TO commemorate the 78th Kachin State Day, which falls on 10 January 2026, the Kachin State government organized the opening-day ceremony of the Manaw Festival and the pre- Manaw event. The ceremony was held in a lively and festive atmosphere on the lawn in front of the State Government Office yesterday morning.
At the opening ceremony, Kachin State Chief Minister U Khet Htein Nan said he was deeply pleased and honoured to celebrate the pre-Manaw event in joyful unity to welcome the 78th Kachin State Day. He extended his best wishes to all participants for good health, prosperity and success in their lives, and expressed his hope that Kachin State would become a peaceful, stable and developed state.
Afterwards, a Catholic priest offered blessings and prayers for the Manaw dance held in commemoration of the 78th Kachin State Day.
The Manaw dance then began with Manaw leaders leading the procession, joined by the Chief Minister and his wife, Northern Command Commander Maj-Gen Aung Zaw Htwe and his wife, senior Tatmadaw officers, the Chief Justice of the State High Court, state ministers and their wives, the State Advocate-General, the Secretary of the State Government and his wife, representatives of six Kachin ethnic groups and five Shan ethnic groups, as well as representatives of Bamar, Rakhine, Kayin and Chin ethnic literature and culture associations, town elders, specially guests and members of the public. All participants danced together joyfully in accordance with traditional customs inside the Manaw ground.
On the previous evening, the chief minister also attended the final match and prize-giving ceremony of the men’s open football tournament held in commemoration of the 78th Kachin State Day at Nyeinchan Thaya Football Ground in Myitkyina. The tournament was jointly organized by the Kachin State Petroleum Business Owners Association. In the final match, Dudu Sharaw FC faced Kachin Youth FC, with Kachin Youth FC winning the championship by a one-nil victory.
During the award ceremony, the chairman of the State Petroleum Business Owners Association presented cash prizes of K5 million each to the eight participating teams. The Chairman and officials of the Kachin State Football Federation awarded honorary cash prizes to those who contributed to the successful organization of the tournament. State ministers and state-level departmental officials also presented positional awards and overall best awards of the tournament. Subsequently, state ministers presented prizes to the third- and second-place teams, while the Chief Minister awarded individual medals, cash prizes and the championship trophy to the first-place team.
Following this, the chief minister and members of his entourage attended Myanmar traditional Lethwei challenge bouts held to mark the 78th Kachin State Day at the indoor sports hall of the People’s Sports Ground. The chief minister, state ministers and the Chairman of the Upper Myanmar Traditional Lethwei Federation officially opened the event by cutting the ceremonial ribbon.
The Lethwei challenge bouts included a headline match between gold belt champion Htun Naing Oo and Aung Ko Latt, winner of the K3 million Aung Lan prize, along with bouts featuring champions and young fighters from traditional Lethwei clubs such as YMA Club, Kyar Phay Phay Club, Myitkyina Club, Nine Lethwei Club, Shwe Aung Lan Club and Bon Du Club. The chief minister provided K5 million in cash support for the event, while the state minister for Ethnic Affairs also contributed K5 million, in addition to prize money awarded to the participating fighters. — Kachin State IPRD/KZL
