lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

308PEOPLE OF MYANMAR (BURMA) MAIN ETHNIC GROUPSKhin Myo Chit’sEnglish-languageColourful Myanmarhighlightsmany customsand traditionsof Myanmar lifeand is availablein many Yangonbookshops.INDIAHakhaSittweBay ofBengalwhichever group was strongest – usually the Bamar (Burmese) in thepast few hundred years. Most ethnic groups continue to live in somesort of troubled isolation in the mountains lining much of Myanmar’sinternational borders, notably the Shan, Kayah and Kayin in the east; theKachin to the north; and the Chin and Rakhaing to the west.As in many other ethnically (and religiously) diverse countries, feelingsof pride and prejudice cause friction between Myanmar’s ethnic groups.Ask a Bamar (or a Shan or a Kayin) their opinion about their countryfolkof different ethnic or religious backgrounds and you’ll get an idea of whatkinds of challenges governments in Myanmar down the ages have facedin their efforts to keep the peace and preserve the borders.Bamar‘The one single factor which has had the most influence on Burmeseculture and civilisation is Theravada Buddhism.’Aung San Suu Kyi, Freedom from FearAlso known as Burman or Burmese, the Bamar make up the majority(69% according to 1983 census data) of the population. Thought to haveoriginally migrated from the Himalaya, the Bamar ruled much of what isnow Myanmar from Bagan (Pagan) by the 11th century. When the Britishconquered Myanmar in the 19th century, it was the Bamar who hadto relinquish the most. Many ancient court customs and arts were lostwhen the Bamar monarchy was abolished.Despite an enduring attachment to older animist beliefs in nat (spirits)the Bamar, from trishaw drivers to senior generals, are devout Buddhists.Monks are highly respected and themedia reports daily on the merit-makingof top officials at the country’s principalBuddhist places of worship – continuing atradition of patronage started by BurmeseMyitkyinaCHINA monarchs.Coming of age (shinbyu) is a major eventin Bamar/Buddhist culture with paradesaround villages and towns for boys aboutLashioMandalayNay Pyi TawTaunggyiLoikawTHAILANDto enter monasteries as novice monks, andboth girls and boys having their ears pierced.For more on Buddhist traditions see p 338 .The military and current governmentstopped short of making Buddhism thestate religion (as Prime Minister U Nu didin 1960). However, nation-building effortshave included establishing the Bamar language(Burmese) as the language of instructionin schools throughout Myanmar, somost non-Bamar speak Burmese as a secondlanguage.YangonBago Hpa-anMawlamyineChinThe Chin inhabit the mountainous regionKayin(mostly corresponding with Chin State) that(Karen)Dawei borders India and Bangladesh to the west.MonChin State is restricted to travellers, but canKayahNagabe visited with government permission.Of Tibeto-Burman ancestry, the Chinpeople call themselves Zo-mi or Lai-mi(both terms mean ‘mountain people’), andshare a culture, food and language with theSagaingPatheinChinShanBamar(Burman)RakhaingKachin