In Union of Burma, there are a lot of tribes living in respective areas. Since 1972, the government tried to make the list of the tribes, but not fully described the cultures and traditions of the tribes each. According to the government document, there are one hundred and thirty five tribes in Burma.
When study about the tribes living in seven States and seven Divisions of Burma, it is seen that they initially came from the North and resettled in Burma. Therefore, they descended from a single big group or a single big tribe though they became different tribes in different areas.
Among the tribes, though other tribes are well known, Pa-oh tribe is less known. It is because only a little account of Pa-oh has been written so far.
Nowadays, Pa-ohs have improved their living standard and their food stuff and daily used objects have changed too into modern ones. But their dress remains unchanged and is the same as their ancestors'. They still much love to speak their native language.
Many Pa-ohs from villages attend Universities, and many passed their high schools and served in the government departments. But they still love to keep their ancient culture and tradition.
Pa-oh’s live throughout lower Burma and Shan State. And Pa-ohs who live in Shan State are second in number to those living in lower Burma. In lower Burma, Pa-ohs live especially throughout Thatung, Pegu, Taungu, Pha-an, and kohkarate areas. Pa-ohs who live in lower Burma no longer wear their traditional dress. They less speak Pa-oh language. Pa-ohs living in Shan State wear black dress and mostly speak Pa-oh language. Pa-ohs are among the tribes who are honest, friendly and lovely to be with.
Passing Shan hills, one can see those who wear black dress along the motor roadsides. They are Pa-ohs or Taungyos, mostly Pa-ohs. Pa-ohs plant thanutpet which is the primary raw material for traditional cigarette called "seipolate". Pa-ohs do farming, gardening and plant orange, coffee, thanutpet, Green tea plant, garlic, wheat, groundnut and potato.
A nation or in a smaller scale, a certain people's development depends on environmental factors such as its background, tradition, religion, geographical feature, climate and natural resources.
Therefore, for the development of pa-oh, Pa-oh people must know about Pa-oh. At the same time, for the unity of the tribes living in the same land and feeding on the same sort of food of mother land, each tribe should know one another. This is the aim which this book is written for.
Being a Pa-oh, the author had a burning desire to write about Pa-oh's culture and tradition. Thus, the author, with the utmost effort, gathered every source regarding Pa-oh people and included them all here in this book.
Union of Burma is a country that consists of a lot of tribes together. Mongo High Hills in the west of China is the first native region of thosewho are now living in Union of Burma. Having lived there so long and increased in number, they looked for another good soil to resettle. To resettle in their present place, they came via Thanlwin river, Maekongriver and Pyatmaputra river.
They entered into Burma as threegroups. These three groups are:
1. Mon-Khama group,
2. Tibet-Burman group and
3. Thai-Chinese group.
When they entered Burma, among these three large groups, Tibet-Burman group had Kachin group, Burmanand ancient Burman group, Lolo hunter group.
In the book of "Burma Kings' Reign", page 30, seven Burmans are counted as Burman, Yaw(Paye), Arakan, Tharwel, Pyu, Kanyan, and Taungthu. Pa-oh, once called Taungthu, is presumed to be in Tibat-Burman group. In Tibat-Burman group, Burman, That Lolo, Kachin, Chin, Naga and Karenare included. As Pa-oh was put in Karen group, it is thought to be in Tibat-Burman group.
According to U PhayMaung Than, "Taungthu" is described as a farming community on the
hillsides.The writer MaungThar, in his Public Star Journal, described that, Kadu, Taman, That, Narga, Chin, Kachin, Jangphaw, Burman, Lashi, Mineta, Mon, Daru, Asi, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Yawchaungtha, Arakan, Burman(Myeit), Burman (Tharwel), Padaung, Pa-oh, Kaya, Paye, Karen, Lidu, Yawyin, lahu, Kaw tribes are in Tibat-Burman group.
In Burma History of Colony Era by Bamaw Than Aung, page 20,it is described as follow:
Among the tribes descended from Thai-Chinese group, Pa-oh Taungthu people, being similar to Karen, are believed to enter earliest to resettle in Burma. These Pa-oh Taungthu people resettled in the Southern part of Shan and Thatung areas. After Pa-oh Taungthu,, the other tribes that are similar to Karen entered Burma and resettled in separate groups around Karenni range, Thanhlin area, Pegu range and Irawady delat.
Similar to the concept of Burma History of Colony Era, some historians presume thatTaungthu, called Pa-oh people descended from Thai-Chinese group. In Thai-related Chinese group (Thai-Chinese or Chinese-Thai),there were Karen group, Shan group and other smaller groups. In Karen group, there are Sakor, Paku, Pweh, Taungthu, Karenphyu, Po, kaya(Karenni), Padaung, Yintaw, Zayeing, Yintalae, and Geko people. Therefore, Pa-oh called "Taungthu" people are in Thai-Chinese group.
According to Sir.J George Scott's record, Pa-oh people not only lived within Burma territory but lived also troughout Thailand and Maekong delta in Combodia.
