Daingnet National Day commemorated in Minbya Twsp village

07 Jan 2023

DMG Newsroom
7 January 2023, Minbya

Celebrations commemorating the 12th Daingnet or Thetkama National Day was held in Letpankon Village, part of Arakan State’s Minbya Township, on Saturday.

The Daingnet Literature and Culture Association organised the event with the aim of reviving the literature and culture of the Daingnet ethnic group.

“The event is commemorated to rediscover the history of the Daingnet ethnic tribe’s traditional culture, literature, music and history,” said Venerable Zawtipala, a member of the event organising committee.

The event was celebrated by Daingnet people from Maungdaw, Sittwe, Minbya and Mrauk-U townships, with attendees totaling about 1,000.

Venerable Zawtipala said the Daingnet people are facing political, economic and educational challenges amid the country’s ongoing political crisis.

On Friday, there was entertainment including traditional dances and discussions on history as a prelude to Daingnet National Day.

“The ceremony included literary and cultural talks about the progress of the Daingnet people, so I came with the intention of attending this event as a Daingnet woman to encourage and support them. I am also very happy to see all my relatives and friends together at this event,” Ma Nu Aye Win, an ethnic Daingnet woman from Mrauk-U, told DMG.

There are about 50,000 Daingnet people in Arakan State, and most of them live in Mrauk-U, Minbya, Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships, primarily engaging in farming for their livelihoods.