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290

Friday, Feb. 18 -    U Win.
[[strikethrough]] October 16 [[/strikethrough]]

Met E.P.W. da Costa of New Delhi - Editor, The Eastern Economist. Charming, heavy set man. Told me he would be glad to be of help to me in New Delhi.

The food was unusual & varied - the native orchestra outdid itself. U Win showed us the silver ornamented musical instruments, the designs for which are his. They were made for use on State occasions & cost 15,000 chats. His version of the story is this - he had proposed having these instruments made & found an indifferent cabinet listening to his pleas for the necessary money. Thereupon he pawned his wife's jewelry & paid for them himself. Now, after a year's time, the govt. has repaid him.

It was also interesting at the dinner, U Win, sat with us & explained the different musical tempos - including


291

U Win - Dinner for Asia Cultural Freedom    
Friday, Feb. 18
[[strikethrough]] October 17 [[/strikethrough]]

'haye' - which is supposedly most difficult, containing  different rhythms every few bars. A bar of music both starts & ends on the beat.

We heard also, the story of U Win's progress in arranging for a school for training dancers & singers in Rangoon. Formerly they were all trained in Mandalay. Here in Rangoon, in his compound - he maintains what he calls his 'Cottage Industries' - having a group of young children living there - age 5 to 16 (under the supervision of his wife - since some of them are of good families) all studying to recreate the ancient & lost art of the Burmese Dance. Films were shown after dinner with the pupils performing with a commentary (in Burmese) by their instructor.) Repetitious - but varied at the same time, & fascinating always - the hands & body movements.