In the book of "The people in Burma" by Major Enrequeeze, Karen descended from Thai-Chinese group. In the book of " Karen Tradition", Pa-oh is in Karen group and Karen descended from Thai-Chinese group. Therefore, when we look at above-mentioned concepts of historians, we see that Pa-oh called Taungthu people are in Tibet-Burman group. At the same time they are in Thai-Chinese group. The concepts differ.
Nevertheless, all Burma-born tribes are of Mongo tribe who came from Tibet High Hills. Initially they were of one tribe or one people.
Perhaps Monswerethe first to enter among the tribes that entered Burma. Mon people came from the high hills in the West of China to the South and resettled in the areas of Irawady delta, Sitaung deta, Thanlwin delta, Maenan delta, Maekong delta and built villages and towns. Thatung is the earliest city built by Mon people. Pegu and Hanthawady were later built by those who came from Thatung.
In "Burma Chronicle" by U Ba Than, page 23, it is described- " According to Sir John Jerdin, Mon people had to drive out Taungthu people who had already existed there in order to build towns. Thatung is now the central part where Taungthu people live around. In "Thatung Chronicle", it is said that Taungthu Pa-oh kings once ruled in Thatung. Taungthu people live in ancient Pagan area that is now calledPakukku. Thus, if accepted Sir John Jerdin's concept, Pa-oh, called Taungthu people probably entered earlier than Mon people.
In Bamaw ThinAung"s"Burma History in Colony Era", page 41, it is described as follow:
"Historians believed that among the tribes of Maungot who
entered ancient Burma, Karen and Pa-oh were earlier than
Shan and Burman. But, they were later than Mon presumably”.
According to Kaba-aye monk Ashen Tilawkatara, Pa-oh called Taungthu people and Intha people entered Burma later. Therefore, except the concept of Sir John Jerdin, hestorians believed that Pa-oh called Taungthu people came later than Mon people.
Pa-oh tribe called Taungthu moved gradually from China hills to the Southern part via Thanlwinriver. In about six century they lived in Shan hills now called Karenni range. From there they came into Burma Inland in separate groups. Originally, Karens lived around karenni range, Thanlwin area and Pegu mountain range. Pa-ohs called Taungthu seemed to have lived in South Shan and Thatung areas.
Sir George Scoth wrote, " Karen, Pa-oh (Taungthu) and Shan are of one tribe. Karen and Pa-oh came into Burma 300 years earlier than Shan." According to Sir Geoerage Scott, Karen, Taungthu (Pa-oh) and Shan are of one tribe.
In anyway, Pa-oh, according to their clans, formed suitable smaller groups and lived peacefully depending on ancient agriculture. They chose to live mountainous areas and earned their livelihood from shifting cultivation due toPhyus, Mons and Burmans who tried to take hold of the silted and flat plains of Inland areas in fights. Because they earned livelihood from shifting cultivation in mountainous areas, Pa-oh were called Taungthu.
In Thuwanabumi land, Pa-ohs lived with Mons closely. In U Ba Than's Burma Chronicle curriculum, it is described "According to Sir John Jerdin, Mons had to drive out Taungthu who had already existed there in order to build towns".
Pansung sayataw wrote in his Chronicle in Pa-oh language that "king Manuha was the son of king Ayama-nga. Ayama-nga's father was Mon and mother ws Pa-oh".
According to above evidences, Pa-ohsand Mons were living in lower Burma together in love. Till now Pa-ohs live with Mons in Mon State and Karen State in a friendly and lovely way.
Some old Pa-oh people believe Taungthas are of Pa-oh. But Taungthas are separate people by themselves for Pa-oh and Taungtha languages are different.
Pa-oh people believe that they are the descendent of dragon. Their mother was a female dragon and their father was a wizard. The old people still tell their youths how they came to be Pa-oh people and that they are of dragon descendent.
The legend tells as follow:
In the year about 400, king Kontitha reigned in Bubingna town. The queen was Thirikappa. The king and the queen had two sons named Tithatama and Tadarazar. Both sons were pious. When they grew up, they asked permission from their father and went to the forest to have meditation.
One day, a female dragon came to the earth. She pretended to be a human and lived around the forest. Being charmed by the beauty of green forest, she decided to stay in the forest. Thus she met Zawgy( a wizard). Zawgy did not recognized her to be a female dragon. Therefore he undoubtedly lived with her and she became pregnant. When it was the time for her delivery in the ninth month, she delivered two eggs. The eggs were the same size and very beautiful.
When Zawgy knew that his wife begot two eggs, he grumbled saying "Ah, my wife is a female dragon". Being disappointed, he plotted to run away. He asked permission from her wife with sweet words on the pretext of going to find herbal medicine for the upcoming children in the forest. When he was out of sight from his wife, he flew up to the sky.
When three or four days passed, a female dragon waited her husband, Zawgy's return in much hope of passion. When her husband Zawgy did not return, a female dragon grumbled and sighed, "My husband does not return because he may have known that I am animal". Thus, she went in search of her husband around the forest in hope of seeing him again.
