Dear Sayas and Colleagues,

First of all, thanks to all the alumns who sent a gentle reminder to stay healthy and conserve energy for the BIG day.

I received "True Stories from the RIT in the '60s" from Kogyi Koung [aka Dr. Koung Nyunt (Arch 67)]. As requested, I've made minor corrections.

Pronunciation of Burmese words are taken from Myanmar - English Dictionary, Dept. of Myanmar Language Commission, Ministry of Education, Union of Myanmar 1993.

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                         FORGOTTEN SONGS [AND SAYAS] OF RIT
                                         by Kogyi Koung
                         with assistance from U Than Tun (Arch 65)
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FIRST SONG
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It was one afternoon in the early May of 1963. Someone was singing a prewar semi-classic song from the second floor of RIT main building. In 1963, RIT buildings were relatively new and that semi-classic song caused a little bit of discomfort for the freshmen [equivalent to 3rd BE] locted on the first floor. The song continued as,

(. hmain: njou. njou. sain: lou. je . njou pja ji hmaung che . to: dan: kalei: nanbei: ga swe . e:di jwa be: kwe...)

The meaning is:

                Dull and gloomy cloud override at the horizon;
                Indistinct brown and dim bluish vision
                of a wood jetting out from that end is my village ...

*Note: The title of the song is 'Htamin: mjein mjein sa: me' i.e., "Enjoying the meal with relish" . The duet song was first performed by prewar famous singers Ou' O: Ba Thaung and Sein Party. Later many other singers have rendered their own versions of the song.

We saw an old man singing the song while he was painting watercolor on a huge art paper. He was painting the landscape described in the song. Amazingly the picture was full of life and the song was telling the story. Everybody stopped in front of his office on the second floor and looking with wonder and singing with him. After a while we asked him, "Sayagyi, who are you and which department do you belong to?"

He replied, "I am U Tha Tun, Head of the Department of Architecture".

Oh, my God! How stupid that we, the freshmen of Architecture, don't even know the head of our department. As time passed, we learned more about 'The Great U Tha Tun'.

The following is a short biography about the forgotten Sayagyi U Tha Tun compiled by his disciple U Than Tun (Arch 65).

*This article is read in commemoration of his 100th. birthday last year in Kyeemyindaing.

• Sayagyi U Tha Tun was born on 4 October 1899.
• Got B.Sc. degree from Yangon University in 1921.
• In 1926 he got A.A. dip.in London.
• In 1936 got F.R.I.B.A.(Fellowship of Institute of British Architects)
• and A.M.T.P.I. (Associate Member of Town Planning Institute). He is the only person who got F.R.I.B.A. as a Myanmar citizen up to date. So his degree in full is: B.Sc., A.A.Dip.(London), F.R.I.B.A., A.M.T.P.I.
• Back in Myanmar he worked as Executive Engineer (Planning) in National Housing Board and Town & City Development Trust.
• From 1941-1945, he worked as City Architect and Government Architect in Public works Department.
• From 1954-58, he taught "History Of Architecture" in Yangon University Engineering department.
• From 1960-1963, he was Head of Department of Architecture in BIT/RIT/
• Some of his works in Yangon.
• 1. Medical College 1 in Yangon.
• 2. Inya Hall, Thiri Hall,
• 3. Many other private houses
• 4. [Contributed his labour in] many religious buildings all over Myanmar.

He also won first prize in design competition for the renovation of Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda (Pegu) which was destroyed by an earthquake.

He lived for 75 years and passed away on 13th Sept. 1974 in Yangon. Whenever he was invited to a meeting or a gathering of Architects, he always tried to attend and used to say his favorite words:

"A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER"

Before he died, he sent a message to a meeting of S.S.A. and the following are the excerpts from his message.

