Bamar
The
Bamar (; , also called
Burman), are the dominant
ethnic group of
Myanmar, constituting approximately 68% (30,000,000) of the population. However, there is some speculation that the government has slightly inflated this figure. Furthermore, a reliable census has not been taken in over a century, and figures are based on estimates. The Bamar usually have straight black hair, and a darker skin tone (although intermixing makes skin tone vary).
The Bamar are frequently called simply
Burmese, but this term is ambiguous as it can also refer to a citizen of
Myanmar who belongs to a different ethnic group (
Karen,
Shan, etc.). The military junta uses the term "Myanmar" to describe persons of all ethnic backgrounds in Myanmar.
The
Burmese language, (the official language of Myanmar), is widely spoken by many of the ethnic minorities as well as the majority Bamar. Its core vocabulary consists of Sino-Tibetan words, but many terms associated with Buddhism, arts, sciences, and government have derived from the
Indo-European languages of
Pali and
English. The
Rakhine, although considered culturally distinct from the Bamar, are ethnically related to the Bamar and speak a Burmese dialect that is more reminiscent of archaic Burmese, including the unique retention of the
r sound, which contemporary Burmese has coalesced into a
y sound. Additional dialects come from coastal areas of
Tanintharyi Division, and include Myeik (Beik) and
Dawei (Tavoyan).
English was introduced in the 1800s when the Bamar first came into contact with the British as a trading nation and continued to flourish under subsequent colonial rule . Because only Burmese and English are taught from primary school onwards, many Bamar are unable to communicate in minority languages. Since
Burmese culture has historically supported education for all citizens, the majority of Bamar are literate.
The Bamar are of
East Asian descent, having origins in present-day
Tibet, and are thought to have migrated from the steppes of present-day
Mongolia. They migrated 3,000 years ago to the lower valleys of the
Ayeyarwady River, an area they ethnically dominate today. They are ethnolinguistically related to the
Tibetans and the
Chinese. The Bamar largely replaced the
Mon and the earlier
Pyu, ethnic groups that originally dominated the region.
The Bamar are most numerous in Myanmar, constituting the majority ethnic group in seven of the political divisions.
Thailand has the second largest number of Bamar, and nearly 80% of illegal immigrants in Thailand are from Myanmar either fleeing war and ethnic conflict or seeking economic opportunities. The
United States is also home to a large
Burmese American population and many have settled in Europe, particularly in
Great Britain. The Burmese diaspora, which is a recent phenomenon in historical terms and began at the start of World War Two, has been mainly brought about by a protracted period of military rule and reflects the ethnic diversity of Myanmar. Firstly, the
Anglo-Burmese (mostly of Bamar and European descent) fled to India ahead of the Japanese, and following Burmese independence in 1948, then to the UK, Australia, New Zealand and North America, to be followed by the Bamar themselves. It is by no means confined to the West; Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Korea and Japan are also popular destinations.
The Bamar wear sarongs, called
longyi () collectively. Women wear
longyi known as
htamain (), while men wear
longyi called
paso (). Formal attire often consists of jewellery, silk scarves, and jackets. On formal occasions, men often wear cloth turbans called
gaungbaung () and
Mandarin collared jackets called
taikpon (), while women wear blouses. Both genders wear velvet sandals called
Mandalay pa nak (), although leather, rubber and plastic sandals (, lit. Japanese shoes) are also worn. In cities and urbanised areas, Western dress, including T shirts, jeans and frocks with shoes or trainers, has become more popular, especially among the younger generation. Tattoos, earrings, and long hair tied in a knot were once common among Bamar men, but have ceased to be fashionable since after
World War II; men in shorts and men sporting ponytails as well as both sexes with bleached hair have made their appearance in
Yangon more recently. Interestingly Westernisation also appears to come via
Japan and
Singapore. The Bamar of both sexes and all ages also wear
thanaka, especially on their faces, although the practice is largely confined to women and children, and Western makeup and cosmetics have always enjoyed a captive market in urban areas. However, thanaka is not exclusively worn by the Bamar, as many other ethnic groups throughout Myanmar utilise this cosmetic.
Bamar cuisine contains many regional elements, such as stir-frying techniques and curries which can be hot but lightly spiced otherwise, almost always with
fish paste as well as onions, garlic, ginger, dried chilli and turmeric.
Rice (
htamin) is the staple, although
noodles (
hkauk swè),
salads (
a thouk), and
breads (
paung mont) are also eaten. Green tea is often the beverage of choice, but tea is also traditionally pickled and eaten as a salad. The most well-known Bamar-originated dish is
mohinga, rice noodles in a fish broth. Dishes from other ethnic minorities (Shan, Chinese, Indian) are also consumed.
Traditional
Bamar music consists of an orchestra mainly of percussion and wind instruments but the
saung gauk (), a boat-shaped harp, is often symbolic of the Bamar. Modern Bamar music is typically Westernised, with influences particularly from American
country music. However, rap and hip-hop have also gained popularity. Traditional Bamar dancing is similar to Thai dancing, and is known as
yodaya aka (, lit. Thai dance). Puppetry is also a popular form of entertainment and is often performed at
pwés, which is a generic term for shows, celebrations and festivals. In urbanised areas, movies from both
Bollywood and
Hollywood have always been popular, but more recently Korean and Chinese films, especially DVDs, have become increasingly popular.
|
A nat ein in Downtown Yangon |
Rites of passage are also of cultural importance to the Bamar. These include
shinbyu (), a novitiation ceremony for Buddhist boys, and
na htwin (), an ear-piercing ceremony for girls.
Buddhist festivals and holidays are widely celebrated among the Bamar.
Thingyan, the Water Festival, which marks the beginning of the Burmese New Year in April, is one such example. Thadingyut, which marks the end of the
Buddhist lent, is celebrated with the Festival of Lights in October.
Kathina or robe offering ceremony for monks is held at the start of Lent in July and again in November.
Religion
The Bamar are staunch Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. During British colonial rule, Christian missionaries met with very little success in converting the Bamar as their culture was firmly rooted in Buddhism despite the success of missionary schools in attracting large numbers of pupils in major cities. The Bamar practise Buddhism along with
nat worship, which involves elaborate rituals to propitiate one of an official pantheon of 37 Nats designated by
King Anawratha, although many minor nats are worshipped. In villages, many houses have outdoors altars to honor nats, called
nat ein (), in addition to one outside the village known as
nat sin () often under a
bo tree. Indoors in many households, one may find a coconut called
nat oun up the main post for the
Eindwin Min Mahagiri (; lit. Indoors Lord of the Great Mountain), one of the most important of the 37 Nats.
Naming
The Bamar typically use the day of birth (traditional 8-day calendar, which includes
Yahu, Wednesday afternoon) as the basis for naming. Letters from groups within the
Burmese alphabet are designated to certain days, from which the Bamar choose names
. They are chosen as follows:
| Day | Letters | | Monday () | (ka), (hka), (ga), (ga), (nga) |
| Tuesday () | (sa), (hsa), (za), (za), (nya) |
| Wednesday () | (la), (wa) |
| Yahu () | (ya), (ya, ra) |
| Thursday () | (pa), (hpa), (ba), (ba), (ma) |
| Friday () | (tha), (ha) |
| Saturday () | (ta), (hta), (da), (da), (na) |
| Sunday () | (a) |
|
*
Rakhine people*
Danu people*
*
The Silken East - A Record of Life and Travel in Burma by V. C. Scott O'Connor 1904
