Threats lead to fewer people at fourth Maramagyi National Day

By Thet Naing 18 May 2019

Thet Naing/ DMG

May 18, Sittwe

The national day for the celebration of Maramagyi, one of the Arakanese (Rakhine) ethnic people, was held for the fourth time in Arakan State this year on May 18.

The occasion is annually hosted on the full moon day of Kasone, in second month of the Myanmar calendar year. The first three events were crowded with people, but a group of people made threats at last year’s event, said the leader of the Maramagyi ethnic race in Arakan State.

Few people attended this year’s event because of the threat last year.

“Last year a group of people came one day before the event and asked who allowed us to commemorate the event. So, our people were downhearted and hesitated about holding the event. But they did anyway,” said U Maung Nu, the leader of Maramagyi people in Arakan State.

The celebration of the national day is held in some townships of Arakan State in previous years, but the event for this year was held at an old monastery of Maramagyi people in Sittwe.

“No one dared to celebrate such an event in Arakan State. We persisted in commemorating the event,” U Maung Nu said.

The national day is held with the hope to be united among Maramagyi people, to revive their race and to preserve their history, literature and culture.

There are about 10,000 Maramagyi people in Arakan State and they are living in Sittwe, Minbya, Mrauk-U, Ponnagyun, Maungdaw and Kyauk Phyu Townships.