Arakanese people
Arakanese is a nationality in Myanmar; they form the majority along the coastal region of present-day Rakhine State or Arakan State. They possibly constitute 5.53% or more of Myanmar's total population but no accurate census figures exist. Arakanese or Rakhine people also live in the southeastern parts of Bangladesh, especially in Chittagong and Barisal Divisions. A group of Arakanese descendants, living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh at least since the 16th century, are known as the Marma people. These Arakanese descendants have been living in that area since the Arakanese kingdom's control of the Chittagong region.
Arakanese descendants spread as far north as Tripura state in India, where their presence dates back to the ascent of the Arakanese kingdom when Tripura was ruled by Arakanese kings. In northeast India, these Arakanese people are referred to as the Mog, while in Bengali, the Marma (the ethnic Arakanese descendants in Bangladesh) and other Arakanese people are referred to as the Magh people.
Arakanese People Media
Sangrai Water Festival is the biggest festival of the community. It is a game of splashing water from two sides of a marked arena by unmarried boys and girls on each other. It is said that splashing water is a way of declaring a love interest.
Min Razagyi, Raza II of Mrauk-U မင်းရာဇာကြီး
Min Bin, depicted as a god, in the Shitthaung Temple, Mrauk U
The pagodas at Mrauk-U pagodas are part of modern-day Rakhine identity.
Group of Bandarban Marmas with Bohmong in centre, c. 1906
Rakhine drummers at Thingyan (Burmese New Year Festival), in New York City
Arakan Army recruits scale climbing ropes at their Laiza, Kachin state, base camp.
Flag of the Arakan Army
Position of Rakhine State
The Rakhine community also resides in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, including Bandarban, Khagrachari, and Rangamati.
