Culture of Myanmar

 The culture of Myanmar (also known as Burma) (Burmese: မြန်ြ ယ

ာ့ ဥ်က ျေးြှု) has
been heavily influenced by Buddhism and the Mon people. Burmese culture
has also been influenced by its neighbours.[1][2][3]
 In more recent times, British colonial rule and westernisation have influenced
aspects of Burmese culture, including language and education.

Arts
- Historically, Burmese art was based on Buddhist or Hindu cosmology
and myths. There are several regional styles of Buddha images, each
with certain distinctive characteristics. For example, the Mandalay style,
which developed in the late 1800s, consists of an oval-shaped Buddha
with realistic features, including naturally curved eyebrows, smaller but
still prominent ears, and a draping robe.[4]There are 10 traditional arts,
called pan sè myo .

Literature
- Burmese literature has been greatly influenced by Buddhism, notably
the Jataka Tales. Many historical works are nonfiction. However, British
colonisation introduced many genres of fiction, which have become
extremely popular today. Poetry features prominently, and there are
several forms of poetry unique to Burmese literature. By 1976, only 411
titles were published annually, compared to 1882, when 445 titles were
published. Various factors, especially the lengthened bureaucratic
process to obtain printing permits, censorship, and increasing economic
hardship of consumers because of the socialist economic schemes,
contributed to the decline of Burmese literary output.

Music
- Various types of Burmese music use an array of traditional musical instruments,
assembled in an orchestra known as hsaing waing[7] which the Burmese saing
saya Kyaw Kyaw Naing has made more widely known in the West. Traditional folk
 music is atypical in Southeast Asian music, as it is characterised by sudden shifts
in rhythm and melody as well as change in texture and timbre.[8] An instrument
unique to Burma is the saung-gauk,[7] an arched harp that can be traced to pre-
Hittite times.

Cultural Clothes of Myanmar

Traditional dress for Burmese men
Longyi (sewing pants and tight pants) is the name of traditional clothes of the
men, which is a perfect combination of the shirt or jacket called Taipon
(traditional clothes). It’s quite flexible in size, shapes for matching with the
man’s body. specifically, It’s a sheet of cloth that has about 2 meters long, 80
centimeters wide and frequently sewed into a cylindrical shape, which is worn
around from the men’s waist to their feet.

Traditional dress for Burmese women

Burmese women’s traditional clothes are Thummy. Compared with Laos or
Thailand’s dress, Thummy is quite similar. They do not wear the turban like the
men. Both Burmese women and men wear flip-flops.

Culutral Dance Of Myamar

Ou: zi dance
is a dance performed by the ou: zi drum players to the accompaniment of
folk music and folk songs by a band of at least four instrumentalists
namely an ou:zi. drum player. an oboe player. a cymbals player. and
bamboo clapper player. The ou:zi dancer plays the ou:zi drum as he
dances. He also sings and when he is tired. the cymbals player or bamboo
clappers player takes over. Ou:zi dance steps are quick and movements
are jerky. Solo and chorus singing alternate. The lyrics of the ou:zi song
describes the special occasion for performing the ou:zi dance. the locality
 and the pagoda festival which it commemorates. The essential feature of
ou:zi dance is the chanting of "Thangja" (thangyat) which is an
antiphonal chant usually amusing or satirical sung to the accompaniment
of ou:zi. The ou:zi dance is performed on all happy and joyous occasions.
This folk dance creates a boisterous and pastoral festive atmosphere.

Dou:ba’ dance.
another folk dance is performed with the same band of musicians as in the
ou:zi dance. The only difference between ou:zi and dou:ba’ dances is the type of
drum played by the dancers. Dou:ba’ is a double face drum slung by means of a
strap on the neck of the player. Ou:zi is an elongted one-faced drum with a long
body and open-ended tail or leg. It is slung on the shoulder of the player. Than:
gja is also chanted in dou:ba’dance. Sometimes than:gja is composed extempore by
a witty rhymester of the village. With boisterous percussion music. sonorous
songs. agile dance steps and chanting of ‘amusing tha:gja’ the dou:ba’ waing
(dou:ba’ party or band) is one of the most hilarious folk dances. It is performed at
the pagoda festival and the novitiation ceremony. It is also a must when people
gather to give community services or contribute voluntary labour such as digging
water wells and tanks. building roads. repairing public and religious buildings.
The dou:ba’ dance can agitate and inspire the public.

Bjo (Byaw)
performance follows as a signal before announcing the conclusion of a
religious deed especially alms-giving. donation. or novitiation or ordination
ceremonies. Normally no dance is performed because bjo music is monotone and
constant. But in some villagers some adults and even the aged. particularly the
donors. because they are overwhelmed with rapture and joy over their deed of
religious merit. are drawn into the dance to the bjo beat. The bjo dance developed
as a consequence of these impromtu performances. Now-a-days there are
professional bjo bands and dances of whom theMoe za bjo band is famous.
Boun gyi dance
is performed in Upper Myanmar. It originated in Shwebo at the beginning of
the Kon-baung dynasty (A.D. 1752-1885). It is staged by the owner of paddy land
and participated by the cultivators. It is performed at planting and harvesting times.
Boun gyi dance is slow as the music and song accompanying it are also slow. But the
boun gyi’s sound is reverberating due to the blend of the clash of big brass cymbals
and the boom of the drum beat.

Naban Zan dance

another folk dance is the favourite of Myanmar rural folks. The name is
derived from the hair style fashionable among young-sters in olden days. That
hair style is called naban zan. Tufts of hair are tied on either side of the head to
hang over the ear. The dancer is a boy of early teen with a naban zan hair style.
circular paint of thanakha make-up on his cheeks. dressed like a young boy of old
days and wearing a round "gold" pendant. "gold" bangles and anklets. He dances
and prances boyishly to the percussion music played by a band of five to seven
instrumentalists. This dance is staged on festive occasions. particularly for fund
raising for social welfare and religious works.