6 January
The Kayin New Year culture and art exhibit, along with a celebration for consumption of new crop, will be held in Ywathit Village Tract, Einme Township, Myaungmya District, Ayeyawady Region today (6 January), which is raising interest and attracting visitors.
People came to view the traditional Kayin dresses that are more than one hundred years old, along with farm tools, Kayin frog drums used in marriage ceremonies, Kayin flutes and literature, on display in the traditional culture exhibit. Visitors were also flocking to the peace exhibit and an exhibit in which biographies of Kayin leaders were on display.
“We are exhibiting the Kayin frog drum cherished by the Kayin people; flutes, buffalo horns (called Pado) and Kayin harps used in marriage ceremonies, as well as traditional utensils, such as pipes,” said Township Kayin Literature and Culture Committee Chairman, Mahn Nyet Pane.
An early visitor to the exhibits, Sa Aung Kyaw from Kyon Pauk Village, Htantabin Village Tract, Einme Township said, “The entire Kayin people should value and cherish the traditional utensils, tools and culture. This year is unique, with the inclusion of the New Crop Ceremony that is almost on the verge of vanishing. On behalf of the Kayin people, I’m honored and happy.”
The traditional Kayin New Year and New Crop ceremony will include traditional boxing challenges, sports competitions, men’s football competitions and a Kayin Done Dance competition.
There will also be more than 200 shops selling Kayin traditional goods and foods. On the morning of the Kayin New Year Day, a flag raising ceremony will take place at 6 a.m. and Kayin New Year Day events and the Kayin traditional new crop ceremony will be held, according to the organizing committee.— Aung Min (Myaungmya) (Translated by Zaw Min)
