The third Kadu ethnic festival kicked off at 9 a.m. on 25 March at Settaw Village, Bamauk Township, Sagaing Region.
The festival aims to promote Kadu culture, language, customs, and unity, and showcase their cultural heritage to rekindle the Kadu people’s interest in their own culture, said Sayadaw U Kiddisara.
The Kachin, Kanan, Red Shan and Kadu ethnic people from the Bamauk, Pinlebu, Indaw, Mogaung, and Myitkyina townships are participating in the festival.
The first Kadu ethnic cultural festival was held in Pinlebu Township in 2017, and the second festival was organized in Indaw township. The three-day festival is held from 25 to 27 March every year.
“The Kadu people have lived with poor levels of education for centuries. But now, the socio-economic conditions of the Kadu people is improving. We need more assistance to promote education, health, and deal with other regional concerns. We hope that the government will focus on our regional development, and can give the necessary attention and care to our concerns,” said Ma Sandar Win, a Kudu woman from Khopyin Village, Bamauk Township.
“By celebrating this festival, the Kadu people can maintain their culture and cultivate a strong belief in their ethic. And, the festival will encourage our Kadu people to preserve our cultural heritage. The main concern is that we don’t have our own literature, so we are working on it now. The beliefs, customs, and arts of the society play a main role for ethnic people,” said Ma Sandar Win.
“In 2020, a census will be undertaken. People from Indaw Township have more difficulty than others in obtaining national registration cards. We hope all our Kadu people will participate in the activity,” said the Sayadaw, who is a member of the Kadu Ethnic Festival Implementation Committee.
Most Kadu nationals follow Buddhism. There are 98 Kadu villages in Myanmar, of which 38 are in Bamauk, 16 in Pinlebu, 34 in Indaw, 5 in Katha, and 5 in Mogaung. The population of Kadu people in Myanmar is estimated to be 1,80,000, according to the Kadu people.
The Kadu people mostly depend on farming for a living, and they are also involved in salt production on a manageable scale, and gold and lacquerware business in Pinlebu and Bamauk.— Maung Chit Linn
(Translated by La Wonn)
