"The Myanmar Ethnic Cultures Festival is back in town, with participants from 14 regions across the country entertaining audiences in the first week of February. This year the festival will be organised by people from the Kayah community, according to U Min Banyar San, general secretary of the National Business Association. “Last year, the festival was led by Kachin people. This year, Kayah people are assigned to lead the celebrations. About one million people visited last year’s festival, enjoying music, food and fashion from a variety of different Kachin groups,” he said. Though the festival promises to deliver the same level of community engagement, U Min Banyar San worried that not as many people would show interest this year – given that the numbers of visitors to the grounds were down. A total of 1,500 Kayah dancers will perform the Tagundaing dance, said U Tayzar Win Tun, secretary of the Kayah Business Association. It’s also an opportunity to showcase the clothes, food and artifacts of Kayah people, he added. “The dancers have been performing for many months, and they have already arrived in Yangon for the festival. It’s a great opportunity for people to learn more about the rich history of the Kayah,” he said. The festival will also include exhibition booths, where people can see artifacts and read information about the 14 ethnic groups, as well as talk to many Kayah people in person. “Visitors will be able to see the traditional costumes on show, enjoy the handicrafts and enjoy all the food too,” said a member of the organising committee..."