Invitation to
Shan/Tai New Year Celebrations & Special Lectures on Shan/Tai Culture to
mark the 2104th Shan/Tai New Year

Since 2005 Shan New Year celebrations are held annually in London and indeed from 2006 at University of London. The event is organised to promote the culture of Shan people, who call themselves as Tai, by The Shan Cultural Association in the United Kingdom (SCA-UK), an association solely dedicated to promoting Shan literature and culture. This year, the SCA-UK organises two special lectures on Shan/Tai culture to mark the 2104th Shan/Tai New Year at the School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS, University of London, London.

Key speakers include Dr Susan Conway, author of “The Shan” (2006) and a Research Associate at SOAS and Dr Kate Crosby, Senior lecturer at Centre for Buddhist Studies, also SOAS, University of London. There will also be arts performances including the unique Shan traditional Kinnara Bird dance and some Lao traditional dance.

The SCA-UK would like to cordially invite you, your family and friends to join us to celebrate and welcome the 2104th Shan/Tai New Year.

Arts Performances

Shan Traditional Dance & Lao Traditional Dance

Special Lectures on South East Asian Culture with reference to Shan (Tai) of Burma (Myanmar)

1."Power and Protection: Shan Rituals in a Philosophical and Artistic Context” .................. by Dr Susan Conway

2. “Shan Poetic Literature on the Thai-Burma Border: A Report on Current Fieldwork on the Collections,Rituals and Performance that maintain this unique Shan tradition by........... Dr Kate Crosby (Senior lecturer in Pali and Buddhist studies, SOAS) and Jotika Khur-yearn (Ph D candidate and SOAS assistant librarian for Southeast Asia) by Dr Kate Crosby


Date & Time: 21 November 2009, 2.00pm - 4:00pm

Shan Traditional snack and Tea & Coffee will be served from 1:30pm till 2:00pm

Free Admission

Venue: Brunei Lecture Theatre
School of Oriental & African studies
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square
London, WC1H 0XG

Nearest Station: Russell Square Tube Station

Information & Contact: Jotika Khur-Yearn
Principal Library Assistant for SEA
SOAS, University of London
Tel: 020 7898 4173, 07540626667
Sai Hseng - 07974689226
Pan Aye - 07747119835
Nidarphorn - 07922541569