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Celebrations
and Holidays
January
4 Independence Day; national holiday in memory of gaining
independence from the British colonial reign. The celebrations
last for a full week.
February
12 Day of the Burmese Union; national holiday including parades
in Yangon and dances performed by hill tribes in traditional dress.
March
2 Peasants Day; national holiday with parades in memory of
General Ne Win seizing power on the same day in 1962.
March
10 Dry Season Celebration; national holiday.
March
27 Day of the Army; national holiday with parades.
April Thingyan;
traditional Burmese New Year celebration equalling the Songkran
celebration in Thailand; during the festivities people douse each
other liberally with water; in Mandalay the celebrations are the
most exuberant. The festival is celebrated according to the moon
calendar and therefore occurs on variable dates.
May 1
Labour Day
May Kason;
mobile national holiday in remembrance of the birth and the first
sermon of the Buddha.
Photo:
Depiction of religious rites
July
eginning of the Buddhist Lent;
the exact date depends on the moon calendar. This date is preferred
by Burmese and Buddhist men of the neighboring countries, who
intend to enter monkhood.
July
19 Martyrs Day;
national holiday in memory of the murder of Aung San on the same
day of 1947.
October
End of the Buddhist Lent; the date of the finale celebration
of the Buddhist Lent depends on the moon calendar, as well.
November
11 National Holiday
November
Tazaungmon; mobile celebration day, as it has to coincide
with a fullmoon night; in that night there are competitions of
unmarried young women in weaving cloth.
December
numerous minor festivals in honour of various spirits.
December
25 Christmas Day
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