Thread: Seen it all ?

The thrills (and spills) of Ferris wheels
By Yadana Htun



GRABBING the iron bar with both hands, as the whistle blows Ko Khin Mg Win suddenly jumps towards the groud to start the man-powered Ferris wheel to the delightful screams of those onboard.

This is not what one might expect when they head out for some Ferris wheel fun. These classic amusement are manually operated — powered by the acrobatic skills of the Ferris wheel men.

Found throughout Myanmar, these Ferris wheels of a bygone era provide thrills, and occasional spills, at Pagoda festivals and events across the country.

“During the ride, first, you feel cool and then your heart takes a sudden leap as the job begins,” said Ko Khin Mg Win, 38, a senior manual worker with Myint Thamada Ferris Wheel Group.

He started his dangerous career at the age of eight. “Life wasn’t easy. We were too poor to have many options in life. So, I joined Myint Thamada Group after I finished my grade four exams. The owner of the company is my aunt.”

“I had a hard start. I had to learn the operating procedure by working a four carriage Ferris wheel. You can’t really compare it to the one I operate these days, it has twelve carriers. And I have a step by step guide to do this challenging work.”

He found the job tiring at first but got used to it very soon. “When we first do this, my whole body from head to toe hurt so much. But day by day, my body came into shape. Now, I don’t have any trouble with the physical strain.”

He said understanding and cooperation between the operators is as important as keeping self balance. “There is a person who is in charge of the workers. They have to watch from ground to make sure that the operators are in the right place on the wheel. If he whistles – to signal a start — before the workers are in the right place, they will lose their balance and fall off. This communication is crucial for the operation.”

With a career spent flying around the sky, Ko Khin Mg Win has seen the great joy these Ferris wheel can bring to the public. But he does wonder what exactky his customers like about the wheel.

“I don’t understand why people have a strong desire to ride the big wheel whenever they are at a festival. Maybe they like turning in the air or they feel free from stress when they shout during the ride. Anyway, everyone seems to have a lot of fun,” he said.

But behind the smiling faces of the public, there is a harsh reality that the Ferris wheel men must face whenever they step up for their shift – the risk of injury, perhaps death, from falling.

“I have been working in this area for three decades and I’ve only seen one accident. But it was a terribly serious one. It was in Kyonmangae 10 years ago. The Ferris wheel’s axle snapped and sent the structure crashing down. The mechanical failure resulted in the deaths of about forty people,” said Ko Khin Mg Win.

But while Ko Khin Mg Win has only experienced this one tragic incident, accidents do occur form time to time. The owner of Myanmar Pyi Tar Ferris Wheel Group also experienced a serious accident in Taunggyi six years ago.

“In that accident four people were killed. The wheel fell down as a result of careless setting up. The owner should check the wheel and ground level before operation begins but he didn’t,” said U Than Shwe.

In his late fifties, U Than Shwe is particular about safety and said the setting up process is vital. “Before erecting the Ferris wheel, you have to check whether or not the ground is hard enough to bear the weight of the wheel. If not, you need to lay down sand to make a firm base. We take sand wherever we go. The level of the ground must also be considered at this time. If there are odd angles, the wheel can tilt to the lower side and potentially cause a problem.”

“Once set up you have to check that the nuts are sufficiently tightened and that the frame is in satisfactory condition.” As the head operator, U Than Shwe is responsible for this process and, if a problem occurs, he must take care of the situation. “Some of my workers have had small mishaps. It is important to keep your balance so as to avoid accidentally falling from the wheel.”

“When the wheel starts to turn, you need to ride it down and then jump off. If you miss that chance you can be thrown into the air and hurt yourself."

Travelling around the country, his group is always in demand at not only pagoda festivals but also regional fairs and celebrations. A big festival usually lasts about ten days. “We travel the whole year. In summer we are in lower Myanmar and we go to upper Myanmar after April.”

The Ferris wheel brings in roughly K50,000 each day of operation and he pays each worker K3000 for their effort. At least seven people are needed to roll the wheel, he said.

From the point of the worker, Ko Khin Mg Win said K3000 is an attractive salary. “You don’t need to work the whole day. We only do from 6pm to 12pm. So, the working hours are short. You can do anything you like during the daytime. You don’t need to deal with daily schedules like other jobs.”

The job also provides the opportunity to travel across Myanmar, something that U Than Shwe appreciates. “As a Buddhist, I am very lucky as I can pay respect to pagodas across the country.”

The down-side, as with most travel-intensive occupations, is that constant move means constant change of sleeping environment. “Sometimes we have to live quite uncomfortably in temporary accommodation, like tents, so we don’t sleep well. It’s kind off funny that we spend half our life in tents although we have our own house. At times I really miss the feeling of being home.”

So next time you come across a Myanmar Ferris wheel, take a step back and observe the skill of the Ferris wheel men. Their agile footwork and gravity defying movements are a sight to behold. Risking life and limb for your enjoyment, the job of these men is uniquely man-powered and truly dangerous.

mmtimes.com




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