ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the divergence between the national view of what is significant and that of Yangon, the former capital, still the largest city and a region in the current governance structure. In this respect, authorities in Yangon are effectively rejecting the top-down Naypyidaw narrative and proposing a different, bottom-up heritage. The chapter refers to efforts currently under way to draw the local into the national narrative and the Yangon counter-narrative. The role of heritage in nation building is clearly seen in the social objective to uplift national prestige and integrity and preservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage and national character. The national narrative focused on the royal past and Buddhism operates as an authorised heritage discourse that is imposed on the country in a top-down manner. There are many authorised heritage discourses in Myanmar, working at different political and administrative levels and with varying degrees of control over the heritage agenda.
