ဒိုင်းနက် | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 80,000 (est.) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Myanmar (Rakhine State) | |
| Languages | |
| Chakma · Burmese | |
| Religion | |
| Theravada Buddhism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Chakmas,Burmans,Rakhines,Marma |
TheDaingnet people (Burmese:ဒိုင်းနက်လူမျိုး), also known as theThetkama people (Burmese:သက္ကမ)[1] are anethnic group indigenous to northernRakhine State,Myanmar. According to their own internal census in 1995 they numbered about 60,000. In 2011, the number is estimated to be around 80,000. From appearance they are indistinguishable from theRakhine people; however, the Daingnet people have a distinct language and culture. Ethnically, they are closely related to theChakma people of Bangladesh and Northeast India. The languages of the Daingnet and Chakma people are mutually intelligible. Daingnet people are one of 135 ethnic groups officially recognized by theMyanmar government as indigenous toMyanmar. Daingnets are one of the Tibeto-Burman tribes. Genetically they are closely related to theTibetans,Burmans andRakhines.
Daingnets do not call themselvesDaingnet; instead they call themselvesThaikhma like the nearbyChakma people ofBangladesh andNortheast India. They have similar language with Tanchangya (Daingya Gosha - Sub group of Tanchangya). The term "Daingnet" is anexonym originally used byRakhine people. InRakhine language, Daingnet means "shield warriors" or "armored warriors". Centuries ago the Rakhine kings hired the Daingnets as soldiers and they showed their mastery with shield and sword. The Daingnets no longer fight with shield and sword, but the name Daingnet stuck.
Daingnets are indigenous to Rakhine State. They were among the first people who settled in northern Rakhine State. DuringBritish rule in Burma, the Daingnets were classified as Sak people.Sak is a generic term used by theBamar and Rakhine peoples to denote theChakma people.
In the spring of 1798, British explorer Francis Buchanan visitedChittagong Hill Tracts, he asked a Chakma man if they were the same asSak people in Rakhine State. The man replied, theSaks of Rakhine State wereMoishang Saks.[2] In the Rakhine languageMoishang means primary or superior. What the man meant was, the Saks of Rakhine State retained the original Chakma language. Though Francis Buchanan did not visit Rakhine State he was aware of theSak people from his earlier visit toCox's Bazar. He might have heard about them from theEast India Company officials or the Rakhine refugees who were pouring intoCox's Bazar to flee Burma-Rakhine conflict.
According to Burmese historianGordon Luce, theSaks (i.e. ancestors of the Daingnets) attained higher cultural level than any other minority peoples in Arakan. They were the smelters of iron, the distillers of spirits, the makers of earthen vessels, manufacturers of salt, builders of boats etc.[3]
The Daingnet people are found in and aroundMaungdaw,Buthidaung,Kyauktaw,Paletwa andMrauk-U. Many Daingnets also live in theArakan Yoma mountains, close to theChin state andChittagong Hill Tracts.
The Daingnets are culturally similar to theChakmas andRakhines inBangladesh andNortheast India.[4] Rice, fish and vegetables are their favorite foods. They prefer hot food. Daingnet people consider cow as a sacred animal and as such they do not eat beef. Men sportlungi and women sport sarong (Pinuin) like dressthami. Usually men do the agricultural work and women look after children and cook for the family. They usually like to settle near rivers. Some of them also live in mountains whose livelihood isslash and burn cultivation. Daingnet people usually marry early, but never before the age of 17.
Their original language wasTibeto-Burman.[5] Due to prolonged interaction with theAssamese language, their language gradually became a mix ofIndo-Aryan andTibeto-Burman. Majority of the Daingnets are multi-lingual. Apart from their ownChakma language, they can speakRakhine,Burmese.
Daingnets are followers ofTheravada Buddhism and for centuries the Daingnets have strictly adhered to its teachings.[6] Almost every village has a Buddhist temple. A Daingnet male at least once in his lifetime becomes a Buddhist monk. However most of them do not remain Buddhist monks for life. Wedding and funeral ceremonies are performed by Buddhist monks. Besides wedding and funeral, the Daingnet people flock to Buddhist temples on major Buddhist festivals which usually fall on full moon days.
Majority of the Daingnets are farmers. Some of them are traders. Their economy is highly dependent on agriculture and hence vulnerable to weather pattern. However, due to lack of economic development there is widespread poverty among the Daingnets.[7] Religious conviction ofBuddhism forbids them to work as fishermen or butchers. There are 2 kinds of farmers among the Daingnets, those who farm land on permanent basis and those who farm hills and mountains byslash and burn orshifting cultivation technique.