Tin Moe
Encyclopedia
Tin Moe; November 19, 1933 – January 22, 2007) was a famous Burmese
poet
.
Ba Gyan in the village of Kan Myè Zagyan in Taungtha township, Myingyan
, Mandalay Division
. He received his early education at a Buddhist
monastery, and attended school at the town of Yezagyo. His reputation preceded him when he went on to study at the University of Mandalay
at the request of faculty members
who had been impressed by an essay he wrote for the matriculation exam. He was already a published poet under the pen name
Kan Myè Nan Myint Nwe in the Ludu Journal
of Mandalay.
for Poetry
in 1959. He continued to write poems and essays, and became editor of poetry at the Ludu Daily
in Mandalay. He also worked for a time as the editor of Pei Hpu Hlwar magazine.
His early poems were influenced by Min Thu Wun
and Zawgyi
, who in their time pioneered a new age literary movement while still in Rangoon University. They also inspired him to write poems for children. Some of these were later turned into songs for children and also included in school texts.
was a turning point in Tin Moe's life. He responded to the criticism of the political content of his later poems such as Sobs and New Pages by referring to Thakin Kodaw Hmaing
whose patriotic and satirical poetry spawned a powerful anti-colonial literary movement while Burma was under British rule
. He had dedicated one of his earliest poems to his great hero, titled To Grandpa Thakin Kodaw Hmaing.
An active supporter of the pro-democracy movement, Tin Moe was imprisoned in 1991 for 4 years by Burma's military government for his activities. His work was banned, and after his release he left for the West and moved to the United States
as an exile. He traveled through the U.S., Europe
, Japan
, and Southeast Asia
attending literary events. In 2004, the Netherlands
honoured him with the Prince Claus Award
. He died on January 22, 2007 in his home away from home in Los Angeles, California
at the age of 73.
Bamar
The Bamar are the dominant ethnic group of Burma , constituting approximately two-thirds of the population. The Bamar live primarily in the Irrawaddy basin, and speak the Burmese language, which is also the official language of Burma. Bamar customs and identity are closely intertwined with general...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
.
Early life
Tin Moe ( was born MaungBurmese name
Burmese names lack the serial quality of most modern names. The Burmese people have no customary patronymic or matronymic system and thus there is no surname at all. In Burmese culture, people can change their name at will, often with no government oversight, to reflect a change in the course of...
Ba Gyan in the village of Kan Myè Zagyan in Taungtha township, Myingyan
Myingyan
Myingyan is a city and district in the Mandalay Division of central Myanmar, previously, it was a district in the Meiktila Division of Upper Burma. It is currently the capital of Myingyan Township and lies along the National Highway 2. , the city had a population of 123,700 and the district had...
, Mandalay Division
Mandalay Division
Mandalay Region is an administrative division of Myanmar. It is located in the center of the country, bordering Sagaing Region and Magway Region to the west, Shan State to the east, and Bago Region and Kayin State to the south. The regional capital is Mandalay. In the south of the division lies...
. He received his early education at a Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monastery, and attended school at the town of Yezagyo. His reputation preceded him when he went on to study at the University of Mandalay
University of Mandalay
Mandalay University is a public liberal arts university located in Mandalay, Myanmar. Formerly an affiliate of Rangoon University, Mandalay University is the second oldest university in the country, and the largest university in Upper Myanmar...
at the request of faculty members
Faculty (university)
A faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area, or a number of related subject areas...
who had been impressed by an essay he wrote for the matriculation exam. He was already a published poet under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Kan Myè Nan Myint Nwe in the Ludu Journal
Ludu U Hla
Ludu U Hla was a Burmese journalist, publisher, chronicler, folklorist and social reformer whose prolific writings include a considerable number of path-breaking nonfiction works...
of Mandalay.
Fame
In 1956 Tin Moe collected his poems into a book titled Hpan Mee Ain (The Lantern). It won him the National Literary AwardLiterary award
A literary award is an award presented to an author who has written a particularly lauded piece or body of work. There are awards for forms of writing ranging from poetry to novels. Many awards are also dedicated to a certain genre of fiction or non-fiction writing . There are also awards...
for Poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
in 1959. He continued to write poems and essays, and became editor of poetry at the Ludu Daily
Ludu U Hla
Ludu U Hla was a Burmese journalist, publisher, chronicler, folklorist and social reformer whose prolific writings include a considerable number of path-breaking nonfiction works...
in Mandalay. He also worked for a time as the editor of Pei Hpu Hlwar magazine.
His early poems were influenced by Min Thu Wun
Min Thu Wun
Min Thu Wun was a Mon - Burmese poet, writer and scholar who helped launch a new age literary movement called Hkit san in Burma.-Distinguished career:...
and Zawgyi
Saya Zawgyi
Zawgyi , born in Pyapon, Irrawaddy Division, real name U Thein Han , was a distinguished and leading Burmese poet, author, literary historian, critic, scholar and academic....
, who in their time pioneered a new age literary movement while still in Rangoon University. They also inspired him to write poems for children. Some of these were later turned into songs for children and also included in school texts.
Politics
The political upheaval of 1988 in Burma8888 Uprising
The 8888 Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests was a series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots in the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma...
was a turning point in Tin Moe's life. He responded to the criticism of the political content of his later poems such as Sobs and New Pages by referring to Thakin Kodaw Hmaing
Thakin Kodaw Hmaing
Thakin Kodaw Hmaing is considered one of the greatest Burmese poets, writers and political leaders in the 20th century history of Burma. He is regarded as the Father of Burmese nationalist and peace movements as well as a literary genius...
whose patriotic and satirical poetry spawned a powerful anti-colonial literary movement while Burma was under British rule
British rule in Burma
British rule in Burma lasted from 1824 to 1948, from the Anglo-Burmese Wars through the creation of Burma as a province of British India to the establishment of an independently administered colony, and finally independence...
. He had dedicated one of his earliest poems to his great hero, titled To Grandpa Thakin Kodaw Hmaing.
An active supporter of the pro-democracy movement, Tin Moe was imprisoned in 1991 for 4 years by Burma's military government for his activities. His work was banned, and after his release he left for the West and moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as an exile. He traveled through the U.S., Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
attending literary events. In 2004, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
honoured him with the Prince Claus Award
Prince Claus Awards
The Prince Claus Fund was inaugurated in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of The Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs....
. He died on January 22, 2007 in his home away from home in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
at the age of 73.
External links
- Tin Moe's Works in Burmese MoeMaKa Media
- Yindèga gabya Poems from the Heart by Tin Moe, in Burmese, September 2000 to March 2006, New Era Journal
- Tin Moe misses the sound of Burmese The Power of Culture, Prince Claus Fund, 2004
- Burmese Legendary Poet Tin Moe Dies VOA News, 24 January 2007
- Poems by Tin Moe (1933 - 2007) Prince Claus AwardsPrince Claus AwardsThe Prince Claus Fund was inaugurated in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of The Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs....
- Brief biography Prince Claus AwardsPrince Claus AwardsThe Prince Claus Fund was inaugurated in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of The Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs....
- The Shut Door - Poem by Tin Moe translated by Win Pe MoeMaKa, January 15, 2009