" THE ART AND CULTURE REST ON THE FUTURE OF SOCIETY OF STUDENTS ARCHITECTS. I EXHORT TO THE SPIRIT OF S.S.A. TO CREATE A HISTORY AND I RENDER A HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS FOR PROMOTION OF ARCHITECTS IN BURMA"

When we became senior students, U Tha Tun's health deteriorated so much that Saya U Myo Myint Sein (then an Assistant Lecturer -- correct me if I'm wrong) stepped up as a 'Kagemusha' [Japanese for "shadow-warrior"]. UMMS, as acting head, took care of everything about the department. Young and energetic Saya UMMS found that it was not easy to steer the department as Captain of Architecture's Flag Ship. There were lots of problems for a relatively young department in RIT.

One such problem occurred during our final year. Two of the most experienced Sayas of architecture left the department and went abroad [for enhancing their careers]. They were

• Saya U Sein Maung (with elegant moustache) has long experience in Rangoon City Development Corporation. He taught each and every detail of the development of Rangoon. Please add if somebody knows the whereabout of Saya U Sein Maung (Arch).
• Saya M.B. Rachid (son of U Rachid, minister of many affairs under Prime Minister U Nu). He taught with all his professional experience and perfect pronunciation of King's Burmese with 'zagaboun' proverbs. Sometimes he corrected our broken Burmese. Please add if somebody knows the whereabout of Saya M.B. Rachid (Arch).

Saya UMMS, head of the department, not only had lost his right and left hand men, but also there was a danger that the notorious Koung Nyunt and Kyaw Thein (both Arch 67) might not finish their Architecture degrees. (Readers may read about some of their notoriety in the Second Song).

After a long struggle, Saya UMMS stabilized the flagship of Architecture and its direction. A pioneer of the Architecture of RIT, Professor U Myo Myint Sein handover the headship to Dr. Maung Kyaw in early 80's.

In the late 80's Dr. Lwin Aung took over. U Hla Than is the present head of the department of Architecture.

SECOND SONG
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For creative and original works, Architects cannot design during the office hours. It is also true [to a lesser degree] for the students of architecture. During the lectures and tutorial hours we [as students] have to follow what they have taught. After school hours [mostly after 4 or 5 pm], we start to create and test our design ideas. Note that for other students and staff of RIT, such periods are the pleasure and relaxation time.

There were a few girls in Architecture, but the one in our studio is especially alluring beauty and glamorous face. She was so popular that she became known as the queen of the student-architects. We called her Ma Ma Q.

Most of the evenings many senior students and young ligible bachelors and/or sayas visit our studio. Some stay late into the evenings. At that time we sang a song named 'Saga: ta' kathou' i.e., Language University, by Khin Yu May.

Because in the song, one part said 'dage lar te. Ko Ko. kwe ja hmar ba lou lou' i.e., really coming Ko Ko, out of sight he is sth in the air.

Ma Ma Q didn't know the meaning, but the visiting Ko Kos were annoyed by our song. They politely requested us to stop singing. At that time the notorious KN and KT asked 'hse' kjei:' i.e., extortion money about 2-3 kyats from the Ko Kos and went to U Chit tea shop. This continued for days and weeks. When the Ko Kos are not visiting our studio, we sang the following song, instead of Ma Ma Q. i.e., Third Song.

(Note. Extract from Shwe Kyi: nyo song by Daw Ngwe Myaing)

'Diga nei. nya hpjin. lar ma te. so: joun ya hmar lar: akou Kja.ma ne. ne: te. Shwe kyi: nyo Shwe kyi: nyo Shwe kyi: nyo'

"To-night coming you said so, may I believe Ako.. Near the blessed golden crow, golden crow, golden crow..."

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Editor's note: Thanks Kogyi Koung for "True story of RIT in 60's". I remember Sayagyi U Tha Tun frequently recite a limerick starting with "A wonderful bird is a pelican".

A limerick has 5 lines with the rhyming pattern: A, A, B, B, A. The following three rhyming "words" are for the first, second and fifth lines:

          Pelican [a bird with a huge beak]
          Belican [belly can]
          => The pelican tries to eat as much as his/her belly can
          Hellican [hell I can]
          => I'm not a pelican, so how the hell can I eat as much?

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That's all for now.
With metta,
Hla Min