Kachin in Thailand celebrate King's birthday with Manau festival

 Kachin in Thailand celebrated King's birthday with Manau festival in Ban Mai Samakee in Chiang Dao district in northern Thailand on Dec. 5, 2014

Kachin residents of Ban Mai Samakee village in Northern Thailand's Chiang Dao district held a four day Manau festival this past weekend to honour the Thai monarch's birthday.

The festival which is held in Ban Mai Samakee every other year was attended by many Kachin living across Thailand and Burma. Kachin from India and China also took part in the event which was featured on Thai television.

Bawmwang La Raw chairman of the Kachin National Organization (KNO) presided over the opening ceremony on Thursday December 4th according to Hkawng Hawng chairman of Manau dance festival organizing committee. A number of prominent figures in the Kachin also participated in the event including entrepreneur Nsang Tu Awng.

Ban Mai Samakee which has more 120 families was established 32 years ago by Kachin exiles from northern Burma. The festival is held every two years so that the residents of Ban Mai can express their gratitude to the King for his granting them the opportunity to live in Thailand. Festival organizer Hkawng Hawng explained to KNG.

During the festival Kachin singers Burma performed on the grandstand under a large picture of the King. Long time Kachin exile Mun Awng who was recently denied a visitor visa, sang a Kachin version of one his famous Burmese protest songs.

According to festival organizers another purpose of the festival this year is to inform the international community about Kachin culture and the Kachin people. The festival finished Sunday December 7th with a prayer service for those who fallen had fallen during the Kachin conflict.

This year's Manau festival in Thailand took on a greater significance than previous years because the festival in the Kachin state capital Myitkyina in January was widely boycotted by members of the Kachin pubic in protest against the government's handling of the ongoing Kachin conflict.

According to residents of Myitkyina those who did take part in the government's Manau festival earlier this year largely consisted of government employees who were ordered to take part in the festival.

“We support a festival led by Kachin people from around the world. But we oppose celebrating a festival by led by someone trying to control and throwing their money. Our culture cannot be bought with money,” said Hkawng Hawng.