popular sports in myanmar essay

• Southeast Asia
• Myanmar - Arts, Culture, Sports

SPORTS IN MYANMAR: SOCCER, OLYMPICS AND TRADITIONAL SPORTS

Sports in myanmar.

Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Burma. Chinlone is an indigenous sport that utilizes a rattan ball and is played using mainly the feet and the knees, but the head and also the arms may be used except the hands. Burmese kickboxing called Lethwei is popular and tournaments may be seen at pagoda festivals. A form of Burmese martial arts derived from the Shan called thaing, divided into bando (unarmed combat) and banshay (armed combat), rather similar to Chinese Kung fu, is also practised. Of the twelve seasonal festivals, regattas are held in the month of Tawthalin (August/September), and equestrian events were held by the royal army in the time of the Burmese kings in the month of Pyatho (December/January). During British rule, the game of cricket was played by the ruling British, with the Burma national cricket team playing a number of first-class matches. The team exists today, although no longer of first-class quality and is an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council. [Source: Wikipedia]

The government allows WWF professional wrestling to be shown on television. The second Southeast Asian Body-Building Championship was held in Rangoon in the late 1990s. To publicize the event billboards were erected that showed the heads generals of the Myanmar regime on bodies with huge rippling muscles.

Myanmar hosted its first-ever official marathon in January 2013. The inaugural Yangon Marathon was won by Kenyan Joseph Kariuki with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds. Eighty locals and 220 foreigners competed. Over 1,000 runners took part in all the events—the marathon, a 10-kilometer run and three-kilometer run. The races started and finished at Shwedagon Pagoda. The top three finishers shared $10,000 in prize money. [Source: AP]

Chinlon—Myanmar’s Traditional Sport

“Chinlon” is regarded as Myanmar’s national sport. It is a hacky-sack-like game in which a woven ball is kicked around in a circle by several participants. The competitive version of the sport, according to the New York Times, “mixes dancelike acrobatic movements with what might be described as soccer juggling skills. There is no opposing team, and competitors are scored in a manner similar to those in gymnastics.”

Chinlon also refers to the wicker-work ball, composed of cane or rattan, used in the game. Rattan is a wild creeper which grows profusely in many forests of Myanmar. It is a very resilient fiberous gift of nature which Myanmar people have been using for various purposes since time immemorial. In olden days houses in rural areas were mostly built of bamboo, thatch or palm leaves and rattan was used instead of iron nail for tying the structure together. Strips of cane or rattan are interwoven in bands into a ball of four inches. a little more or less in diameter leaving twelve pentagonal holes. Very light but resilient chinlons are cheap and easily available at any village stall and a chinlon lasts quite long. [Source: Myanmar Travel Information ~]

Traditionally playing chinlon was strictly a man's pastime for exercising the body when the back and limbs got cramped due to long sitting, standing or working. But since post-war times women have begun playing it in greater numbers. Because chinlon is played basically with foot and other parts of the body—head, shoulder, elbow, knee, heel, more or less everything except for the hands—sort of like soccer, foreigners have referred to the sport as Myanmar football. However, there is no goal to shoot at in chinlon. No fixed number of players needed to play it. The main object of chinlon playing is to keep the ball as possible in the air without touching it with the hand or letting it hit the ground. It may be played by a single individual all by himself or by a team of players in circle. In Myanmar, players usually play with bare feet and have their waistcloths (longyi) tucked up close round the middle. But the game is also played with shorts and sport shoes. For men, it is said, chinlon playing provides a good opportunity to show off their masculine bodies and the tattoos on their body, thighs, hands and chest. ~

It is fun and exciting to watch a good player or a team of players in circle: standing on one leg all the time, taking every possible posture and movement to keep the chinlon in the air, giving one another difficult strokes. If chinlon is played as an entertainment at a festival it is accompanied by music. A band of percussion and wind instrumentalists continuously play while the chinlon play is on. The music changes its tempo in harmony with the movements of chinlon and players. A skilful player can play with four to eight chinlons using all possible tactics to keep them on or around his or her body. ~

The origins of chinlon are not clear. A silver chinlon was discovered enshrined in the relic chamber of Baw Baw Gyi Pagoda at an old Pyu City "Sre Kestra," which was at its height in the A.D. 8th and 9th centuries. There are references to chinlon and chinlon play in folk songs and literature. A number of books on chinlon and techniques of chinlon playing have appeared over the years. In the British colonial days an account of chinlon play was given by C.A. Gordon in 1874. Foreign travelers mentioned the apasstime. The high-ranking British official and writer J.G. Scott had his thighs tatooed and played chinlon with Burmese. In his book “The Burman. His Life and Nations,” which he wrote under the nom-de-plume "Shway Yoe", Scott said chinlon was not a game between two or more competitors aiming to win but rather was designed simply to exercise the body. ~

In 1908, chinlon was first introduced as a game and competition with a scoring system at a sports competition held at the Rangoon (Yangon) Government High School. In 1940, the All Burma (Myanmar) Chinlon Competition was held at the BAA (Burma (Myanmar) Athletic Association. In 1953 the All Burma (Myanmar) Chinlon Conference was held at Rangoon (Yangon). Delegates from 33 districts attended the conference and they unanimously laid down and approved the game’s rules for different events: 1) Individual competition for chinlon tossing; 2) Doubles competition for chinlon tossing; 3) Chinlon competition for a team of players in circle; and (4 Chinlon competition by team of players in circle for displaying skill, posture and beauty of style. ~

All together 15 styles were registered by the game law according to the movement of chinlon: 1) fall; 2) rise; 3) give; 4) take; 5) control; 6) toss; 7) turn-up; 8) coming in; 9) going out; 10) cornering; 11) attack; 12) cut; 13) support; 14) touch the ground and; 15) up lift. There are many details regarding grades of competition. size of chinlon. measurement of circle for team players. terms for postures. styles and tactics and chinlon jargon. Burmese are football enthusiasts but chinlon is still in their heart. ~

Sepak Takraw

Myanmar has a good sepak takraw team. Sepak Takraw is an interesting sport that you see played all over Southeast Asia. Essentially it is volleyball played without using your hands and arms. It is very exciting to watch a good player leap high into the air, flip around and spike the ball with his foot at 60 miles per hour and then fall on his head and shoulders without hurting himself.

Sepak Takraw is played with a special rattan bag in a badminton court. It is known by different names in different countries: sipak in the Philippines, takraw in Thailand and sepak raga in Malaysia. Sepak Takraw was coined in 1965 at the Southeast Asia Games by combining the Malay word for kick (“speak”) and the Thai word for ball surprisingly “ takraw”). Malaysia has lobbied to get sepak takraw accepted as an Olympic sport

The origin of Sepak Takraw is not known. Malays claim it was invented in Malaysia while Thais claim it was invented in Thailand. The game was reportedly played in royals courts in feudal Malaysia an is associated with the great Malayan hero Hang Tuah. In this version of game participants gathered in a circle and tried to keep the ball from hitting the ground. During the British colonization period, it was played mainly in villages as a s lunchtime pastime by working boys.

Competition sepak takraw is played with three players on a team and has rules similar to volleyball and badminton. Play begins with a served (kicked) and each side is allowed three hits (the same as volleyball) before it is delivered over the net to the other team. The scoring is like badminton. The first team to 15 wins.

Myanmar Thaing (a Myanmar Martial Art) and Burmese Kick Boxing

According to Myanmar.cm: “Like many Asian countries, Myanmar has its own martial arts that have been well established for centuries and handed down though from generations. Myanmar Thaing, or Myanmar traditional martial arts, originated more than two thousand years ago during the reign of King Okkalapa, who ruled Dagon, the old city of Yangon. Myanmar Thaing has been an official art of self-defense cherished and practised among warriors of the royal army through different eras and dynasties. It was one of the eighteen compulsory specializations of royal princes in ancient times, and it served well in nation building and defense but it declined during the colonial days after the country had lost its independence. [Source: Myanmar.cm ++]

“After independence Myanmar Thaing was revived by patriotic professionals and the Myanmar Thaing Institute in Yangon was established in 1958 by the world-class weight lifter U Zaw Wait. The aims of the Institute are to preserve and promulgate the methods, techniques and characteristics of Myanmar Thaing, to provide training to younger generations so that they can defend themselves as well as their country, and to promote the health and self-confidence of the individuals. The Institute provides training to members of the People's Police Force, the Armed Forces, and students in primary and secondary schools. It also organizes competitions at the ministry level, state and division level, and the national level with the support and encouragement of the Government. ++

“Kickboxing - a form of Myanmar martial arts - has been preserved over the centuries land still remains a favourite traditional game of the people. Although superficially similar to Thai kick boxing and Western-style boxing, it has retained a more traditional down-to-earth directness. Myanmar kickboxing is closer to street fighting than Queensberry boxing. Though Myanmar kickboxing has its own set of rules, fundamentally the target is any part of the opponent's head or body, and the weapon is any part of the body especially the head, fists, knees and elbows. The result is a fight not for the squeamish. The best blows include high kicks to the neck, elbows jabbed into the face and head, knees thrust into the ribs, and low kicks to the calves. It is an art in the truest sense of the word in that skill, technique and other attributes come into play. While mere punching with the fists may seem tame, it certainly is not when there are no gloves and hands are only wrapped in strips of cloth. However, to protect the boxers from accidents, there are rules against scratching, biting, hair pulling and hitting or kicking an opponent in the groin. A boxer who is down may not be kicked or hit in any way. ++

“Before major bouts or any other matches begin at the National Stadium in Yangon, the contestants perform a ritual of boxing-type movements to pay respect to their instructors and the audience. Previously, kickboxing matches could be enjoyed only by country folk at seasonal pagoda festivals in smaller towns or cities. They have, however, come in the limelight recently thanks to the promotion by the government and recognition by the public. Now the best matches are often staged in Yangon and broadcast throughout Myanmar via TV. ++

“The competitions at the National Stadium are in weight divisions ranging from Light Flyweight to Light Middleweight. Novice boxers fight three rounds while others fight four or five rounds depending on the class. Points are allocated for the number of good kicks. A KO occurs if the contestant cannot rise after the count of eight, or goes down three times. The match is also decided on the sight of blood. Each boxer is allowed to wipe away the blood three times before he is declared a loser. ++

Boat Racing in Myanmar

Because Myanmar is geographically endowed with many rivers and streams, boats have been used for thousands of years. During the reign of the ancient Myanmar kings, royal armies used fleets of ships and boats either in warfare or in official ceremonies. The monarchs also sponsored boat races which were usually held around September because of the favourable weather and river conditions, and that tradition has been handed down through the ages. [Source: Myanmar.cm ++]

In boat-racing, there are usually two contending boats with a set number of rowers in each boat. Each rower uses a single oar to propel the boat along the river or lake until the finish line is reached. One of the rowers sits at the bow and tries to reach out to grab the bouquet on the finish line to become the winner. ++

“Tawthalin” is the sixth month in the Myanmar calendar (August- September). At the end of the wet season, it is time when fields and rivers are flooded and palmyra trees are full of sun-ripened, shiny jet-black fruits. As the wet season ends sometimes the continuous days of sunshine warms the water in the paddy fields so much people say: "The sun in Tawthalin kills off land crabs " As there is no rain and not windy, water surfaces in rivers are very still and smooth. The condition is compared to the smooth mats used in Myanmar houses and since the reign of Myanmar kings it has been a time for boat races and royal regattas. During royal regattas and processions, the king surrounded by his entourage watched the event from his royal barge called "Pyi Gyi Mon Barge". Regattas were held not only for fun but also as a test for improving the skills of the Royal Marines.

