Thin Gyan Burmas New Year Water Festival Reporter: KeKhaung DVB Slug: Burma water festival Date:

: 10/04/2013 !"R# "he Bu$$hist !ew %ear water festival in &'anmar is (ele)rate$ this wee*en$+ "his four,$a' (ele)ration (alle$ "hin -'an (ulminates in the Bu$$hist !ew %ear+ t.s the )iggest festival in &'anmar an$ is (ele)rate$ with huge water fights all over the (ountr'+ !ow/ performan(es/ $e)ates an$ tra$itional musi( (an on(e again feature in "hin -'an/ having )een )anne$ )' the previous militar' government+ KeKhaung reports0 "12" S32 1 3or four $a's in 4pril &'anmar (omes to a stan$still as ever'one gathers in the streets a(ross the (ountr' for massive water fights/ $an(ing an$ musi( to )ring in the !ew %ear+ 5ater (annons/ hoses an$ )u(*ets $ren(h an'one an$ ever'one in sight+ "he Bu$$hist !ew %ear in &'anmar/ or "hing'an/ is a time of (ele)ration+ S32 2 "he (ountr' has seen )ig (hanges sin(e the semi,(ivilian government (ame into power in 2011+ 4n$ last 'ear for the first time in nearl' three $e(a$es "hang'at was allowe$ )a(* on the streets+ S32 3 "hang'at singer (lip 1 6Burmese7: 81le(tri(it' is insuffi(ient+ 1le(tri(it' is important to )e regular+ 5e have man' )ig $ams+8 "hang'at is an important part of the !ew %ear.s festival+ t.s an ol$ Burmese art that (om)ines poetr'/ musi( an$ $an(e+ 9eople (hant anthems to ea(h other while :o*ing a)out the events of the past 'ear+ 9a 9a ;a' (lip 1 6&ale/ Burmese7: 8 t.s a)out the woes people are fa(ing a)out ele(tri(it' an$ e$u(ation an$ su(h+ "he har$ship people are suffering from their hearts an$ artists are e<pressing these issues through "hang'ats+=

9a 9a ;a' is a famous (ome$ian in &'anmar+ >e.s part of a group (alle$ the &ousta(he Brothers+ "he' ma*e satiri(al :o*es for their "hang'at+ S32 4 "hang'at singer (lip 2 6Burmese7: 85ear the helmet an$ hol$ 'our li(ense+++ to show when the traffi( poli(e as*+= ?ome$ians/ writers an$ poets show off their s*ills $uring "hang'at+ "he messages are often politi(al or satiri(al+ S32 @ "hang'at singer (lip 3 6Burmese7: 85e are (oming out+ ;et.s spea* for the people/ people who love $emo(ra('+ %ou have to )e $is(ipline$+= S32 A "hang'at has e<iste$ sin(e the ages of the Burmese *ings+ t was pra(ti(e$ $uring the times of British rule an$ even un$er -eneral !e 5in.s government people (oul$ ma*e fun of the single part' s'stem through "hang'at $uring the !ew %ear+ Suu !g'at is a prominent Burmese writer+ Suu !g'at (lip 1 6&ale/ Burmese7: 8"hang'at is an antiphonal (hant/ usuall' amusing or satiri(al+ t is use$ to point out the wrong things in the ol$ 'ear an$ to $raw lessons from that for a new 'ear+ But it is $one in a (onstru(tive or *in$ manner+ t has )een popular/ not onl' in &an$ala' or %angon/ )ut all over the (ountr'+= But in 1BC@/ "hang'at was heavil' (ensore$+ 4fter the 1BCC militar' (oup "hang'at was )anne$+ 4lthough the water festival "hing'an was allowe$ to (ontinue/ the an(ient art of "hang'at $isappeare$ from the (ountr'+ 5hile the art was $ea$ in Burma/ it survive$ through the e<ile$ (ommunit'+ Sin(e 1BBA a group of a(tivists in n$ia have )een pro$u(ing "hang'at re(or$s for the e<ile$ (ommunit' ea(h 'ear+ S32 D "hang'at singer (lip 4 6Burmese7: 8>ope for the )est time+ 9repare for the worst+ t.s part of the histori(al spee(h of Daw Suu retol$ again to$a'+ "hin* a)out the meaning of it $eepl'+= ;ast 'ear in %angon the lea$ers of the ol$ "hang'at groups were )a(* in town+ CC -eneration Stu$ent &in Ko !aing organiEe$ groups of 'oung people to get involve$+ S32 C "hang'at singer (lip @ 6Burmese7: 81le(tion was finishe$/ people are still fleeing in Ka(hin sate+ 1le(tion was finishe$/ (ar pri(es have )een low/ ma*e fish pri(es low+=

&in Ko !aing is the CC -eneration stu$ent lea$er+ &in Ko !aing (lip 1 6&ale/ Burmese7: $on.t thin* a !ew %ear festival without "hang'at is a !ew %ear festival+"hang'at represents the real voi(e of the people+So "hing'an without the peopleFs voi(eis li*e seeing something with no legs or han$s+ tFs in(omplete+= S32 B "his 'ear more "hang'at groups are performing+ But the' still ha$ to get permission an$ their wor$s have )een (he(*e$ )' authorities+ "hang'at is )a(* G )ut the government is still *eeping an e'e on what.s )eing sai$+ S32 10 "hang'at singer (lip A 6Burmese7: 8 f we want our rights/ our people shoul$ )e transparent+ f we want $emo(ra('/ our people shoul$ )e transparent+= 3or 4sia ?alling/ this is Ke Khaung reports+