf, there's rice and maybe some shrimp paste, or maybe just veggies, salt, a little bit oil, so you don't have that nutritious food, and you might be cold, but you have no other choices, or you might be tired, but you have no other choices, then stand there, fight so the people behind you can have a better life. That's like the reality. Those are like, 20 years old, 2523 young, young people that should should be traveling the world. Find themselves beautiful wife, a beautiful garden, fly anywhere in this world, you know, or start their own businesses, go to school, study whatever they want. They were supposed to do that. And they should, you know, they're supposed to do that. But you know, for the sake of the people, or what greater cause that they believe in, they are willing to lay down their lives in the front so you see that in reality, and it's like it hits you different. How can you ever How can I ever live? How can I ever live and have a comfortable life knowing, you know, young men, young brothers, sisters, you know, going through those stuff? Yeah, nobody should. You know, war is terrible, but war will always be in this world. So it's a little bit challenging to find a good balance, to accept things how they are, and keeping is a everyday decision you have to make. Okay, I'm going to be strong today. I'm going to keep coming back. I know it's hard, but I'm gonna go anyway. I'm gonna support my brothers and sisters. I'm gonna I'm gonna be useful. Yeah, the easiest way is to give up. Like, the only easy day was yesterday. You know, we have to, like, the Navy Seal, so I think that's how I like to challenge my my mind. You know, my myself. I want to be there for them. I don't have to a lot of money. Sometimes I don't even have money, but I will be there so they know. I mean when I say when I will stand with them, by their side. I could die too, but they they knowing I could die too, but still spending time with them. Be with them at the front. It's like, it's something you cannot buy with money.
Host 1:08:20
So, yeah, and so you reference how this one really transformative time in your life came from this video that popped up and that started you on your journey in 2018 just now. You reference that seeing these young people on the front lines. It, it, it changes you forever, is how you described it you. It makes you reflect deeply in that moment. So is it fair to say that these are two different transformative moments that that hit you and moved you in different ways along your journey?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:08:51
Yeah, you can say that they are, you know, a lot of small moments that made me the person I am today. The big ones are like, when you start losing people, you you, you love and you, yeah, it's different. You know, changing your life to make do something, go explore, it's baby step, compared to keep continuing even when you start losing people, like not just out of your life, but like out of the world, it's different.
Host 1:09:29
How do you manage that trauma?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:09:33
How do I manage it? You know, you you express it, you cry, and then, you know, a man's got to be a man. You got to keep going. There's a this world is no place. There's no place for weak man, weak people in this world, you know, are we being strong? Is is it? Decision you have to make every day. Nobody's born strong. I'm gonna make a decision today. I'm gonna be strong. We're gonna do my best, give my very best. That's how that's how you you deal with it. If you feel pity for yourself, feel sorry for yourself, you destroy yourself. I don't believe in you know, yeah, maybe it will be a little rough, but I don't believe in being depressed. Just go out in the nature, work out, try to stay healthy. Connect with good people, not just anybody, but people that inspires you. Connect with good people, yeah, good company, yeah. And it's not that you don't run from it, but you don't give it space in your life. Don't give it. If you give it, it will occupy it. Give no space to negativity or, you know, weak minded thoughts.
Host 1:10:57
Yeah, but it sounds like you do give yourself a space to when the emotion is so powerful that it it overpowers or break down in tears. It sounds like you do give yourself that that space and that permission for vulnerability in those moments where, where you allow those human emotions to express as they do, without the suppression, which can then lead to dangers down the line, but, but, but then, once that space has been expressed in its own way, then you look, okay, what am I doing tomorrow? What do I need to do next?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:11:29
It's okay to be vulnerable, but not weak.
Host 1:11:32
How would you define the difference?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:11:36
Be weak is not not even trying. I mean, not even trying, just finding excuses instead and excuses not to make it a vulnerable is not know that, okay, say my if I have a kid or what somebody hurt them, they're my vulnerability because I love them, people that I love. If I lose them, that's my vulnerability, you know, but it's not weakness. I care for them, so I cry. So, yeah, crying doesn't make you weak. It's just like it takes courage to be able to, you know, express your emotions.