Bullock Cart Races

According to PortalKBR.com: Bullock-cart racing in Myanmar is a traditional sport that goes back centuries. Over time the sport has declined in popularity and it’s rare to see in the country now. But the bullock-carts are still a big part of rural life – they are used for farming and transport. And processions of bullock-cart caravans are the main feature in annual pagoda festivals throughout Myanmar. One village in central Myanmar that is keeping the dying sport of bullock-cart racing alive. In the fields surrounding Thar-ze township in rural Mandalay a procession of caravans pulled by oxen make their way to Ywa Gyi village. Every year families in the area drive their oxen and come together to celebrate the local pagoda festival. [Source:PortalKBR.com ]

The Shwe Yin Maw festival is a week-long event held in the summer. The festival is celebrated on the full moon day of Da Bound – which is the 12th month of Myanmar’s lunar calendar. Residents from neighboring villages travel by bullock-cart in groups. Many families set up camp near the pagoda during the festival.The good spots in the shade get taken quickly. “My family came here a few days earlier to get a good shady place, for us and also our oxen. All of my family members come together and they will stay here for six days,” says this woman. The festival is a chance to catch up with old friends and lovers, to enjoy food, trade and have fun. But the main event is the bull cart race. “I am from Nyaung Bin Thar village. We will go home in the evening of the full moon day.”Others have come from further afield to take part in the races. “We bought our cart all the way from Kyaukse in Mandalay.”

“Throngs of people line the race course in anticipation for the races. In this village, bull-cart racing is a tradition attached to the festival that goes back many years. There are various kinds of contests throughout the festival but the highlights are the cart race – and the beauty contest. “The carts races are held for three or four days prior the Pagoda Festival. We have divided into three groups depend on the ages of animals — young, medium and adult,” explains U Kyi Hlaing, judge of the competition. “The 'beauty contest' scores on the manner — how the oxen draw the card properly, how harmonious the four legs are on the run.”

In the beauty contest one man races his young ox down the track and pass the red flags. Judges score points for how well the ox runs. “We have four judges at four points along the running way. They score on all manners — the beauty, the balance and the harmony. So the faster is not always the winner. To win in the game, the wisdom of drivers is also the key. The owner should know the manner and character of his own animals and how to treat them wisely in the game.”

“Next up is the event that everyone has been waiting for. “The cart race – it’s all about the speed, the fastest is the winner.” It’s fast and exciting…and participants sometimes take a month before the race to practice and train their animal. The owners are proud to show their strong oxen off so they decorate the carts with coloured ribbons. “This is our tradition, our culture and we are trying our cultural beauty alive as ever.” Though it’s in decline elsewhere in the country, in Ywa Gyi village, the bull-cart races are thriving.

Soccer in Myanmar

Soccer is popular even though the Burmese national team is terrible. There are 30 or so sports journals, many of which follow the English Premier League. Soccer was introduced by the British adventurer Sir. J. George Scott in 1879. The first match was played with the bladder of a fish.

Myanmar has never come close to participated in a World Cup. Myanmar withdrew from the qualification stages of the 2002 World Cup.

In October 2011, Myanmar was banned from taking part in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers by FIFA and fined $28,000 after crowd trouble halted their Asian qualifying match against Oman the previous July. Myanmar, already down 2-0 in the first leg match, was losing 2-0 in the second leg match in Yangon when fans began throwing stones, shoes, water bottles and other objects onto the pitch and at Oman players and officials just before the end of the first half. At least one Oman player and one official were struck by objects as dozens of police tried to control the crowd. Appeals by Myanmar football chief Zaw Zaw for calm fell on deaf ears. The violence started after Oman striker Ismail made the score 2-0 from with a kick from the penalty spot in the 39th minute, midfielder Amad Al Hosni having put Oman ahead in the 23rd minute. FIFA gave Oman a 2-0 victory which saw through to next stage,[Source: AP]

Wikileaks Cables: Myanmar General Considered Buying Manchester United

Former Myanmar leader Than Shwe once considered spending a billion dollars to buy Manchester United as a gift to his grandson, a soccer fan.

Robert Booth wrote in The Guardian: “The leader of Burma's military junta considered making a $1 billion (£634m) bid to buy Manchester United football club around the time it was facing rising anger from the United Nations over its "unacceptably slow" response to cyclone Nargis.Than Shwe, commander in chief of the armed forces and a fan of United, was urged to mount a takeover bid by his grandson, according to a cable from the US embassy in Rangoon. It details how the regime was thought to be using football to distract its population from ongoing political and economic problems. The proposal was made prior to January 2009; only months earlier, in May 2008, the Burmese junta had been accused of blocking vital international aid supplies after Nargis struck, killing 140,000 people. [Source: Robert Booth, The Guardian, December 6, 2010 ^]

“Than Shwe reportedly concluded that making a bid for United might "look bad" at the time, but the revelation that the proposal was even considered is likely to fuel criticism of the regime's cruelty. The senior general instead ordered the creation of a new multimillion dollar national football league at the same time as aid agencies were reporting that one year on, many survivors of the cyclone still lacked permanent housing, access to clean water, and tools for fishing and agriculture. ^

“The mooted price tag for Manchester United was exactly the same as the aid bill to cover the most urgent food, agriculture and housing for the three years after the cyclone, as estimated by international agencies including the UN. The proposal revealed that the regime, which is increasingly exploiting its oil and gas reserves, felt confident of finding such a sum. According to Forbes magazine's valuation of the club at the time, $1 billion would have been enough to acquire a 56 percent controlling stake. ^

"One well-connected source reports that the grandson wanted Than Shwe to offer $1 billion for Manchester United," said the June 2009 cable to Washington. "The senior general thought that sort of expenditure could look bad, so he opted to create for Burma a league of its own." Than Shwe then reportedly coerced and bribed eight leading business and political figures to establish teams and ordered them to spend large sums on imported players and new stadiums. ^

“The cable revealed that in January 2009, selected Burmese business people were told "that Than Shwe had 'chosen' them to be the owners of the new professional soccer teams. [The informant, a top executive at one of the sponsor companies] said the owners are responsible for paying all costs, including team salaries, housing and transportation, uniform costs, and advertising for the new league. In addition, owners must build new stadiums in their respective regions by 2011, at an estimated cost of $1 million per stadium." ^

“The Magway team was spending $155,000 a month on salaries while the Kanbawza team, linked to a bank, had budgeted $2 million for the 2009 season. Rangoon United hired five players from Africa and Delta United recruited several Argentinians. "When asked why the owners would participate in such an expensive endeavour, [an executive with one company sponsor] observed that they had little choice," the embassy reported. "'When the senior general asks someone to do something, you do it with no complaints,' he stated." ^

“He added that several of the business people expected to receive incentives from the regime, such as construction contracts, new gem and jade mines, and import permits, which would more than offset their costs. The owners of the clubs in the Burma national football league, which launched on 16 May 2009, include "regime crony" Zaw Zaw, who also chairs Burma's football federation and drew up plans for the league with the senior general's grandson. "Zaw Zaw hired Senior General Than Shwe's grandson to play on the team," a separate cable adds. But according to the dispatch, "many Burmese businessmen speculate the regime is using it as a way to distract the populace from ongoing political and economic problems or to divert their attention from criticism of the upcoming 2010 elections". ^

Asian Games and Olympics and Myanmar

Myanmar has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal. In 2012 it was the third most populous nation (53 million people) to not win a medal afer Bangladesh (159 million) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (72 million). At The Athens Olympics in 2004, Nan Aye Khine placed 4th in 48 kilogram weightlifting but then was booted from the Olympics after testing positive for steroids.

Myanmar won a gold medal in wushu and a silver medal in men’s sepak takraw in 2002 Asian Games. It finished 22nd out 44 countries with one gold, five silvers and five bronzes. Oo Maya Sands won a silver medal in the women’s 75 kilogram weightlifting event at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar and then failed a drug test, testing positive for a banned metabolite. Another female weightlifter, Than Kyo Kyi, in the 48 kilogram division, tested positive for a banned diaretic.

Myanmar competed at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. This was the nation's sixteenth appearance at the Olympics. Myanmar Olympic Committee sent a total of six athletes to the Games, an equal share between men and women, to compete in 5 sports, tying the record with Beijing at a single Olympics. Among these athletes, archer Nay Myo Aung and single sculls rower Shwe Zin Latt competed at their second consecutive Olympics. Pistol shooter Maung Kyu, who competed at his first Olympics, was the oldest member of the team, at age 41. Meanwhile, track runner Zaw Win Thet, the youngest of the team, at age 21, was appointed by the committee to be Myanmar's flag bearer at the opening ceremony. Myanmar also marked its Olympic return in judo after a twenty-year absence. Myanmar’ Soe Min Thu ran in the 5000 meters in Beijing in 2008. He finished at about two minutes behind the leaders in his qualifying heat but received a big ovation from the crowd at the Birdnest stadium. [Source: Wikipedia]

Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar in December 2013

Myanmar will hosted the Southeast Asian Games in December, 2013. Hosting the Southeast Asia in Naypyitaw has been compared to the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which marked post-war Japan's re-emergence on the world stage.

At the end of the games, AFP reported: “A spectacular fireworks display and thousands of dancers brought the curtain down on the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar. The closing ceremony, held at Naypyidaw's 30,000 capacity stadium, marked the end of 11 official days of competition which saw Thailand topping the medals table with 107 gold medals. Myanmar came in second with 86 gold medals, followed by Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia making the top five. [Source: December 23, 2013]

The event marked the country's return to the international stage after decades of isolation. It has been hailed as a 'coming out' party and was given to the hosts as a reward for reforms overseen by President Thein Sein, who was present at the closing and opening ceremonies. Concerns over Myanmar's readiness to host a large international standard event had been raised ahead of the Games, while the distances between venues in the vast capital also raised eyebrows. But Myanmar has basked in its host status and a rare moment in the international limelight after years under military rule. "Some local and international observers thought Myanmar could not host the SEA Games," said the president's spokesman Ye Htut on his Facebook page. "They were wrong."

The closing ceremony saw thousands of dancers perform scenes from Myanmar's history to an animated background broadcast on vast screens flanking one side of the stadium. At one point hundreds of teenage boys and girls delighted the crowd with a synchronised demonstration of chinlone - a local cane-ball game - which was followed by scores of elaborately-dressed drummers pounding a rhythm for an array of dancers. The opening and closing ceremonies were supported in cash and know-how by China, which confirmed its own re-emergence onto the international platform with the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. A SEA Games official thanked China at the closing ceremony for its "tremendous support" which officials said amounted to $US 33 million.

While little known outside the region, the Games are a source of local bragging rights for the 11 competing nations and give athletes from lesser sporting nations the chance to shine. Thailand's athletes picked up medals in track and field events as well as the flagship men's football gold. Myanmar came in a respectable second with 86 gold medals and it had been accused of cherry-picking non-Olympic sports such as chinlone to ensure a strong showing on home soil. Singapore will host the 2015 event.

