The National Races Village, representing as a small Union of Myanmar, near the city of Yangon, is an attractive site for a visit. If tourists who have no sufficient time to travel throughout Myanmar, I would like to suggest them to visit the National Races Village for observing traditions and customs of Myanmar Natioanl Races. Now, I would like to present to our audience salient aspects of the “National Races Village”.

The village is a magnificent spectacle of Myanmar nationals:

Kachin, Kayar, Kayin, Chin, Bamar, Mon, Rakhine and Shan where the visitors can study their houses, traditional customs, utensils and model significant places of the respective regions displayed there. The village opens daily for visitors.

The National races village, being built on the bank of Bago River, located in Tharkayta Township, Yangon Division, near the motorway at the end of significant Yangon. Thanlyin bridge, which was built to memorize Chinese-Myanmar friendship. The visitors can to there via Shukhinthar road and approach road of Thanlyn bridge. The Bago River is incessantly and quietly flowing in the east of the National Races Village.

The village was inaugurated on 28th December in year 2000.

In the first part of this programme, we have presented salient aspects of Bamar, Rakhine and Mon national race’s houses.

Now, we are presenting about the traditional houses of Kayin, Chin and Kachin national races.

At a distance of the Mon traditional house, the visitors can visit the house of Kayin nationals. The emblem of Kayin State is PharSi or traditional bronze drum. The visitors can also study a fancy bullock-cart, “Laung” or a racing boat and a well in the compound. Kayin nationals in their beautiful traditional dress will warmly welcome to the visitors. There’s a souvenior shop in shape of a bronze drum so many attractive gifts. On the upstairs, there is a large painting and Kayin traditional drums, musical instruments, buffalo horns and other utensils are displayed in the parlour. The visitors can also study weaving equipment and Kayin national’s traditional costumes. A variety of kitchen-utensils are also displayed in the kitchen. At a distance from the house, there’s a miniature of Zwegabin Mountain with small beautiful waterfalls. The Kayin traditional house is full of interesting objects, like in other houses, and there is a crocodile lake near the house for the visitors’ interest.

Next, the visitors can proceed to the Chin traditional house which is a one-storey building. There is a statue of “Aukchin Bird” or “Indian pied horn bill bird” as the emblem of Chin national. The house is a neat and tidy yard, where the visitors can meet the Chin damsels in their traditional costumes. In front of the house , there is a post marking the matrimonial vow. It is called “Thit Sartaing”. The purpose of erecting this post is to commemorate the matrimonial vow of the Chin couple to remain unchanged in their whole life.

It is a lovely custom of the Chin nationals.

The wall of the parlour is decorated with animals skulls and horns. For the visitors’ attraction, utensils, musical instruments, looms and equipment and arms for hunting are also displayed in the house. There’s a special shrine in the house for spirits.

For bachelors of the family, there’s a separate room. A forge could be seen in front of the house. The house is lovely and tidy with a statue of a Chin old man, smoking a tobacco pipe, and heart-shaped replica of “Reed” lake in front of the house.

After the China national’s house, visitors can study the Jingphaw or Kachin national’s traditional house which wide and long and a small “Manaw Post” as the emblem of Kachin nationals. The visitors will meet smiling Kachin nationals, wearing their traditional costumes, as well as the replica of the Mt. Karkarboriza, the highest mountain in Myanmar and plantations will give you a pleasant sight. “Moegyo spirit” shrine room, bed-room and kitchen are comprised in the neat house. The visitors will also find arms for hunting, Kachin swords, and Kachin bags, as well as virgins’ room. Fishing tools, bamboo tubes as for carrying water, are also displayed at the back of the house. The visitors can see bird cages at a distance from the house Brahminy ducks, pigeons, parrots and peacocks could be seen in the cages.

A full day is needed to study completely in the national races village. It is the most suitable recreation centre for families as well as people looking for knowledge and tourists who are interested in Myanmar scenic views.