|  At
875 metres above sea level, Inle Lake is still surrounded by high hills that help
to keep the waters calm and the lake area misty. The huge and beautiful lake does
not only contain a marvelous microcosm of aquatic life, but is also surrounded
by a harmonious blend of national races. 22 km long and 11 km wide, Inle Lake
is home to 70,000 Bamar, Danaw, Danu, Intha, Kayah, Pa-O, Shan, and Taung-yo peoples,
among others - roughly half of the areas population.
Of these groups, one
of the largest is the non-indigenous Intha, who live in 17 stilted villages around
the lake. They are said to have migrated from Dawei, in southern Myanmar, in the
late 1300s. Most are involved in fishing for the local carp and other freshwater
fish that are abundant in the lake with cone shaped nets. The Inthas are renowned
for rowing their flat-bottomed boats from the stern with one leg, so that they
can watch for shoals of fish, and avoid the large clumps of water hyacinth and
low-lying islands that are scattered about Inle. Inle Lake also supports
a thriving farming community that produces a wide range of vegetables and flowers,
and rice is cultivated at the northern end of the lake on extremely fertile floating
islands. The local men also produce silver and brassware, pottery and lacquerware,
while the lake's womenfolk are highly skilled silk weavers. The area is the second
largest producer of silk products in the country. Many of the garments
produced by the local women find themselves in use at the yearly Phaung Daw U
and Waso festivals, which run concurrently in September and October. During the
former, sacred statues from Phaung Daw U Paya are rowed around the lake to bless
the local monasteries, and bring prosperity to the hard-working local communities
of Inle Lake.
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