Myanmar’s Sports Choices for the Southeast Asian Games Raise Concerns

Some questions were raised about some of the sports that were chosen for the event, with some accusing Myanmar of stacking the deck in its favor. Thomas Fuller wrote in the New York Times, “It has been promoted as a showcase for the new Myanmar, a regional sporting event that will celebrate the country’s embrace of democracy and the end of a hermetic and oppressive era. But the Southeast Asian Games, which will be held in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, and other sites throughout the country, is causing acrimony long before a single athlete has competed. Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which all intend to participate in what are known as the SEA Games, have sent separate letters to Myanmar protesting the way the event is being organized, according to Gen. Yuthasak Sasiprapha, the president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand. “These games are supposed to bring unity, but they are causing divisions instead,” General Yuthasak told the Thai news media last week. [Source: Thomas Fuller, New York Times, January 27, 2013 ==]

“The main complaint is that Myanmar has stacked the competition with obscure sports that Myanmar’s athletes have a good chance of winning. Charoen Wattanasin, the vice president of the Thai National Olympic Committee, said that the SEA Game regulations allowed for 8 traditional sports but that Myanmar had put 14 on the roster. “Nine out of the 14 are martial arts,” he said, struggling to describe them. “They are — well, I can’t even remember their names.” ==

“One is called chinlone, a traditional Burmese game that mixes dancelike acrobatic movements with what might be described as soccer juggling skills. There is no opposing team, and competitors are scored in a manner similar to those in gymnastics. Myanmar has dropped tennis and table tennis from the games, even though both have been played in all SEA Games since the competition began in 1959. Gymnastics is out, as is badminton, Thai and Philippine officials said. ==

“The Singaporeans are lamenting the loss of water polo, in which they do well, and the Philippine Olympic Committee has threatened to send a threadbare delegation if the roster is not changed. Malaysia and Indonesia, which have strong badminton traditions, are urging that the sport be reinstated.The Nation, a Thai daily newspaper, reported Sunday that Myanmar had also dropped beach volleyball because “the sport’s outfits were not suitable for Myanmar culture.” Myanmar circulated the roster of events to representatives of participating countries last week and for now is defending its selection. ==

“Every host country has the authority to decide which competitions should be included and excluded,” U Htay Aung, a director in Myanmar’s ministry of sports, said. Mr. Htay Aung said he recalled previous games in which Myanmar’s requests “were ignored.”“There are always complaints at these games,” he said. “Myanmar will make the final decision.” Myanmar’s ability to organize the games smoothly will be closely watched by officials in the region, because in some ways it will be a test run for a much more ambitious project. Next year, Myanmar will hold the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a responsibility that involves playing host to countless regional meetings and dealing with thousands of visiting diplomats and journalists. ==

“It is a challenging task for a government that is only now breaking from its inward-looking, military past and its history of antagonistic relations with the outside world. Myanmar appears eager to reassure its neighbors that it is ready to host the games. U Naw Tawng, a Burmese official quoted on Myanmar’s official SEA Games Web site, predicted that the games would be better than those held in 2011 in Indonesia. Myanmar has played host to the games twice — in 1961 and 1969 — but this is the first time the games are to be held there since the brutal suppression of the democracy movement, including a bloody crackdown in 1988. ==

Image Sources:

Text Sources: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, The Irrawaddy, Myanmar Travel Information Compton’s Encyclopedia, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Newsweek, Reuters, AP, AFP, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic Monthly, The Economist, Global Viewpoint (Christian Science Monitor), Foreign Policy, burmalibrary.org, burmanet.org, Wikipedia, BBC, CNN, NBC News, Fox News and various books and other publications.

Last updated May 2014

•  Facebook
•  Twitter
•  Google+
•  e-mail

 Page Top

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available in an effort to advance understanding of country or topic discussed in the article. This constitutes 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. If you are the copyright owner and would like this content removed from factsanddetails.com, please contact me.

Home > Sport > World > Country > Myanmar

Sport in Myanmar

Myanmar (Burma) is known for different spectator and individual sports - with the most popular sports in the country being football followed closely by golf. Football is the sport everybody in Myanmar is waiting for since the change of their government in the early 90’s, and watching football is their own way of bonding and public gathering. Golf is also one of the most popular sports in Myanmar and this sport can be found all over the country.

Spectator and individual sports are not the only sports that can be found in Myanmar. The people here practice some sports that require strength and energy such as martial arts. There are various kinds of martial arts in Myanmar and the most popular of which is Lethwei. Lethwei is a form of kick boxing and is very popular.. Another popular local sport is Chinlone which is a form of ball-centric game that is very popular in the country and is played by many.

Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Myanmar. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know .

Popular sports of Myanmar

• Football (Soccer) , golf, sepak takraw, cricket

Myanmar Traditional or Regional Sports

• Chinlone — also known as caneball, is the traditional sport of Burma or Myanmar.
• Lethwei — an unarmed Burmese martial art similar to other kickboxing styles from the region.
• Myanmar Thaing - a Myanmar Martial Art
• Bullock Cart Races
• Boat racing

Myanmar Sporting Success

• Myanmar won a gold medal in wushuat the 2002 Asian Games.

Great athletes from Myanmar

• Aung La Nsang – MMA, otherwise known as the "Burmese Python"
• San Naing – Track & Field
• Phoe Thaw – MMA

Myanmar Sports trivia

• At the 2012 Olympics, Myanmar was the third most populous nation (53 million people) to not win a medal after Bangladesh (159 million) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (72 million).
• At the 2004 Athens Olympics, weight-lifter Nan Aye Khine finished 4th in 48 kilogram weightlifting, but then was banned after testing positive for steroids.

Myanmar at major events

• Myanmar at the Summer Olympics
• Myanmar at the FIFA World Cup

Past sporting events hosted in Myanmar

• 2013 - Southeast Asian Games
• 2018 - Indochine Cup (Rugby Union)

Upcoming sporting events in Myanmar

Annual sporting events held in myanmar.

• Myanmar National League - the main countrywide football competition
• Yangon Marathon 

Sporting Facilities in Myanmar

• Thuwunna stadium, Yangon -often used for international matches
• Aung San stadium, Yangon.
• National Indoor Stadium, Yangon (for Lethwei)
• Thein Byu Indoor Stadium (for Lethwei)
• Pun Hlaing Golf Club - Yangon

Related Pages

• Countries List
• World of Sport Home

Search This Site

Country extra.

We have details of sport in every country — popular sports, players, results, major events and facilities.

T.E.S. Latest

• POLL: What's Your Favorite Olympic Sport
• Training Your Core
• Fitness and E-Bikes
• First Olympic Medalists

Current Events

• US golf Masters
• Kentucky Derby
• French Open
• 2024 Major Events Calendar

Popular Pages

• Super Bowl Winners
• Ballon d'Or Winners
• World Cup Winners

Latest Sports Added

• Beach Cricket
• Hacks and Hunter Combined

home search sitemap store

SOCIAL MEDIA

newsletter facebook X (twitter )

privacy policy disclaimer copyright

contact author info advertising

Myanmar’s football journey: From the streets of Yangon to international success

After learning the game from a British explorer, Myanmar became one of the best footballing sides in Asia in the 1960s and 70s

Myanmar's first international success was in 1954, capturing bronze at the Asian Games

Myanmar won two Asian Games championships in 1966 and 1970

Myanmar won a total of five Southeast Asian Games (SEA) championships in 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, and 1973

Shilarze Saha Roy In the late 19th century, a British explorer by the name of James George Scott arrived in Myanmar, then called Burma, and introduced the locals to a sport that would capture their hearts forever. It was a game played with a spherical ball, kicked around by players, and it was called football. Scott even organized the country’s first-ever match between the British and the Burmese. It was held at St John’s College, now known as BEHS 1 Landmadaw. Little did Scott know that he had sparked a flame that would burn bright for decades to come . By the turn of the 20th century, the streets of Yangon were buzzing with football matches. The game had quickly spread to the barracks of the British Indian army and the missionary schools, where young Burmese boys honed their skills. And why not? Football was a lot like Chin-lone, the traditional Burmese sport played with a wicker ball. It was the perfect fit for a country where sports were an integral part of daily life.

After Myanmar gained independence in 1948, several teams backed by the government became the primary talent pool for the national team. The country would also popularise the game through a robust youth development system. They would religiously organize state-level and divisional-level inter-school tournaments and the best players would be chosen to travel to Yangon and represent the regional team. The truly outstanding players were identified and introduced to national league teams. The University of Yangon would also become a breeding ground for some of the greatest players the nation had ever seen. Collegian Ne Win, who played as a forward for the university team in the early 1950s, would go on to play on the national team in 1955. The game had become a national passion, and everyone wanted a piece of the action. Myanmar’s youth development system would also produce their best football player in history — Suk Bahadur . In 1952, the young Gurkha player stood out from the crowd with his dazzling skills. Playing for the Shan state team, he would mesmerize one and all with his talent. Bahadur would go on to influence the nation’s football fabric and would emerge as one of the famous right-wing players in the region.

Buoyed by the emergence of these talented players, Myanmar finally saw their first international success in 1954, capturing bronze at the Asian Games in the Philippines. But it would take another 11 years and the arrival of a particularly entrepreneurial coach by the name of U Sein Hlaing for Myanmar to win on the world stage. And win they did, capturing two Asian Games championships in 1966 and 1970 and a grand total of five Southeast Asian Games (SEA) championships in 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, and 1973. They also participated in their only Olympics to date in 1972 during this phase. With Bahadur’s attacking prowess, Sein Hlaing’s coaching, Aung Tin’s goalkeeping, and Win Nyunt Myo’s solid defensive ability, the Myanmar national team was transformed into one of the best footballing sides in all of Asia. They were unstoppable, their brilliance on the field unmatched. In fact, they easily defeated the famous Dallas Tornados club in two matches when the US side was visiting Myanmar in 1967. So impressed was Tornados coach Bob Kap by the quality of play that he lobbied the US State Department to finance the Burmese national team to tour the United States. Unfortunately, the plan never really materialized. Football had by then become more than just a game for Myanmar people. It was a passion that had captured the hearts of a nation, driving them to more success and glory in the next decade. However, quite inexplicably, Myanmar’s football scene declined as the country didn’t actively participate in tournaments since 1975. Still, the legacy of the Myanmar team lives on to this day, a reminder of what can be achieved when you follow your heart and believe in yourself.

• Travel Guides

Games and Sports in Myanmar

During your time in Myanmar, you’re bound to see young men playing the national pastime called caneball or Chinlone. It involves a group of six people maneuvering a ball with their feet, occasionally catching the ball by balancing it on their heads or squeezing it between the shoulder blades. This is a non-competitive sport, and all the players play on a single team.

A variation of chinlone uses a net and is quite similar to volleyball. Each side gets three touches, using any part of the body except the hands.

Movements are quite tricky, and are meant to entertain. This game developed over a thousand years ago, as a way to amuse royalty. It’s a mesmerizing performance to this day.

Chinlone is a low maintenance sport, and players play barefoot. They don’t need any equipment besides a ball. The ball is traditionally made of rattan, but players have started using harder, plastic balls from China.

Myanmar has a kickboxing sport similar to Thailand’s Muay Thai, called lethwei. Lethwei is a more dangerous sport than Thai boxing — combatants do not wear gloves, and are allowed to head butt. You can’t win unless you knock out your opponent. If there are no knockouts in the first 5 rounds, the game is declared a draw. This sport is still popular, and there’s no sign yet of safety updates for the 21st century.

Golf and soccer came to Myanmar by way of British colonialism. You can visit soccer stadiums in Yangon and Mandalay. There is a good selection of golf courses sprinkled throughout the country, including courses in or near Yangon, Bagan, and Ngapali.

The most seamless way to plan

Myanmar’s National Sport: Chinlone (7 Facts)

December 1, 2023

We are reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.  Learn more.

The National Sport of Myanmar is Chinlone.

Chinlone is a dynamic and ancient game, combining elements of sport and dance to captivate players and spectators alike.

