MERAL Myanmar Education Research and Learning Portal
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The Wedding Ceremony of U Min Kyaw: Interaction between Supernatural Power and Human Needs
https://meral.edu.mm/records/8103
https://meral.edu.mm/records/81038812c921-1e86-40c5-98d5-01138d004947
b52506ee-aa40-4992-9770-6934cd3fd1a8
Name / File | License | Actions |
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Title | ||||||
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Title | The Wedding Ceremony of U Min Kyaw: Interaction between Supernatural Power and Human Needs | |||||
Language | en | |||||
Publication date | 2019-08-08 | |||||
Authors | ||||||
Mya Mya Khin | ||||||
Description | ||||||
Animism plays a significant historical and contemporary role in Myanmar. There are many types of spirit figures known as nats or lords, that range from nature spirits of trees and water, to the national pantheon of the ‘thirty-seven nats’ who are said to have been banished by an eleventh century CE king with the institutionalization of Buddhism. The wedding ceremony of one of the thirty-seven nats, U Min Kyaw (handsome king) illustrates the continuity of animism in the living presence of the spirit during celebrations that actualize the supernatural by means of a shaman or nat kadaw to satisfy human desires. During the wedding ceremony of U Min Kyaw and many other nats today, the nat kadaw is often transsexual, and the celebration is very often accompanied by gambling, and by drinking and merriment to bring wealth to all participants. Why do animists accept the nat U Min Kyaw as a supernatural power and how do animists and spirit mediums marry themselves to him? These and other issues are discussed in presenting the process of the wedding ceremonies held in Myanmar. An important and often overlooked aspect of the celebrations is the continuity of traditional arts in the music, songs, dress, dance and meals in this ceremony. The research demonstrates the central concept of a wedding that takes place between a spirit and a human being and how this tradition fulfills the desires of participants. Using participant observation and key informant interviews to collect data during the ceremony the research suggests why this type of animism is still practiced in Myanmar. | ||||||
Keywords | ||||||
supernatural power, nats, nat kadaw, shaman, human needs, satisfaction, traditional arts, U Min Kyaw, spirit wedding |