Rakhhine Traditional Martial Art of Wrestling (Kyun) Skip to main content

Rakhhine Traditional Martial Art of Wrestling (Kyun)


A traditional sport, Kyun, is very popular for Rakhine people in Myanmar. This sport began from the reign of former Rakhine kings in history. Figure of Kyun sport can be seen on the walls around the cave of Shaitthaung Temple built by King Mong Bar Gri reigned in Mrauk-U in A.D 1531.

Kyun sport, Rakhine wrestling, is a physical art for men Rakhine men are trained this art starting from childhood. The strong man who can wrestle well is regarded and honoured as "Kyun than" in Rakhine. Rakhine kyun sport is similar to wrestler in some way but it is quite different in rules and methods. A famous and outstanding Kyunthan had many difficulties to face and win rivals and matches.

In this competition, there are two steps. A new one can compete only in the step of silver gong (Nge-maung-dan) and a successful and well-experienced one can continue to compete in the step of golden gong (Shwe-maung-dan). Famous Rakhine wrestlers are Nyalar U Tun San Phyu, U Lun Hla Oo (Nyalar U Tun San Phyu's elder son), U Kyaw Min (Nyalar U Tun San Phyu's younger son), U Shwe Aung, U Maung Phyu Thee and U Maung Ni widely known in Myanmar.

There are 28 ways of Kyun wrestling and its 23 rules to follow. In Kyun wrestling, of two rivals, one is catcher and the other is defender Kyun wrestlers gird their loins wear a white belt and a black belt each. Their upper bodies have no clothes and are barefoot. This competition is done in the smooth and wide fields.

While competing, the catcher wrestler has to try to control the other three times. If he does not win even in the third chance, the defender becomes the catcher again. They use the ways of grappling, grasping, kicking, (leg)-putting, (leg) hooking and (leg) twisting in trying to make the rival fall down and win. There are two Kyun referees to watch carefully and make a decision whether two wrestlers use the right and systematic wrestling methods or not. The two referees' active movement is called Kyarlar.

Rakhine traditional Kyun wrestling was held in royal occasions in the reign of former Rakhine kings. Today, it is accompanied with pagoda festival, hoisting Hti (umbrella), funeral, Thingyan water festival and boat racing. If there are many competitors in Kyun wrestling, it takes for three days to select the winner. The last day of final match is for silver gong match and golden gong match. The winner or the loser can be awarded from the audience. The prize golden gong or silver gong is quite purely made of gold or silver and weighs one or two hundredth of a viss.

In the former days, precious diamond gong used to be in the central part of the golden gong. A famous Kyun wrestler's pleasant mind in his success makes him strong and confident for his future life.

In conclusion, Rakhine Kyun traditional sport is not only for physical art but also useful for our country and men because of supporting for full stamina, confidence and strong mind very much.

Photo: Internet

Credit:
 Aung, Myar. Famous Monuments of Mrauk-U (Useful Reference for Tourists and Travelers). (2nd ed.). Yangon, Myanmar. Middle Line.  P.151, 152
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chronology of the Press in Burma

1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern  Burma . The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.     March 3, 1836 —The first English-language newspaper,  The Maulmain Chronicle , appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. September 1842 —Tavoy’s  Hsa-tu-gaw  (the  Morning Star ), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of  Sgaw ,  is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. January 1843 —The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian  Dhamma  Thadinsa  (the  Religious Herald ), in Moulmein. Supposedly the first Burmese-language newspaper, it continued up until the first year of the second Angl
Post a Comment
Read more

ARSA claims ambush on Myanmar security forces

Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on Sunday claimed responsibility for an ambush on Myanmar security forces that left several wounded in northern Rakhine state, the first attack in weeks in a region gutted by violence. Rakhine was plunged into turmoil last August, when a series of ARSA raids prompted a military backlash so brutal the UN says it likely amounts to ethnic cleansing of the Muslim Rohingya minority. The army campaign sent some 650,000 Rohingya fleeing for Bangladesh, where refugees have given harrowing accounts of rape, murder and arson at the hands of security forces and vigilantes. Myanmar's military, which tightly controls information about Rakhine, denies any abuses and insists the crackdown was a proportionate response to crush the "terrorist" threat. ARSA have launched few attacks in recent months.  But the army reported that "about ten" Rohingya terrorists ambushed a car with hand-made mines and gunfire on Friday morning
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do
1 comment
Read more