To learn more about sports culture in Myanmar, read our article about the most popular sports in Myanmar .

Table of Contents

#1 History of Chinlone

#2 culture and traditions, #3 how it works: rules, gameplay and equipment, #4 modern development of chinlone, #5 chinlone and the olympics, #6 famous athletes and achievements, #7 where to watch chinlone.

• 1500: Earliest known historical records of Chinlone in Myanmar, with origins tracing back to the royal courts of ancient Burmese kingdoms.
• 19th century: Chinlone became a popular spectator sport during the British colonial period, with matches often organized during traditional holidays and festivals.
• 20th century: The sport gained wider recognition outside Myanmar, with international exhibitions and the development of formal rules and structures.
• 2001: The first Chinlone World Cup was held in Mandalay, Myanmar, featuring teams from more than ten countries.

Chinlone holds a significant place in Myanmar’s cultural identity, deeply rooted in the nation’s history and traditions. The sport is often played during celebrations and serves as both entertainment and a physical embodiment of unity and cooperation among participants. Its fusion of sport and dance elements makes it a unique spectacle, enchanting audiences with its graceful athleticism.

Myanmar celebrates a famous annual festival known as the Chinlone Festival. This event is dedicated to the sport, showcasing the skills and talents of local and international players. Traditionally taking place in Mandalay, the festival garners widespread enthusiasm and participation from the general public, reflecting the deep cultural resonance of Chinlone within Myanmar.

Chinlone is closely associated with traditional Burmese music, particularly the percussion instrument called the Ozi. Live music is an integral part of Chinlone matches, enhancing the atmosphere and providing a rhythmic framework for players to synchronize their movements and showcase their artistry and creativity.

📕 Rules & Gameplay

• Non-competitive: Chinlone is traditionally a cooperative sport, with no opposing teams or direct competition between players.
• Players: Consists of six players in a circle, with each taking turns as the soloist while the others support and assist.
• Objective: The primary goal is to keep the ball in the air using any body part except the hands, while displaying skill, artistry, and fluidity in movement.
• Footwork: Complex footwork and acrobatics are central to Chinlone, as players strive to outdo one another with intricate and stylish moves.

⚙️ Equipment & Gear

• Ball: Traditionally made from woven rattan, the Chinlone ball is lightweight and flexible, allowing for swift, acrobatic play.
• Attire: Players typically wear comfortable, traditional clothing that allows for ease of movement and reflects cultural heritage.
• Music: An Ozi drum and other traditional Burmese musical instruments provide the musical accompaniment for matches, heightening the atmosphere and energy.

In recent years, Chinlone has seen a resurgence in popularity both within Myanmar and internationally. This renewed interest has led to the development of competitive variations of the sport, such as Sepak Takraw , which incorporates aspects of volleyball and shares similarities with traditional Chinlone.

Technological advancements have also influenced the modernization of Chinlone, with new materials and manufacturing techniques being employed in the crafting of Chinlone balls and equipment. As a result, the sport has become more accessible and visible to a wider audience through global media exposure and commercial ventures.

As new generations of players continue to push the boundaries of Chinlone, its cultural and historical significance remains intact. This dynamic tradition continues to evolve while staying true to its roots, highlighting the unique aspects that make it Myanmar’s national sport and a cherished symbol of its heritage.

Chinlone has not yet been included as an official sport in the Olympic Games. However, it was showcased as a demonstration sport during the 2013 Southeast Asian Games held in Myanmar, providing an opportunity for a global audience to experience and appreciate the sport’s unique cultural value and artistic appeal.

While not yet part of the Olympic program, the exposure gained from such regional sporting events has undoubtedly piqued worldwide interest in Chinlone. As a result, the sport’s profile continues to grow internationally, and its inclusion in future Olympic events remains a possibility worth exploring.

• U Thein Htay: Renowned Chinlone master who has devoted his life to promoting the sport globally, conducting demonstrations and workshops in several countries.
• Kyaw Soe Moe : Hailed as the “David Beckham of Chinlone,” Moe has represented Myanmar at international events and demonstrated an extraordinary level of skill and artistry in the sport.
• Ma Zin Thike: A trailblazer for women in Chinlone, Zin Thike has raised the profile of female players and helped expand opportunities for women in the sport.
• Sai Kyaw Thu Htun: A rising star in the world of Chinlone, Htun has garnered attention for his acrobatic skills and quick reflexes both at home and abroad.
• Myanmar Television: National broadcaster providing coverage of domestic Chinlone competitions and festivals.
• Online streaming: Platforms such as YouTube and Facebook often feature live streams and recorded matches of Chinlone events, making it accessible to viewers worldwide.
• Live experiences in Myanmar: Notable venues for immersing yourself in Chinlone include Mandalay, home to the annual Chinlone Festival, as well as the historic Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, where informal matches are often played in the surrounding areas.

Max is a sports enthusiast who loves all kinds of ball and water sports. He founded & runs stand-up-paddling.org (#1 German Paddleboarding Blog), played competitive Badminton and Mini Golf (competed on national level in Germany), started learning ‘real’ Golf and dabbled in dozens of other sports & activities.

Related Posts

13 Most Popular Athletes from the United States

Who leads the pack in United Sports? From the basketball courts to the soccer fields, who stands out the most?…

25 Sports that Start with Letter H

Hurling yourself headfirst into healthy hobbies? Hordes of high-spirited, heart-pumping sports starting with “H” provide heaps of happiness! Hop on…

33 Sports that Start with Letter I

Immerse yourself in the intriguing world of invigorating “I” sports! Ignite your interest and indulge in an incredible array of…

• Newsletter (free downloads)
• YouTube (71k+ views)
• Pinterest (10k+ monthly views)
• Instagram (5 Reels a Week)
• TikTok (5 Videos a Week)
• ❄️ Winter & Ice Sports
• ⚽ Ball Sports
• 🥊 Combat & Strength Sports
• 🪂 Extreme & Adventure Sports
• 🎯 Precision Sports
• 🏸 Racquet Sports
• 🌊 Watersports
• 🏃‍♀️ Athletics & Endurance Sports
• Press Releases

© Sun Media Brands,

Terms of Use Earnings Disclaimer Privacy Policy

We are reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

Understanding Myanmar: Culture, Sports and Cuisines

• Business & Economics
• Culture, Sports and Cuisines
• Mekong River
• Environmental
• Government & Military
• Official Government Agencies
• Library Services
• ASEAN Overview

At A Glance

KYO SO PAR TAL!

The following information have been carefully selected for your reference. Some resources may have bias perspectives. Please approach the SMU Libraries ( [email protected] ) should you have any doubts or need clarifications.

These videos show the distinct cultures, belief, values, and norms of Myanmar.

Local Culture

• Living in ASEAN Countries Each ASEAN country has its history, language and dynamism. Find out the way of life, customs in each of the ASEAN country.
• Overall Cultural Life in Myanmar Find out more about the cultural life in Myanmar.
• Religions and Beliefs in Myanmar Find out more about the various religions in Myanmar.
• Percentage of Religions in Myanmar Find out the percentage of each religion in Myanmar.
• Ethnic Groups in Myanmar Find out more about the ethnic groups in Myanmar.
• Percentage of Ethnic Groups in Myanmar Find out the percentage of ethnic groups in Myanmar.
• Spoken Languages The official language is Burmese, spoken by the people of the plains and, as a second language, by most people of the hills. After independence, English ceased to be the official language, and after the military coup of 1962, it lost its importance in schools and colleges. An elementary knowledge of English, however, is still required, and its instruction is again being encouraged.
• Delicacies Explore the many flavours Myanmar has to offer.
• Myanmar’s famous landmarks Each brochure and pamphlet is packed with informative summaries and highlights of various areas of Myanmar to help you get the best experience of the places you visit.
• Myanmar Events & Festivals Find out interesting local festive celebrations and events throughout the calendar year in Myanmar.

Popular Sports

Football (Soccer), golf, sepak takraw, and cricket

Traditional Sports

ChinLone (Sepak takraw) — also known as caneball, is the traditional sport of Burma or Myanmar.

Lethwei — an unarmed Burmese martial art similar to other kickboxing styles from the region.

Myanmar Thaing — a Myanmar Martial Art.

Bullock Cart Races

Boat racing

Discover the vibrancy of the Myanmar cuisine and how it reflects the country’s diverse population and history.

'Feel Myanmar' is a well known restaurant in Yangon, Myanmar, that serves delectable Burmese/ Myanmar cuisine. 

Explore into the lives of Burmese liner crew members and discover the pleasures of their life spent at sea.

It's beloved as a breakfast dish, but, sold by mobile vendors, it's a common snack at any time of day or night. Myanmar's unofficial national dish is mohinga -- fine, round rice noodles served in a hearty, herbal fish-and shallot-based broth, often supplemented with the crunchy pith of the banana tree.

Nangyi thoke

The Burmese love "dry" noodle dishes -- essentially noodle-based "salads" with broth served on the side -- and perhaps the tastiest and most ubiquitous is nangyi thoke. The dish takes the form of thick, round rice noodles with chicken, thin slices of fish cake, par-boiled bean sprouts and slices of hard-boiled egg.

Tea leaf salad

The tart leaves are eaten on their own, typically as dessert, but they're also served in the form of lephet thoke, a salad of pickled tea leaves. To make the dish, the sour, slightly bitter leaves are mixed by hand with shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes, crunchy deep-fried beans, nuts and peas, a splash of garlic oil and pungent slices of chili and garlic.

Burmese curry

A visit to a traditional Burmese restaurant is more than just a meal, it's a culinary experience. These include rice, a tart salad, a small dish of fried vegetables, a small bowl of soup and a large tray of fresh and par-boiled vegetables and herbs to be eaten with various dips. Dips range from ngapi ye, a watery, fishy sauce, to balachaung, a dry, spicy mixture of chillies, garlic and dried shrimp fried in oil. At a Muslim-run curry shop, the soup might be a combination of lentils and root vegetables, while the sides might include a few crispy pappadum.

Burmese sweet snacks

Burmese sweets, known collectively as "moun," aren't consumed as dessert but rather as snacks, typically taken with tea in the morning or afternoon. Moun aren't generally packed with sugar, instead getting their sweet flavors from ingredients such as grated coconut, coconut milk, rice flour, cooked sticky rice, tapioca and fruit.

Deep-fried stuff

The Burmese have an obsession with deep-frying foods in oil -- in Myanmar, it's practically impossible to avoid fried foods. The majority of snacks found on the street or in tea shops -- samosas, spring rolls, savory fritters, sweets, breads are deep-fried, and many noodle dishes are topped with akyaw, deep-fried crispy garnishes

The video showcases the beautiful Myanmar, and its traditions with over 130 different ethnic groups.

Myanmar's ancient city Bagan is now a UNESCO world heritage site, seen as the country's ticket to get on the region's tourism bandwagon.

Myanmar architect Zaw Lin Myat takes us on a delightful visual journey to explore how he builds a Myanmar identity in his work. What are quintessial Myanmar design characteristics? What should they be in the future? Find out more from this video. 

• << Previous: Business & Economics
• Next: Mekong River >>
• Last Updated: Dec 31, 2023 9:43 PM
• URL: https://researchguides.smu.edu.sg/cp_myanmar

Seeking success in sport

• July 26, 2016

Sport in Myanmar needs more financial support and professional coaches to give opportunities to more athletes.

