Colorful Tribes in Myanmar
Ethnic Study

Brothers and Sisters All
          Our Myanmar nation is a small nation but , in the tradition of Asia , we are a very big family with brother and sister nationals altogether numbering 135. As chief national groups, we have 8 alphabetically arranged as Kachin , Kaya , Kayin , Chin , Myanmar , Mon , Rakhine and Shan. In each group we have many clans, as follows:

          Chin state (No.4 in the table) is about half the size of Kachin, but it has as many as 51 clans, owing to mountain ranges and deep ravines keeping one clans away from another with individual customs and dialects. Yet all clans come from the same origin.
          Mon State (No.5) is exceptional and unique that since the beginning of our history till today it has remained as the home of only one national race, the Mons. Bamar (No.6) comprises all nationals living in the 7 divisions, some of them in the 7 states as well. In the diagram it is shown as having 9 clans. But the clans are geographically classified, i.e. for the difference or settlements they inhabit, such as Yawtha living in the Yaw Chaung area, Dawei - tha in the environs of Dawei city, Kadu- Kanan in the Meza valley,etc. All have the same Bamar appearance and cultural heritage.
          Shan State (No.8) has 34 clans. It is a big region, with China, Laos and Thailand as its neighbours and thus the clans naturally have some contents with he traditional and customs of the neighbourhood.
          These 135 clans of our nationals have lived in the land of Myanmar as one big family for over 2000 years. And as the lovely Diku Dance (Sticky Rice Pack Dance) of Kayah nationals depict, we brothers and sisters are always going to stick together through thick and thin.