History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Analysis 203
thanks offering of rice is given each morning by all who feel so inclined. This is applied to the support
of the orphanage and may amount to rupees 50 per annum. This is an instance of a heathen custom
being diverted into a Christian channel.” 29 Dr. Henderson was so cleaver to divert the Buddhist
custom in giving donation into Christian channel. He said in 1963 that the Shan use to say, “That is not
our custom” 30 and refuse to accept the gospel.
Why did they reject gospel based on culture?
What is Shan culture?
What is Christian custom?
Who created such culture and customs?
Why couldn’t Shan Christian marry in their own culture?
Why should Shan Christian get marriage in Christian custom?
If we ask them to abandon all their culture and follow Christian custom, which was accused by the Shan
as Western culture, how can Shan become Christian?
How can we transform Shan culture into Christian custom?
These are very important complicated questions.
Present
Knowing Shan culture, tradition, background and their belief is very important in doing
missions among the Shan. When a Shan becomes Christian the question of whether he has to abandon
all the Shan culture and practices or keep on doing it is the biggest problem we are facing today.
“Buddhist practices” are not well differentiated from “National cultures.” Some Buddhist practices
become national culture and some national culture are also part of the Buddhist practices. When
someone becomes Christian, he or she has to abandon all national cultures, which Christian consider
Buddhist practices. It makes a believer alienated from Shan community. Shan use to say, “If you are
Shan you must be Buddhist. Shan are Buddhist.” A Shan woman said to me, “If you are Christian you
are not Shan any more.” They identify nationality with religion. The questions are;
“How can we call ourselves Shan if we don’t follow Shan culture?”
“How can Shan Christian follow the culture which are considered to be Buddhist practices?”
Christians are taught not to participate in any festivity, which Christians think is a Buddhist
festival. When Christians refuse to join, they said that we have abandoned our national culture. But
when Christians join, it seems like we are joining Buddhist festival. There are Shan musical instruments
called gong, mong and cymbal. They are played together in synchronizing rhythm at celebrations and
festivals accompanied by traditional dancing. Generations by generations, Shan used this instrument in
their festivals of course which are Buddhist. Pastors and Shan Christian leaders do not allow Shan
Christians to play these musical instruments and dance traditional dance any longer when they become
Christians. The first convert in Eastern Shan State in 1902, Phak Ka Sai, had to leave the village
because he refused to join Shan New Year celebration, play gong, mong, cymbal and participate in
Shan dancing after becoming Christian. Western musical instruments such as guitar, violin, banjo,
drum, organ, piano etc. are introduced to Shan Churches. We sing western hymns and songs. Our
traditional folk songs are not allowed to sing any more. One lady said during our GCI training in
TaungGyi in 1995, “I have secretary learned Shan traditional folk songs at the age of fourteen. Our
pastors and Church leaders do not allow us to sing it. I have no chance of singing it. But now I am
happy to have an opportunity of singing this folk song the first time in my life at the age of forty.” I
don’t see anywhere in the historical documents of Baptist mission among the Shan that American
missionaries had asked Shan believers to abandon their gong-mong-cymbal music, Shan dancing and
singing their folk songs. Why do our Shan pastors and leaders stop Shan Christians to play our musical
29 89th Annual Report, 1903, American Baptist Missionary Union
30 Letter From Dr. A. H. Henderson, MuongNai, August 13, 1936