The annual Mon Traditional Dance and Musical Instrument Course in Yangon held its graduation at the Mon Pitaka Centre on the Shwedagon Pagoda Road, where 35 trainers received their certificates, according to the officials from the Yangon Mon Literature and Culture Committee.
The basic Mon dance and Mon musical instrument course began on October 4 and concluded on November 30. The graduation ceremony was organised by the Yangon Mon Literature and Culture Committee after the two-month training program.
“We mainly open these courses so that Mon literature and culture do not disappear. Western cultures are very popular nowadays, so we worry that our own cultural identity may fade away. That’s why we want to pass it on to the younger generation,” said a deputy chairperson of the Yangon Mon Literature and Culture Committee.
The committee has been offering the Mon traditional dance and musical instrument course annually to ensure that Mon cultural heritage continues to be passed down to future generations. This year marks the third graduation ceremony of the program.
The dance course was divided into two levels: Basic Dance Part I and Part II. The music course taught all major Mon traditional musical instruments, including Mi-gyaung, Batt Kine, violin, bamboo clappers, drums, and others.
“Trainees were very fortunate because the instrumental music lessons were taught by music instructor Daw Mi Moe Moe Aye, and the dance lessons were led by Daw Myit Than, a dance expert from the University of Culture,” said another committee official.
A total of 35 trainees from various townships across Yangon participated this year. With skilled instructors and structured lessons, the course was regarded as highly effective, the committee added.
The committee also plans to continue offering Mon dance and musical instrument courses in 2026, and Mon literature and cultural courses will also be opened during the summer season.
In recent years, Mon residents in Yangon have increasingly incorporated Mon traditional dances into wedding ceremonies, initiation ceremonies, and other cultural events, creating more opportunities for the newly trained Mon youth to showcase their skills.
The Yangon Mon Literature and Culture Committee was established in 1972 and has existed for over 50 years. Due to varying circumstances and political instability, however, the committee has been able to open cultural training courses only three times in recent years.
Besides literature and cultural activities, the committee also aims to broaden educational awareness among Mon people, including political knowledge. Over the past five decades, it has offered courses such as Mon Stone Inscription Studies, Research Studies, Cultural Dance Training, and has also distributed Mon calendars and reading materials.
