Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Pu Zaw Pwe ပူဇော်ပွဲ

• It is a Noble Tradition that is practiced in Burma.
• Thet Kyee Pu Zaw Pwe သက်ကြီးပူဇော်ပွဲ is for paying respect to the Elders. The age requirements vary.

• Saya Pu Zaw Pwe ဆရာပူဇော်ပွဲ is for paying respect to the sayas and sayamas. Some use the term Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe အာစရိယပူဇော်ပွဲ

Thet Kyee Pu Zaw Pwe

Seniors

• The definition of a Senior may vary with place and time.

• In some places, a Senior Day is held. Transportation, Food, Entertainment and Photo-shoot are provided for seniors of all races and creeds.

At a Festival

• Thet Kyee PZP may be held in conjunction with a Festival, e.g Thingyan or Thadinkyut. Buddhists may also pay respect physically to the Elders.

Myanmar Engineering Society

• MES organized Thet Kyee PZP for Senior Engineers and Architects.

All-Mechanical Gathering

• The All-Mechanical Gatherings have a program to pay respect to Thet Kyee Mechanical Engineers.

Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe

Examples :

• Combined 1st BE Intake of 64 and 65
• M72 and selected Disciplines
• ICST/UCSY

Saya Pu Zaw Pwe

SPZP-2000

• RIT Alumni International hosted the First RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP in San Francisco, California in October 2000.

• The term Saya Pu Zaw Pwe was chosen over Saya Ga Dawt Pwe so that Alumni of different Faith can pay back the Metta and Cetana of their mentors.

• I am honored to be a Core Organizer of SPZP-2000. I wrote the poem “SAYA PU ZAW PWE”. It was published in the RIT website and the Commemorative Issue of the RIT Alumni Newsletter for SPZP-2000.

Singapore SPZPs

• Singapore hosted SPZP-2002, SPZP-2007 and SPZP-2010. Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) and team published Commemorative Issue of Swel Daw Yeik Sar Saung for the SPZPs.
• My poem (SAYA PU ZAW PWE) was reprinted on the Back Cover of SDYSS-2002.
• I wrote a poem “SWE DAW YEIK” for SDYSS-2007.
• I wrote an article “EE Sayas : A Sad and Short Clip” for SDYSS-2010.

Yangon SPZPs

• Yangon hosted SPZP-2004, SPZP-2012 and SPZP-2016.
• Commemorative Issue of Swel Daw Yeik Magazine was published for SPZP-2012 and SPZP-2016. U Saw Lin (GBNF) was Chief Editor of SDYM-2012. Saya U Moe Aung was Chief Editor of SPZP-2016. Several Distinguished Authors (e.g Ma Sandar, Maung Sein Win — Padeegone, N Jar Thaing, Aw Pi Kye) also served as Editors.
• Due to the pandemic, SPZP-2020 was canceled.

Gone But Not Forgotten

• Some of the Organizers and Volunteers of the SPZPs are GBNF. They include Saya Allen Htay, Ko Saw Lin, Ko Aung Moung, Ko Than Sin Myint and Ko Robin.

• Several Sayas are GBNF. They include U Ba Toke, H Num Kok, U Soe Khaw, U Ba Than, U Min Wun, U Khin Aung Kyi, U Thit, Dr. Mg Mg Win, S Arya, S Kyaw Aye, U Soe Lwin.

• Sayas U Aung Khin, Dr. Aung Gyi and U Myo Myint Sein are 90+ years young. Many of our sayas are 80+ years young.
• We hope to see SPZPs in the not so distant future (after the Calamities have ended).

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Types

Burmese Style

Laung လောင်း is the traditional rowing in Burma.

Leg Rowing is performed by Inntha အင်းသား (inhabitants of Inlay Lake)

Western Style

In the early days, the western style of rowing was done at Rangoon Boat Club (RBC). It was an exclusive club.

Sir Arthur Eggar (RU Law Professor, former rower at Cambridge University, author of Egg-Baird rowing style) founded Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC) in 1923. He pledged a third of his salary for the operating expenses of RUBC. Rangoon University Estate built the RUBC Club House with the Fund provided by U Nyo.

Publications

40th Anniversary Magazine (in 1963)

Compiled/edited by U Tin Htoon (A60) with the help of Sithu U Tin (President) and U Po Zon (Vice President)

90th Anniversary Magazine (in 2013)

Compiled/edited by team :

• U Tin Htoon (Chair)
• U Myo Myint (EC67, Vice Chair)
• U Htaik San (Henry, M81, Secretary)
• U Hla Min wrote “Prelude” for the sections and short articles
• Dr. Tin Wa
• U Khin Zaw
• U Zaw Min Sein
• Daw Joe Phyu
• U Yemunn Soe
• Daw San San Myint
• U Hla Maw Tun
• Dr. Nay Lin Aung

Autobiography of Sir Arthur Eggar

Saya U Tin Htut (M60), U Tin Htoon, U Myo Myint, U Htaik San (Henry), Daw Joe Phyu, U Thura Thant Zin (M76), Dr. Donald Chan and I donated for the publication.