By NATALIE WONG | FRONTIER Photos MARO VERLI

WITH the Olympic Games opening in Rio de Janeiro next month and Malaysia hosting the Southeast Asian Games in August 2017, the development of sport is on the minds of many in Myanmar. The training of elite athletes is critical for the development of sport but is Myanmar doing enough for them?

As part of the National League for Democracy’s decision to reduce the number of ministries, earlier this year the Ministry of Sports was merged with the Health Ministry to create the Ministry of Health and Sports.

To support the training of talented young athletes, in 1995 the Ministry of Sports opened the Institute of Sports and Physical Education at the Kyaikkasan Grounds, the site of a former racecourse, in Yangon’s Tarmwe Township. Each morning the sprawling complex is filled with young athletes participating in sports ranging from wushu, a traditional Chinese martial art, to football, to swimming.

There are now four such institutes throughout the country, at Mandalay, Taunggyi and Mawlamyine, as well as Yangon, where nearly 3,000 talented young athletes are receiving professional training.

Support more independent journalism like this. Sign up to be a Frontier member .

Each February, the ISPEs arrange a talent scouting program to identify young athletes with potential who are given the opportunity to attend one of the institutes.

mv_sports_development-12.jpg

A gymnast trains at the Institute of Sports and Physical Education at Kyaikkasan in Yangon’s Tarmwe Township. (Maro Verli / Frontier)

The institutes begin training youths at the age of 14 and the students complete their education when they reach 17, or Grade 11. Training is provided across 33 sports, ranging from track and field to martial arts.

Rather than focusing on helping the students to excel in their respective sport, they also receive assistance to perform well in their academic studies.

“We try to get a balance between their schoolwork and sports,” said U Khin Maung Lwin, the joint secretary general of the Myanmar Olympic Committee.

The MOC aims to open an ISPE in every state and region. Plans were unveiled last year to open institutes at Monywa and Loikaw.

The Ministry of Health and Sports is also planning to open a university of sport in Nay Pyi Taw to provide talented young athletes with a tertiary education. It also hopes to open similar universities in Yangon and Mandalay.

Khin Maung Lwin said that if ISPEs could be established throughout the country it would not be necessary for young people to leave their home states or regions to receive professional training.

“In some regions, there are people who are good at sports but they cannot come to an ISPE because their parents don’t want them to go,” he said

But who will train them? Khin Maung Lwin acknowledged that a shortage of qualified coaches was a big challenge.

To help raise the standard of coaching in Myanmar, the ministry has been sending them to other countries in Asia to receive professional training.

China, a nation with an impressive record in sporting achievement, has provided training — including in wushu, in which Myanmar excelled at the Southeast Asian Games it hosted in 2013, topping the medals table, with five gold, five silver and five bronze. Myanmar performed strongly in the same sport at last year’s SEA Games in Singapore, winning three gold, three silver and a bronze to finish fourth on the medals table.

Other coaches have been sent to South Korea to receive training in taekwondo.

There is another reason for Myanmar’s strong record in wushu, and also in judo, in which it finished second on the medals table at the 2013 SEA Games and third in Singapore last year.

mv_sports_development-20.jpg

Maro Verli / Frontier

Martial arts are in the blood of Myanmar people. Myanmar traditional boxing and self-defence sports have helped its athletes to achieve prominence at an international level.

“Individual events are much easier than team sports,” Khin Maung Lwin said.

Mention sport in Myanmar and most people think of football. As Khin Maung Lwin said, “This is our national sport.”

Myanmar enjoyed a golden age in football 50 years ago when the national team won every major Southeast Asian championship between 1965 and 1973.

Myanmar’s legions of football fans are delighted with the improving performance of the national team after enduring disappointment for most of the past 40 years, mainly because spending on sport was neglected under military rule.

U Okocha, media officer of the Myanmar Football Federation, said the “lack of infrastructure and financial background” were impediments to the development of the sport.

mv_sports_development-5.jpg

There are three private football academies in the country and all operate with financial support from Myanmar National League club owners.

Every year, the Mandalay Football Academy and Pathein Football Club help the MFF to scout for promising young talent.

The MFF also plans to open a Yangon Football Academy at the end of this year.

Okocha agrees that the sporting sector needs more human resources. Apart from athletes and coaches, there is a need for technicians, as well as marketing, media and scouting specialists and other professionals, to help sport develop and improve in Myanmar.

The MFF is working with the Ministry of Health and Sports as part of an effort to take football standards to a higher level.

Meanwhile, excitement is growing among football fans ahead of the ASEAN Football Federation Championship, which will be co-hosted by Myanmar and the Philippines at the end of this year. It has been a long-held dream of Myanmar fans to see the national team win the Suzuki Cup, but it faces formidable opponents. Its best achievement in the competition was finishing fourth in the 2004 event co-hosted by Malaysia and Vietnam.

The national women’s team has better prospects in the AFF Women’s Football Championship opening in Mandalay later this month: it won the tournament in 2004 and 2007 and was runner-up in 2011, 2012 and 2015.

But what of other sports? Basketball, which is popular in many countries, seems to be neglected in Myanmar.

U Maung Maung Myint, vice president of the Myanmar Basketball Federation, knows that he cannot match the prominence of football and is focusing his efforts on promoting the sport.

“We have been left far behind in many areas due to the past mismanagement and system malfunction,” he said.

The main challenge for developing basketball is a lack of money. The MBF has never received any financial support from the government and it relies on its own budget. The limited popularity of the sport means that the MBF has been struggled to attract sponsorship.

This has meant it cannot even provide enough training for players, much less the funds for long-term coaching, to nurture the development of talented young basketballers.

“With a limited budget, we can only make limited moves,” Maung Maung Myint said. He said that despite it not being difficult to scout talent to play basketball, a challenge is encouraging promising young players to retain an interest in the sport.

Basketball is not alone in needing financial support from the government. There are more than 40 sport federations under the Myanmar Olympic Committee, but none receives an allocation in the government’s annual budget.

Despite many challenges, the sporting sector is slowly developing. Sport other than football is attracting increasing attention and there will be intense interest in the performance of the nation’s athletes at the SEA Games in Malaysia next year.

“I can say that Myanmar sports is coming up now,” said Khin Maung Lwin.

Natalie Wong

More stories.

Off target: Myanmar football falters on and off the pitch

Related stories.

Myanmar player in Malaysia punished over anti-coup salute

Wild Waters: Yangon Region

The women who play chinlone

Latest issue.

Volume 6, Issue 18

• January 27, 2021

Myanmar enters 2021 with more friends than foes

Will the kayin bgf go quietly, become a frontier member.

Support our independent journalism and get exclusive behind-the-scenes content and analysis

Get exclusive daily updates

Stay on top of Myanmar current affairs with our Daily Briefing and Media Monitor newsletters.

Join the community

Sign up for our Frontier Fridays newsletter. It’s a free weekly round-up featuring the most important events shaping Myanmar

© 2024 Frontier Myanmar

This post is also available in: English Myanmar

• The Culture Of Myanmar

The culture of the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar has been heavily influenced by the Buddhist religion, former British colonial rule in the country, and neighboring cultures.

7. Ethnicity, Language, and Religion in Burma

Myanmar, also known as Burma , is home to 55,622,506 individuals. The country is home to diverse ethnic groups. The Burman or Bamar constitute 68% of the total population of the country. The other ethnic communities residing in Burma are Shan, Karen, Rakhine, Chinese, Mon, and Indian peoples. Burmese is the official language of Myanmar. The majority of Burmese (about 88%) practice Buddhism . Christians, Muslims, Animists, and Hindus also live in the country.

Many festivals are held in Burma all year round. The pagoda festival is held in every village and town in the country. Thingyan is another Buddhist festival celebrating the Lunar New Year.

6. Burmese Cuisine

The Burmese cuisine reflects indigenous influences and also has elements of Indian, Thai, and Chinese cuisines. The Burmese dishes are known to have a mild spicy flavor. Rice is the staple of the cuisine and is served with meat curries and vegetables. Soups are also widely consumed. A fermented sauce prepared from preserve fish, Indian-style pickles, shrimp sauce or balachaung, pickled vegetables, etc., are typical condiments of the cuisine. Lentils, tamarind, and chickpeas are also extensively used. Salads are widely consumed. A salad of pickled tea leaves called laphet thoke is very popular in Burma. Mohinga is considered to be the national dish of the country. It is rice noodles in rice-fish soup.

5. Burmese Traditional Clothing

The Burmese men and women both wear a type of sarong-like lower garment called the longyi. In the past, the men would wear the traditional paso and women would adorn the tamein. On formal occasions, Burmese men wear an English collar shirt underneath a Manchu Chinese jacket. Women wear blouses above a sarong. The blouses are either buttoned at the front or on the side. They usually drape a shawl around the blouse. Today, many Burmese men and women also wear Western-style clothing, especially in urban areas.

4. Literature and the Arts in Burma

Burma has a long literary history. Most of the ancient Burmese literature focussed on religion and history. The Jataka Tales of Buddhism were particularly important in shaping early Burmese literature. Various genres of fiction were popularized in the country during British colonial rule. Today, poetry is an important component of the country’s literary works. Novels themed on detective work, romance, and adventure are now produced by Burmese writers. Short stories are also very popular.

Like literature, early Burmese art was also influenced by religion, especially Hinduism and Buddhism, and the mythology and cosmology related to these religions. Impressive Buddha sculptures and pagodas were built in the country in large numbers. Myanmar is also famous for a number of crafts like woodcarving, stone carving, lacquerware, bronze casting, silk weaving, pottery, tapestry making, gold leaf making, etc.

3. Performance Arts in Burma

Myanmar has a rich heritage of music and dance. An array of traditional instruments are used to play Burmese traditional music. This type of music is mostly based on percussion and is extremely melodious. Kyaw Kyaw Naing is a Burmese traditional musician who has helped bring the country’s music to the global platform. The hsaing waing is a type of indigenous orchestra of the nation that involves a musical performance using a combination of various instruments like gongs, drums, hne (reed pipe), wa (clapper and bell), etc. Various dance forms are prevalent in Myanmar like the folk, dramatic, and nat dances. The latter revolves around Burmese religious beliefs. Nats are spirits worshipped by the Burmese. Nat dances are common during the nat pwè festival where the dancers are believed to embody the nat’s spirit in a trance. Historically, these dancers were mainly females and the dancing skill was passed from mothers to daughters. The performances happen in nat shrines spread throughout the country. People visiting the festivals often drink palm wine and dance wildly to the wild beats of traditional drums and gongs.

2. Sports in Myanmar

Football (soccer) is Myanmar’s most popular sport. The country also has its indigenous version of the football called chinlone where a rattan ball is used to play the game. Another local sport is lethwei or Burmese bareknuckle boxing. It is a martial art that originated in the country. Regattas or boat racing events of Myanmar are held annually in the months of August/September. Cricket and basketball are some of the other sports played in Burma.

1. Life in the Burmese Society

Traditionally, women are held in high regard in the Burmese society. Both women and men actively participate in the country’s workforce. The number of activities is divided between the two genders. Many Burmese women own businesses, hold top jobs, and also have important positions in politics. Marriages in the country are mostly based on the choice of the couple and few marriages are arranged. Wedding ceremonies are usually simple for the common people but elaborate for the wealthy sections of society. New-wed couples usually live with one of their parents, usually the bride’s parents after marriage before establishing their own household. Both husband and wife hold considerable authority in the household.

Children are often pampered and adored in Burmese society. Education is valued. In the past, many Burmese boys would attend monasteries to receive religious and other education. Today, the practice has waned significantly.