Host 1:12:22
Yeah, right. You've talked about the front lines and another part of the outgrowth of the conflict, and also where your attention in areas gone are displaced person camps and refugee camps, and these have tragically been growing in obscene numbers over the last few years. I think the latest statistics are something like 3 million displaced, I think, across the country, and that number is only growing by the time this episode comes out. And so can you yourself grew up in a refugee camp, but you have been so active, and your organization has been so active in distributing urgent humanitarian supplies to these growing numbers of displaced peoples. I want to also ask you to give us some color to describe for those listeners, and many of whom, I think the vast majority would have no conception of what a a refugee camp would be, let alone a displaced person, a temporary space for displaced persons, let alone what that looks like in war torn Burma. So can you describe and give some color as to what these what, what one would find if they walked into the kinds of displaced person camps that you have have gone to deliver these supplies?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:13:47
I uh,what I usually see is, uh, how before I go, how prepare myself is, uh, I'm not gonna look sad. I'm gonna I'm not gonna cry in front of them. I'm not gonna show that. I feel sorry for them. I'm gonna show that. Okay, we're here for you guys. It's gonna be all right. I want to be one of the reason they feel all right, especially the kids. So if you see that situation, or you reflect on that, and they also see, you know, it affects the situation. So I try to approach it in laughing. I like to joke a lot. I talk a lot. I talk a lot of, I say a lot of stupid stuff to make people smile in those areas. And trying to make say one child, smile, oh, in a time like that, it's, I find it very I find it priceless. So but if you don't go consciously prepared, you. You will see they in their eyes, is hopeless. It's like it's when can we go home, not knowing when you can go home, when you can study again, go to school. Will I ever? Will I just be this? Will my life just end like this, you know, just living the jungle, not knowing what's coming next, you will see in their eyes that how we're gonna survive so long when we the war end, it's like questions that no one has the answers to so and there's since I also, I've also been very active on social media, they've seen my face. I do, like sometimes I do comedy skits. I do, I talk some, yeah, I do a lot of stuff, too on social media. So they've seen me here and there, so when they see me again in person, their face lights up. So it makes me happy, yeah, makes me happy and but other than that, you know, you just see pain. You see pain, and the more, the more you you let it soak into you guys. You stop crying there too. So it's the kind of pain that don't just it's not just that cut off a white knife or a bullet. Is pain that not knowing what's coming next, yeah, and especially when you have a lot of children. Most of the family, they have five plus children. When you have to worry about that, living in third world countries, you have one kid, and that's a lot of worries already. You know, in the jungle, five plus kids and not say most of people that live their life on rotational farming, if you miss out a week or two, a whole year, your life is screwed. It's a if you don't have time to do, form your rice, plant your rice, then you're like, you're finished. So that's the kind of hardship you see in the eyes. How am I gonna survive this year? So that's where you know, AIDS come in, people we don't want them to live on AIDS forever. It's good, but what can we do to prevent so there are more IDPs, so there are less IDP and less refugees? I think of course, we should have like emergency fund for IDPs in case villages get hit and the villages run away. But we also should focus about like security measures as well. I think that will be more for me personally, the priority
Host 1:18:19
What kind of security measures?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:18:22
Maybe say Not, not, not like that, not buying weapons and supplying ammunition, not. That's not our part. That's not but we can provide training so people don't say expose important stuff, important locations or important informations. Or we can train people to say support people that are in the front line support their family so they have they don't have to worry about, what are my family gonna eat while I'm here? You know, support the the children's that they can while they are in the front the children can go to school like find teachers that can, that has the courage to teach in a time of war where, because the the enemy will try to waste your time as much as they can so you don't get the time to study after many years. Ah, this year has just been war. Let's say we're just gonna let you pass one, year two, year three, year, your whole village become less educated. Maybe you get a certification of graduating, but you know, I think you understand what I mean.
Host 1:19:57
Yeah, has education been going on in some. Form, and in Kapolei.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:20:03
Yeah, in the jungle, they have to move from place to place. They bomb schools, churches, important locations like that. They do and they don't the enemy. They don't mind. So the children, they always have to fear, live in fear, because, see, I may have this kind of mindset. I make peace with difficult situations easy and try to find a way. If I cannot find I'll make a way. But probably 90% of other people, they will be so easily scared here in the airplane, they will run miles and not come back to the village again. You think about that's the reality for them too, you know? So that's where I am. Kenya also comes in my organization, on my team, I don't consider myself. And organization, but more like a movement, like we want to be. We want to become the hope in the time of in the time of suffering crisis. We want to become the light that can make people smile when even when they're in hard situation. So that's how I see ourselves. As you know, movement, positive movement.