The articles were first published in the Guardian Magazine. It covers the rowing days at Cambridge, founding of RUBC, trips to Rangoon (first as a Mathematics teacher and later as a lawyer and Professor), …

RUBC

Member

• 10 kyats (annual membership)
• 50 kyats (or so, for life time membership)

Executive Committee (EC)

• Honorary Treasurer
• Honorary Secretary
• Vice Captain
• Captain

The EC is elected by voting at the AGM (Annual General Meeting). I was the last Treasurer to be elected by the members. The next year, I became the last Vice Captain.The following year, I should have been Captain, but the higher authorities had a new rule. I became sadder but wiser.

Early Presidents

• Sir Arthur Eggar (Life time)
• Commodore Than Pe
• U Tun Thoung
• Sithu U Tin
• Saw William Paw

Two busts were made to honor Sir Arthur Eggar and Commodore Than Pe.

During the Adhamma Days, Sir Arthur’s bust was put in a place (out of sight). The Board listing the ECs was also moved (out of sight).

Novices

There were two races at the Regatta : Senior Novice (for 1st & 2nd place) and Junior Novice (for 3rd & 4th place).

Senior Novice Winning crew is awarded the Eggar Pewter & broaches (for bragging rights).

In 1954, an All Paulians crew won the Senior Novices race. Tin Htut (Cox), Tun Shein (Willie Saing, Stroke), M Hla Min (Moosaji, 3), and Than Nyun (George Nyun, 2) later became RUBC Gold. Sao Hso Holm (Mawn Pawn Sawbwa Lay) was Bow.

Tin Wa (Cox), Victor Htun Shein (GBNF, Stroke), Sunny Teng (3), Mya Maung (Minn Aung, 2), Mehm Than Thaung (Maurice Tun Thaung, Bow) won Senior Novice and Color Challenge for both the Monsoon Regatta and the Annual Regatta in 1958 and 1959. They are known as the Golden Crew.

Our Paulian crew was Runner-up for Senior Novices in 1963. We were awarded Full Green. Myint Thein (Cox), Myint Soe (Willie, Stroke) and Maung Maung Kyi (Bow) are now GBNF. Kyaw Wynn rowed as (3). I was No. (2).

Color Awards

• Half Green
• Full Green
• Gold

Details can be found in the 90th Anniversary Magazine

Defense Services Rowing Club

Commodore Than Pe (GBNF) and Bohmu Maung Maung Than Tun (GBNF) were founding members of the club. Both are Past Captains of RUBC.

Commodore Than Pe was Minister of Education and Health. He passed away and was succeeded by Colonel Hla Han.

A few years back, U Maung Maung Than Tun was the oldest living Past Captain of RUBC. He was a few months older than Saya U Tin U (C), who is now the oldest and most senior Past Captain of RUBC.

Burma Rowing Federation

• Western and Traditional Rowing
• Later include Kayak, Canoe
• My brother U Sein Htoon (M63, Past Captain of RUBC, ARAE Champion in 1960) is Past President

Regattas

Rag Regatta

One day fun-filled program; Finalists for the Novices are seeded at the Monsoon Regatta

Monsoon Regatta

Annual Regatta

ARAE Regatta

FEARA Regatta

Amateur Rowing Association of the East (ARAE)

Tin Htoon (S) and Harry Saing (B) won the Venables Bowl for Coxless Pairs at the 1958 ARAE Regatta in Calcutta.

Tin Htoon (S), Sunny Teng (3), Victor Htun Shein (2), Harry Saing (B) and Sein Htoon (Cox) won the Willingdon Trophy for Coxed Fours at the 1960 ARAE Regatta in Colombo.

Far East Amateur Rowing Association (FEARA)

Regattas were held in Hong Kong and Manila.

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Milestones

• 1964 — Admitted to first ever 2nd BE

• 1969 — Most members graduated

• 1999 — 30th Anniversary of Graduation

• 2009 — 40th Anniversary of Graduation

• 2014 — Golden Jubilee of Admission

• 2019 — Golden Jubilee of Graduation

• 2024 — RIT 60th Anniversary ; 55th Anniversary of Graduation

BFF — Best Friends Forever

Swe Swe Kyaw Zin (daughter of U Kyaw Zin EP69) presented 69er Caps & Hats at a 69er Monthly Breakfast Gathering.

69er Health Care Fund

U Aung Min (M69) and team manage the 69er Health Care Fund

• ကျန်းမာရေး ရံပုံငွေ Some make lump sum donation. Some donate in installments.
• 40% ကွယ်လွန် Gone But Not Forgotten

Reunion & Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe

• On special occasions, the 69ers host the Reunion & Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe
• Yearly — Annual Dinner & Entertainment (e.g M3, Panda, U Aung Min’s previous office)
• Monthly — Breakfast Gathering (mostly at Royal Rose Restaurant / Taw Win Hnin Si) ; Could not meet during the Covid pandemic
• Ad hoc — e.g Daw Myint Myint (C69) hosted lunch at Western Park to welcome Nyunt Nyunt Wai / Millie (T69); U Tin Win (Min69) hosted lunch at Crystal Jade for SPZP attendees

အမှတ်တရ လက်ဆောင် ပေးကြ Exchange Gifts

• 69er Cap

• 69er Hat

• 69er Mug

• 69er Towel
• 69er Golden Jubilee Magazine ရွှေရတု စာစောင်
• 69er Address Book
• ပုဆိုး Pasoe
• ထီး Umbrella
• တရားစာအုပ် Dhamma book