Nevertheless, she didn't find even the hint of her husband there and she wept bitterly. After having put her two beautiful eggs of her bosom in one cave safely, she returned to her dragon kingdom.
Later, one hermit went around the forest and saw the two eggs in the cave. He brought them to his monastery because they were mysteriously beautiful. After having discussed about the eggs , the two hermits took one each. Before not so long, the two eggs hatched and two human beings came out. One was a boy and the other a girl. (In some chronicles, both were boys and one of them died of a certain disease). The hermit who got a girl from his egg gave her to Karens, thinking a girl was not proper for him to raise. The hermit of a boy raised him. Looked after him.Educated him. The boy's father helped the boy learn things too. The hermit named the boy "Tithathihah".
Some time later king Kontitha passed away. As his sons became hermits, there was no one to succeed him on the throne. Therefore, after holding a meeting the royal dukes decided to call the two hermits back to the palace. The royal dukes and some other people went around the forest in search of the two hermits. When they found them at a certain monastery, they earnestly asked them to come back to be enthroned.
When the two hermits heard the dukes say so, they replied saying,"We have no desire to be enthroned and reign. We are delighted with meditation. If you are pleased, we have a son named Tithathiha. Call him and make him be enthroned". When the royal dukes heard the two hermits' words, they were deeply delighted to have the son of the hermits to be their king. After having chosen the special date for the accession, they had the prince Tithathiha sit on a chariot and returned to Thubingna country.
When his son was taken by the royal dukes, the hermit thought and worried saying,"My son is not wise enough to be a king". When thakyamin(the king of good angels)saw the anxienty of the hermit, he came down to the earth and asked the hermit why he was so worried and could not sleep. "I, your servant, is worried", replied the hermit, "Because I had my son enthroned though he is not wise enough".Thakyamin guaranteed him saying, "Don't be worried. I, Thakyamin, will help him". The hermit was so glad to hear the words of Thakyamin.
When the special date came,the royal dukes had the roads cleaned and adorned. The people planted banana trees on either side of the roads and decorated the roads in a beautiful way. The prince Tithathiha was dressed in royal garment and enthroned.
As he became the king , king Tithathiha moved to the Southeast and built the palace there near Shwechaung. He thought it was a lucky place for him to be king long and the kingdom would be peaceful. Tithathiha who was born out of a female dragon's egg became a king and named the place, where he was, to be Thuwanabumi Shwetung.The people acknowledged him to be their king too. King Tithathiha made his sister who had been given to karen by the hermit to be his queen.
Tithathiha's descendents reigned after him untill the reign of king Manuha. Manuha was the son of king Ayamanga. King Ayamanga's father was Mon and mother was Pa-oh. King Ayamanga passed away in his eighty. In the time of Buddtha, there were 158 kings who succeeded one aftr another in Pa-oh dynasty. Before king Manuha, 17 kings of Pa-oh Mon mixed race reigned. They are as follow"
1. Maung Hla 7. Razazawei 13. Thungdiraza
2. Athantula 8. Ramasatha 14. Opalaraza
3. Atharaza 9. Razapamaw 15. Minalaraza
4. Tingtiraza 10. Razakupa 16. Duadaraza
5. Guktheina 11. Tungthaopa 17. Ayamangaraza.
6. Razazawkan 12. Zayaraza
From ancient time, Pa-ohs had their own kings to reign by themselves. In Kakathan god's time, there were 384 Pa-oh kings. In Kawnakung god's time, 309 Pa-oh kings and in Kathapa god's time, 184 kings and Buddtha god's time,158 Pa-oh kings reigned.( Note from Thuwana Chronicle in Pa-oh language).
In U Thaw Zin's "Burma Buddhisim", page 439, there is abut Gawonpati hermit. Related to Gawonpati hermit, the legend of Pa-oh desendent is found. Semilarly, the legend of the descendent of Pa-oh is found in Mon Chronicle and Pagodas.
In the book of tribal culture and tridition(Shan) that Union of Burma Socialist Party Organizers Department published, the legend of the descendent of Pa-oh is written as follow:
The initial place of Pa-oh(Taungthu) people was Thatung which is in the Southern part of Burma. According to the legend, Pa-ohs were descended from a dragon and a wizard couple. Before the time of Buddha, hermits stayed for meditation at the hillside of Thatungmyathapig mountain.
Near that region, there was a lake where dragons lived. One day the dughther of king dragon wanted to pay homage to hermits at the hillside of the mountain. She asked her father a permission to go down the earth of the human beings. At first her father did't allow her, but because she asked over and over again, her father allowed her to.
Pretending to be a human being, the princess paid her homage to the hermits. As she was about to return to dragons' kingdom she saw a young wizard and fell in love with him. And then she begot two eggs. Having given her two eggs to a hermit, the princess dragon return to dragons' kingdom.
Out of two eggs looked after by the hermit, one boy ad one girl hatched. Having been raised up by the hermit, the boy became the king of Thuwwanabumi.
