Traditional kinship festival underway in Ramree Twsp village

By DMG 04 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
4 June 2022, Ramree 

Kinship gatherings are being celebrated on a grand scale in Konbaung village, part of Arakan State’s Ramree Township, from June 4-5, a second consecutive year for the long-running tradition, which was forgone in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Per tradition, relatives from the south and north of the village visit each other to catch up on each other’s affairs such as health and business matters and the family’s goings on over the previous year. 

“More than 4,000 people took part in this year’s event. We also provide accommodation for the visitors. I am very happy that so many people came to the event,” said Ko Pu Sein, a member of the event organising committee.   

“It is a lovely tradition to provide accommodation and meals for visitors from other villages, just as homeowners provide hospitality to visitors,” said Ko Thant Zin Oo, a participant in the event. 

“This is a very special event and the villagers are very friendly to visitors like us,” he added. “It is a lovely tradition for the villagers to arrange everything for us. Visitors to the event dressed in a very humorous and orderly manner. There are people who come because they have never seen it.” 

The tradition of visiting relatives has been taking place in Rampauk and Konbaung, both villages in Ramree Township, since ancient times, with the practice living on to this day.