The 6th New Year celebration of the Khami people, an ethnic tribe in Rakhine State, was held on November 23rd in Mrauk-U of Rakhine State.

The unstable security situation in the region dictated that only a modest ceremony could be held according to U Wai Sein Aung, an official of the event organizing committee, as well as the vice president of Khami Literature and Culture Association.

U Wai Sein Aung observed, “The celebration is aimed at maintaining the tradition of Our ancestors as key part of our way of life, order to be mentally and physically alert, and to avoid diseases and disasters in the new year, he said.

At the ceremony, Rakhine and Khami traditional dances were performed, and more than 300 people including officials from government departments attended.

Ko Zaw Zaw, a Khami man who attended the ceremony commented , “We want the entire Rakhine State to be at peace as soon as possible. We hope that in the new year we will be able to freely invite our brothers from every township in Rakhine state. But for now we are sad that they cannot attend the ceremony, due to instability in other townships.”

Khami New Year is celebrated on the first day of the Nattaw month of the Arakanese calendar every year.

This year as a celebration of the Khami New Year festival, Khami people who are in Thailand and other foreign countries, also carried out campaigns by holding placards with slogans.

There are more than 100,000 Khami people in Myanmar, and they mainly live in Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Pauktaw and Buthidaung townships in Rakhine State.