Host 1:21:34
Yeah, you talk a lot about smiles and comedy and laughter and and your propensity to say stupid stuff and to to get your mind right as you go into those places. And humor is one of those things that humor. Humor can be very cultural. It can be something that is very rooted in the kind of culture and language and and, and, and sometimes doesn't translate so much from one of the other, but to understand the people you understand the humor. And so I want to put you on the spot and ask you if there are any jokes or routines or humor that you can you could share with the audience that's of the type that you often use to bring smiles to them.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:22:11
No, it's just that. It's not that I have jokes I just My dad is like most people know him as the Joker, like he talks, he say things very ironically or sarcastic. You know, way you know you can. You can never take people that you can. You should not always take serious. Yeah, and I think I've gotten some of that characteristics as well, and so I just know that I have jokes. I just talk on spot based on the situations like happening there. I just make fun of it. And if we can talk about, you know, running from airstrike, how you get dirty, your face is black, and we talk those that will make it funny, and we don't talk about, oh, it was so scary. In our culture. We when you see most people in my people, you know, when we see our friend get hurt, we laugh at them and the same thing, come back, if I hit my head, it's funny. Then my friend laughed at me. It's not like, Oh, you okay? Are you so sorry? No, we don't do that. Like, are you happy now, rather than asking if they're okay, oh, so you must have had very fun hitting your head. So we would do like that. So especially friends, people that keep I have around me. I'm very cautious about people I have around me. So we we just like we say everything that most of the things that comes out of our mind. We just talk it out, and we don't take it personally. You know, I don't if you take life too seriously, you will never have fun. You should have space for fun to laugh and smile when over time and they becomes a part of your character. Yeah, and then just, you know, when you're there, people just know that you're gonna have a good time with with with you or me or you know.
Host 1:24:29
So, yeah, it's extraordinary to be in conflict zones and displacement and these generation of conflict, as we've mentioned. And it's like, if you can, if you can bring humor and lightness and compassion and love there, then certainly you could do it anywhere.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:24:50
Yeah, I cannot take everything too seriously.
Host 1:24:54
I also want to get I want to go a bit deeper into the culture as well. And we've talked about some of the more serious topics. It's moving on from humor and moving into food, and I'm sure that, and you've talked about how the Kenya people meet every definition of what a country would be in terms of their culture and language and customs, and such food would be another. So if you can tell us a bit what one would expect, first of Kenya food in general, and how that might differ from bamarre food, which our listeners might be more familiar with, and then what you would find, what some of the more interesting or unusual kind of things you would find as you go deeper into the jungle.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:25:33
So we have one, I think this one is the national food. I believe it's like, we call it takapo. Takapo is this rice, a thick rice soup with lot of vegetables, chili onions, which we have, if not, that, just like it came from, if you have to run from config zone or run from war. And then you only got a small bag of rice, and you soak that rice water, and then you pound it, and then you start cooking water. You put that pounded rice powder in into in the in the pot, they start stirring. It becomes like a thick rice soup with you just add a lot of veggies and, you know, salt pepper in it, and it becomes like a really delicious dish. It's like, we call it takapo. It's like, almost like rice porridge, but it's not really, but the Korean style. So yeah, and then fish paste, of course, chili paste, and just like a lot of veggies, that's like what you would eat in Kathleen, Korean state. And we will see a lot of dry, dried food. So we, we don't have fridge there, so you have to dry all your food to make it last long. So we still have people that lives in like the Stone Age, like, like in the old school, like stone age time so, but yeah, I think Dakota Paul is what very normal for Crown people. The deeper you go in, the you will see maybe some rice, some some villages that can't even afford oil, barely have salt and have dry fish from many months ago. And they crush it, and then it's like a small, not even as big as your thumb, and they're flattening out. That's what they and then they cook water, some dried cabbage in it, a little salt. That's what they eat with the family, you know. But if you visit them, they will still invite you to dinner, even with that little that they have, you know, they will still serve you first and then eat after you eat. So that's the characteristic of true indigenous people. Yeah, they will serve you even when they have nothing. So yeah, that's all you will see when you go deep into kathuli.
Host 1:28:39
Right? And going a bit deeper into the culinary traditions, are there any kinds of dishes or ways of cooking that would that would stand out as being somewhat unique or unusual to for for people who hadn't had much contact there?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:28:59
Well, in there, we still cook using wood, and if you have a pan or a pot, and then there's not a lot of oil, you cannot find, and then what you have, it may be salt or MSG, if you can afford it, salt is cheaper. And then it just herbs, natural herbs. It's a lot of healthy veggies. You know, herbs in in their way, because the land is so rich, you can just plant anything, it will grow. So we're kind of like, maybe modern days poor, but you know, one day we'll be the richest one where we have, you know, a garden chickens, we raise goats and ducks, you know. So I don't see it as a being poor, you know, we don't have a lot of what others have, but we have a lot of stuff that others don't have. As well. So, yeah, I mean, it's not a lot oil or not a lot of sugar, not a lot of deep fried stuff. It's like, more like cook boiled water, put some veggies, salt. That's it. So the really special is we call it, especially in mudra area. We call bug her tea, which means there's a type of salad or cabbage. Call it very special in brigade five, or they also have in other areas as well. But we call it mountain delicacy, jungle delicacy, just, it doesn't matter cold or hot water, you just put in a piece of it, and it's like, make it smell good and make it taste good. Because when you have nothing, that's that's what you have. And it just like you can not find anything more simple than that, but unique. And a lot of people in third world country, if they eat it, the memories bring memories that comes in your mind, like the smell of it and the taste of it is like, Oh, I miss my village. Like, yeah.
