What are the different ethnic groups in Myanmar?

The main ethnic groups living in the seven ethnic minority states of Burma are the Karen, Shan, Mon, Chin, Kachin, Rakhine and Karenni. Other main groups include the Nagas, who live in north Burma and are estimated to number more than 100,000, constituting another complex family of Tibetan-Burmese language subgroups.

Where did the Bamar come from?

Origins. The Bamar speak Burmese, a Sino-Tibetan language. The Burmese-speaking people first migrated from present-day Yunnan, China to the Irrawaddy valley in the 7th century. Over the following centuries, the Burmese speakers absorbed other ethnic groups such as the Pyu and the Mon.

Who was the leader of Burman ethnic group?

In 1947 the Burman leader General Aung San negotiated with the British for Burma’s independence. In the course of the negotiations, Aung San met with the leaders of the people bordering the land of the ethnic Burmans. The Chin, Kachin, and Shan agreed to join the Burman union.

What is Karenni culture?

The Karenni people have many different cultural traits and beliefs. Karenni is a broader term used to describe all of the sub-ethnic groups that comprise it. Their beliefs are dependent on their sub-ethnic group. There are 8 main sub-ethnic groups: Kayah, Gekho, Gayba, Kayan, Manu Mano, Yintalae, Yinbaw and Payae.

When did Pyu people assume Burman ethnicity?

Pyu settlements remained in Upper Burma for the next three centuries but the Pyu gradually were absorbed into the expanding Pagan Kingdom. The Pyu language still existed until the late 12th century. By the 13th century, the Pyu had assumed the Burman ethnicity.

Is Burmese an ethnic group?

Bamar. The name Burma was given to the country during British colonial rule presumably after the ‘Bamar’, who were and remain to be the majority ethnicity in the country. The Bamar are a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group that takes up roughly two-thirds of the population of Myanmar at nearly 40 million people in total.

How many ethnic armed groups are there in Myanmar?

Their formation involved the integration of soldiers from the Tatmadaw with units that originally were either ethnic armed organizations or militia groups. There are 23 BGFs in Kachin, Shan, Kayah, and Kayin states.