With war raging in their homeland, the Chin Community of Bowling Green (CCBG) came together to celebrate Chin National Day at Van Meter Hall on Saturday.
Ling Kee, president of the CCBG and Burmese Community of Bowling Green, said Chin National Day is an international celebration of the Chin cultural identity.
The celebration included food, dances, singing, a fashion show and a Mr. and Mrs. competition, meant to highlight Chin culture.
Chin National Day is celebrated on Feb. 20 to commemorate important dates in the Chin people’s fight for democracy.
“They’ve (the Chin community) been fighting the military junta for many decades for our freedom and democracy,” Kee said. “Therefore, we celebrate Chin National Day on Feb. 20.”
According to the Associated Press, Burma was renamed Myanmar in 1989 by the ruling military junta. Kee said the military junta changed the country’s name in a dictatorial motion and many Chin do not acknowledge the change.
“The military junta just changed into Myanmar, but politically we the people of Burma prefer to call Burma our country,” Kee said.
Bawi Thawong attended the event as a food vendor for the Southern Kentucky Chin Youth Organization. Thawong sold fried rice, eggrolls and saduti, a corn and beef soup.
Thawong explained that among the Chin people there are different groups and their clothing can identify them.
“This is our own people, that’s their own people, but we all celebrate together,” Thawong said as he motioned to people in different clothing styles.
Van Zing, a senior business management major, said some traditional clothing is handmade and passed down through families.
“A lot of the times, these are passed down from generation to generation so it has sentimental value,” Zing said.
Zing said she was part of a group that performed Ruakhuatlak Lam, sometimes referred to as a “bamboo dance.” Daina Ly, a junior accounting major, said Ruakuatlak Lam is a ritual performed by some Chin people to “cleanse” the bodies of those who died in unnatural ways known as “Saarthi.”
Zing said performing rituals like Ruakhuatlak Lam helps create a sense of community among Chin people across the world. “It just makes us all feel very connected,” Zing said
Julie Cuai, a junior business management major, said her mom inspired her to stay connected to her culture and be dedicated to learning rituals such as Ruakhuatlak Lam.
According to Kee and Cuai, the current government of Myanmar does not allow for Chin National Day celebrations.
“The Chin people were ethnically persecuted, and therefore we are not allowed to do these types of things and celebrate our culture,” Cuai said, “So to be able to even have the platform to celebrate our culture, it’s something we should all celebrate.”
Kee said the Chin people are being persecuted based on their religion and ethnicity, causing them to flee the country.
“We are the most persecuted Christian minority ethnic group in Burma,” Kee said.
The Human Rights Watch published a report in 2009 detailing the history of persecution towards the Chin people. The Associated Press has also reported on recent incidents of Chin persecution.
Cuai said the persecution in Myanmar is why she thinks it’s important for younger generations to be involved in cultural celebrations like National Chin Day.
“I want them to feel encouraged, and I want our parents to know that we don’t forget, even if we’re in America,” Cuai said.
News Reporter Anthony Clauson can be reached at anthony.clauson994@topper.wku.edu.
