(Booth on Kokant National Race)
An exhibition with the aim of enhancing better understanding of the socio-economic life of Wa, Kokant, Salon, Naga, Chin, Akhar, Kayan, Mro, Maramagyi, and Pao nationals was held at Diamond Jubilee hall of Yangon University with the aim of enhancing better understanding on 30th August to 2nd of September 2002.
At the exhibition, you can study photographs, books, cultural artifacts, utensils, dresses, and a video show on socio-economic life of ten national races which have been researched from 1996 to 2002 by Anthropology Department.
About Kokant National by Daw Nyunt Nyunt Win ( Assistant Lecture, Anthropology Department, Yangon University ) .
Here, we display the photos of Kokant ethnic group which we had taken during our field research in February 1997.
The Kokant ethnic group is found to be locating in Panlon and Laukkai in northern Shan State. In 1997, our government encourage them to grow sugar cane and durian a substituted crops for poppy plantation. The durian planted in the area is now exported to China.
Since, buckwheat plantation had been introduced for some years. Kokant nationals are planting buckwheat now as substitution for poppy plantation.
In the villages, Kokant nationals earn surplus income mainly from shoes manufacturing, traditional rain coat manufacturing made from a kind of bear. Kokant traditionally worship the source of their ancestor. The Nat Saya tells their future by using the bones of chickens.
Due to the cultivation of buckwheat in sugarcane as substitution and the establishment of factories, the problems of unemployment had been solved. That is why their socio-economic life has been improved.