Sacremist Birmans

		BIRMANS A Legend in White Gloves
	Known simply as the *Birman, the Sacred 'Temple Cat' of Burma*, should never be confused with the Burmese to which it bears no relation. This beautiful and exotic breed's white gloves are a symbol of purity and the subject of a fascinating legend guaranteed to amplify its appeal.

	Long before the birth of Christ, the Khmer civilisation of Western Asia built beautiful temples in which to pay homage to their gods. In western Burma, an area between China and India, the Khmers worshipped 'Tsun-Kyan-Kse', a golden goddess with sapphire blue eyes at a magnificent temple built on the slopes of Mount Lugh.

	Their faith in reincarnation required them to keep one hundred yellow-eyed, white temple cats in the belief that, after death, the priests of the temple would return in the form of the Sacred Cats of Burma.

	One moonless night - so the legend tells us - enemy raiders attacked the Temple of Tsun-Kyan-Kse, murdering the head priest, Mun-Ha, as he kept vigil over the goddess. Sinh, one of the faithful, white, temple cats, was found standing in grief upon the head of his dying master and gazing sadly into the sapphire eyes of the golden goddess so continuing his master's vigil.

	As the priest died, the cat's fur, which had been entirely white until that time, took on the golden glow radiating from the statue of the goddess and his yellow eyes became a deep, sapphire blue. His tail, ears, nose and paws turned brown as these were the parts of his body which were in contact with the impurities of the earth. Except, where his feet touched the priest's body, the fur remained pure white - a symbol of purity.

	With a commanding movement of his head, it is said that Sinh indicated to the remaining priests that the gates be closed immediately and in so doing, the temple was saved. Seven days later, having had neither food nor water, Sinh also died, taking the soul of Mun-Ha to Paradise.

	Thereafter, the remaining sacred cats were also transformed into blue-eyed cats with coats of gold and pure white feet. It was believed that whenever one of the temple cats died, the soul of the priest who had returned in feline form was carried into Paradise.

	The French Connection

	However, the legend fails to explain the exact scientific origins of the modern day Birman, which is a legend in itself and shrouded in mystery. There are several different modern legends to explain how the Birman came to find itself living in the West.

	We are told the temple cats of Burma were so sacred they were never taken out of the temple grounds except as a very rare gift for someone who had performed an exceptional service. One such legend has it that an English army major, Russell Gordon, who was in command of British troops stationed in Burma during World War I, together with a Frenchman, August Pavie, were sent a pair of temple cats in 1919 to thank them for preventing the destruction of the Temple of Tsun - and thereby the sacred cats themselves - by successfully stopping enemy forces from invading from nearby Siam. Unfortunately, the male cat died during the long journey, but the female arrived and gave birth to kittens, which signalled the beginning of the Birman breed in Europe.

	Another legend claims that an American millionaire travelling the Far East in 1918 bought two Birmans from a disloyal temple servant, who released two cats against the wishes of the priests. Again, the cats made their way to France, and, as in the first story, the male unfortunately died before the end of the journey.

	There are several other stories, all of which are arguably questionable. We are unlikely to ever know the truth. What we do know, though, is the Birman made its first appearance in the West in France in the 1920s. Thus the 'Chat Sacre de Birmanie' as it was originally called, was given its first official breed standard in France during 1925 and from then on the breed was regarded as having French nationality. Whatever the real history, the Birman rapidly became very popular and was soon established as a pedigree breed.

	Arrival in Britain

	Forty years after the original Birman standard was drawn up, it was the idea of an Englishwoman, Mrs. Elsie Fisher, famous for her 'Praha' Siamese, which led to the breed being established in England. The breed was accepted by the GCCF for championship status in Britain in 1966 - the same year the first Birman kittens were born to Orlamonde de Khlaramour, a blue pointed female, and Champion Nouky de Mon Reve, a seal pointed male. A club exclusively for the interest of the Birman - the Birman Cat Club - was established in 1969. This became the first of several clubs to cater for this increasingly popular breed. (See Links)

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