"Human forms of courtship can take many forms, from instant messaging on Facebook, flirtatious behavior in the office to cinema dates and weekend holidays with a partner. The purpose is to establish suitability for long-term, intimate relationships. In the animal kingdom, patterns of courtship are equally as varied – from the nest-building skills of the brush turkey, to the eight-hour synchronised dance of the seahorse. These timeless rituals provided much of the energy, creativity and fun at this year’s Chin National Day celebrations, which were held at the All-Chin Society in North Dagon last week. The entertainment began with a dance from Khumi Chin performers, who originate from the western-most part of Myanmar. Wearing bright yellow and red dresses, the women’s ornateness complimented the men’s smart black trousers and white shirts. The differences in colour and patterning is a typical feature of traditional Chin clothing, and serves to accentuate the polarity between feminine and masculine. So too their movements differ, the men swaying from side to side mimicking the actions of the farmers, gathering crops from the land. The women play a supportive role, using hand gestures to wave to their menfolk. The courtship process was much more explicit in the next performance, as the Kuki Chin group hit the stage – the girls in modern-looking black dresses and red-, green- and black-beaded necklaces, matching the men’s long sashes(“puandum”), worn across their shoulders..."