Host 1:31:22
So wrapping up and looking at where we are today, where we're sitting with the conflict having waged on, and the resistance among the PDFs, the other end of groups, certainly the in in cotullais and and the peoples that you're in contact with. Where do you see where we're at at this point in the conflict, what sense or morale Are you getting, and where are you seeing your role in it as it continues to play out.
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:31:54
So this is my my view on it, my understanding of the situation, I think the junta the big enemy, the SAC Burma army, they are losing grounds and spirit. So there are a couple that surrendered, and they say four out of five just want to run away. Yeah, they've been forced. They've been drugged. They're being threatened to charge to the front. They've been lied to. They given false information. They say there's only one hill left, two, Hill left, three, Hill left, and we're there. But truth is, they're far away from it, far away from the goal. They're far more of them that dies than what they've been told, and far more grounds that they're losing everywhere. And so I think it's a bright future. The future is bright is because I'm hopeful. I'm also realistic. If it's not bright, I wouldn't say, you know, I wouldn't lie to myself. So it looks bright to me right now, and you ask, What's my role, and where I see my role? I think, how I understand, how I see myself in this, all of this, this mess is I'm not going to be the light for everybody in Burma, but maybe for 10 of my friends. I want to be I want to want them to know that I'm here right by their side and my team also, of course, not just 10, but, you know, maybe 100 or maybe 1000 but we we don't have a lot of funding, but when people are in hard, difficult situations, they reach out to us. I don't promise them anything, but I will make sure I deliver something to you. That's what they know. I've kept my word. I've given my very best the last couple years. So also, I haven't ruined my reputation. I hope not to in the future, I'll just deliver my part, deliver, keep my promises, if I promise so, I think if they see my my friends in the front line sees me as a way of someone they can turn to when they're in difficult situations, then I will be that someone i. Yeah, and as for my whole team the movement, want to play a role in because we're pretty active on social media. We want to be we want to promote peace, unity, and come back that people that want to come back home, we want to promote our country and our land. So when you when you look up Korean state, got to lay whatever you want to look up related to Korean people. So it doesn't come pop up on the war. You write down gole cran people, Obama comes up. You know, the search engine shows up. More positive stuff. You know, the beautiful land, the beautiful people, instead of feel pity for me, feel sorry for me. Give me this. Give me that. Nah, I don't want that. We want to be a good face. Yeah, that's how I see my role and my team's role in it.
Host 1:36:12
Yeah, you said from your first trip of $2,000 that it made you happy, but not satisfied? Are you satisfied now?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:36:19
No, I can never be satisfied, but I can always be happy. I'm happy I can always do more, because I know I can do more. Why should I be satisfied? If I'm satisfied, I won't grow no more. I still want to grow. If I cannot lead a country, I try to lead a district. If I cannot lead a district, I try to lead a village. If I cannot lead a village, I'll try to lead a school, or, if not a school, maybe a small team. You know, I want to be useful, and being useful you cannot be satisfied with the skills that you have, and just say that's it. You have to improve in order to adapt to this new world. You know the world is adapting. You have to be water. Like Bruce Lee said, be water, my friend, adapt to every shape and form that things turn to. That's how you we survive and thrive.
Host 1:37:23
Yeah, this has been such a beautiful conversation. I've I've learned so much. I thank you so much for your time. And before we go, is this is again, this is a chance to talk about not just your journey, but the journey of the in the ongoing journey of the Kenya people in kathule, and to bring that reality and those people to our listeners in greater relief, is there anything more that you would like to say about these people or this land to imprint on our listeners memory?
Sha Kerpaw Wah 1:37:57
I want to invite the listeners to come visit. Come see my homeland, my motherland. It's beautiful as of now, maybe a little dangerous, a little a little bit scary for regular people, but one day it will be big, beautiful, more beautiful and you can come and visit. I want to invite everybody and not just see the Korean people as the the victims you know, see. I want you guys to see and experience the real beauty in the culture, the the uniqueness, simpleness of because crane shirt, you've probably seen it. It's there's no there's no pockets, there's no back of front. Simple, just put it on. That's it. And so simple, but unique. So I want you guys to, I would like people to see the beauty side of it too, you know? And, yeah. And if interested, check out our website. I'm kenya.org, and then if you like our work, share about it. If you don't, it's okay. And yeah, that's my invitation to all of the listeners, and I really appreciate its honor. Thank you for having me. There's no preparations. I'm not used to prepare either, not even when I was studying, but I just like to speak my heart. So I hope you guys felt or seen or you know, kind of sense. One I have in my heart, and I hope I expressed it in in a useful way. And, yeah, thank you.
Host 1:40:22
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