Danu people
ဓနု | |
|---|---|
| File:Danu dance troup, Pindaya.jpg A troupe of Danu dancing girls in Pindaya (c. 1906) | |
| Total population | |
| 255,477 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Around Pindaya Caves, Shan State, Myanmar | |
| Languages | |
| Danu, Burmese | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bamar, Arakanese, Intha |
The Danu people (Burmese: ဓနု) are a government-recognized ethnic group in Myanmar, predominantly populating the areas near the Pindaya Caves in Shan State.[1] They speak the Danu language, which is closely related to Burmese.[2]
Etymology
[edit | edit source]The name Danu derives from the Pali term dhanu, which means "archer" or "bow."[3] The term dhanu is a reference to the legend of Prince Kumarabhaya, whose bow and arrow rescued seven princesses trapped in the caves by a giant spider.[3]
Origins
[edit | edit source]Some oral traditions trace the ancestry of the Danu to the intermarriages of Burmese men and Shan women in the 16th century, coinciding with the expansionist policies of King Bayinnaung, who oversaw the establishment of Burmese administrative posts throughout the kingdom, including in Shan city-states.[3]
Notable Danu people
[edit | edit source]- Aung Myat - former Chief Minister of Shan State
References
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