We left Kalaw and drove towards Inle Lake but first we drove up into the hills for a visit with the Danu hill tribe. The area was very heavy agriculture which is what the Danu people do for a living. We went to the Myin Ma Htie Village. The village has 560 people who are basically all related. The village has twelve leaders elected every four years by the village members. They also have a monastery and a school. The village has no set rules. The leaders preside over the whole village including the monastery and the school. The leaders discuss decisions with the families and make their decisions. The leaders said that the biggest problem in the village is quarreling spouses.

The leaders try and resolve all issues, like water, crops, school, and spousal disputes. The leaders said their goal is to prosper and do it without growing opium. This is a major opium growing region and they said there was opium growing within five miles of us. The current village leader has been the leader for eight years and he is very proud of his accomplishments. His three main projects were that he brought electricity to the village, he improved their water supply, and he built a main road to the village. The government taxes the village on land and electricity but nothing else. The village leader said that “they only drink (alcohol) on two days: days when it rains and days when it doesn’t rain”.

The four main crops grown by this village are rice, peanuts, ginger, and potatoes.

1. This photo was taken from our moving bus so it’s not a great photo but it shows the village and the surrounding area.

2. The main crop seen in this photo is rice but you can also see some vegetable rows and other crop areas.

3. The main crop in this photo is ginger and you can see some orchard trees and one of the houses.

4. This shows ginger, some vegetable crops, and orchards.

5. Vicky is standing with a village elder and you can see some different vegetable areas and an orchard intercropped with ginger.