The Burmese are extremely friendly and outgoing in nature. The public show of emotions like anger and sorrow are not encouraged in the country. The Burmese dislike touching or patting anyone on the head as it is considered improper in Buddhism. People are expected to remove their footwear before entering religious places and homes of the Burmese.

More in Society

Countries With Zero Income Tax For Digital Nomads

The World's 10 Most Overcrowded Prison Systems

Manichaeism: The Religion that Went Extinct

The Philosophical Approach to Skepticism

How Philsophy Can Help With Your Life

3 Interesting Philosophical Questions About Time

What Is The Antinatalism Movement?

The Controversial Philosophy Of Hannah Arendt

• The Star ePaper
• Subscriptions
• Manage Profile
• Change Password
• Manage Logins
• Manage Subscription
• Transaction History
• Manage Billing Info
• Manage For You
• Manage Bookmarks
• Package & Pricing

Big dreams as Myanmar athletes to compete in seven sports at Hangzhou Asiad

Sunday, 17 Sep 2023

Related News

More than 800 suspected scammers arrested in Myanmar-China joint operation

Myanmar aims to earn over us$16bil from export in fy2024-25, myanmar hands over 352 telecom fraud suspects to china.

YANGON (Xinhua): Khun Jar Aung, head of Myanmar's sports delegation for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, has said that Myanmar's athletes will participate in seven different sports.

"Our sports teams will depart in batches starting from September 16 for the Hangzhou Games," Khun, who is a director from the Sports and Physical Education Department under the country's Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

A total of 111 athletes will represent Myanmar at the Asian Games this year. However, the Myanmar delegation will consist of 178 individuals, including coaches and team managers, he said.

Khun also mentioned that three of Myanmar's seven sports teams for the Asian Games-- football, dragon boat racing, and wushu -- received financial assistance from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar during a recent event in Yangon.

The seven sports in which Myanmar's athletes will compete are football, taekwondo, wushu, dragon boat racing, Esports, archery and sepak takraw, he noted.

Highlighting the government's support for its athletes, Khun mentioned the incentives for medal winners in international competitions. Athletes who clinched gold medals at the previous Southeast Asian (SEA) Games were awarded 30 million kyats (over 10,000 U.S. dollars) for each medal, while silver medalists received 20 million kyats for each medal, and bronze medalists received 10 million kyats for each medal.

"The Asian Games is the largest sports event on the continent, and participating teams will be able to exchange their cultures in competing in the event," he said.

Khun, who pursued studies at the Beijing Sport University in 2010-2011, said this visit to China will be his first trip to the country since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Khun also reminisced about his previous visit to Hangzhou, and said, "Hangzhou is a very beautiful city, and the West Lake there is famous."

He also said ongoing sports sector cooperation between China and Myanmar will continue, with Myanmar athletes benefiting from annual joint training programs funded by China.

Regarding preparations, Khun said that, except for football and Esports that were separately training, the remaining five sports teams have been in intensive training camps since the conclusion of the SEA Games.

Khun also expressed optimism about Myanmar's expectations for winning medals, particularly in sepak takraw, wushu, and dragon boat racing, as the country has won two bronze medals from wushu and sepak takraw at the previous Asian Games in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, the head of the Myanmar delegation expressed confidence that China will successfully host the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games.

Scheduled from September 23 to October 8, the Asian Games is expected to attract more than 12,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions. They'll compete in 40 sports across 481 events.

The Hangzhou tournament will be the third Asian Games held in China, after Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010. - Xinhua

Tags / Keywords: Myanmar , Athletes , Compete , Seven Sports , Hangzhou Asian Games

Found a mistake in this article?

Report it to us.

Thank you for your report!

Experience holistic multi-generational wellness living at GEMS Residences

Next in aseanplus news.

Trending in AseanPlus

Air pollutant index, highest api readings, select state and location to view the latest api reading.

• Select Location

Source: Department of Environment, Malaysia

Others Also Read

Best viewed on Chrome browsers.

We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion. Kindly fill the form below

Thank you for downloading.

We hope you enjoy this feature!

Discover the Popular Sports in Myanmar

Introduction to popular sports in myanmar.

Are you curious about the popular sports in Myanmar and want to explore the country’s vibrant sporting culture? Look no further! In this article, we will take you on a journey to discover the most loved sports in Myanmar. From traditional games like chinlone to modern sports like football, you will get an insight into the diverse range of sports that are enjoyed by the people of Myanmar. Whether you are a sports enthusiast or simply interested in learning about different cultures, this article will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the popular sports scene in Myanmar. So, let’s dive in and explore the exciting world of Myanmar’s sports!

Traditional Sports

Chinlone is a traditional sport in Myanmar that is often played in a circle with a group of people. It is a non-competitive sport that focuses on teamwork, coordination, and agility. The objective of the game is to keep a woven ball in the air using any part of the body except for the hands. Players showcase their skill and creativity by performing various acrobatic moves and tricks while keeping the ball in play. Chinlone is not only a physical activity but also a form of art and cultural expression in Myanmar.

Lethwei, also known as Burmese bare-knuckle boxing, is a traditional combat sport that has been practiced in Myanmar for centuries. Unlike other forms of boxing, Lethwei allows the use of headbutts, punches, kicks, elbows, and knee strikes. The sport is highly intense and requires exceptional physical strength and endurance. It is known for its raw and aggressive nature, making it a thrilling spectacle for spectators. Lethwei is deeply rooted in Myanmar’s history and is considered a significant part of its cultural heritage.

Chinthe is a traditional martial art that originated in Myanmar. It focuses on self-defense techniques and is often practiced with bare hands and feet. Chinthe incorporates various striking, grappling, and throwing techniques to incapacitate opponents. The martial art emphasizes discipline, respect, and mental fortitude. It is not only a physical practice but also a way to cultivate inner strength and self-confidence. Chinthe has a rich history and is still actively taught and practiced in Myanmar today.

These traditional sports, including Chinlone, Lethwei, and Chinthe, not only provide physical exercise but also serve as a reflection of Myanmar’s cultural identity. They highlight the values of teamwork, discipline, and resilience that are deeply ingrained in the country’s heritage. Participating in or witnessing these sports is a unique experience that allows individuals to immerse themselves in Myanmar’s rich traditions and appreciate the athleticism and skill of its athletes.

Popular Team Sports

Football, also known as soccer, is the most popular team sport in Myanmar. It is deeply ingrained in the country’s culture and has a large following among the local population. The Myanmar national football team, known as the White Angels, has a rich history and has achieved notable success in regional competitions.

The sport’s popularity can be seen at both amateur and professional levels. Numerous football clubs exist throughout the country, nurturing young talents and providing them with opportunities to compete at higher levels. The Myanmar National League (MNL) is the top professional football league in the country, showcasing the best local talent and attracting passionate fans to stadiums.

Basketball has gained significant popularity in Myanmar, especially in recent years. The sport has been growing steadily, with more people actively participating and following professional basketball leagues. The Myanmar Basketball Federation (MBF) governs the sport in the country and organizes various competitions and events.

Local basketball clubs and teams have emerged, fostering the development of talented players. The sport has also gained attention internationally, with the Myanmar national basketball team representing the country in regional and international competitions. The rising popularity of basketball has led to increased investment in infrastructure and facilities, providing enthusiasts with better opportunities to play and enjoy the sport.

Volleyball is another popular team sport in Myanmar, enjoyed by people of all ages. The sport has a strong presence in schools, colleges, and local communities, with regular tournaments and leagues held across the country. The Myanmar Volleyball Federation (MVF) oversees the development of the sport and organizes national championships.

Myanmar’s national volleyball teams, both men’s and women’s, have achieved success in regional competitions. The sport has a dedicated fan base, and matches often attract enthusiastic spectators. Volleyball provides a platform for teamwork, skill development, and friendly competition, making it a beloved sport in Myanmar.

In conclusion, Myanmar has a vibrant sports culture, with football, basketball, and volleyball being the most popular team sports. These sports not only bring joy and entertainment to the people but also serve as a means for personal growth, community engagement, and national pride.

Water Sports

Rowing is a popular water sport in Myanmar, deeply rooted in the country’s culture and history. The sport has a rich tradition and is widely practiced in various parts of Myanmar. One of the most famous rowing events in the country is the annual Taunggyi Tazaungdaing Festival, where teams compete in colorful boats adorned with traditional decorations. Spectators flock to the festival to witness the thrilling races and cheer for their favorite teams.

Canoeing is another exciting water sport that attracts both locals and tourists in Myanmar. With its diverse waterways, including rivers, lakes, and even coastal areas, the country offers numerous opportunities for canoeing enthusiasts to indulge in their passion. Whether you prefer leisurely paddling through calm waters or tackling more challenging rapids, Myanmar’s scenic landscapes provide breathtaking backdrops for unforgettable canoeing experiences.

Swimming is a beloved water activity enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels in Myanmar. The country boasts several natural swimming spots, including pristine lakes and rivers, where locals and visitors can take a refreshing dip. For those seeking a more organized swimming experience, many hotels and resorts in popular tourist destinations offer well-maintained swimming pools. Whether you prefer the tranquility of natural waters or the convenience of a pool, Myanmar has plenty to offer for swimming enthusiasts.

In conclusion, water sports hold a special place in Myanmar’s recreational activities. Whether it’s the cultural significance of rowing, the adventurous spirit of canoeing, or the refreshing joy of swimming, water sports in Myanmar cater to a wide range of interests and provide memorable experiences for all who partake in them.

The article "Discover the Popular Sports in Myanmar" sheds light on the diverse sporting culture of Myanmar. From traditional sports like chinlone and lethwei to internationally recognized sports such as football and basketball, Myanmar offers a wide range of sporting activities that cater to different interests and preferences. Whether it be the grace and agility of chinlone or the fierce competition of lethwei, these sports not only provide entertainment but also reflect the rich heritage and traditions of the country. Myanmar’s passion for sports is evident through the enthusiastic participation and support of its people. With the continued promotion and development of sports in Myanmar, these popular sports are likely to gain even more recognition both nationally and globally in the coming years.

Share This Post:

Sport as a tool of politics: A study on Myanmar's Southeast Asian Games 2013

Since a new semi-civilian government came to power in March 2011, Myanmar has embarked on sweeping reforms to end its isolation and integrate its economy with the international economy. As a signal of stimulating the economic stagnation, President Thein Sein's government revamped finance and investment laws to draw more foreign investment into the country and asked for financial and technical assistance from the international community at the same time. However, the image of a military-influenced civilian government has created administrative problems for Myanmar's policy of national re-unification and economic development. So Myanmar badly needed to improve its national image and legitimacy in order to reduce the obstacles to its regional and international political and economic objectives. As a diversely populated country, Myanmar leaders thought that projecting a positive national image will contribute to a higher level of national brand and uplift their political legitimacy. Therefore the government decided to host the 27th SEA Games which may be vital for re-branding of Myanmar and so they prepared to formulate this idea since before the transfer of power from military government to a new semi-civilian government in 2011. The Games was a good opportunity for the former Myanmar military leaders to showcase their top-down democratization model. Eventually, with the honour of hosting the Games in December 2013 that returned to the country after 44 years, Myanmar successfully hosted the biggest regional sporting event as a promotion for the new Myanmar. Especially, Myanmar showed its kind hospitability throughout the Games while sport athletes uplifted the nation’s image by earning the most medals for the first time since the competition began in 1959. Therefore, it can be said that hosting the SEA Games could revitalize the standard of Myanmar sports. After the Games, Myanmar people proudly say the words, "That's Myanmar". They have swallowed those words under an oppressive era for decades. The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the once-pariah state, Myanmar, used the 2013 SEA Games to present itself as a normal and friendly country and to achieve international recognition.

