Kinnari Kinnara and Toenayar dances, and 'Shan New Year 2118' Ceremony at my town

princekham(70)

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Dear friends,

This year, our Shan New Year Celebration was held at Loi Lon (Pyin Nyar Bawdi) Social Welfare Center near my town, Taunggyi, Myanmar. At the center, there are about five hundred students, who came from towns and villages all over Shan State to stay and study there at the center. The number could increase due to the current clashes between the military and the Northern alliances in Northern Shan state.

Shan New Year is one of the most important festivals for the Shan people, who are the dominant ethnic group in eastern Myanmar. Normally, Shan New Year Celebration is full of fun and entertainment and normally held as a festival at Shan Literature and Culture Association's compound. However, there have been tragic incidents caused by the wars in Northern Shan state and so this year, we don't celebrate like before. As part of the ceremony, they offered lunch to the Buddhist monks then there was a reward-giving ceremony for those who had just passed matriculation this year. Then, the visitors were treated with lunch and there were Kinnara and Kinnari and Toenayar dances for the completion of the ceremony. Kinnara and Kinnari and Toenayar are mythical creatures and both dances are regarded to bring auspiciousness to all. Below are some of the photos taken there. Thank you.