CNI News

21 Oct 2022

Although it is the dry season teeming with festivals and charities, the Myanmar traditional Pathein umbrella market is as dead as a doornail, according to manufacturers of the traditional product.

The industry is mainly based in Pathein town in Ayeyarwady Region.

Ma Kyu Kyu Aye of the Thitsar Traiditional Pathein Umbrella Production told the CNI, “In the past, we received a lot of orders at this time of the year because there were many charity ceremonies. Now, as the situation of the country is unpredictable, no one has placed orders for us. We have to reduce the number of workers from ten to three. They placed orders at big businesses.”

The traditional Pathein traditional umbrellas are used in Kathina processions, religious festivals, novicehood ceremonies and ordinations as well as decoration in hotels and restaurants.

An umbrella decoration near the Sule Pagoda.

Due to current economic crisis and instabilities in some regions, there were fewer pagoda festivals but the industry had to rely on Kathina robe offering ceremonies, Daw Ni Ni Tun of the Nay Nat Thar told the CNI.

She told the CNI, “At present, the Pathein umbrella industry has to rely on Kathina robe offering ceremonies as there were no pagoda festivals across the country. In the past, we could sell umbrellas to pagoda festivals. The market is very unpredictable.”

Pathein traditional umbrellas are popular among the travellers in Mandalay, Yangon, Bagan, Nyaung-U and Mawlamyine.

Due to the economic slowdown and political crisis, the traditional Pathein umbrella industry has been suffering from the shrinking market and workers are being laid off.