Copyright Date

Date of award, rights license, degree discipline, degree grantor, degree level, degree name, anzsrc type of activity code, victoria university of wellington item type, victoria university of wellington school, usage metrics.

• International relations

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

In Myanmar, Sports Choices Raise Concerns

By Thomas Fuller

• Jan. 27, 2013

BANGKOK — It has been promoted as a showcase for the new Myanmar, a regional sporting event in December that will celebrate the country’s embrace of democracy and the end of a hermetic and oppressive era.

But the Southeast Asian Games, which will be held in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, and other sites throughout the country, is causing acrimony long before a single athlete has competed.

Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which all intend to participate in what are known as the SEA Games, have sent separate letters to Myanmar protesting the way the event is being organized, according to Gen. Yuthasak Sasiprapha, the president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand.

“These games are supposed to bring unity, but they are causing divisions instead,” General Yuthasak told the Thai news media last week.

The main complaint is that Myanmar, formerly Burma, has stacked the competition with obscure sports that Myanmar’s athletes have a good chance of winning.

Charoen Wattanasin, the vice president of the Thai National Olympic Committee, said in an interview that the SEA Game regulations allowed for 8 traditional sports but that Myanmar had put 14 on the roster.

“Nine out of the 14 are martial arts,” he said, struggling to describe them. “They are — well, I can’t even remember their names.”

One is called chinlone, a traditional Burmese game that mixes dancelike acrobatic movements with what might be described as soccer juggling skills. There is no opposing team, and competitors are scored in a manner similar to those in gymnastics.

Myanmar has dropped tennis and table tennis from the games, even though both have been played in all SEA Games since the competition began in 1959. Gymnastics is out, as is badminton, Thai and Philippine officials said.

The Singaporeans are lamenting the loss of water polo, in which they do well, and the Philippine Olympic Committee has threatened to send a threadbare delegation if the roster is not changed. Malaysia and Indonesia, which have strong badminton traditions, are urging that the sport be reinstated.

The Nation, a Thai daily newspaper, reported Sunday that Myanmar had also dropped beach volleyball because “the sport’s outfits were not suitable for Myanmar culture.”

Myanmar circulated the roster of events to representatives of participating countries last week and for now is defending its selection.

“Every host country has the authority to decide which competitions should be included and excluded,” U Htay Aung, a director in Myanmar’s ministry of sports, said in an interview on Sunday.

Mr. Htay Aung said he recalled previous games in which Myanmar’s requests “were ignored.”

“There are always complaints at these games,” he said. “Myanmar will make the final decision.”

Myanmar will hear from the 11 countries competing in the games at meetings in Naypyidaw on Monday and Tuesday to discuss preparations.

“If they continue to push through this proposal, it’s worthless to hold the games,” Mr. Charoen, the Thai official, said.

Myanmar’s ability to organize the games smoothly will be closely watched by officials in the region, because in some ways it will be a test run for a much more ambitious project. Next year, Myanmar will hold the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a responsibility that involves playing host to countless regional meetings and dealing with thousands of visiting diplomats and journalists.

It is a challenging task for a government that is only now breaking from its inward-looking, military past and its history of antagonistic relations with the outside world.

Myanmar appears eager to reassure its neighbors that it is ready to host the games. U Naw Tawng, a Burmese official quoted on Myanmar’s official SEA Games Web site , predicted that the games would be better than those held in 2011 in Indonesia.

Myanmar has played host to the games twice — in 1961 and 1969 — but this is the first time the games are to be held there since the brutal suppression of the democracy movement, including a bloody crackdown in 1988.

The country is in the middle of a wrenching transition from military rule to democracy led by President Thein Sein, who heads the country’s first civilian government in five decades.

Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting from Bangkok, and Wai Moe from Yangon, Myanmar.

Home — Essay Samples — Geography & Travel — Developing Country — The Perfect Country: Myanmar

The Perfect Country: Myanmar

• Categories: Developing Country Transportation

About this sample

Words: 613 |

Published: Feb 12, 2019

Words: 613 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Works Cited

• Aung-Thwin, M. A. (2017). The mists of Rāmañña: The legend that was lower Burma. University of Hawai'i Press.
• Bird, G., Soe, H. K., & Willcox, M. (2016). Checklist of the Birds of Myanmar. Lynx Edicions.
• Cho, W. K. T. (2017). Ethnicity, conflict and inequality in Myanmar. Routledge.
• D'Cunha, J. M., & Ong, D. K. (2019). Tourism in Southeast Asia: Challenges and new directions. Routledge.
• Hill, J. (2014). Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookBaby.
• Kyaw, T. M., & Aung, T. T. (2021). Tourism development and sustainability in Myanmar. Routledge.
• Myanmar. (2022, March 11). In CIA World Factbook. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/myanmar/
• Myanmar. (2022, March 11). In World Tourism Organization. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://www.unwto.org/myanmar
• Tin, H. H. (2021). Golden Myanmar. White Lotus Press.
• Win, N. N. (2017). Buddhism and Buddhist Art in Myanmar. Asia Society.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Geography & Travel Government & Politics

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1435 words

2 pages / 760 words

2 pages / 725 words

2 pages / 1058 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Developing Country

Located in the southwestern region of Europe, Portugal is a country with a rich history and vibrant culture. From its ancient roots to its modern-day influence, Portugal has made significant contributions to the world in areas [...]

The tiny port city of Banjul, is the capital of The Gambia, in West Africa. It’s located in the southern part of the Gambia River estuary on Saint Mary’s Island, cut off from the mainland by a series of creeks lined with [...]

In India, they do not connect many large numbers of areas and villages to the power distribution system. Therefore, hybrid renewable sources of energy is better way to provide power in these areas. Renewable energy sources and [...]

Hope Tours and Travel Company is one of the top leading tourism hospitality and travel companies in New Zeeland. With many activities involved, the company just like any other company has some employees whose affairs must be [...]

Thus, sustainable tourism is nowadays environmentally needed. To answer to coast degradation, pollution, and water supply problematics, policy-making plays a crucial role, at different levels. This part aims to analyze the [...]

Australian copyright law is a very interesting topic. It has changed over time, along with the Australian government. Nowadays, it is close to other country's copyright regarding laws and is very complex, with many case-to-case [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

The Free Online Burmese Lessons

Learn Myanmar Language, History & Culture

Sports phrases ⚽ in Burmese

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a new craze in Myanmar after Myanmar born Aung La N Sang won the World Middle Weight Championship belt in 2017 and proudly displayed Myanmar flag in the ring. Popularly known as "Burmese Python", 6 feet 1 Kachin ethnic fighter was born in Myitkyina and has a huge following in Myanmar.

Back in the glorious days of several decades ago, Burma was the powerhouse of South East Asia in sports, with the football team that made the country proud. Somehow, the country took the wrong turn, and the glory and the pride of the land of the fast and the strong had faded away along the dusty road of economic and political struggles.

In 2013, Myanmar hosted the 27th South East Asia Games after the long gap of 44 years since the last hosting in 1969. As a host, Myanmar had a decent showing with the second position in medal tallies after Thailand.

We have seen this word pweare3 before in lesson 26 . It generally refers to a festival where people have fun and watch shows and entertainment complete with roadside stalls selling food, snacks, souvenirs and various merchandizes — kind of like a carnival.

Let's go watch a football pweare3

Football (soccer) is, by far, the most popular sport in Myanmar. Nowadays, Burmese football fans seem to hero-worship Manchester United team in particular, and the names of several local football clubs end with "United", such as "Zwekabin United", "Yangon United", and so on. To bring up the level of Myanmar football back to international standards, Myanmar local football clubs hire several foreign coaches and players.

bau2-lone3 bweare3 — football match (ball + match) thwa3 — go kji1 — to watch or take a look ja1 — plural word to indicate more than one person meare2 — future tense; will; going to

bau2-lone3 bweare3 thwa3 kji1 ja1 meare2 — We will go watch a football match.

beare2 dau1 leare3 — When?

a-khu1 — Now!

Let's play a game of Burmese Verb: play

Let's play football. Let's play basketball. Let's play volleyball. Let's play water polo Let's play badminton. Lets play tennis. Let's play table-tennis. Let's play golf.

In the above English phrases, there is a common verb "play" . All you need to do is to substitute the name of the game or sport using the pattern: "Let's play xxxx".

Do you see the pattern? Generally, the word "strike" ( yite ) is used if you hold something in the hand such as tennis racket or golf club and strike an object. You use the word "play" ( ga1-za3 ) for the rest with the exception of kicking and tossing the ball around using your foot.

Let's review different types "let's"

In lesson 19, the word ya1 oun2 is used, which also means "Let's" .

Also in lesson 19, we use the word ja1 ya1 oun2 , which is the plural form of the word ya1 oun2 .

The word ja1 in ja1 ya1 oun2 indicates that the activity will take place for more than one person.

In lesson 21, we used yet an another word ba2 zo1 to express the word "Let's" .

What's the difference among different types of "Let's" in Burmese? When you use the words ja1 zo1 or ja1 meare2 you are taking the role of leadership position to suggest something to someone or to a small group of people. The word ja1 meare2 is almost certain that some event WILL take place without objections.

The word ba2 zo1 has more determination and courage in it, and is used to make a proposal to provoke and incite a larger audience.

The words ya1 oun2 or ja1 ya1 oun2 don't have the ordering tone used by the leader of the pack as in: "I want to play. How about you?"

More phrases with "ja1 ya1 oun2"

ga1-za3 ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play. (play + plural + let's)

bau2-lone3 kun2 ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play football. (soccer ball + kick + plural + let's)

but-sa1-ket-bau3 ga1-za3 ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play basketball. (basketball + play + plural + let's)

bau2-li2-bau3 ga1-za3 ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play volleyball. (volleyball + play + plural + let's)

kjet-toun2 yite ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play badminton. (badminton + strike + plural + let's)

tin3-nit yite ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play tennis. (tennis + strike + plural + let's)

pin2-poun2 yite ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play table-tennis. (table-tennis + strike + plural + let's)

gout-thi3 yite ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's play golf. (golf + strike + plural + let's)

Let's learn more of the word "ja1 meare2"

We will build up the complexity of the phrase using the word ja1 meare2 explained above. ga1-za3 means to play . So, ga1-za3 ja1 meare2 means "Let's play."

Remember, ja1 meare2 is a plural word to indicate that some event WILL take place.

When the phrase does not contain the pronoun "they", "we", or the names of the parties involved such as in the phrase ga1-za3 ja1 meare2 , by default, it refers to "us". In another words, "We will play."

ga1-za3 ja1 meare2 — (We) will play; let's play.

How can I say Myanmar will play with Malaysia?

myan2-ma2 — Myanmar neare1 — with ma1-lay3-sha3 — Malaysia ga1-za3 — play ja1 meare2 — will

myan2-ma2 neare1 ma1-lay3-sha3 ga1-za3 ja1 meare2 — Myanmar will play with Malaysia.

de2 nya1 — tonight! (this + night)

Here's a longer sentence: de2 nya1 — tonight (this + night) ba1-ma2 — Myanmar neare1 — with ma1-lay3-sha3 — Malaysia neare1 — with ga1-za3 — to play ja1 meare2 — will

de2 nya1 ba1-ma2 neare1 ma1-lay3-sha3 neare1 ga1-za3 ja1 meare2 — Tonight, Myanmar will play with Malaysia.

