The local fish-catching festival in the Daung Din lake area, near Ngapu Inn village in Kyaikmaraw, was held on the morning of February 16, 2025, attracting many local participants.
The event, a traditional annual gathering, had been canceled in previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and political conditions but was resumed in late 2023.
A member of the organizing committee shared that villages near Daung Din lake, such as Ngapu Inn, Kowsap, and Kyonkwe, take turns hosting the festival, and that notices are sent out in advance. The festival also attracts fishers and enthusiasts from towns like Mudon, Karen State, and others in the region.
The festival date is determined by the water level in Daung Din lake, with this year’s event set for the 4th waning of Tabodwe in Myanmar calendar. It is noted that participants often fish until the end of the month of Tagu, when water levels start to drop.
The event charges a fee depending on the fishing equipment used but allows unrestricted fishing. Fishers can also engage in trading, gifting, or sharing their catches. Participants have reported catching various species, from small fish to larger fish.
As part of the festival’s activities, traditional Karen songs and dances were performed, and local delicacies were offered. Before the festival, ceremonial rites were conducted, including offerings to deities and symbolic representations of royal traditions, such as the placement of ceremonial images and statues. Local lore suggests that the area was once ruled by a king, who, after a tragic fate, caused the formation of the Daung Din lake.
Many local residents report that the festival, aside from the fishing, serves as a time for community bonding and sharing. They also believe that the events surrounding the formation of the lake and its spiritual significance continue to influence the prosperity and outcomes of the festival, with some sharing tales of the lake’s mystical and cultural importance. The distinct characteristics of the event this year, such as changes in water levels and fishing success, have been noted as unusual and significant by the locals.