The sound of the Irrawaddy

Fishing village near Bagan: fishing boats are bobbing in the brown water of the Irrawaddy. | Myanmar

The name Irrawaddy (or Ayeyarwaddy) means "river that brings blessings to the people". Besides the water supply for rice cultivation and the tropical fruits, the Irrawaddy also supplies plenty of fish. Unfortunately there are less and less of the famous Irrawaddy dolphins to be seen today. For the people living along the Irrawaddy, the river is often the only possibility to get food like rice, meat, vegetables or fruits.