No, it's not a typo error. "With" is repeated in the above sentence. The literary form of the colloquial word neare1 used as a conjunction in the sentence is hnin1 .

ba1-ma2 refers to Burma. This is also the name of the majority Burmese ethnic people. In the original National Anthem after the independence, the word ba1-ma2 pyi2 was used. It was later changed to myan2-ma2-pyi2 to reflect the inclusion of more than 100 ethnic people. My translation of Myanmar into English is "the land of the fast and the strong".

So, who won the game?

Colloquially speaking, people will usually ask "who" won the game instead of "which team" won the game. beare2-dthu2 — who (which + person or "he/she") nine2 — win thwa3 — go (changed the sentence into past tense) leare3 — ?

beare2-dthu2 nine2 thwa3 leare3 — Who won the game?

The word thwa3 is the verb "to go". In the above phrase, it is used as a particle and modifies an another verb nine2 (to win) into the past tense "won". It's kind of like asking: "How did it go?" Refer to lesson 14 for more examples.

ba1-ma2 — Myanmar nine2 — win thwa3 — go (changed the sentence into past tense) deare2 — affirmation.

ba1-ma2 nine2 thwa3 deare2 — Myanmar team has won the game. 🏆

ba1-ma2 — Myanmar shone3 — lose thwa3 — go (changed the sentence into past tense) deare2 — affirmation.

ba1-ma2 shone3 thwa3 deare2 — Myanmar team has lost the game.

tha1-yay2 — a draw game kja1 — be in certain state or condition thwa3 — go (changed the sentence into past tense) deare2 — affirmation.

tha1-yay2 kja1 thwa3 deare2 — It was a draw.

Present participle "~ing" in Burmese

How would you say someone is in the midst of doing something? Burmese word nay2 deare2 is equivalent to the present participle "~ing" in English. Example: loat nay2 deare2 — I am doing it. (do + present participle "~ing") sa3 nay2 deare2 — I am having my meal. (eat + present participle "~ing") ga1-za3 nay2 deare2 — I am playing. (play + present participle "~ing") na3 nay2 deare2 — I am resting. (to rest + present participle "~ing")

Take note of the omission of the first person "I" in the above phrases. If someone asks what you are doing at this moment, it's more natural and shorter to answer without the use of "I".

What if the person who is doing something is not you but someone else? In that case, include the name of the person, or the pronoun thu2 meaning "he/she" as follow: thu2 loat nay2 deare2 — He or she is doing it. (he/she + do + present participle "~ing") thu2 sa3 nay2 deare2 — He or she is having meal. (he/she + eat + present participle "~ing") thu2 ga1-za3 nay2 deare2 — He or she is playing. (he/she + play + present participle "~ing") thu2 na3 nay2 deare2 — He or she is resting. (he/she + rest + present participle "~ing")

If more than one person is involved in the activity of doing something, just insert the plural word "ja1" between the present participle word nay2 deare2 as follow: loat nay2 ja1 deare2 — We/they are doing it. (do + present participle + plural) sa3 nay2 ja1 deare2 — We/they are having meal. (eat + present participle + plural) ga1-za3 nay2 ja1 deare2 — We/they are playing. (play + present participle + plural) na3 nay2 ja1 deare2 — We/they are resting. (rest + present participle + plural)

Let's play and say in style

If you know the above general pattern, when someone calls you over the hun3 pfone3 , you should be able to answer in Burmese that you are playing golf: gout-thi3 yite nay2 deare2 — I am playing golf. (golf ⛳ + strike + present participle "..ing")

By the way, hun3 pfone3 is saying the word "hand phone" with a Burmese accent. What's a "hand phone"? It is the translation of "Shou ji" in Mandarin Chinese into English where "shou" refers to the hand and "ji" is the machine. That's what a cellphone or mobile phone is called in places like Singapore.

hun3 pfone3 in Myanmar used to be unbelievably expensive costing over US500, and it was a status symbol to own one. When the price has come down to around 100,000 kyats (over 100 USD) for the SIM Card alone without the cost of the phone (hand set), it has become a dream comes true for many Myanmar people.

In early 2013, government has started to distribute limited amount of SIM cards in lucky draws with the low, low price of 5,000 Kyat [less than US$5]. As of 2014, it is possible to own a Chinese-made cellphone with SIM card for less than 40,000 kyat. The top-up card comes in the amount of 5,000 kyat or 10,000 kyat. You will be surprised to see some trishaw drivers showing off their hun3 pfone3 that was unimaginable just a year earlier.

As of 2015, there are three major service providers: MPT, Ooredoo, and Telenor providing mobile services. It is now possible for ordinary people to access Internet over the mobile devices. Oh, yeah, for many of Myanmar People, their first phone is a smartphone with SIM card that costs 1,500 Kyat in it. And the fourth operator myTel was launched in February 2018. You also have more top up options like 1000 kyat and 3000 kyat and Internet Cafés are all out of business now.

Let's stop here for today

de2 nay1 — today ( this + day ) de2 hma2 — here yut — stop ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's

de2 nay1 de2 hma2 yut ja1 ya1 oun2 — Let's stop here for today!

Color Codes: nouns , pronouns , verbs , adverbs , adjectives , conjunctions , particles , postpositional markers , interjections .

The Free Online Colloquial Burmese Lessons are developed by Naing Tin-Nyunt-Pu.

Copyright © 2011-2023 Naing Tinnyuntpu. All Rights Reserved.

For help with Burmese Language, email ✉ : [email protected]

Essay on Myanmar

Students are often asked to write an essay on Myanmar in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Myanmar

Introduction to myanmar.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a country in Southeast Asia. It is the largest country in the region by land area. It is bordered by India and Bangladesh to its west, Thailand and Laos to its east, and China to its north and northeast.

People and Culture

Myanmar is a melting pot of different cultures. The country is home to over 100 ethnic groups, each with their own traditions and languages. The main language is Burmese. The people are known for their friendliness and hospitality.

Religion in Myanmar

Buddhism is the main religion in Myanmar. Most people follow Theravada Buddhism. You will find many beautiful pagodas and temples all over the country. These religious sites are important places for prayer and meditation.

Economy of Myanmar

Myanmar’s economy is based on agriculture. Rice is the main crop. The country also has rich natural resources like oil, gas, and precious stones. In recent years, tourism has also become an important part of the economy.

Political History

Myanmar has a complex political history. It was a British colony until 1948. After gaining independence, it faced many years of military rule. Today, the country is working towards democracy, but it still faces many challenges.

250 Words Essay on Myanmar

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a country in Southeast Asia. It is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia and the 10th largest in Asia. It shares borders with India, Bangladesh, China, Laos, and Thailand.

Capital and Population

The capital city of Myanmar is Naypyidaw. It became the capital in 2005, replacing the city of Yangon. Myanmar has a population of about 54 million people. Many people from different ethnic groups live in Myanmar. The largest group is the Bamar people.

Language and Religion

The official language of Myanmar is Burmese. It is spoken by most people in the country. English is also taught in schools. The main religion in Myanmar is Buddhism. A large majority of the people in Myanmar follow this religion.

Natural Beauty

Myanmar is known for its natural beauty. It has many rivers, mountains, and forests. The Irrawaddy River is the longest river in the country. Myanmar also has beautiful beaches along its western and southern coasts.

The economy of Myanmar is based on agriculture. Rice is the main crop. Other important sectors of the economy are mining and manufacturing. Myanmar is rich in resources like oil, gas, and precious stones like jade and rubies.

In conclusion, Myanmar is a country with a rich history, diverse culture, and stunning natural beauty. Despite facing many challenges, it continues to grow and develop.

500 Words Essay on Myanmar

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a country in Southeast Asia. It is one of the largest and most diverse countries in its region. Myanmar is famous for its rich history, diverse culture, and beautiful landscapes.

Geography of Myanmar

Myanmar is located between India and Thailand. It shares borders with India, Bangladesh, China, Laos, and Thailand. The country has a diverse landscape. It has high mountains, wide rivers, and fertile plains. The largest river, the Ayeyarwady, is very important for farming and transportation. The country also has a long coastline along the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

People and Culture of Myanmar

The people of Myanmar are known as Burmese. They are very friendly and welcoming. There are more than 100 ethnic groups in Myanmar. Each group has its own language, traditions, and culture. The main religion is Buddhism. Many people visit Myanmar to see its beautiful Buddhist temples. The most famous one is the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, the largest city in the country.

History of Myanmar

Myanmar has a long and interesting history. It was home to many ancient kingdoms. The British ruled Myanmar from 1824 to 1948. After gaining independence, the country faced many challenges. In 1962, a military government took control. They ruled for almost 50 years. In 2015, Myanmar started a new chapter with its first democratic election in many years.

The economy of Myanmar is based on agriculture. Rice is the main crop. Other important products are beans, sesame, rubber, and teak. The country also has valuable resources like jade, pearls, and gems. Myanmar is trying to grow its economy by attracting foreign investors and tourists.

Challenges and Future of Myanmar

Myanmar faces many challenges. It has problems with poverty, health care, and education. The country also struggles with conflicts between different ethnic groups. Despite these problems, there is hope for the future. Many people in Myanmar are working hard to improve their country. They hope to build a peaceful and prosperous nation.

In conclusion, Myanmar is a fascinating country with a rich history and culture. It has many beautiful places to see and friendly people to meet. Despite its challenges, the country has a bright future. The people of Myanmar are hopeful and determined to make their country a better place.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Younger Brother
• Essay on My Worst Teacher
• Essay on My Work Experience

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

'Fighting spirit’: How Myanmar’s resistance is taking new ground

Groups fighting against the ruling military are making gains despite air and drone attacks.

Shan and Kayah States, Myanmar - The truck rocked violently as the driver attempted to manoeuvre the rough terrain of Shan State’s dirt roads.

As the wheels spun, trying to find traction, the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA) soldiers inside exchanged glances, nervous about the battle to come, but composed and determined.

The platoon was part of a convoy of vehicles making its way towards a small village, high in the mountains, ahead of a new offensive against Myanmar’s armed forces and an armed group aligned with the military government that seized power in a coup in 2021.

Armed with AK-47s, M-16s, and rocket launchers, they planned to retake multiple outposts near Hopong Township in Shan State, in the east of the country.

“We cannot attack directly, we have to check the area first and then attack slowly,” a PLNA soldier named Kyaw Zin explained at a ridge a few kilometres away from the front line. Further to the north, a key road was under the control of the Myanmar military preventing vital resources from being funnelled to the PNLA and other armed resistance groups further south.

Amid the constant threat of weaponised drones and air strikes from military fighter jets, the PNLA said they expected the fight to last at least 30 days. As the sound of gunfire and mortar shelling ricocheted around the amber-coloured hills, the fighters said they were confident they would win.

The PNLA is riding the momentum of a series of victories for anticoup fighters in northern Shan State since the Three Brotherhood Alliance launched " Operation 1027 " towards the end of last year. The coalition of three powerful ethnic armed organisations has taken control of hundreds of military outposts and dozens of towns in Shan and Rakhine States since the offensive began, and reinvigorated the campaign against the military in other parts of the country.

Fighting has also escalated in Kayah State (Karenni), just south of Shan State.

The Karenni National Defence Forces (KNDF) launched its own offensive on November 11, 2023, "Operation 1111", aiming to take control of the state capital of Loikaw. About half the city, controlled by the military since the coup, is now in the hands of the Karenni resistance.

The KNDF has also taken control of Demoso, Mese and Ywar Thit as well as the strategically important township of Shadaw.