In the rippling mountains of Shan State, the local medicine man has long served as a trusted landline between isolated Palaung villages and the world at large.

This month brings us to northwestern Myanmar where a proud dad shares the tradition of Thanaka with his only son.

For many in Myanmar, wearing (and even eating) Thanaka paste starts from birth. 

Established in 2005, Myanmar's young capital city stands out from the rest of the country in more ways than one.

82-year-old Nang Pwan sheds light on the struggle of the Pa-O people through British occupation, WWII, and Burmese independence.

This month we explore how a tree indigenous to Myanmar's central region has managed to make contact with the outermost reaches of the country.

On the country's western flank, the isolated Rakhine State is home to many that seem to challenge mainstream gender norms in Myanmar.

Many Burmese youth use Thanaka to cover up something with which we have all struggled.

This Intha family continues to practice two of the oldest traditions found in Shan State.

Used for over 2,000 years, Thanaka is synonymous with identity for many Myanmar people.

An age-old Buddhist custom that incorporates Thanaka still persists in a Yangon suburb out of necessity.

Kalima, and many other women of Indian descent, integrates her heritage with a distinctly Burmese tradition.

We joined the 2.5 million residents in Yangon for the super-soaked festivities of Thingyan, Burmese New Year.

Kyaw Myoe Naung walks us through his family's third-generation Thanaka factory and highlights the growing need his product fulfills for many Burmese people.

On a tropical island home to 64 villages, Thanaka paste holds an especially functional value.