Arakanese communities call for publicising name of song’s composer in textbook

By Admin 23 Oct 2023

DMG Newsroom
23 October 2023, Sittwe
 
Arakanese musicians have called on the Education Ministry to explicitly recognise the composer of a song featured in an Arakanese literature textbook for Grade 2 published by the ministry’s Basic Education Department.
 
The piece in question is a yein (a form of group dance) song called ‘Buddha Pujaniya’, which features the religious beliefs of Arakanese people. The song is of tremendous artistic and cultural value, say Arakanese literati, who are calling on the Education Ministry to state the name of the composer of the song in the textbook.
 
The song is the work of the late Arakanese composer U Oo Ba Tha, a resident of the Arakan State capital Sittwe. 
 
Arakanese musician U Tun Lin Aung, who lives in Sittwe, said: “This song is liked and accepted by all the Arakanese people, and is recognised as a work belonging to the entire Arakanese people. As it is well-known who the composer is, his name must be mentioned as per copyright.”
 
Arakanese musicians are preparing a formalised request to the Arakan State Education Department, to be submitted next month, said U Tun Lin Aung.
 
The Arakanese textbook was published for the 2020-21 academic year, and is taught to Grade 2 Arakanese students.
 
U Kyaw Thein, the son of the late composer U Oo Ba Tha, said: “The names of Sayar Min Thu Wun, and Sayar Zawgyi are mentioned in school textbooks. So, we want my father’s name to also be printed in the textbook, otherwise they would mention the composer as an anonymous composer from ancient times. This is a matter of cultural heritage, concerning the entire Arakanese people, so the name should be stated.”
 
The song was first performed for Arakanese Buddha Pujaniya oil-lamp choral dance at Union Day celebrations in Shan State’s Taunggyi in 1966, according to U Kyaw Thein.
 
Arakanese writer Sittwe Nyo Thant said: “This song is about the devotion of Arakanese people to Buddha, and his teachings.”
 
A Burmanised version of ‘Buddha Pujaniya’ was featured in the album ‘Dream’, released by the well-known singer Chan Chan. The song was falsely attributed to composer Myint Moe Aung. Myint Moe Aung subsequently went to Sittwe in 2016 in an effort to resolve the issue with family members of U Oo Ba Tha.