Animism plays a significant historical and contemporary role in Myanmar. There are many types of spirit figures known as nats or lords, from nature spirits of trees and water, to the national pantheon of the ‘thirty-seven nats’ who were said to have been banished by an eleventh century CE king with the institutionalization of Buddhism. The wedding ceremony of one of the thirty-seven nats, U Min Kyaw (“handsome king”), illustrates the continuity of animism in the living presence of the spirit during celebrations that actualize the supernatural through a shaman or nat kadaw to satisfy human desires. During the wedding ceremony of U Min Kyaw and many other nats today, the nat kadaw is often trans-sexual, and the celebration is accompanied by gambling, drinking and merriment to bring wealth to all participants. Why do animists accept the nat U Min Kyaw as a supernatural power and how do animists and spirit mediums marry with him? These and other issues are discussed in presenting the process of the wedding ceremony held in Myanmar. An important and often overlooked aspect of the celebrations is the continuity of traditional arts in the music, songs, dress, dance and meals in this ceremony. This research uses participant observation and key informant interviews to collect data during the ceremony to demonstrate the central concept of a wedding between a spirit and a human being and how it fulfils the participants’ desires to explain why this type of animism is still practised in Myanmar. Keywords: supernatural power, nats, nat kadaw, human needs, arts, satisfaction, U Min Kyaw
*This presentation was delivered by Professor Dr Mya Mya Khin of University of Yangon at SEAMEO SPAFA's programme activity, "Animism in the Arts of Southeast Asia", which took place at Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand from 8-9 August 2019. For more details on this event, visit the SEAMEO SPAFA website at:
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