Although court culture has been extinguished, popular street-level culture is vibrant and thriving. Drama is the mainstay of this culture, and just about any celebration is a good excuse for a pwe (show). Performances may recount Buddhist legends, or be more light-hearted entertainments involving slapstick comedy, dance, ensemble singing or giant puppets. Myanmar music is an integral part of a pwe; it originates from Thai and emphasises rhythm and melody. Instruments are predominantly percussive and include drums, boat-shaped harps, gongs and bamboo flutes. Over 85% of the Myanmar population is Theravada Buddhist. In the Rakhine region, towards Bangladesh, there are many Muslims. Christian missionaries have had some success among hill tribes but many remain staunch animists.The toys of Myanmar are not only for the children but also famous in the world, known as the Marionettes (or) Puppets of Myanmar. Its a combination of Myanmar Art and Culture, together to show the inner expressions of the Myanmar people. Myanmar also have festivals all around the year, at least one in each month of the year. The most famous festival of Myanmar is the Thingyan Water Festival, which is held from 13 April to 16 April every year.
MYANMAR MARRIAGE/WEDDING
In Myanmar, regardless of the means by which a young couple is brought
together, the marriage ties are social rather than religious. The
Myanmar custom is to do court marriage in front of the honorable judge
superiors by signing officially before celebrating ceremony.
In modern times, especially among urban people, it is usual for some
sort of public ceremony and reception to be held in the presence of
parents and elders. The bride and groom are taken to their place in the
stage by Master of ceremonies. The master of ceremony reads the
Aubur-Zar, eulogy and oversees the performance of the marriage rites
such as placing a four-foot long chain around the couple's necks,
putting their hands together with palms facing each other, immersing
their joined hands in a silver bowl containing scented water and soon.
At the conclusion of the ceremony the guests are entertained with music
& refreshments. The newlyweds greet the guests and thank them for
gracing the occasion with their presence. After the festivities are
over, the young couple pay respect (Kadaw) to the respective parents and
elders. The newlyweds then proceed to prominent pagodas and say prayers
for “successive long marriage life.
All is not yet over -- laughing friends and relatives bar the entrance
of nuptial chamber by a gold chain and demand payment for entry. This
payment is known as gare-boe “stone money". This is traditional
custom of demanding money from the newly-married couple as joyous.
NOVITIATION CEREMONY
As the majority of Myanmar are Buddhist, novitiation is vitally
important. Novitiation is the act of putting one's son into the Buddha's
order of the Sangha.
In Myanmar culture, mothers pray for sons so that they could perform
this religious duty of novitiation ceremony for their sons. The parent
are very proud to have their sons become novice and improve their
religious training.
During the summer holidays young boys enter the Buddhist order and
become a 'son of the Buddha' for a week or more.
What the ceremony includes depends on the financial status of the
parents. There may be entertainment by Myanmar culture orchestras; there
may be a procession of the novice-to-be through the town on elephant, or
a house for the humble people on ox carts. The noviate wears a crown
made of gold thread and glittery sequins, dresses in princely garments
of silk, wears a gold headdress and is followed by his parents, family
members and local damsels carryings sets of yellow robes, offerings,
ornate betel box and by music troupes and dancers.
Novices-to-be have to shave their heads. The boy's mother and father
hold a white cloth to receive the falling hair, which they bury near
some sacred place. Then they have to beg permission of the monk to be
novitiates as they hold a roll of yellow robe with both hands. After
investing the monks with the robes, the boys become novices. During his
novice hood, he will not take any food after noon, but can have soft
drink in the evening.
Novices must keep ten precepts and study Buddha's teaching. They must
also meditate. Entering into the novice hood is the first step for them
to understand the rules of nature in order to live the rest of their
lives meaningfully, peacefully and successfully.
PUPPET
Myanmar puppets are made of clays and wood. For a toy prince puppet, a
manly chest and wing-like jacket, accentuated by a wasp's waist and a
sarong tucked underneath like a pant complete the picture. The jacket
and sarong are made of thin muslin with a design of small paper
clippings done attractively. Puppets are manipulated by strings attached
at elbows, hands and knees. There are horses, monkeys, giants,
elephants, tigers, clowns, even princes. Myanmar puppets are a famous
cultural aspect of Myanmar. Puppet shows can be seen at some restaurants
or at certain celebrations.
BETEL LEAVES AND BETEL BOXES
Betel, tobacco and pickled tea is an expression in Myanmar Language that
speaks of hospitality and welcomes a visitor to one's home.
Betel boxes, along with bowls and trays of all sizes and shapes, were
important items of the regalia of the Myanmar Kings. Betel Boxes may be
lacquer, silver or bronze, ornate or plain, depending on the wealth of
the owner, and are part of the furnishings in the knife is.
The circular betel box at first glance, looks solid, but is in reality
nicely fitted with a lid over a small container for holding betel nut.
The top of the bowl is fitted with two shallow trays, one on top of the
other. The upper tray has four little cups to hold ingredients for
making betel nuts: cloves, cutch, and seeds, shredded wild Licorice or
sweet creeper (Nwe-Cho). Lime, soft and pure, is kept in the brass
phial. In the second tray is a layer of dried tobacco leaves. Only when
the tray is taken out of the main bowl are green fresh betel leaves
revealed.
Betel boxes also played an important part in courtship some fifty or
sixty years ago. In those days houses had a kind of Loggia for
marriageable girls of the family to entertain their suitors by betel
box. The girl chatted with the young men until she chose the person she
liked. She showed her preference for a particular young man by giving
him a betel quid made of her own hands. The habit of serving the visitor
with betel box is a sweet habitual custom of Myanmar people since
Myanmar Kings era till now in some parts of the country